There’s a strict set of criteria to gain an official star rating for your French rental property. Since the 1st February 2022, there are 133 individual points (previously 112) that you’ll be judged on, based on the ever-evolving requirements of guests.
In this post, we outline what it is that the classification reviews and offer useful advice on how to boost your score with some easy steps.
What is assessed in the official classification process?
These are the key areas you’ll be evaluated on:
- General property criteria i.e., surface area of rooms, height restrictions, what counts as a room and what doesn’t
- Bedrooms
- Bath/shower rooms
- Kitchen, including equipment and gadgets
- Storage
- Outdoors, including parking, relaxation, sport and leisure
- Property location and surroundings
- Electrical equipment
- Telephones and Wi-Fi /Internet
- TV and music
- Guest comfort
- Quality and standards
- Advice and client services
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
Do note that there are some mandatory criteria regarding quality and standards. For example, you must have proper kitchen ventilation, good quality clean bedding, working lighting and electricals, ample seating for the capacity of the property and energy reduction measures in place. However, some “extra” services are optional, and some only apply to certain types of properties.
If you’re close to the next level and looking for simple ways to achieve it, here are six straightforward ways that can make a real difference.
We’ve noted the points awarded for each, and which star rating they’re compulsory for.
NB. These were translated by our team from the French website, for the original French criteria, click here.
1. Provide welcome products
FR: Présence de produits d’accueil
Criteria number: 47
Points: 3
Compulsory for: Star ratings 3-5
Providing welcome gifts is a sure-fire way to get a holiday off to a great start, and it’s something we always recommend our owners do. Check out our in-depth blog on welcome baskets for more.
2. Provide a pressure cooker, steamer or multifunctional food processor
FR: Autocuiseur ou cuit-vapeur ou robot de cuisine multifonctions
Criteria number: 67
Points: 3
Compulsory for: Not compulsory for any star ratings
Although this isn’t compulsory for any star ratings, it’s an easy win, giving you a score of 3. Head over to our minimum chalet equipment list to see what else we’d recommend providing at your holiday rental property.
3. Provide a charging station for electric vehicles
FR: Borne de recharge pour les véhicules électriques
Criteria number: 125
Points: 2
With eco-tourism and travel becoming increasingly popular, this is a great way to attract wellness travellers to your property and boost your official classification score. We’ve also put together a variety of helpful suggestions for making your property more eco-friendly.
Find out more about electric car charging stations here.
4. Provide an iron and ironing board
FR: Fer et table à repasser
Criteria number: 22
Points: 2
This is another quick and easy way to improve your score, plus it’s always appreciated by guests.
5. Provide a bedside table per person
FR: Présence d’une table de chevet par personne
Criteria number: 36
Score: 2
If you have enough space in your property, this is an additional simple step to attaining a score of 2.
6. Provide baby equipment on demand
FR: Matériel pour bébé à la demande
Criteria number: 109
Score: 2
Having baby equipment will not only boost your official classification score, but it will also help to attract families with younger children. Check out our Cool for Kids programme to find out what else we recommend our owners provide to appeal to younger guests.
We hope these tips have helped you on your way to achieving the highest possible score for your French holiday rental property. If you’re considering working towards official classification, view the full grid here (French only.)
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