The rating of French hotels from 1 to 5 stars is voluntary, run by Atout France and checked every five years. Since 1 April 2022 its grid has 243 criteria, 27 of them devoted to sustainability, and 13 of those are mandatory whatever the category. Among them: at least one measure to reduce water consumption. Here is what the grid requires, what it does not, how to earn an extra star, and where a shower water meter fits.
Sources: Atout France, "Stars: the hotel rating evolves" (30 March 2022); L'Hôtellerie Restauration, "Hotel rating: the new grid"; rating standard for tourist hotels applicable from 1 April 2022 (order of 29 December 2021).
How does the star rating work?
The star rating works on points. The hotelier chooses the category aimed for, from 1 to 5 stars, then an inspection body accredited by COFRAC checks the 243 criteria of the grid on site, each with points and a status: mandatory or optional. Atout France takes the rating decision on the basis of that report, for five years. In France, 87% of hotel rooms are rated.
Three calculation rules apply. The property must reach at least 95% of the points of the mandatory criteria for its category; each missing mandatory point, within that 5%, is offset by three times as many optional points. Ten criteria, worth 44 points in total, are "mandatory and non-compensable": they mainly concern cleanliness and the condition of facilities, and a single failure blocks the rating. Finally, a minimum of optional points is required by category: 5% for 1 star, 10% for 2, 20% for 3, 30% for 4 and 40% for 5 stars. Optional criteria therefore make the difference for reaching the higher categories.
What changed in 2022?
The 2022 grid doubled the place of sustainability: 27 criteria against 13 in 2016, and 13 mandatory criteria against 3. Atout France presents this as the most important change of the reform, alongside digital (Wi-Fi everywhere, welcome booklet accessible by QR code) and new uses (workspaces, shared equipment). Another change: the rating, previously granted with no time limit, must be renewed every five years.
The sustainability criteria cover energy, water, linen, waste, amenities and cleaning products, staff training, guest information on low-impact transport and purchasing. They are numbered 217 to 243 in the standard.
What does the grid require on water?
On water, the 2022 grid imposes four criteria on every rated hotel, from 1 to 5 stars: at least one measure to reduce water consumption, a water-saving device in every bathroom, a way to reduce the towels to be washed in every room, and staff training on saving water, energy and waste. Two optional criteria come on top: an additional reduction measure and the use of alternative water sources.
| Criterion | Wording | Status from 1 to 5 stars | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 223 | Implementation of at least one measure to reduce water consumption | Mandatory | 2 |
| 224 | Implementation of at least one additional water reduction measure | Optional | 1 |
| 225 | A water-saving device for toilets or urinals in every bathroom | Mandatory | 1 |
| 226 | A way offered in every room to reduce the amount of towels to be washed | Mandatory | 2 |
| 228 | Use of alternative water sources (rainwater, greywater, condensation water) | Optional | 2 |
| 231 | Towels and sheets all washable and reusable | Optional | 3 |
| 237 | Staff training on energy-saving management, water-saving measures and waste management | Mandatory | 5 |
| 243 | Holding an environmental label | Optional | 5 |
Source: rating standard for tourist hotels applicable from 1 April 2022 (order of 29 December 2021), chapter 3, criteria 217 to 243. The statuses shown are identical for the five categories. Training under criterion 237 lasts at least three hours and must be delivered by an approved third-party body (L'Hôtellerie Restauration).
For criterion 223, the inspection guide cites examples of measures: dual-flush toilets, stop-flow devices, flow regulators on basins, aerators, hot water recirculation, rainwater harvesting. The list is not closed. Criterion 223 is only validated if criterion 225 is too.
What does the grid not require?
The 2022 grid requires neither measuring water consumption nor informing guests about their own consumption. The only guest-information criterion on sustainability (239) concerns low-impact transport. No criterion sets a quantified reduction target either: the hotel proves that a measure exists, not that it produces a result.
That is an important difference from sustainable tourism labels. Green Key and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria, used by Green Globe, require tracking of water consumption and awareness actions. A hotel aiming for both stars and a label therefore has every reason to measure, even though the Atout France grid does not require it. Details are in our article on water savings and sustainable tourism labels.
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Why does water weigh more in the higher categories?
Water weighs more in 4 and 5 star hotels for two reasons. The first is regulatory: these categories must reach 30% then 40% of optional points, and every validated optional sustainability criterion counts. The second is physical: according to the French Directorate General for Enterprise study on water management in tourism (2024), a hotel uses 240 L of water per person per night in categories 1 to 3 stars, and 323 L in 4 and 5 stars, all uses combined. The shower, heated water, is the largest share in the room.
On holiday, guests use 55% more water than at home (Teragir, water sobriety study 2024). The reduction measures required by the grid, aerators or regulators, act on flow rate. They change nothing about the length of the shower, which depends on guest behaviour.
How do you earn an extra star?
To earn an extra star, a hotel must meet at least 95% of the mandatory criteria of the target category, then reach that category's optional points threshold: 10% to go from 1 to 2 stars, 20% for 3, 30% for 4 and 40% for 5 stars. In practice, moving up is decided on optional criteria, and the 27 sustainability criteria are the most accessible reserve of points: they call for equipment and practices, rarely building work. An additional water reduction measure (criterion 224), a responsible purchasing policy or displaying consumption to staff each earn points without touching the building.
The process goes through a new audit: the hotelier requests an inspection visit for the higher category from a COFRAC-accredited body, which sends its report to Atout France. Before triggering it, a self-assessment against the grid identifies the missing points; that is the moment to put in place the water, linen and training measures that count in every category, and to document consumption, because labels (Green Key, EU Ecolabel) require it and often complete an upgrade file.
Where does a shower water meter fit?
A shower water meter such as the Molleaumètre acts on behaviour rather than on flow rate: it displays the litres used during the shower, with a light ring that turns from green to orange then red. In the pilot run with Hénéo (RIVP group) on 3,140 showers, consumption fell by 23% per shower on average, up to 61% among the heaviest users, with no change in flow rate or comfort.
Against the Atout France grid, three readings are possible. First, the Molleaumètre is a water reduction measure of a different kind from the examples cited; whether it counts under criteria 223 or 224 is for the inspection body to assess, and we cannot guarantee it. Second, the dashboard provides the data the grid does not require and labels do expect: consumption per room, distribution of showers by volume, savings in litres, euros and CO₂. Third, the eco-tips offered in the app (shower, towels, air conditioning) match the spirit of criteria 226 and 231 on linen, without replacing them. The Hotels page details how it works and the pricing.
Since 1 April 2022, every rated hotel from 1 to 5 stars must implement at least one water reduction measure, fit a saving device in every bathroom, offer towel reduction in every room and train its staff on saving water. The grid requires neither consumption measurement nor guest information about their consumption. The rating is renewed every five years, and the 4 and 5 star categories require 30% and 40% of optional points. Source: Molleau, molleau.com, from Atout France and the 2022 rating standard.
Frequently asked questions
Is the star rating of a hotel mandatory?
No. The 1 to 5 star rating is voluntary. The hotelier requests a visit from a COFRAC-accredited inspection body, which sends its report to Atout France. According to Atout France, 87% of hotel rooms in France are rated.
How long is a hotel rating valid?
Five years. Since the 2022 reform, the rating is no longer granted with no time limit: it must be renewed every five years, with a new inspection visit.
What does the 2022 grid require on water?
For every category, from 1 to 5 stars, the grid requires at least one measure to reduce water consumption (criterion 223), a water-saving device in every bathroom (criterion 225), a way to reduce towels to be washed in every room (criterion 226) and staff training on saving water, energy and waste (criterion 237). Optional points reward an additional measure (224) and alternative water sources (228).
Does the grid require measuring water consumption?
No. No criterion of the 2022 grid imposes tracking or measuring water consumption, nor informing guests about their consumption. Measurement remains a management choice: it serves to prove the results of the measures in place and to feed labels or CSR reporting.
Does a shower water meter count as a water reduction measure?
The grid cites examples (flow regulators, aerators, stop-flow devices, hot water recirculation, rainwater harvesting) with no closed list. A device that displays consumption during the shower and cuts volumes by 23% on average, such as the Molleaumètre, is a reduction measure of a different kind; whether it counts under criteria 223 or 224 is for the inspection body to assess.
How do you earn an extra star?
By meeting 95% of the mandatory criteria of the target category and reaching its optional points threshold (10% for 2 stars, 20% for 3, 30% for 4, 40% for 5), then requesting a new audit from a COFRAC-accredited body. The 27 sustainability criteria are the most accessible reserve of points.
Sources: Atout France, "Stars: the hotel rating evolves", 30 March 2022; L'Hôtellerie Restauration, "Hotel rating: the new grid"; Atout France, inspection guide for tourist hotels; order of 29 December 2021 setting the standards and procedure for rating tourist hotels; French Directorate General for Enterprise, study on water management in tourism, 2024; Teragir / Green Key, water sobriety study, 2024. Reduction results: Molleau × Hénéo pilot, RIVP group (2025-2026). Criterion numbers and points are those of the standard in force at publication; check them with your inspection body before any step.