The Hotel Inspector

Review

Common Sense Media says

Reality show won't be a five-star experience for kids.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although this British reality series about a high-profile hotelier who tries to help struggling bed and breakfast owners revamp their inns is pretty mild overall, it probably won't appeal to most kids. Expect occasional strong language (like "piss" and "f--k," the latter of which is bleeped); hotel staff and guests are also sometimes shown drinking and smoking.

  • Positive messages1
    The show doesn't send particularly strong messsages (either positive or negative), but it does sympathetically highlight the difficult nature of the hotel business and many of the challenges that hotel owners must face in order to successfully run their business.
  • Positive role models2
    The show's hostess is no-nonsense in her opinions and delivery, but it's clear that she genuinely wants to help the people she's mentoring.
  • Violence0
    Occasional mild arguments between Watson and hotel owners.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language2
    Curse words like "piss" and "f--k" are occasionally heard; the strongest are bleeped for U.S. audiences.
  • Consumerism0
    Features a variety of real English hotels and bed and breakfasts, but usually not in a good way.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    Staff and guests are shown smoking and drinking (beer, martinis, wine) in the hotels' bars/restaurants.
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What's the story?

THE HOTEL INSPECTOR follows renowned hotelier/author Ruth Watson as she attempts to whip struggling British hotel and bed and breakfast owners into shape and jump-start their failing businesses. In each episode, Watson observes every detail of a new establishment, noting the hotel's cleanliness, staff efficiency, food quality, and customer service. After delivering her no-nonsense opinions, she leaves a detailed plan for owners to follow in order to transform their ailing hotel into a five-star guest experience. Upon her return, she finds that while some owners are able to fill their rooms with satisfied patrons, others are better off just checking out.

Is it any good?

 

The series highlights the complicated, demanding nature of the hospitality industry and offers a lot of information about what goes into creating and maintaining a successful hotel and/or bed and breakfast. Watson's careful attention to the endless mundane details of hotel management sometimes makes the show a little tedious. But the quirky, rather clueless hotel owners Watson mentors provide odd moments of entertainment.

While there's some smoking, drinking, and language, overall the show is still pretty mild, and adults who like this sort of thing may find it worth watching. But in the end it doesn't really have anything to offer kids.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about what goes into running a hotel. What types of skills do you need in order to be successful in the hospitality business -- or can anyone run a successful hotel?

  • What are some of the
    differences between British and U.S. series? The similarities?

This review was written by Melissa Camacho
Adult
June 16, 2009
AGE
17
 
A bit of fun and education for entrepreneurs and travelers
'The Hotel Inspector' is a refreshing find! I am an American who has traveled extensively and can relate to this show for many reasons: as a trip down memory lane, for entrepreneurial insight and as delightful entertainment that is witty, clever and full of interpersonal dynamics including Ruth's own rye sense of delivery and summation. Love it!
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This review was written by Melissa Camacho
TV rating:TV-PG
Network:BBC America
Cast:Richard Vranch, Ruth Watson
Genre:Reality TV
This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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