Dalrachney Lodge Hotel, Carrbridge, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Interested in the meanings of the various awards and symbols?

Read on, but don't take it too seriously

Introduction

There are awards, symbols, stars, diamonds, rosettes and other funny shaped logos given to accommodation providers in the UK by all kinds of organizations both "official" and mostly self-appointed. Establishments are subject to rigorous and "anonymous" inspection of facilities and food by their various representatives. Staff can even be trained and assessed on the quality of welcome they give guests. The environmental friendliness and greenness of the establishment can also be assessed, believe it or not.

We are concerned here only with Hotels, but there are Guest Houses, B & B's, Holiday Cottages, Bunk Houses, Caravan Sites, Visitor Attractions etc all having awards and variants of the same. Additionally, there are Groups and Consortia almost always commercially run organizations existing for a number of reasons which will be hinted at later on in this page.

It is all becoming rather confusing for you the Guest. I know of several places that actively seek every award or plaque going and plaster them around their establishment's door or driveway entrance. They assume it will attract Guests.

Moreover, there are hundreds of Guide Books and Personal Recommendation Books, using on the front cover or first few pages Tourist Board look-alike symbols usually a thistle or Scottish-like heather coloured or tartan logo often pretending to be "officially recognized". Confused?, then read on keeping in mind that many have one thing in common

The Hotelier pays considerable sums of money to be assessed and listed!

Our Awards

Dalrachney Lodge Hotel has the following, with approximate meanings

Scottish Tourist Board (STB) 4 star - Excellent Standard

AA 3 Star - Got most things you need, but no night porter

Notes:

1. The RAC - We were classified 3 Star by the RAC for many years. The introduction of a new harmonized system in the late 1990's between the AA, RAC and English TB (not the STB) means that where an establishment gets 3 Star from one it applies to all, but you have to pay to be able to display the logo. We decided to withdraw from the RAC scheme in 1999. Remember if you see "AA" they would get "RAC" automatically and vica versa.

2. Food Grading

What started off here as an explanation of why we withdrew from Taste of Scotland, has evolved into a chronology of the Scottish Tourist Board and others involvement in food grading - Read on .........

We decided in the year 2000, after 12 years, not to renew our membership with "Taste of Scotland". We were members until the end of 2000. Did our food suddenly go off one day later? of course not. Many guests used the guide as a way of finding a good hotel with good food and it was a form of advertising. I never knew anyone who exclusively used any one book or guide. You will still find us in many other places and since you are able to read this you have found us for all time! This decision was taken by us with some regret. Keep in mind as well that establishments had to pay T of S to be assessed and entered in their book, about £450 pa as I recall. Since it is a fact that the majority of establishments didn't bother with T of S, it followed that if you used their guide exclusively you would have missed a lot! There was also increasing commercial sponsorship - do you use Walker's shortbread, Macallan whisky? Certainly we do. Do you use our sponsor Wine and Spirit merchant? No - we use the best - Gordon & Macphail.

The organization went through crisis and top management changes in the mid 1990's and it has been changing ever since. What was a good concept and inspection system moved over to an attempt, in our opinion, to become an elitist "Egon Ronay" of Scotland which is not what it should all be about and it is certainly not what the founding fathers intended. A new food rating system was initiated by VisitScotland (STB) in 2001 and surprise T of S were appointed assessors under the name of the "Food Grading Company". Goodness only knows where all these plaques will go. We elected not to be assessed - needless to say.

Shortly thereafter controversy and acrimony reigned supreme. Senior staff left T of S and set up another assessment scheme adding more confusion to a pathetic situation overall.

Taste of Scotland went into receivership in late 2003 and the VisitScotland food grading scheme went into temporary collapse. Books and indeed gradings are now collectors items! Watch out - The are still many establishments displaying "Taste of Scotland" and the "Medallions" issued by the defunct VisitScotland scheme. Dalrachney Lodge is not surprised and it was all predictable. Generally accepted reason is that members (the hotels and restaurants) found the business confusing and those involved allegedly incompetent. Only 500 establishments registered in year one and 50% or so disagreed with the assessment/award given.

After a mercifully quiet year (2004) of "industry consultation" a new (groan!) food grading scheme in being launched by VisitScotland (January 2005). We actually were invited to take part in a pilot. It will be known a "eatscotland". It sounds like a complete and utter waste of time. Criteria will be Pass or Fail and every pub, cafe, chip shop and 5 star hotel restaurant will be able to take part (£175 or so payable). How will you, the customer, know if an establishment "failed" or simply elected not to be assessed? Would anyone imagine that Dalrachney Lodge rated 4 star by VisitScotland has crap food!?

I would guess that the "award collectors" in this trade will be less than pleased to have only a "Pass" listed along with their 1 or 2 Rosettes awarded by the AA. Watch this space ...... the fat lady is not yet near her final song!

We have always believed that our customers are the best assessors and you can be assured that Dalrachney Lodge will continue to offer the best possible quality and standard of food as well as in all other aspects of this business

Another problem we have with food grading in general is a lack of consistency across the various award schemes. A local example is that the latest (2005) "Which Good Food Guide" and the "Egon Ronay" (2005) guide do not even mention two establishments within 5 miles of Dalrachney Lodge that boast "2-AA Rosettes! and a 3-Rosette establishment within 20ml of us gets a pretty average mention in the Egon Ronay guide.

I can remember years ago probably in the 1970s a famous London restaurant was asked by a journalist to comment as to why they had slipped from 2 to 1 star with Egon Ronay. The Executive Chef of the day replied "Egon who?" That about sums up our position.

What do our Guests say? Click here

Why Be Classified? What does it mean ?

Well, the smaller establishment has to be in something and to be honest it does give you the Guest at least sometimes a reasonable idea of what to expect. It is also a form of advertising and our private surveys show the undoubted benefits of at least some of the above listed. Assessment systems are reasonably fair but although there is an attempt to quantify, qualify and harmonize we are dealing with mere humans assessors who can be impressed one way or another. These various schemes have without question improved standards and facilities over the years.

One slight problem for the Guide and Food Book carrier is that the author / assessor may have already decided that he has enough listed in an area! Yes, some operate an area allocation system. Dalrachney Lodge has been invited to join guides and organizations that have said - join us and we guarantee no one else in 10 miles will be listed!

Many of the larger Hotel Groups actually don't bother with classification. Some in need of refurbishment get such a low rating they do not display it! They are anyway big enough to market direct and are known Brands.

Food and Eating

There was a time when people consumed food because they were hungry. Now it has transcended even an art form. Of course it goes without saying that everyone wants to know where they can get a decent meal in nice surroundings, but we are being led to believe that there is much more.

Assessors from organizations concerned mostly with accommodation standards and indeed pure food assessors will rate food, either as a dinner guest or in combination with an overnight stay. With a place such as Dalrachney which serves thousands of meals a year (80% returns) it is not possible to make a special effort to impress an assessor nor would we be even remotely interested.

The small restaurant or guest house with meals probably can snow them more easily. Keep in mind that the assessor had one meal, on one night of the year often alone and probably spotted. Can the standards be kept on the other 364 nights with the other 20 or more dishes on the menu also on the head chef's nights off!? For your meal pick a place that is obviously popular, car park empty on a mid-season evening, wonder why?, ask around, look at a menu.

The AA awards Rosettes 1 to 5 for food. I am aware that a number of places refuse these awards since they can be restrictive on their operation. If you are a genuine foodie start with a 3 Rosette restaurant. 1 or 2 Rosettes only means the "good" quality you get at home! Your Mother would get 1 Rosette on a bad night and 2 Rosettes on a good night. Rosettes are awarded to the Chef not the Hotel / Restaurant so check that he is still there! Some of these boys move about at a rate of knots. Keep in mind also that assessments are often conducted every 2 years and your book could easily have been published at least a year previously. It follows that you could be looking at a situation that is moving into year 4. Given that a great many Chefs shift every 2 years - need I say more ... !

Three Rosette plus eating establishments are as rare as hens teeth in rural Scotland. The only one for miles around here is awarded to the Chef Owner. Ensure that your credit card has a bit of blue sky remaining! Because of confusion Dalrachney no longer intends to display any food awards given by any assessor.

As I was making additions to this page I came across the UK Sunday Times colour supplement for March 26th 2000. It was in the Life in The Day Of Pierre Boulez the Composer and Conductor. "I like good food but it is not important. I wouldn't travel one mile for a restaurant with a number of stars".

I have been in a particular restaurant which is one of only four in Scotland with certain awards and classifications. It was pretty average and you would not have traveled so far to get to it, believe me!

Accommodation - Public and Bedrooms

Easier to assess and less needs to be said. Relates to bedrooms but also public rooms as well. Difference between walking into MFI or DUCAL. For non-UK readers flat-pack wobbly furniture v quality or antique. Good sized rooms, well decorated, carpeted and fitted. Bedrooms require arm chairs, tea / coffee maker, TV and telephone, Hair dryer etc dependant on classification. Ideally en-suite bath / shower and quality toiletries and tissue box.

Groups and Consortia

If a Hotel has all of the above what else is required? Probably not a great deal, other than Guests!, but some believe that a Brand is required to be successful. Perhaps true if one is selling beans, beans means Heinz is a brand but can you tell the difference on a blind test with a supermarket bean? Answers by e-mail please! Richard Bran(d)son is a Brand, yes there is a Virgin Hotel Group. Strength in numbers has always been (bean?) true but does the Guest need it?

Please keep in mind that we are outlining the Scottish Highlands experience not Paris, Brussels, New York or London

Dalrachney Lodge has been invited over the years to join almost every UK or solely Scottish based Group or Consortium appropriate to our classification and size. We prefer to remain independent. All groups and consortia have a scale of charges the hotel must pay to be classified as a member. Frills include discounted purchasing schemes but hotels can get identical discounts a number of other ways. Many offer a central booking service, try it out of UK office hours you will get a recorded message. DIY is my advice. Costs can be up to £5000 or more per year for the smaller hotel groups or over £10,000 for international brands.

Many of the internationally known names in the 4/5 star category, which can also be found in Scotland, are actually franchises and they do it all extremely well, but my observation of the small Scottish groups of 35 to 65 diverse hotels in the 6 to 14 room category is not encouraging and we see no advantage in joining them. Having said that it very likely makes a deal of sense for some who are unable or unwilling to market themselves properly.

Most of the Groups existed before the Internet and Websites were invented and how many will survive I do not know. The member hotels hope that they will get more bookings by being in a glossy brochure which contains the membership. Near enough the same adverts, that's what they are, will be seen in the Scottish Tourist Board's books.