comfortable

20:55 Feb 27, 2019 

I don't know why the asker hasn't said anything yet, but I wanted to thank you, Alison, for this treasure trove of information.

So, we both agree with Allegro and it seems I wasn't that far off. It is an ENS source doc and while there is indeed more than one hotel category, there is more to it than just hotels.

This is also why I stand by my statement that you shouldn't try to ask for a general explanation of the word "comfortable." E.g., this is important:
"Do note that what is actually meant by basic/standard/comfortable can vary significantly depending on the country concerned"

For example, I know that when we travelled like 10 or 20 years ago (I'm sure it's not any different nowadays), you had to remember a three-star hotel in a Mediterranean country could mostly not be compared to one in Germany. And that isn't some kind of criticism or slight, but the definition of what constituted a three-star hotel in one of those countries was just a bit different from what you were used to in middle Europe.

I think it'd be better the asker looks for these kinds of descriptions by hotel chains or travel agencies in his native country.

Best wishes

15:26 Feb 22, 2019 

Here is the closest thing I can find to a definition on the Exodus website. [Do note that what is actually meant by basic/standard/comfortable can vary significantly depending on the country concerned]
KEY TO ACCOMMODATION: We indicate in the itinerary what type of accommodation is provided on each day. The descriptions are guidelines only and are used to give an idea of the accommodation offered, rather than an exact description.
CH Comfortable Hotel, Lodge or Gite - twin rooms with en suite facilities, reliable electricity and water supply, good service and some added amenities.
SH Standard Hotel, Lodge or Gite - no-frills hotel, usually with twin rooms and en suite facilities. Service and amenities are generally adequate.
BH Basic Hotel, Lodge or Gite, Mountain Hut, Village House - can be communal, often consisting of just a bed and shared facilities. Bed linen not normally provided. Running water, toilets and electricity may be inconsistent or non-existent. Cleanliness is not always assured.

15:12 Feb 22, 2019 

... that this is a classification used by the company. I am familiar with this from the company Exodus and the asker's text can be found there. They use: Basic Hotel, Standard Hotel, Comfortable Hotel, Premium Hotel. For anyone confused by the presentation, the words Comfortable Hotel, etc. appear on a separate line at the end of each day's itinerary to let you know your accommodation type for that night. As well as hotel, other possibilities are camping, sleeper train, etc.
See some similar trip notes:
13 nights comfortable hotels
https://www.exodus.co.uk/tripnotes/auu/20016
For comparison, this one uses both standard and comfortable hotels:
9 nights comfortable hotels, 5 nights standard hotels all en suite
https://www.exodus.co.uk/tripnotes/muca/20014
and this one uses comfortable and premium hotels:
11 nights in comfortable hotels and eco-lodges (some Premium)
https://www.exodus.co.uk/tripnotes/wup/10452

13:13 Feb 22, 2019 

...from the same page:
"Comfortable hotel (7 nights), Guesthouse (2 nights), Manor house (1 night)"
https://www.imaginative-traveller.com/trips/uncover-northern...

And this one:
"Comfortable hotel (7 nights),Cruise ship (3 nights),Overnight sleeper train (1 night)"
https://www.imaginative-traveller.com/index.php?app=tripmana...

As Allegro said, it's most likely a "....classification used by the company..."

There's only one hit for "Basic Hotel" on that site, so I'm not sure making this all about hotels is really that accurate.

Best

12:54 Feb 22, 2019 

Additionally, here's a trip to Thailand:
"12 nights hotels, all en suite, and 1 night homestay"

Thereafter, either
"Huong Sen Hotel or similar, Comfortable Hotel"
"Chau Pho Hotel or similar, Comfortable Hotel"
or
"Mekong Guest House or similar, Homestay"
https://www.imaginative-traveller.com/index.php?app=tripmana...

This one is a UK(!) company, btw.

And another UK company advertising a trip to Mongolia:
https://www.lowcostdeals.co.uk/tour/cycling-in-mongolia-4883...

Here; it's between Sleeper Train, Wild Camping and Comfortable Hotel (capitalized each time). That's not really a "hotel" category but rather denotes the type of accommodations (accommodation for the UK).

Agree with Allegro that it must be defined somewhere; both UK links have asterisks next to the words, but I can't find the definition. Though, I doubt asking for the meaning of comfortable will help much.

Best wishes

12:51 Feb 22, 2019 

Tony, I don't necessarily disagree; the capitalization just wasn't part of your answer and "...it is rather unthinkable that there might be an UNcomfortable hotel..." led me to believe you didn't think ENS would talk about "comfortable hotels." Maybe I misunderstood.

Allegro, I googled the second bit of the query. I think basically, you're right.

Plus, I believe there is some error in the text. Have a look at this page from Costa Rica:
http://amphoratravel.com/product/costa-ricas-coastal-secrets...

It always goes like this:
"Accommodation: Presidente Hotel or Country Inn and Suites (or similar)"
"Accommodation: Pachira Lodge (or similar)"
"Savegre Hotel, Nature Reserve & Spa (or similar)"

Only once(!), it reads:
"Villa Florencia or similar (Comfortable Hotel)"

[...]

01:32 Feb 22, 2019 

probably depends on who or what is saying this. Have you researched to see if Costa Rica has official hotel classifications and whther "comfortable" is one of them?
Or maybe if this is from a holiday brochure listing many resorts/hotels it's a classification used by the company - and perhaps it's defined somewhere in the brochure