Quality Grading - by VisitBritain, VisitScotland, VisitWales and Failte Ireland
To be featured on this website all cottages must have met a minimum of 4 Star Grade with an independent national accreditation body. If for any reason a cottage’s grading changes during the year, Premier Cottages will use its best endeavours to ensure its new grade will be shown.
Cottage graded 5 stars - exceptional quality - by an independent national accreditation body
Cottage graded 4 stars - excellent quality - by an independent national accreditation body
Cottage graded 4 or 5 stars - excellent quality - by an independent national accreditation body
The proprietor/management is required to undertake and observe the following Code of Conduct:
-To maintain standards of guest care, cleanliness, and service appropriate to the type of establishment
-To describe accurately in any advertisement, brochure, or other printed or electronic media, the facilities and services provided
-To make clear to visitors exactly what is included in all prices quoted for accommodation, including taxes, and any other surcharges. Details of charges for additional services/facilities should also be made clear
-To give a clear statement of the policy on cancellations to guests at the time of booking, i.e. by telephone, fax, email as well as information given in a printed format
-To adhere to, and not to exceed prices quoted at the time of booking for accommodation and other services
-To give each visitor on request details of payments due and a receipt, if required
-To deal promptly and courteously with all enquiries, requests, bookings and correspondence from visitors
-Ensure complaint handling procedures are in place and that complaints received are investigated promptly and courteously and that the outcome is communicated to the visitor
-To give due consideration to the requirements of visitors with disabilities and visitors with special needs, and to make suitable provision where applicable
-To provide public liability insurance or comparable arrangement and to comply with all applicable planning, safety and other statutory requirements
-To allow a Tourist Board representative reasonable access to the establishment, on request to confirm the Code of Conduct is being observed
DISABLED/ACCESSABILITY GRADING:
Currently only VisitEngland operates a disabled or accessibility grading scheme (the National Accessible Scheme or NAS – see https://www.visitengland.com/plan-your-visit/access-all/national-accessible-scheme. Consequently, this website can only indicate those cottages in England with these grades, in Scotland, Wales and Ireland this website can only indicate those cottages that have some facilities to meet special needs. You can use Cottage Search to identify cottages with special facilities and then by viewing the cottage’s description you can see whether or not the cottage will meet your needs. However, you should contact the cottage’s owner direct to check that the facilities offered are suitable to meet any special needs.
COMPLAINTS:
If you think that any aspect of a cottage does not meet its Tourist Board grading, you should first discuss your concerns with the cottage’s owner who in agreeing to The Code of Conduct for Tourist Board Quality Graded Cottages has undertaken to have a complaint handling procedures in place and that complaints received are investigated promptly and courteously, and that the outcome is communicated to the visitor. In the unlikely event you feel that your complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved you should contact the cottage’s appropriate Tourist Board:
For cottages in England email: VisitEnglandAssessmentServices@theAA.com
For cottages in Scotland email: qu@visitscotland.com
For cottages in Wales email: quality.tourism@wales.gsi.gov.uk
For cottages in Northern Ireland write to: info@tams.ie
Quality Assurance Manager, NITB,
59 North Street, Belfast BT1 1NB.
…… and please email a copy to quality@premiercottages.co.uk