The decision, issued by the Dutch Appeals Board (College van Beroep – CvB) of the Advertising Code Commission, has been welcomed by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels as a major victory for transparency in the tourism sector.

Court: Star Ratings Can Be Misleading

The ruling confirms that hotel star ratings may be misleading to consumers when their source is not clearly identified.

Specifically, Booking.com must now disclose whether:

- The stars come from an official national classification authority, or

- They are self-assigned by the hotel, or derived from non-verified systems

Without this clarification, the court found that such ratings violate fair advertising rules.

New Obligations for Booking.com

Under the decision, Booking.com can no longer display hotel stars—on desktop or mobile—without clearly indicating their origin.

This means:

- Self-awarded stars must be explicitly labelled

- Consumers must be able to distinguish between official ratings and unverified claims

- Greater transparency must be applied across listings

The ruling reinforces that star ratings are widely perceived by travellers as a standardised and objective measure of quality.

Greek Tourism Sector Welcomes Decision

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels described the outcome as a “landmark decision” that strengthens consumer protection and ensures fair competition across the hospitality industry.

In Greece, hotel classification is regulated through cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and the Chamber, ensuring that star ratings reflect verified standards.

Officials argue that unclear or misleading ratings undermine trust in both digital platforms and the tourism product itself.

Long-Running Case Behind the Decision

The case dates back several years, when hotel classification organisations—including Germany’s DEHOGA and the Dutch Hotelsterren—challenged Booking.com’s display practices.

In November 2025, the Dutch Advertising Code Commission (RCC) initially ruled that the platform’s presentation of star ratings was misleading when their source was not disclosed.

The latest appeals ruling confirms and strengthens that position, setting a precedent with broader implications across Europe.

A Turning Point for Online Travel Platforms

The decision is expected to have ripple effects throughout the online booking industry, where hotel ratings play a crucial role in consumer choice.

By enforcing transparency, regulators aim to:

- Improve trust in digital booking platforms

- Ensure fair competition among hotels

- Provide clearer information to travellers

Industry observers say the ruling could lead to wider scrutiny of how online platforms present rankings, reviews and quality indicators.

by Bill Giannopoulos