Every review on This is Luxury Travel starts the same way: I pack my bags and go. I’ve been publishing first-hand reviews of luxury hotels, resorts, liveaboards, retreats and destinations since 2018, across more than 135 countries — and this page explains exactly how those reviews come together, how they’re funded, and what my ratings mean.
First-hand, every time
I only review places I have actually stayed, boats I have actually sailed on, and experiences I have actually had. No round-ups written from press releases, no “reviews” stitched together from other people’s photos. Every article is written from my own visit, with my own photography, and includes the details you only notice by being there — the sound insulation, the state of the house reef, whether the “24-hour butler” actually answers at 2am.
How my trips are funded
My reviews come from a mix of trips I book and pay for myself and a limited number of hosted stays and press trips.
One rule applies without exception: hosted status never affects the assessment. A complimentary stay buys a review — it does not buy a good one.
Some articles contain affiliate links, which may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. These never influence what I recommend.
What I assess
Each review follows the same framework, adapted to the type of experience:
Location, grounds, architecture, sense of place.
Comfort, design, maintenance — the details that matter at this price point.
Quality, variety, and whether it lives up to the setting.
Warmth, consistency, and how problems are handled.
And for liveaboards and dive resorts: the dive operation, guides, safety standards and the state of the reefs.
How seriously the property takes its responsibility to the place it profits from.
Not whether it’s cheap — whether it’s worth it.
My rating scale
Every review ends with a rating out of 5 stars:
| ★★★★★ | Exceptional. World-class in every respect; worth planning a trip around. |
| ★★★★ | Excellent. Outstanding, with only minor niggles. |
| ★★★ | Good. A solid choice, with real caveats worth knowing before you book. |
| ★★ | Below expectations. Doesn’t deliver what its category and price promise. |
| ★ | Not recommended. I wouldn’t send a reader here. |
The same scale applies whether I paid for the trip or was hosted.
When things go wrong
Nowhere is perfect, and my readers book expensive trips on my word — so shortcomings go in the review. When a problem is factual or fixable, I’ll flag it to the property and give them a fair chance to respond or correct it before I publish. But the final assessment is mine alone, and it reflects what I experienced.
Reviews age — I keep an eye on them
Hotels renovate, chefs leave, boats change hands. Where a property has changed significantly since my visit, I update or clearly date the review so you know exactly what my assessment reflects.
Questions about this policy, or a correction to something I’ve written?
Email info@thisisluxurytravel.com