Above a 8.3 baseline
30 example reviews
Hotel tab A
Hypothetical source AHotel tab B
Hypothetical source BA generous source
makes everything brighter.
A 9.1 on a source that averages 8.3 can stand out exactly as much as an 8.4 on one averaging 7.6. We compare distance from each baseline, not the printed scores. Enter your own researched calibration; these defaults are invented.
This simple z-score illustration is not a validated hotel-quality model. Different guest populations, room types, dates and review selection can still make sources incomparable. A source's whole distribution matters.
Keep the uncertainty.
Lose the fake winner.
Illustrative 1.96 / √review-count intervals assume independent, representative standardized reviews. Real reviews violate those assumptions. Overlapping intervals are a warning to investigate, not proof of equality.
Staybare's fictional $12/month app would keep source context attached to a travel shortlist. This free local calculator does not fetch reviews or book rooms.