Our promise
Honesty policy
Reviews at Eat Sleep Play Denver are never paid for. Paid posts are always labeled SPONSORED at the top. If a visit was comped, we say so. Questions? Message us on Facebook.
Reviews are never for sale
No business can pay for a review, a rating, a better score, or the removal of a review. Advertisers get no preview and no approval of reviews.
Clear labels on every paid post
Any post we are paid for — in money, free products, comped meals, stays, treatments, or tickets — is labeled at the top. On the site the label reads SPONSORED. When a partner is named, it also reads Paid partnership with that business. On Facebook we use Meta's Branded Content tool as well.
A hashtag buried at the end, or a vague "thanks to," is not enough. This follows the FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) and the FTC's "Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers."
Comped visits are disclosed
If a review visit was hosted or discounted, the review says so up front. Our default is to pay our own way.
Separation
Sponsored content lives in posts or slots that are labeled SPONSORED. It never lives inside an Honest Review. If we review a past or current advertiser, the review discloses that relationship.
Firsthand only
We only review places we have actually visited. Everything else is On Our List, with facts and sources, and it is not a review. We do not fabricate quotes, ratings, or experiences.
Facts are sourced
Event dates, prices, and openings are checked against official sources. When we get something wrong, we correct it in public and we do it quickly.
Giveaways and affiliate links
Giveaways follow Meta's Pages promotion terms and name the partner who supplied the prize. If we use affiliate links later, the post itself will say so.
How a score becomes a verdict
Honest Reviews score five categories from 1 to 5. Quality is 30 percent, Experience 20, Vibe 20, Value 20, and Wow 10. The weighted total is a score out of 5:
- 4.5–5: Go Now
- 3.5–4.4: Worth It
- 2.5–3.4: It's Fine
- below 2.5: Skip It
Every review states the visit date, what we paid (or that it was comped), and how many visits it covers. The same scale covers restaurants, hotels, and spas. The words under each category change with the kind of visit. The math does not.
| Category | Restaurants | Hotels | Spas | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | Food and drink | Room, bed, cleanliness | Treatment skill and results | 30% |
| Experience | Service and hospitality | Staff and check-in | Therapist and front desk | 20% |
| Vibe | Atmosphere, noise, comfort | Design, quiet, amenities | Ambiance, facilities, relaxation | 20% |
| Value | Price vs. what you get | Rate vs. what you get | Price vs. what you get | 20% |
| Wow / would we return? | Signature dish, the tell-a-friend factor | Location and standout touches | Extras such as pools, steam, hot springs | 10% |
- Go Now4.5–5
- Worth It3.5–4.4
- It's Fine2.5–3.4
- Skip ItUnder 2.5