in Spain to be the same as in the rest of Europe answer to that is J Well, actually the short no. In Spain, the stars can only be awarded by the regional tourst authorities. There are 17 different regional tourist authorities and each one gives an official rating according to its own set of criteria. I That sounds pretty confusing. J Well, it is. And to make it worse, yes most people book hotels online or through tour company brochures, which often use their own criteria and sets of symbols, for example suns, crowns, keys, moons or diamond symbols to rate hotels. I So, do the stars mean anything at all? 5 J Well, the stars reflect the number and range of facilities offered, for example is there a lift? Does the hotel have a gymnasium? So that's something concrete you can rely on. And of course a four-star hotel will also cost more than a three- or a two-star hotel in the same city: by law, Spanish hotels must display their prices behind reception and in every room However, visitors must remember that VAT is extra I Right. And are the prices more or less the same across the regions? J Well, prices according to region and vary season. A room will always in cost more high season and city hotels charge more during fiestas, carnivals or when there's a major conference.