The Rating That Actually Means Something
Unlike five-star review farms and shiny marketing, our Trust Grade gives seekers real insight into how a retreat center operates – based on transparent data and documented behavior, not random review vibes.
What Is the Trust Grade?
The Trust Grade is Best Retreats’ proprietary evaluation of a center’s risk and transparency profile. It’s not a popularity score – it’s a signal based on evidence: complaints, incident reports, verified responsiveness, and behavior across the web.
Each center is assigned a Trust Grade from A+ to F, and it’s updated regularly.
Scoring Criteria Breakdown
| Category | Max Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint volume (weighted by recency) | 15 pts | We track formal complaints and major red flags submitted to Best Retreats |
| Unanswered complaints | 40 pts | Has the retreat replied to complaints? Silence is a red flag |
| Unresolved complaints | 30 pts | Was the issue addressed fairly or ignored? |
| Delay in resolution | 5 pts | Did they respond quickly and professionally? |
| Pattern of complaints | -25 pts | Ongoing patterns without change reduce grade |
| ICEERS / Legal / News Reports | -30 pts | Verified incidents from outside orgs |
| Transparency (Team, Pricing, Location) | 10 pts | Are team bios, photos, and pricing clearly shown? |
| Responded to our outreach? | 5 pts | We test if they reply to contact attempts |
| Willingness to mediate/arbitrate | 5 pts | Engaging in dispute resolution adds points |
| Online risk monitoring (Reddit, Quora, TripAdvisor) | -10 pts | Severe online risk incidents, tone, and themes |
| Ad review violations | -20 pts | Exaggerated/fake marketing claims |
| Business documentation verified | 5 pts | If available — business registration, licenses, etc. |
| Impersonation or fraud risk | -50 pts | Misleading users with false claims or stolen content |
| Health & safety procedures (if disclosed) | 5 pts | Bonus for safety protocols and medical screening |
| Verified guest feedback (non-incentivized) | 10 pts | From direct interviews, third-party reports, etc. |
Trust Grade Letter Score Scale
| Score | Grade |
|---|---|
| 97 – 100 | A+ – Fully transparent, zero incidents |
| 94 – 96.99 | A – Excellent track record |
| 90 – 93.99 | A- – Strong but room to improve |
| 87 – 89.99 | B+ – Decent history, minor issues |
| 84 – 86.99 | B – Some gaps in transparency |
| 80 – 83.99 | B- – Slower response or weak disclosures |
| 77 – 79.99 | C+ – Complaints not resolved promptly |
| 74 – 76.99 | C – Not communicative; concerns flagged |
| 70 – 73.99 | C- – Multiple risk signs present |
| 67 – 69.99 | D+ – Ongoing incident patterns |
| 64 – 66.99 | D – Risky behavior, no resolution |
| 60 – 63.99 | D- – High-risk / non-responsive |
| 0 – 59.99 | F – Known safety issues, impersonation, fraud |
How to Improve Your Grade
If your center is open to evolving – great!! That’s what everyone wants! You can request a re-evaluation anytime. Centers that resolve issues, complete their profile, or engage with complaints can improve their score and rebuild trust.
Or Contact Us for questions.
Trust Grade scores reflect Best Retreats’ independent opinion based on publicly available data, user-submitted reports, platform research, and retreat center responsiveness. While we use a structured scoring framework, not all factors can be perfectly measured. Grades are approximate, subject to human review, exceptions, and ongoing updates. They are not a guarantee of safety or service quality, and should be considered one piece of a broader decision-making process. Users should always do their own research before choosing a retreat.