World Tourism Day 2026: The star rating is losing its grip on how Indian travellers choose a hotel

Indian travellers are looking beyond hotel star ratings, prioritising privacy, personalisation, local experiences, good food, convenience and genuine value.

When was the last time you booked a hotel simply because it had five stars? Chances are, you checked the photographs, zoomed into the bathroom, read reviews, looked at breakfast, checked the location on Google Maps and possibly spent an unreasonable amount of time deciding if that infinity pool actually looked as good as it did on Instagram. Somewhere along the way, the star rating became just one part of the decision. And that may be one of the more interesting shifts happening in Indian travel right now.

“The term ‘luxury’ is worn out, overused and diluted. Traditional star ratings no longer guide modern travel decisions,” says Burkhard Wolter of Six Senses Fort Barwara. He points to pricing, brand perception and peer reviews as increasingly important factors influencing where people stay.

So, what are travellers looking for instead?

A large room and a fancy lobby have not suddenly become irrelevant. The difference is that travellers now seem to be asking a slightly more demanding question: What am I actually getting out of this stay? For Wolter, that means travellers increasingly look at mindfulness, time efficiency, wellness and sustainability.

Manmeet Singh, General Manager at Ran Baas, The Palace, sees a similar change, particularly around the value placed on time and privacy. “Today’s luxury traveller is much more conscious of how an experience makes them feel,” says Singh. “They are willing to pay a premium for things that are increasingly difficult to buy in everyday life: privacy, convenience, exclusivity, seamless service and access to something that cannot easily be replicated elsewhere.”

In practical terms, that can mean:

• Privacy and quieter spaces
• Personalised service without excessive formality
• Good food that connects you with the destination
• Local cultural and heritage experiences
• Wellness experiences with an actual purpose
• Smooth booking, check-in, and service
• Flexibility to spend the holiday at your own pace

Basically, the hotel cannot rely on a grand lobby to do all the talking anymore.

A bigger room is nice. Being understood may be nicer

Roop Partap Choudhary, Executive Director at Noor Mahal, Delhi NCR Karnal by Marriott International, says the meaning of “the best” itself is changing. “For many travellers, having a seamless experience, avoiding unnecessary friction and being able to slow down has become a luxury in itself,” he says.

That last bit feels particularly relevant. Indian holidays have traditionally had a habit of becoming extremely enthusiastic itineraries. Breakfast at eight, sightseeing at nine, lunch at one, another attraction at three and dinner somewhere you absolutely must try at eight.

Now, doing absolutely nothing for an afternoon can be part of what you paid for. Choudhary also points towards greater interest in private culinary experiences, wellness, local culture and stays that can bend around personal interests rather than asking every guest to follow the same formula.

And this is not only about expensive hotels

Interestingly, expectations are rising at the value end too. Travellers may happily skip the fancy extras, but cleanliness, safety, comfort, reliable WiFi, good food and efficient service are becoming difficult to compromise on. Singh puts it simply: value no longer automatically means the lowest price. It means feeling that what you received justified what you paid.

That could explain why star ratings alone tell only part of the story today.

By 2030, technology may push this even further. Wolter believes AI could eventually play a role in suggesting when someone needs a holiday and where they should go based on their needs, while Singh expects technology to quietly remember preferences and simplify logistics.

Yet all three hospitality leaders circle back to something decidedly human: feeling recognised, having your time respected and coming home with something more memorable than a photograph of the hotel lobby.

Perhaps that little row of stars beside the hotel name still matters. It just has a lot more competition now.

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