Selecting the winners

When we handed out the 2009 awards, TravelGround.com was less than 6 months old and the TravelGround Awards were based on around a quarter-million page views along with the corresponding enquiries, bookings and reviews. To choose the winners we simply calculated which accommodation establishments drew the most attention, potential bussiness and completed bookings in each region.

However, during 2010 we had 2,5 million page views, not to mention tens of thousands of enquiries, bookings and reviews. So this year we have done much the same analysis as in 2009, but with A LOT more data!!

We are confident that the winners reflect some of our users’ favourites!

The prize

Each winner has received a custom badge made for their personal website as well as their TravelGround profile page. Below we have a sample of the Award that was designed in-house here at TravelGround.com.

A sample of how each award looks

And the winners are…

Choosing the winners

Since TravelGround opened only 6 months ago we have received almost 250,000 page views (see our blog post about our Traffic Growth in 2009) and thousands of accommodation enquiries, bookings and reviews. To choose the winners we simply calculated which accommodation establishments drew the most attention, potential bussiness and completed business in each region.

So, in truth we didn’t choose the winners – our users did!

The prize

Each winner has received a custom badge made for their website. Below we have a sample of the Award that was designed in-house here at TravelGround.com.

A sample of what each of the awards will look like when displayed in full

And the winners are…

We have 35 winners of TravelGround’s Most Popular Accommodation Awards for 2009. Each award is for a distinct region of South Africa. Click on any of the awards below to see the winner’s page on TravelGround.com.

You can have fun trying to figure out what the winner’s might have in common. You will quickly realise that the winners have extremely varied accommodations – from price ranges to star-gradings to service. Yet the specific prospects of each property drew guests to that page more than any in the surrounding region, and then prompted them to action. If you can figure out the pattern, please let us know!

We are proud to say that over 80% of the accommodation establishments listed on TravelGround.com have Official Star Gradings, and over 95% of our graded establishments have been awarded 3-stars or more. In fact, almost 60% of our graded establishments have been awarded 4-stars or more. Below is a run down of what each Star Grading means to you

• Ungraded: Many ungraded establishments operate at Star Graded standards, however an Official Star Grading awarded by the TGCSA is the best quality assurance available. Basically, an ungraded establishment is more of a gamble.
  

• 1 Star: 1 star marks a plain and simple establishment with few frills. The accommodations are clean and the furnishings are of an acceptable quality, with a towel and soap in the bathroom.
  

  Tsalanang Township: 1-Star B&B

• 2 Star: A 2 star establishment will have furnishings of a good quality and a few more frills than at 1 star level, like an additional hand-towel and an included soap.
  

  41 on Cedar: 2-star bedroom

• 3 Star: 3 star rooms will be slightly bigger and may include extra furniture such as a desk. Along with a bath towel and hand towel, you will receive a wrapped soap or body-wash as well as a shampoo and conditioner. General levels of service in a 3 star establishment are very good.
  

  Sunbird Lodge: 3-star accommodation

• 4 Star: In a 4 star accommodation, general finishes and levels of service are of a superior standard. All rooms must include a work area with a desk. As well as the 3-star amenities, bathrooms here include a face-cloth and body lotion. In a 4 star hotel, there will also be room service available for at least 18 hours of the day.
  

  Hermanus Beach Villa: 4-star accommodation

• 5 Star: These accommodations meet the highest and most stringent of local and international requirements. A 5 star hotel will have 24-hour room service, and most will have health and beauty facilities on the property. In truth, every aspect of the accommodation is simply luxurious.
  

  Michelangelo Towers: 5-star luxury

The examples given above are only guidelines, as the requirements for star-gradings varies according to the type of establishment being assessed (e.g. Hotels have different grading requirements than Self-Catering establishments).

It may also be worth noting that the quality of the breakfast available scales up (from simple to luxurious) along with all the other aspects of the accommodation available.

If you would like to read more about star grading definitions, then visit the TGCSA definitions page.