Hotel is not allowed to keep six stars

The Higher Regional Court Celle, Germany, decided that it is misleading to add six stars next to the door of a luxus hotel (13 U 76/14 dated 15 July 2014). Background of the Case and Subject Matter A hotel owner added six (6) stars next to the entrance of his luxury hotel without having an evaluation by an external official hotel evaluator. Therefore, a competitor filed a law suit because, this advertisement is misleading. But, the hotel owner is of the opinion that his advertisement is not misleading because in fact his hotel is very luxurious. Decision The Higher Regional Court Celle decided that it is misleading to add six (6) stars next to a hotel. The public believes that the classification of hotels with stars is given by an independent office which evaluates the hotel on the basis of objective and neutral criteria. After all, hotels use the evaluation for their advertisement and in order to show potential guests the standard of quality of the hotel. Even if the hotel is luxurious, there must be an evaluation by an independent office and therefore this hotel owner may not continue with his advertisement.