Requirements for furnished tourist accommodation classification
Classification is not reserved for high-end properties. There are minimum criteria to meet, but many furnished tourist accommodations can enter the process when they are clean, functional, properly equipped and consistent with their stated capacity.
Simple checklist before requesting an inspection
Before scheduling an inspection, a few simple checks help clarify whether the accommodation is ready for the process.
- check the actual surface area of the property and the category being considered;
- check that the sanitary facilities are located inside the accommodation;
- check the condition of the bedding, furniture, kitchen and sanitary facilities;
- make sure the equipment is consistent with the number of guests accommodated;
- prepare the services announced to travellers;
- have the accommodation clean, tidy and ready on the inspection day.
Classification applies to more properties than many owners expect
A furnished tourist accommodation is a furnished whole property rented for the exclusive use of the tenant, to passing customers who do not make it their home. It may be a house, an apartment or a studio.
The official classification awards 1 to 5 stars according to a national grid. A property does not need to be a luxury property to be considered for classification.
The classification does not start at 4 or 5 stars: it starts at 1 star, with a simple level that still meets a baseline for comfort, equipment and maintenance.
A studio can absolutely be classified. For a studio or one-room unit for 1 to 2 people, the basic minimum surface area starts at 12 m² for 1 star. For a single-room property, the blocking prerequisite is 9 m² if the kitchen is separate, or 12 m² with a kitchenette.
Points to check before requesting an inspection
Before considering stars, the first step is to check whether the property can actually enter the classification process. The issue is not only having enough equipment, but having accommodation that matches the definition of furnished tourist accommodation, meets the expected minimum conditions and has a coherent guest capacity.
To be classified as furnished tourist accommodation, the property must be a whole furnished property rented for the exclusive use of the tenant, to passing customers who do not make it their home.
Some types of accommodation are excluded from furnished tourist accommodation classification, including non-independent accommodation, light or mobile accommodation, accommodation that may be rented simultaneously to several customers, and bed and breakfast rooms.
The general condition of the accommodation matters significantly. A dirty, poorly maintained property or one with damaged elements directly compromises the outcome of the inspection.
Before looking at the detail of the grid, the property needs a sound baseline: real cleanliness, working equipment, proper sanitary facilities, clean surfaces and suitable bedding.
Not every area of the property is automatically counted as a living room. To be taken into account, a room must in particular have sufficient surface area, suitable height and an opening to the outside.
By contrast, a very small cabin, mountain corner or space without an opening to the outside is not considered a real living room for classification, and beds located there are not counted in the guest capacity.
The property must meet a minimum baseline for comfort and habitability. In practice, this means in particular that it must include a living room, an indoor kitchen or kitchenette, an indoor shower or bathroom, and indoor sanitary facilities.
The kitchen or kitchenette must be inside the accommodation. The shower or bathroom must also be inside and supplied with hot and cold water. In practice, no hot water or kitchen or sanitary facilities located outside the accommodation make classification impossible.
In short, before targeting a category, four points must be checked first: that the property matches the definition of furnished tourist accommodation, that it meets minimum habitability conditions, that its surface area and guest capacity are coherent, and that it is presented in a clean and well-maintained condition.
The most common blocking points
Some points often come up when a property is not ready for a classification inspection or when the target category is too ambitious.
- insufficient surface area for the target category;
- sanitary facilities that are not private or are located outside the accommodation;
- a property that is poorly maintained or insufficiently clean;
- beds, furniture or equipment inconsistent with the stated capacity;
- a missing blocking prerequisite;
- a target category that is too high for the actual characteristics of the property.
In many cases, the issue is not that the property cannot be classified, but that the target category is not the right one.
After the inspection, Etoilys tools indicate the maximum classification level that the property can obtain. The target category can then be adjusted accordingly.
What are the steps to obtain classification?
Once the requirements are met, the classification process follows a defined sequence of steps.