CNBC - Is your hotel 4- or 5-stars? Here’s how to tell them apart 12122022

Ever notice that the same hotel can be rated three, four and even five-stars? That’s the case with Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands. The reason is because companies — from guidebooks to websites — use different standards to evaluate hotels, with some relying solely on online reviews to set their star rating. CNBC Travel met Capella Singapore’s Yngvar Stray and HotelPlanner’s Tim Hentschel to talk about which star ratings matter and what travelers can expect from a 1-star to 5-star stay