New achievement unlocked

Michelin's hotel guide has the hospitality industry all keyed up. Small players hold their own against the big chains. As for guests, we finally have fair, clear ratings

- VR SANGHVI

If you are travelling to a new city, how do you find a good hotel? Until a year ago, the short answer was: You take your chances and leave it to fate.

One of the extraordinary things about the hospitality industry is that while there is no shortage of critical information about restaurants, there is virtually nothing like that about hotels.

For instance, if you want to choose a good restaurant in India, you can refer to the Culinary Culture star ratings or perhaps look at something like the Condé Nast Traveller list of top restaurants.

But if you are looking for a good hotel, there is nothing that will help you make an informed decision. The so-called three- to five-star rating system is mechanical and meaningless. And nearly all the lists of best hotels are either incestuously directed at the industry, or are largely advertising-driven.

Over the last year, this has finally changed. Just as restaurants have Michelin stars, there is now a Michelin guide to hotels, done to the same high standards as the restaurant guide. And just as you have the annual list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, there is now a similar ranking of the world's hotels.