ADAC classification criteria 

What is the ADAC classification?

The ADAC classification, which is standardized throughout Europe, uses five possible stars to represent the level of service offered by a campsite. It thus realizes a fair comparison of campsites in the areas of sanitary, grounds, leisure, bathing and supply.

The ADAC classification is based on standardized criteria and is held in high esteem by campsites and campers alike. Unlike most other classification systems in the camping market, quality criteria are given equal weight alongside pure numbers.

The basis of a campsite’s classification is the results of an inspection by an independent inspector who visits a site on behalf of the ADAC. Inspections take place throughout Europe annually during the summer peak season.

Sites awarded the maximum 5 stars also carry the ADAC Superplatz rating. Campsites awarded 4 and 4.5 stars are designated as ADAC TIPP.

The weighting of the performance criteria

Not all criteria are equally important to campers. That´s why the different campsite characteristics weigh differently on the ADAC Classification.

Rating sanitary facilities

The rating of the sanitary facilities has the biggest influence on the ADAC classification with 39%. Both the quantity and the quality of the sanitary facilities play a significant role here.

Qualitatively, the architecture and design of the buildings, maintenance and cleanliness are assessed. Buildings with high relevance for tourist camping guests also have a greater influence than sanitary facilities that are partly or mainly used by permanent campers. In relation to the number of guests at full occupancy of the campsite, the following sanitary objects pay quantitatively on the ADAC classification:

  • toilets
  • washbasins
  • showers
  • single and combined cabins
  • dishwashing sinks and dishwashers
  • laundry sinks, washing machines and dryers
  • sinks for cassette toilets

Requirements per 100 pitches* to achieve the highest rating:

  • 9 washbasins with hot water
  • 10 shower cubicles with hot water
  • 7 women’s toilets
  • 6 men’s toilets or urinals
  • 1 wash basin or 1 washing machine
  • 1 sink
  • 1 spout for cassette toilets

We use the following weighting: Pitches for tourists = 100%. Pitches for permanent campers without own sanitary facilities = 60%. Rental accommodation without own sanitary facilities 100%.

Requirements for structure, design and equipment of sanitary buildings to achieve the highest rating:

  • Solid building in masonry, concrete or wood (no sanitary container)
  • Architecturally appealing construction and attractive exterior design
  • High-quality construction and installation materials
  • Spatial separation of the toilet areas from other sanitary facilities
  • Sufficient aeration and ventilation
  • Adequate lighting (each installation has individual lighting)
  • Flush-mounted installation of all pipes and lines
  • Suitable floor slope in wet rooms for optimal water drainage
  • Partition walls for toilets and showers are closed at the bottom
  • Adequate tiling of walls: minimum height of showers = 2m, for toilets and washbasins = 1.50 m. Instead of tiles, other high-quality materials (e.g. natural stone) can also be used.
  • All cubicles are lockable from the inside
  • Sufficient passage widths, especially for cubicle doors that open outwards
  • Sufficient amount of waste containers
  • Minimum distance from washbasin center to washbasin center = 1m.
  • For washbasins with side partitions, minimum distance from partition to partition = 1m.
  • Single wash cabins and showers: Minimum area of 1.80 sqm; minimum width of 90 cm.
  • Toilets: minimum area of 1.60 sqm, minimum width = 90 cm. Minimum distance from the toilet to the cabin door = 65 cm.
  • Washbasins and wash cabins: each with a mirror and a power socket
  • Showers: vestibule with seating, separated from the shower area by a splashback wall
  • Washbasins, wash cabins and showers: sufficient storage space and equipped with coat hooks
  • Toilets: equipped with seats, toilet paper, toilet brush and coat hooks
  • Hand basins at toilets: have sufficient soap dispensers as well as towels or electric hand dryers.
  • Urinals have with privacy screens

Rating grounds

The evaluation of the category grounds pays with 26% on the ADAC classification. It is composed equally of the evaluation of pitches and the so-called public areas of the campsite. Both quantity and quality are taken into account.

The following factors play a role in the evaluation of the pitches:

  • Size and parcelling of the pitches
  • Maintenance & design of the pitches
  • Direct electricity connections and their ampere protection
  • Fresh water and waste water connections
  • Gas connections
  • WLAN at the stand

Public areas include:

  • Reception
  • Signposting of the site
  • Parking situation on arrival and departure
  • Overall impression of the site (including planting, structure, layout)
  • Cleanliness of the campsite

Type and equipment of the pitches for a best rating:

  • Stands almost completely parceled out
  • average pitch size of 120 sqm
  • each pitch with electricity connection
  • fuse protection of the power connections with 16 ampere
  • pitches almost completely equipped with WLAN
  • at least 50% of the pitches with fresh water/sewage connections
  • Stands predominantly level
  • Design, maintenance and cleanliness of the pitches meet the highest standards

Reception and its equipment

  • Size and ambiance of the reception desk in relation to the size of the campsite
  • waiting area with seating
  • nearby toilet facilities
  • clearly visible indication of opening hours
  • selection of guest information about the square and its surroundings

Parking facilities

  • size of the parking lot in relation to the size of the square
  • clear marking
  • arriving guests do not interfere with normal operations
  • maneuvering of carriages not required

Signage

  • Signage of all facilities as well as the exit in relation to the campsite size
  • Signs of sufficient size and in good condition
  • Signs also understandable for children by additional indication of symbols

Roadways, accessibility of the stands

  • Main driveways are well paved and easy to drive on in all weather conditions, even for caravan
  • Roadways are without defects
  • Stands are mostly accessible without assistance

Maintenance, design and cleanliness of the campsite

  • Site free of garbage
  • Garbage containers with visual protection to the stands
  • The site is attractively designed
  • Division of the site into tourist, permanent campers, rental accommodation and supply areas
  • Central location of sanitary facilities – no pitch more than 100 m away

Rating the campsite stores

The category supply influences the ADAC classification of a campsite to 10 %. Shopping facilities such as bread service, kiosk, grocery store and supermarket as well as available camping and leisure articles and cafés, bistros, snack bars and restaurants are taken into account. Shopping and gastronomy each flow into the supply result in equal parts and are evaluated qualitatively in addition to “available on the site or not”.

Kiosk / Grocery / Supermarket

  • Only facilities that are located on the campsite are evaluated
  • Only the best shopping facility is rated
  • Grocery stores and supermarkets are additionally classified into one of the following three categories, depending on the range of products and store ambience:
  1. Limited offering
  2. Standard offering
  3. Good offering

Camping and leisure items

Camping and leisure items are also divided into the following categories:

  1. Limited offering
  2. Standard offering
  3. Good offering
  • the highest rating is awarded to campsites with one supermarket with a good offering and a camping and leisure items store with a good offering

Snack Bar / Restaurant

  • Restaurants are rated in three levels:
  1. Simple
  2. Good
  3. Exceptionally good
  • only the best gastronomic offering is rated – if a campsite has a snack bar and a restaurant, this will not be taken into account, but it will be included in the pictogram bar.
  • the gastronomic offer should be open on at least six days per week during the main season
  • the highest rating is awarded to campsites with one exceptionally good restaurant

Rating the recreational offering

Leisure activities account for 12.5 % of the ADAC classification. A distinction is made here between entertainment offers for children, sports enthusiasts and adults and all permanent offers relating to playing, sports and wellness. The evaluations of both areas form the result of the category leisure in equal parts.

Playing, sports and wellness are assessed quantitatively and qualitatively. This means it depends on how many different playground equipment, sports fields and wellness options are offered and how well-maintained and up-to-date they are. The size of playgrounds also affects the score. Bad weather offerings such as a recreation room and indoor play areas are also honored. Animation is scored on how many days of the summer peak season for how many hours guided offerings are made.

  • Total area of all children’s playgrounds (outdoors, indoors, as water playground and adventure playground) in relation to the number of pitches – maximum rating starts from 5 sqm of playground per pitch
  • Number and variety of playground equipment in relation to campsite and playground size – maximum rating for a large campsite with 14 or more different play facilities
  • Quality, maintenance and cleanliness of the individual devices and the entire playground. A five-level evaluation and maximum rating is only given if the best level is reached.
  • Tennis court
  • Sports field
  • Beach volleyball court
  • Archery
  • Mini golf
  • Golf course
  • Facilities for boaters (jetty, slipway, boat crane, boat rental)
  • Facilities for horseback riders (riding stable, pony rides, guided rides, riding school, horse boarding)
  • Facilities for skiers (cross-country skiing trail and ski lift near the campsite (possibly with ski bus service), ski drying room)
  • Bicycle rental
  • Sauna
  • Steam bath
  • Jacuzzi
  • Solarium
  • Fitness room
  • Beauty salon
  • Massage possibility
  • Children’s program for children up to 12 years including mini-club
  • Sports program
  • Entertainment program

For a maximum rating, there should be a campsite animation program for at least 4 weeks in each of the three categories, on at least 6 days a week during the main season. In total, there should be at least 50 hours of animation program per week.

Rating the swimming opportunities

Swimming facilities account for 12.5 % of the ADAC classification. Points can be scored for access to natural bodies of water such as the sea, lake and river and for swimming pools and paddling areas.

When assessing natural features, the ADAC classification places emphasis on the size of beaches and sunbathing areas and their equipment with, for example, umbrellas and showers, as well as on cleanliness and the maintenance of recreational areas. In the case of outdoor and indoor pools, cleanliness, maintenance, design of the pools and the size of all areas in which swimming and splashing are possible count.

Only waters that are located directly at the campsite and that can be reached from the pitches without crossing a public road are evaluated. The rating is made up of the quantity (area) of the beach and the quality (condition and facilities).

  • Total beach area in relation to the number of pitches – maximum rating from 25 sqm per pitch.
  • Condition of the beach – condition of the ground (fine sand or big stones) and transition into the water (flat or steep)
  • Sunbeds and umbrellas
  • Lifeguard
  • Cleanliness

Outdoor pools, indoor pools, children’s pools and paddling pools are rated. Here, too, the rating is made up of the quantity (surface area) of the pools and the quality (architectural design, maintenance and cleanliness):

Water surface in relation to the number of pitches – maximum evaluation from 2.5 sqm per pitch

  • Use of high-quality building materials for the pool walls
  • Swimming pool edges with non-slip covering
  • Architecturally attractive design
  • In the indoor swimming pool additional changing rooms, lockers, showers, toilets and a sufficient number of deckchairs
  • In the outdoor pool additionally foot disinfection pool, sufficiently large meadow with an appropriate number of deckchairs as well as nearby showers and toilets
  • Walls and floors are undamaged
  • Deck chairs and playground equipment are in perfect condition
  • Fences and other demarcations are in perfect condition
  • Clean pool walls and floors
  • Water is free from dirt and algae deposits
  • Foot disinfection pools with running water
  • Clean changing rooms and sanitary facilities

FAQ

Despite all the explanations, sometimes something remains unclear. We have summarized the most frequently asked questions and their answers here. Should you also have individual concerns regarding the ADAC classification of your campsite, please feel free to contact us, stating your campsite name and location or your ADAC search number. Send your email to: data@adac-camping.de

The inspection season ends in October of each year at the latest. This is also the time when you will be informed by e-mail about your ADAC classification. And this is regardless of whether an inspection has taken place at your campsite in the current year or in a previous year.

The ADAC classifications valid for the coming season are published for the first time in the ADAC Camping Guide, which appears annually in December. On pincamp.de, on pincamp.ch and in the ADAC Camping App, the current classification results can be seen from January of the new year.

Example: In August 2022, an inspection will be carried out on your campsite. You will receive the resulting classification result by e-mail in October 2022. It will appear in print for the first time in the ADAC Camping Guide 2023, which will be launched in December 2022. On pincamp.de, pincamp.ch and in the ADAC Camping App 2023 you can see the latest results from January 2023.

An ADAC classification that you are not satisfied with does not necessarily mean that you have been rated poorly. Basically, the star rating represents an overall value from the five categories of sanitary facilities, grounds, supply, leisure and bathing.

So it may well be that you have scored very highly in the category or categories that are particularly important to you and your target audience, and that an area you don’t necessarily target puts the overall result into perspective. All categories are displayed to campers with your individual results, so that your target group is informed in the best possible way.

We inform you about the ADAC evaluation criteria on this page. If you still have doubts about a fair evaluation even after comparing the evaluation criteria with your campsite offer, please feel free to contact us with your specific request: data@adac-camping.de

It depends. The rule is that an inspector visits your place every 1 – 3 years. If you find that this has not been the case for you and you would like to push for an inspection, simply notify us of your inspection request, including specific details of changes made and new offers by sending an email to data@adac-camping.de

You are also welcome to send us photos. We will then check whether we can prioritize your campsite for an upcoming inspection.

An ADAC classification is given to campsites that have been inspected by an independent inspector on behalf of ADAC. The results of this inspection will be calculated and displayed as the ADAC classification in stars.

In order to be scheduled for an inspection, we depend on the support of the campsites. The more promptly and comprehensively we are informed about developments such as investments or redesigns, the faster and more accurately we can prioritize for inspection. Whether this is a first inspection or a re-inspection does not matter. It is important to know that classifications can only change based on an inspection.

Feel free to contact us if you are interested in an inspection, providing as much detail as possible about any new additions to your campsite. Send your email to: data@adac-camping.de

Anmeldung
PiNCAMPUS Abschlusstag


Treffen Sie uns persönlich und fragen Sie alles rund um PiNCAMP, Digitalisierung und die Campingwelt. Im Anschluss gibt es bei Speisen & Getränken einen informativen Abschluss mit Fakten & Zahlen von PiNCAMP. Um zeitnahe Anmeldung wird gebeten, die Teilnehmerzahl ist begrenzt.

Datum:
15.11.2022 (am Vortag des Norddeutschen Campingtages)

Ablauf:
12:00 - 15:00 Uhr: Persönliche Gespräche
15:30 - 17:30 Uhr: Abschlussvortrag, Speisen & Getränke

Ort:
ATLANTIC Grand Hotel Travemünde
Kaiserallee 2
23570 Lübeck – Travemünde


Ihre Daten


12:00 - 15:00 Uhr
Vereinbaren Sie ein persönliches Gespräch mit uns:


15.11.2022 - 15:30 - 17:30 Uhr:

We are happy to advise you

Sales & Account Manager

E-Mail: partner@adac-camping.de
Telefon: +49 (0)30 814 570 951