We check in before we sign off.
The point is to experience the hotel naturally. The property is not told the assessment date and the assessor does not reveal their identity during the stay.
Application
The hotel applies and pays the £250 assessment fee.
Normal business
No assessment date or assessor identity is disclosed.
Anonymous stay
We book, arrive, sleep and have breakfast as an ordinary guest.
After checkout
Only after checkout does the assessor identify themselves.
Outcome
The hotel receives a written report and an awarded or not awarded outcome.
Timing
Most assessments are intended to take place within approximately three weeks. Hotels should allow a maximum anonymous assessment window of three months.
That uncertainty is deliberate. A Rest Assured visit is designed to reflect an ordinary guest experience, not a prepared inspection day.
After the stay
For applicant hotels, the assessor initially pays for accommodation and breakfast as a normal guest. Following checkout and identification, the hotel reimburses those assessment costs. Personal incidentals remain the assessor’s responsibility unless agreed otherwise.