Selection process
Amber Star recognition is awarded on an annual basis and reflects a property's performance at the time of evaluation.
To preserve the integrity of the Amber Star Selection, recognised properties may undergo periodic reassessment. This process helps ensure that the standards required for inclusion are consistently maintained.
This process helps ensure that the standards required for inclusion are consistently maintained.
Selection status is not permanent and remains subject to ongoing compliance with the Amberdwell Index framework.
Defining Hospitality Excellence
We believe that true hospitality excellence is defined not by the quantity of amenities offered, but by the quality with which every detail is delivered. Amber Star is not a traditional star rating system—it is an independent accreditation awarded to properties that demonstrate exceptional performance across the entire guest experience.
The 150-Point Evaluation Framework
To qualify for inclusion in the Amber Star Selection, a property must demonstrate exceptional performance across every aspect of the guest experience.
Evaluation is conducted through the Amberdwell Index — a comprehensive 150-point evaluation framework designed to assess hospitality quality with consistency, objectivity, and depth.
To ensure a balanced assessment, the Amberdwell Index is divided into six core dimensions, each carrying a maximum value of 25 points.
Together, these six dimensions create a rigorous evaluation structure in which no single area can compensate for weaknesses elsewhere. Each dimension contributes equally to the final evaluation result.
A minimum score of 130 out of 150 points is required for inclusion in the Amber Star Selection.
01. Digital Experience
Booking accessibility, website quality, pre-arrival communication, and digital consistency.
Assessment of the complete guest journey before arrival, including reservation processes, information accuracy, communication efficiency, and brand consistency across digital channels.
02. Physical Environment
Comfort, maintenance, cleanliness, atmosphere, and sensory quality.
Assessment of the property's physical condition and guest comfort, including lighting, acoustics, climate control, material quality, and overall environmental standards.
03. Operational Performance
Housekeeping, maintenance, responsiveness, and service delivery.
Evaluation of operational systems and execution standards that ensure reliability, efficiency, consistency, and attention to detail throughout the guest experience.
04. Hospitality Excellence
Professionalism, guest engagement, communication, and personalized care.
Assessment of staff performance, service culture, emotional intelligence, problem resolution, and the property's ability to create meaningful guest experiences.
05. Design & Identity
Architectural character, interior design, functionality, and sense of place.
Evaluation of the property's visual identity, spatial coherence, design quality, and integration with its local environment and positioning.
06. Reputation & Quality Consistency
Guest perception, service consistency, and long-term quality performance.
Assessment of whether the property's demonstrated performance consistently aligns with its market positioning, guest expectations, and publicly established reputation.
The Result: Amber Star Classification
Our evaluation framework is designed to be both rigorous and equitable across all property types.
We do not assess properties based on the quantity of facilities or services offered. Instead, we evaluate how effectively and consistently each property delivers the experience it intends to provide.
Properties that achieve the required qualification threshold within the Amberdwell Index are included in the Amber Star Selection.
Each selected property is assigned a final classification based on its overall performance within the 150-point evaluation framework.
Amber Star Selection | Excellent
130–139 points
Properties demonstrating a consistently high standard of performance across all evaluated dimensions.
Amber Star Selection | Elite
140–150 points
Properties demonstrating exceptional performance and distinction within the Amberdwell Index framework.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are properties selected?
Properties are identified and evaluated independently by Amberdwell through its own research and assessment process.
Selection decisions are based on the Amberdwell Index — a structured 150-point evaluation framework designed to assess hospitality quality, operational performance, and guest experience consistency.
A minimum score of 130 out of 150 points is required for inclusion within the AMBER STAR Selection.
Can a property apply for AMBER STAR accreditation?
No.
Properties cannot apply for accreditation or request inclusion within the AMBER STAR Selection. Evaluations are conducted independently by Amberdwell and participation cannot be initiated through application or commercial arrangement.
Does payment influence the evaluation outcome?
No.
Evaluation outcomes are determined independently and are completed prior to any accreditation offer being made.
Commercial participation, sponsorship, or accreditation activation fees do not influence scores, classifications, or qualification decisions.
Why is there an accreditation activation fee?
The accreditation activation fee applies only to properties that choose to activate their accredited status following qualification.
The fee supports the administration and maintenance of the accreditation programme, independent evaluation activities, inclusion within the AMBER STAR Registry and Digital Map, production of official accreditation materials, annual licensing rights, and ongoing quality oversight.
The evaluation outcome itself is determined independently and is not contingent upon participation.
What happens if a property declines accreditation?
Participation in the AMBER STAR Selection is entirely voluntary.
A property may decline accreditation without affecting its evaluation result or the outcome of the assessment.
How long is accreditation valid?
AMBER STAR accreditation is valid for a period of 12 months from the date of activation.
To preserve the integrity of the selection, accredited properties may be subject to periodic review, reputation monitoring, or reassessment where appropriate.
Continuation beyond the applicable accreditation period is not automatic and remains subject to independent evaluation.
The AMBER STAR Selection is based on an independent hospitality evaluation framework developed by Amberdwell. The following questions explain how properties are assessed, how accreditation is granted, and how the selection operates.
Is AMBER STAR a traditional star rating system?
No.
AMBER STAR is an independent accreditation framework and should not be interpreted as a conventional hotel star classification.
The framework evaluates how effectively a property delivers its intended guest experience rather than the quantity of facilities or amenities offered.
Is inclusion within the AMBER STAR Selection a paid listing?
No.
Properties cannot purchase inclusion, influence evaluation outcomes, or obtain recognition through advertising or sponsored placement.
Recognition is granted exclusively on the basis of independent evaluation outcomes under the Amberdwell Index framework.
Can accreditation be withdrawn?
Yes.
To preserve the integrity of the AMBER STAR Selection, Amberdwell reserves the right to review, suspend, or withdraw accreditation where there is evidence of significant and sustained deterioration in quality standards, material misrepresentation, or circumstances that no longer align with the principles of the accreditation framework.
Where can I view the current AMBER STAR Selection?
The official AMBER STAR Selection Registry is publicly available through the Amberdwell website.
The Registry presents accredited properties together with their individual accreditation profiles, accreditation status and direct links to their official websites, providing travellers and industry professionals with an independent and publicly verifiable hospitality reference.
The Registry is updated continuously as new properties activate their Official Accreditation.
What does accredited status include?
Accredited properties receive official recognition within the AMBER STAR Selection, inclusion within the AMBER STAR Registry and Digital Map, annual licensing rights to use accreditation marks, an official accreditation certificate, and an engraved accreditation plaque.
Accreditation also provides an independent quality designation that may be used across brand, communication, and direct booking channels during the applicable accreditation period.
Who pays for the evaluation process?
Amberdwell independently funds and conducts its evaluation activities and does not charge properties an application or assessment fee.
An accreditation activation fee applies only after a property has qualified and voluntarily chooses to activate its accredited status.
How is the accreditation activation fee determined?
The accreditation activation fee is determined according to the size and operational profile of each property.
Fee categories may vary based on accommodation capacity and the scope of accreditation materials and services provided during the applicable selection cycle.
How is the AMBER STAR Selection different from other hospitality accreditation programmes?
The AMBER STAR Selection is designed as an independent hospitality accreditation framework rather than a commercial award programme, paid listing or traditional hotel classification system.
Properties cannot apply for inclusion, purchase recognition or influence evaluation outcomes through commercial participation.
What distinguishes the programme is its combination of independent property selection, structured evaluation under the proprietary 150-point Amberdwell Index, a clear distinction between qualification and voluntary accreditation, and a long-term commitment to credibility rather than promotional recognition.
Amberdwell's objective is not to become the largest hospitality accreditation programme, but one of the most trusted independent references for recognised hospitality quality in Europe.
How long has the AMBER STAR Selection programme been operating?
The AMBER STAR Selection was officially launched in 2026 as the independent hospitality accreditation programme of Amberdwell.
Prior to its public launch, the proprietary 150-point Amberdwell Index methodology was developed through extensive research, practical evaluation and continuous refinement to establish a consistent, objective and professionally structured framework for assessing hospitality quality.
Since its launch, Amberdwell has focused on selective evaluation and long-term credibility rather than rapid expansion, with the objective of establishing a trusted European hospitality accreditation framework.
What is the Executive Evaluation Report?
The Executive Evaluation Report is a proprietary confidential management document prepared exclusively for officially accredited properties.
It provides a structured assessment of the property's performance under the Amberdwell Index methodology, including executive scoring, category-by-category analysis, benchmark comparisons, identified strengths, strategic observations, development opportunities and the rationale supporting the final accreditation outcome.
The report is intended as a management resource for owners and executive leadership and is not designed for public distribution or marketing purposes.
What is the purpose of Amberdwell?
Amberdwell exists to identify, recognise and highlight exceptional hospitality through independent evaluation.
Rather than expecting travellers to compare thousands of properties, interpret countless guest reviews or rely solely on marketing claims, Amberdwell helps reduce uncertainty by identifying hospitality properties that consistently demonstrate exceptional quality.
Guest ratings measure satisfaction. The Amberdwell Index evaluates hospitality quality through a structured, multi-dimensional assessment framework.
The purpose of the AMBER STAR Selection is not to recognise every good property, but to distinguish those that consistently demonstrate exceptional standards of hospitality and deserve greater visibility.
By doing the evaluation, Amberdwell enables travellers to make more confident decisions and exceptional hospitality easier to discover.
What is the difference between Qualification and Official Accreditation?
Qualification and Official Accreditation represent two distinct stages within the AMBER STAR Selection.
Qualification confirms that a property has successfully met the required standard under the independent Amberdwell evaluation process and achieved the minimum score required for inclusion within the AMBER STAR Selection.
Official Accreditation is an optional second stage available exclusively to qualified properties. It enables the property to activate its accredited status, receive the official accreditation package, obtain a licence to use the accreditation marks, and be publicly presented within the official AMBER STAR Selection Registry.
Choosing not to activate Official Accreditation does not affect the property's qualification outcome. Qualification remains the independent result of the evaluation, while Official Accreditation represents the voluntary public recognition of that achievement.
