Read the rows before the order, and treat any empty or vague cell as a question. A table is a way to organise facts, not a replacement for them. Ask who filled it in, on which date, and from what evidence.
This guide belongs to our decision methods topic. For how the scores in our tables are built, see how HoneymoonQuest scores destinations.
What five questions work on any table?
Run these before you trust a result.
- Who made it? A resort, a booking site, a blogger, or an agent each have different interests.
- For which dates? Prices and availability move by season.
- On what basis? Check whether prices are per room or per person, with or without taxes.
- What evidence? Look for a source or a date beside the claim.
- What is missing? Empty cells and absent rows can hold the answer you need.
What do the labels mean?
Different tables use different words. Here is how we read the common ones.
| Label | How to read it |
|---|---|
| Confirmed | The resort or operator said so in writing, ideally with a date |
| Claimed | The resort says so on its own pages, with no detail |
| Reported | Guests have written it in reviews |
| Not checked | We have no answer yet, which is not a no |
| Varies | The answer depends on room, date or season |
Where is the evidence thinnest?
Privacy, noise and “quiet” are the softest cells in a honeymoon table, because they depend on layout, neighbours and the season. Food and prayer needs are also easy to overstate.
Our guide on how we evaluate resort privacy claims explains the tiers we use for these.
How does a ranking differ from a review?
A ranking compresses many rows into one order, and the order depends on the weights. A review is one voice with its own habits. Neither should settle the question alone.
If a table ranks a resort first but its rows match your bottom priorities, trust the rows. For a resort you cannot visit, reading a resort comparison without first-hand stay offers a method.
Which traps catch couples?
Watch for these.
- A tick that hides a condition, such as “pool” that is shared.
- A price per night compared with a price per stay.
- A photo used as evidence of privacy. See can you trust resort photos.
- A table with no date.
- A column that is only filled for the sponsor’s favourite.
How do we compare quotes in the same way?
Quotes are tables too. Rewrite them with the same lines before you compare, as in comparing quotes on the same basis.
What should we do next?
- Pick the table you are relying on.
- Ask the five questions of it.
- Mark each cell as confirmed, claimed, reported or not checked.
- Write down the questions for the resort.
- Send us the table, and we will read it with you and ask the open questions.