--- title: "How Luxury Hotel Compare Researches and Ranks Hotels" description: "How I research, compare and rank luxury hotels for Luxury Hotel Compare, including my sources, five criteria, affiliate policy and corrections process." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "alternateName": "Jack Williamson", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com", "description": "Independent luxury hotel comparison and travel guide covering the world's top luxury destinations.", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/og/lhc-logo.png" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#website", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com", "description": "Independent luxury hotel comparisons and travel guides for the world's top destinations.", "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/?search={search_term_string}", "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology#article", "name": "How Luxury Hotel Compare Researches and Ranks Hotels", "headline": "How Luxury Hotel Compare Researches and Ranks Hotels", "description": "How I research, compare and rank luxury hotels for Luxury Hotel Compare, including my sources, five criteria, affiliate policy and corrections process.", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology", "image": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/og-homepage.jpg", "inLanguage": "en", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#website" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "author": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "datePublished": "2026-04-01", "dateModified": "2026-09-16", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ "h1", ".lhc-hero-subhead", "#overview", "#verdict-section" ] } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "How we rank hotels", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology" } ] } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology#article", "headline": "How Luxury Hotel Compare Researches and Ranks Hotels", "description": "How I research, compare and rank luxury hotels for Luxury Hotel Compare, including my sources, five criteria, affiliate policy and corrections process.", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology", "datePublished": "2026-09-16", "dateModified": "2026-09-16", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com" }, "mainEntityOfPage": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Methodology", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/methodology" } ] } ] --- [L Luxury Hotel Compare Indep · Editorial · 2026 ](/) Destinations Guides [Best eSIM](/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026)[Priority Pass Review](/airport-lounges)[Best Luxury Luggage](/suitcases) [Book Via Booking.com](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3Dluxury%2Bhotels%26checkin%3D2026-10-21%26checkout%3D2026-10-23%26group_adults%3D2%26no_rooms%3D1%26group_children%3D0) Methodology # How we rank hotels ## The short version Every ranking on this site is built from live booking rates, verified guest review data at scale, property specifications and published editorial coverage, then ordered by editorial judgement against five fixed criteria. No hotel pays to appear and no hotel pays to be removed. ## The five criteria, and what each one weighs Hotel ranking criteria and weighting Criterion Weight Evidence considered Room product 25% Room size, layout, privacy, condition, view and the difference between entry rooms and higher categories. Service 25% Patterns in verified guest feedback, service consistency, complaint handling and the practical support a hotel provides. Location 20% Access, setting, surrounding noise, transfer time and how well the position serves the reason for the trip. Food and beverage 15% Restaurant range, breakfast, consistency, published menus and recurring guest feedback on quality and price. Value 15% The live rate against the room, facilities, service and closest credible alternatives for the same dates. The five weights add to 100 percent. Editorial judgement decides how the evidence is applied, but the criteria do not change from hotel to hotel. ## Where our numbers come from - Live Booking.com rates through our affiliate integration. - Aggregated guest scores from Booking.com and Tripadvisor. - Specifications published by each hotel. - Public editorial coverage from named publications. Rates are rechecked when a page is updated and each page carries its own verified date. Rates move, so the price shown is evidence from that date rather than a promise of the price you will see later. ## What we have experienced first hand, and what we have not The airport lounge visits and luggage testing described on this site are first hand. Hotel rankings are built from research rather than a stay at every property. If a page includes a genuine first hand exception, it is named on that page. We do not imply a stay where one did not happen. ## How we make money Luxury Hotel Compare may earn an affiliate commission from Booking.com through CJ and from Priority Pass through AWIN. Commission never changes an ordering, and using a link costs the reader nothing. No hotel can pay for inclusion, position or removal. ## Corrections If something is wrong, please use the [contact page](/contact). We will check the evidence, correct the page when needed and mark the corrected page with the date. ## How often this is reviewed Rates are rechecked when a page is updated and each page carries its own verified date. We also update a page when a material change becomes known, including a closure, reopening, renovation or change of management. [L ](/) Luxury Hotel Compare Independent reviews of the world's best hotels, written by someone who actually cares. Destinations [Bali](/destinations/bali)[Maldives](/destinations/maldives)[Santorini](/destinations/santorini)[Dubai](/destinations/dubai)[Tokyo](/destinations/tokyo)[Paris](/destinations/paris)[Cape Town](/destinations/cape-town)[Amalfi Coast](/destinations/amalfi)[New York](/destinations/new-york)[Seychelles](/destinations/seychelles) Popular Guides [Best Honeymoon Resorts](/travel-guides/best-maldives-honeymoon-resorts-2026)[White Lotus Hotels](/travel-guides/white-lotus-hotels-every-season)[Overwater Villas](/destinations/maldives)[Priority Pass Review](/travel-guides/is-priority-pass-worth-it-2026)[New Hotels 2026](/travel-guides/new-luxury-hotels-opening-2026)[Best Hotels Santorini](/travel-guides/best-luxury-hotels-santorini-2026)[Kyoto Hotels](/travel-guides/best-luxury-hotels-kyoto-2026) Essentials [Airport Lounges](/airport-lounges)[eSIM Guides](/airalo-esim)[Luxury Luggage](/suitcases)[Shop Essentials](/travel-essentials)[Travel Guides](/travel-guides)[About](/about)[Methodology](/methodology)[Privacy](/privacy)[Affiliate Disclosure](/methodology#how-we-make-money)[Contact](/contact) **Affiliate disclosure:** We may earn a commission when you use our links, at no extra cost to you. [Read how rankings and funding work](/methodology#how-we-make-money). © 2026 Luxury Hotel Compare Independent · No paid placements