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Frequently Asked Questions
How our scores work, how to get reviewed, and what businesses can (and can't) do about a rating.
Reviews & Scores
Every review scores four sub-criteria (for example food, service, value and room for a restaurant). The headline rating is the straight average, rounded to one decimal — published beside the sub-scores so you can see the maths. Read the full method in our method notes.
Never. Visits are unannounced, products are bought at retail, and businesses see the score when you do. There is no paid placement, no sponsored score, and no way to buy a better rating.
In round-up sections the number in brackets is how many reader reviews back the verdict. The editor's own score out of five always appears beside the stars on the full review page.
Writing & Requesting Reviews
Yes — use our Write a Review form. We verify the visit (a receipt, booking confirmation or photo), check the review against our standards, and publish accepted reviews with your name attached. There is no account or login needed.
Send it through Write a Review with the category and why it deserves a visit. Reader suggestions choose roughly a third of our review schedule.
No — Starharbor Ratings has no logins and no dashboards. The newsletter needs only your email, and review submissions need only a name and a way to verify your visit. See how commenting works.
For Businesses
Contact us with the topic “Business reply”. Verified replies from the business are published beneath the review, clearly labeled. Our guide to answering reviews well is worth five minutes first.
Tell us what's wrong and share evidence. Genuine errors are corrected with a dated editor's note on the page — never silently. Differences of opinion about taste or experience stand, but your reply can sit alongside them.
Yes, with the score shown exactly as published and credited to Starharbor Ratings with a link to the review. Scores below 3 out of 5 may not be used in advertising — that's the deal that keeps every score honest.
Privacy & Contact
Only what you send us: form messages and newsletter emails. No accounts, no tracking profiles. Details — including cookie preferences — are in our Privacy Policy.
Through our contact page or at info@starharborratings.com. An editor replies within two working days.