We all have our personal favourites and no-one can claim to like what the rest of the world does – not that this has stopped us from voicing an opinion! The criteria we use to judge a getaway are based on a synthesis of the following:

Setting – is the accommodation squeezed behind the owner’s garage or perched above an ethereal valley?

Privacy – this does not necessarily imply a hermitage, but neither is it the ground equivalent of a SAA economy flight to Perth;

Attention to personal detail – those little touches that suggest that someone cares;

Hospitality – does the owner view you as a necessary evil or a potential friend for life? The ideal host should fall somewhere between these extremes; 

Character – a little more difficult to measure and dependent on personal taste, but generally those endearing little quirks and idiosyncrasies that make something special or different;

Value for money – the warm feeling in the gut that says you got a good deal. It’s usually a product of the other criteria.