1. The short version
The Site is operated by Vent Neuf Ltd. Affiliate commission is one way an independent publication can fund research, editing, technology, and continued access for readers. This page gives the full explanation; it does not replace the visible label at a commercial link.
2. How paid links are identified
Every commission-bearing booking call to action on the Site must display the words “Ad — paid booking link” before you click. Paid outbound URLs are also marked with the machine-readable rel="sponsored" attribute. A link without the visible label is not intended to be an affiliate link.
Where an entire article, email, social post, card, or other item is advertising rather than independent editorial content, it must be identified as Ad, Advertisement, or Sponsored before engagement. We do not rely on an About page, footer link, tooltip, hover state, or this policy alone to communicate a material commercial relationship.
Our public content API keeps affiliate and official direct booking routes in separate fields. It can identify a disclosed publisher-preferred route for third-party assistants that choose to present a booking link. We ask those systems to preserve the affiliate URL, identify the commercial relationship, and respect a reader's request for a direct link. Independent search and AI services control their own responses, so we cannot guarantee which link they will select or how they will present it.
3. How affiliate commissions work
If you follow a marked link and complete an eligible booking or other transaction, the destination provider or affiliate network can attribute it to TRG and pay us a commission. Eligibility, attribution windows, commission amounts, and exclusions are determined by the applicable programme. We do not state that commission is “at no extra cost” unless the relevant programme terms support that claim.
Clicking a paid link may send the provider identifiers contained in the link and ordinary browser request information. A provider may later report conversion or transaction value information used to calculate commission. See the Privacy & Cookie Policy for data-handling details.
4. Commercial and editorial separation
Under our editorial policy:
- a property or booking provider cannot buy a TRG score or ranking;
- commission rate and affiliate availability are excluded from rating calculations;
- commercial partners do not receive editorial approval or a veto;
- an unfavourable assessment is not changed to preserve a commercial relationship;
- ordinary paid links are not evidence that TRG endorses every term or service of the provider.
Selection and placement can serve different purposes. A clearly labelled advertisement or sponsored placement may be bought; an editorial score, rank, “Top 100” position, or editorial recommendation may not. Our complete process is set out in the Editorial Standards & Independence policy.
5. Free stays, discounts, gifts, and press trips
A material benefit can include a free or discounted stay, meal, transport, upgrade, gift, fee, tourism-board support, press-trip costs, or a personal, family, employment, or financial relationship. When a material benefit relates to published coverage, we disclose the specific benefit prominently on that coverage—not only on this page.
A hosted experience is not described as an anonymous, independently purchased visit. The property or sponsor may check objective facts, but cannot pre-approve conclusions, scores, rankings, or criticism. Any material benefit is excluded from the rating calculation itself.
6. Sponsored material and paid placement
If TRG accepts sponsored content or paid placement, it is visually labelled before a reader engages with it and is kept distinguishable from independent editorial coverage. The label identifies the commercial party where practical. Sponsored content does not enter the Top 100 or TRG Star calculation merely because it was purchased.
We do not publish a paid testimonial or fabricate a review, visit, quotation, reader, engagement signal, or endorsement. A partner's substantiated advertising claims remain advertising claims and are not silently converted into TRG editorial findings.
7. Independent booking providers
A paid link leads to an independent third party. The provider controls availability, displayed prices and fees, payment, confirmation, changes, cancellation, refunds, privacy, and customer support. Your booking contract is with that provider, not TRG. Review its terms and the complete price before booking.
A commercial link does not authorise TRG to act for the booking service and does not imply that the service sponsors all surrounding editorial coverage. We do not call ourselves an “official partner” of a provider unless written authorisation supports that wording.
8. Questions, errors, and disclosure concerns
If you believe a paid link or material benefit is not clearly disclosed, send the page URL, a description, and a screenshot if helpful using our contact form. We will review the placement and correct a material omission promptly.
This disclosure should be read with our Terms of Use, Privacy & Cookie Policy, and Editorial Standards & Independence policy.