Every number on this page tells you where it came from
If you are comparing places to stay or things to do, the hard part is not finding numbers—it is knowing which ones to trust. On this site every figure appears next to the method that produced it and the date it was checked. This article explains why we do that and how to read it.
- Number types
- measured, derived, reportedkept visibly separate on every page
- Prices
- search ranges with an updated datenever single live rates
- Perishable facts
- dated and footnotedvisa, driving, climate, baggage
The decision this solves
You are choosing between two options and both look fine on paper. One page says a beach is "a short walk" from the hotel; another gives a routed distance and a walking time. Only one of those helps you plan a morning with a toddler and a beach bag.
Our answer is to attach the method to the measurement, every time. When you see a number here, you also see how we got it, so you can decide whether it applies to your trip before you commit money to it.
What 'method next to the number' actually means
Each computed figure on this site carries four things: the value, its unit, the method that produced it, and the source. We call these blocks soundings. A transfer time, for example, is not "about 20 minutes"—it is a routed drive between two fixed points, labeled as such, with the date it was calculated.
The point is that you never have to guess whether a figure is a measurement, an estimate, or a marketing line. The label tells you, and it tells you in the same place you read the number.
Measured, derived, or reported
We keep three categories separate on purpose. A measured figure is one we computed directly, such as a routed distance. A derived figure combines measured inputs—water-entry gradient from depth and distance, or shade at noon from sun angle and structures. A reported figure comes from an outside body, such as a visa rule or a baggage allowance.
Mixing these is how bad travel advice happens. A brochure number dressed up as a measurement is the exact thing this system exists to prevent.
Why prices are ranges, never single rates
Nightly rates move with season, occupancy, and how far ahead you book. A single price printed as fact is out of date within days. So we publish search ranges instead, labeled as search statistics rather than live rates, and stamped with the date they were gathered.
That means a price here answers "what should I expect to pay" rather than "what is the rate tonight." For the live figure you still go to the booking channel—but you arrive knowing whether the quote is high, normal, or a genuine deal.
Why every perishable fact has a date and a footnote
Some facts rot faster than others. Visa requirements, driving rules, climate averages, and airline baggage limits all change without notice. Anything on this site that can go stale carries the date we checked it and a footnote pointing to the primary source.
That gives you two things: a way to see how fresh our reading is, and a way to verify it yourself before you travel. If our date looks old to you, the footnote is right there to check.
What this approach cannot do
Labeling a number does not make it current forever. A routed transfer time reflects the road network on the day we measured it; roadworks and traffic still apply. A shade calculation assumes clear conditions and does not know about the umbrella that went up last month.
And where a figure is missing, we say so rather than fill the gap with a guess. An honest blank is more useful than an invented estimate, even though it looks less complete.
How to read a sounding block in ten seconds
Read the value and unit first, then glance at the method line. If it says "routed" or "measured," the number came from our own computation. If it says "reported," it came from an outside body named in the source. If it is a price, check the "updated" date before you weigh it.
The whole design is meant to be skimmable. You should be able to tell a measurement from a quote from a marketing phrase without reading a single paragraph of prose.
Who this rigor is not for
If you want a fast, emotional yes-or-no and do not care how a figure was produced, this level of labeling will feel like extra reading. A curated "top 10" list will get you to a booking faster, and that is a legitimate way to travel.
This site is built for the opposite reader: someone spending real money on a trip that is hard to redo, who wants to know whether a number applies to their situation before they trust it. If that is you, the method line is the most valuable thing on the page.
What works
- Every computed figure shows its method, unit, and source in the same block
- Prices appear as dated search ranges, not single rates that go stale
- Perishable facts like visa and baggage rules carry a check date and footnote
- Measured, derived, and reported numbers are kept visibly separate
- Missing data is flagged rather than filled with a guess
What does not
- More to read than a curated shortlist
- Labeled numbers still age—routed times and shade figures reflect the day they were measured
- You still need to check live rates on the booking channel
Who should go somewhere else
readers who want a quick emotional pick — the method labels add reading time they do not want
Instead: a curated top-10 list that gets you to a booking faster
Questions people actually ask
why don't you just show the current price
Because a single nightly rate changes with season, occupancy, and lead time, and is stale within days. We publish a dated search range so you can tell whether a live quote is high, normal, or a deal. For the exact rate tonight, check the booking channel.
what is a sounding block
It is our term for a data block that carries a computed value, its unit, the method that produced it, and the source. Instead of a bare number, you get the number plus a one-line explanation of how we got it, so you can judge whether it fits your trip.
how do I know if a number is out of date
Anything that can change—prices, visa rules, baggage limits, climate figures—carries the date we checked it. If that date looks old, the footnote next to it points to the primary source so you can verify the current position yourself before you travel.
what's the difference between measured and derived numbers
A measured number is computed directly, such as a routed distance between two points. A derived number combines measured inputs into something new, like a water-entry gradient from depth and distance. We label which is which so you never mistake a calculation for a raw reading.
why do some facts say the data is missing
When we do not have a reliable figure, we say so rather than estimate. An honest blank tells you to check elsewhere; an invented number would quietly mislead you. Flagging gaps is part of keeping the labeled figures trustworthy.