Six-point rubric
Location and setting (concession, reserve, coastal position, view). Rooms and design (size, layout, honest condition). Food (menu variety across a multi-night stay). Service (attention without theatre). Sustainability (operating model, not marketing). Value (price band vs peer set).
Verified stays vs research-based
Every review is labelled Verified (a member of the editorial team stayed, at our expense) or Research-based (compiled from press library, operator confirmation, comparable-property reference, direct communication with GM or head guide). We do not accept press stays or comped nights.
Price band audit
Every property review has a price band in USD (pppn for safari, per villa for overwater, per week for chalet). Bands are re-audited every January (Q1 booking window) and July (autumn / winter window). Where bands shift outside a 15% envelope we update the page and log the date in the meta.