Bournemouth's Royal Bath hotel to loseits five-star AA rating

News that the Royal Bath Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, is to lose its five-star status has come as a shock to tourism bosses. But owner De Vere Hotels says the changefits into the company's strategy and should increase the hotel's business.

Since it was built, in 1837, the Royal Bath has been regarded as the flagship hotel for the resort. Its guest list has included Oscar Wilde, Benjamin Disraeli, DH Lawrence, Sir Richard Branson, Sting, and Kevin Keegan. Millions of pounds have been spent on refurbishments and improvements in the past five years.

But when the AA publishes its new star grading list next month, it will rate the 140-bedroom hotel as four-star.

Tourism chair councillor Jacky Harris said: "I'm extremely surprised. We have always thought of this as our flagship hotel. I'll be furious about this if the Grand hotel at Brighton stays a five-star.

"From the point of view of conferences and attracting international tourists, it is vital that we have a five-star hotel."

However, De Vere Hotels said in a company statement: "As part of De Vere's on-going strategic review it has been decided, in conjunction with the AA, to reclassify the Royal Bath as a four-star hotel."

Chief hotel inspector David Young explained that while decisions to add or remove stars lay with the AA, it made them in conjunction with the hotels. If they objected to losing stars, they would discuss the changes needed to retain their grading.

David Walker, director of operations at De Vere Hotels, believed the decision would allow the hotel to meet the increasing demand on the South Coast from the four-star conference and leisure market.

by Ben Denman and Angela Frewin