The star rating and nightly price are the easiest things to compare, which is exactly why they’re not enough on their own. A 4-star property ten minutes from everywhere you want to be usually beats a 5-star one that needs a taxi for every meal.
Start with location relative to what you’re actually there for — a conference venue, a beach, a train station — rather than the city center in the abstract. Then check the cancellation policy: flexible dates are worth paying a little more for if your plans aren’t locked in yet.
Read the most recent reviews, not just the highest-rated ones — a property’s quality can drift over a year or two. And if breakfast, parking, or airport pickup matter to you, confirm they’re included rather than assuming from the room photos.