What the Star Ratings Actually Mean

I often get people asking why one review is 4 stars, another is 3.5, and what that really means. Sometimes people insist that a 4.5-star hotel I reviewed must be better than one I gave 4 stars—usually with the kind of conviction only an Excel formula can provide.

It’s not that simple.

Take Bulgari Dubai—for me, it’s a better hotel than The Lana. But one is a city beach resort, the other is a city hotel. I’m judging them on different terms.

Cheval Blanc Randheli is one of my favourite resorts in the world. But the food had dipped in places, and the constant seaplane noise makes it hard to call it perfect. So I couldn’t give it 5 stars. Even 4.5 felt slightly indulgent.

Wild Hill was a near-perfect stay. But the hill—true to its name—annoyed me just enough to lose half a point.

Molori Magushana, just 2.5—despite the fact I had the absolute best time.

Point is: a higher star rating doesn’t always mean it’s the better choice for you. I’m weighing very different things each time, from architecture to food to how annoying the walk to the pool is.

The ratings are a guide—but the words matter far more.