How we research, score and rank resorts
Every guide on this site follows the same method, and a resort carries the same score wherever it appears. Here is exactly what goes into a score — and what doesn't.
1. We show guest ratings from the platforms we can verify
For every resort we record the guest ratings we can confirm — usually Tripadvisor, plus Kayak, Booking.com, Expedia, Trip.com or Google where a current score is available. Some resorts have only one verifiable rating; we show what we found rather than fill gaps. Each platform uses a different scale and audience, so every rating appears separately with its review count and the month we checked it, and the “Guests” figure averages them on a common 10-point scale.
2. We read the reviews behind the numbers
Star averages hide the details that decide whether a resort suits you. We read recent reviews (prioritising the last 12–18 months) and travel-forum discussions — mostly the Tripadvisor forums, plus Reddit, FlyerTalk, Cruise Critic and similar communities where useful threads exist — and note the themes that come up again and again — the restaurant everyone loves, the reservation system everyone hates, the beach that disappears under seaweed in July. Short quotes are only used when we read them verbatim; otherwise we summarise and link the source so you can check.
3. Six category scores, one overall score
| Category | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Food & drink | 20% | Variety of à la carte restaurants, reservation rules, buffet quality, premium vs. house spirits, and how often guests say they repeated meals. |
| Beach & pools | 20% | Swimmable sea, sand quality, sargassum or seaweed exposure, pool space per guest, shade and lounger availability. |
| Service | 20% | Consistency in recent reviews, check-in experience, how complaints are handled, and tipping expectations. |
| Rooms | 15% | Size, condition, last renovation, noise, and how honest the category names are ("ocean view" vs. actual view). |
| Value | 15% | What you get for the typical nightly rate compared with similar resorts in the same area. |
| Activities | 10% | Kids' and teen clubs, water sports included, entertainment, spa and excursion access. |
The weights above set the starting point. The overall score then moves up or down — by up to about a point and a half — for things the categories don't capture: how consistent recent reviews are, a standout feature guests rave about, or a recurring problem such as a broken reservation system. A resort keeps the same scores on every page it appears on; only the award (“best for families”, “best value”) changes with the page's focus. Every review says who the resort is for and who should skip it.
4. Facts come from primary sources
Inclusions, age policies and restaurant lists come from the resort's own website where it publishes them, otherwise from its listings on major booking sites. Entry rules and safety notes come from the U.S. State Department, CDC and official tourism sources. Weather comes from national meteorological services and long-term climate datasets. Every page lists its sources with the date we accessed them.
5. Prices are ranges, with dates
All-inclusive rates swing by season, room type and how far ahead you book. We show typical nightly ranges for two adults as we saw them on booking sites, and say when. Use the price-check box on each page for live rates on your dates.
6. What our reviews are — and aren't
Our reviews are evidence-based comparisons: guest ratings, review patterns and official information that you can check through the links on every page. They are not accounts of hosted or sponsored stays, and we don't accept free stays in exchange for coverage. When a page reports something first-hand, it says so explicitly.
7. Money never buys a ranking
We earn commissions when readers book through some of our links (see our affiliate disclosure). Resorts cannot pay for placement or for a better score, and we link to several booking sites so you can choose the cheapest. If a resort isn't worth the money, we say so.
8. Tools we use
Research is assisted by software — including AI tools — that helps us gather and summarise large volumes of reviews, ratings and official information. Every figure on a page links to a source you can check, and pages are re-checked when resorts open, close, rebrand or are affected by storms.
9. Photos and video
Photos are freely licensed images from Wikimedia Commons and Unsplash, credited beside each image with their licence. Where a photo shows the beach or town rather than the resort itself, the caption says so. Videos are independent walkthroughs embedded from YouTube.
10. Corrections
Spotted something out of date? Tell us — we fix factual errors and note the update date on the page.