Everywhere Ratings – In Search of Everywhere

Destination ratings

For every place I’ve visited that’s included on In Search of Everywhere, I have given it a rating; you’ll see it at the top of the blog and in the text as well. Think Tripadvisor, if it were commandeered by me and applied to certain locations alone!

As it’s quite a new thing, let me give you some information about how the ratings work.

I’ve assessed each place using four criteria – accessibility, enjoyment, safety and value:

Accessibility: how easy is the location and its attractions to access? Can international and disabled visitors access it easily? Are there suitable facilities, e.g. toilets?
Enjoyment: is the destination fun to visit? How much did I enjoy my visit? Are there a lot of attractions? Is the location particularly innovative, exciting or beautiful?
Safety: How safe, comfortable and respected did I feel?
Value: is the location value for money? Was it expensive and, if so, was it worth it?

I will rate each criteria from 1 to 5, with 1 being an awful score and 5 being an excellent one. The score will be averaged to give you an overall idea of my thoughts on the location.

I should mention at this stage that these thoughts are entirely my own and are shaped by my personal experiences and interests. Other visitors may have a completely different experience (and often do!). I’m including these ratings as I hope they’ll be useful in your planning – but don’t read too much into them, as it may feel completely different to you!

Festival ratings

For music festivals, I have a slightly different ratings system. The categories are different, but the system works in the exact same way as for destinations and activities.

The ratings are:

Music: how good is the lineup (in my opinion)? Did I enjoy the music side of the festival?
Activities: is there a lot to do outside the music? Are these put on well?
Audience and atmosphere: what is the audience like? Was I happy in the crowd? Did the festival have a good atmosphere?
Site: are the arena and campsites set out well? Are they cramped or uncomfortable? Are they easy to navigate?
Accessibility: is the festival in a location that’s easy to access? Can international and disabled visitors access it easily?
Facilities: what are the toilets like? Are showers and other hygiene facilities available?
Value for money: is the festival value for money? Is it expensive and, if so, is it worth it?

As with the destination ratings, I will rate each criteria from 1 to 5, with 1 being an awful score and 5 being an excellent one. I’ll then average the score to give you an overall idea of my thoughts on the festival.

You may also see some ratings for an eighth category: volunteer experience. I attend a lot of festivals as a steward with Oxfam, and for these festivals I also discuss what it’s like as a volunteer. The rating will therefore rate to the quality of the volunteer campsite, crew perks and shifts available.