The StayAbilene scoring matrix

100 points. Eight criteria.

Every hotel is evaluated using the same detailed rubric. Each property is judged against its stay category, what it promises, and the experience documented during the stay.

Category	Maximum points
Cleanliness	20
Sleep Quality	15
Room Condition	15
Staff / Front Desk	10
Safety & Guest Comfort	10
Location / Convenience	10
Amenities	10
Value for Price	10
Total	100

How a review is documented

The review form records the stay dates, room type, booking source, rate, taxes, fees, deposit, check-in and checkout times, and purpose of the visit. Each category includes subcategory scores, observations, and supporting photographs where applicable.

Cleanliness, comfort, service, safety, and value require their own evidence. An unfinished category remains pending rather than receiving an assumed score.

Download the complete scoring matrix

Download the review form

Detailed scoring criteria

Cleanliness 20 points

Cleanliness is the most weighted category because it affects comfort, health, trust, and the overall guest experience. A hotel may be basic, older, or inexpensive and still score well in light of cleanliness. This category looks at whether the room, bathroom, bedding, surfaces, floors, and general environment appear properly cleaned and maintained for a new guest.

A perfect score means the room appears fully cleaned before arrival, with fresh linens, clean bathroom fixtures, no concerning odors, no visible grime, no hair left behind, no stained surfaces, and no signs of pests. Moderate adherence means the room is generally acceptable but has minor issues such as dust, light wear, a faint odor, small missed areas, or minor bathroom imperfections. Low adherence means the room has obvious cleanliness problems, including dirty bedding, stained towels, hair in the bathroom, sticky surfaces, trash left behind, pest evidence, strong odors, mold, or signs that the room was not properly turned over.

Cleanliness Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Bathroom cleanliness	5
Bedding, sheets, pillows, and towels	5
Floors, surfaces, furniture, and high-touch areas	4
Odor, air freshness, and general room freshness	3
Evidence of pests, stains, mold, or neglect	3
Total	20

Bathroom Cleanliness (5 Points)

This includes the toilet, shower, bathtub, sink, counter, mirror, floor, walls, and bathroom fixtures.

Score	Meaning
5	Bathroom is fully clean, dry, fresh, and ready for use. No hair, residue, grime, stains, mildew, soap scum, or odor.
3–4	Bathroom is usable and mostly clean, but there are minor issues such as light water spots, mild wear, small missed areas, or faint odor.
1–2	Bathroom has noticeable cleanliness problems such as hair, residue, grime, stained fixtures, dirty floor, unpleasant odor, or visible mildew.
0	Bathroom appears unsanitary or unacceptable for guest use.

Bedding, Sheets, Pillows, and Towels (5 Points)

This includes the cleanliness and freshness of sheets, comforters, pillowcases, mattress covers, towels, and washcloths.

Score	Meaning
5	Bedding and towels are fresh, clean, odor-free, unstained, and properly arranged.
3–4	Bedding and towels are acceptable but show minor wear, light staining, wrinkles, or signs of age.
1–2	Bedding or towels appear questionable, stained, musty, worn out, or not fully clean.
0	Bedding or towels are dirty, obviously reused, wet, heavily stained, or unacceptable.

Floors, Surfaces, Furniture, and High-Touch Areas (4 Points)

This includes floors, desks, nightstands, lamps, remotes, switches, handles, chairs, counters, and other frequently touched areas.

Score	Meaning
4	Floors and surfaces are clean, wiped down, free of dust, debris, stickiness, and visible grime.
3	Mostly clean, with minor dust, light debris, or a few overlooked areas.
1–2	Noticeable dust, crumbs, sticky areas, dirty furniture, or high-touch areas that appear unclean.
0	Floors or surfaces are clearly dirty or unsanitary.

Odor, Air Freshness, and General Room Freshness (3 Points)

This measures how the room smells and feels upon entry.

Score	Meaning
3	Room smells clean or neutral. No smoke, mildew, pet odor, chemical odor, or stale air.
2	Slight odor or stale air, but not severe enough to affect the stay.
1	Noticeable odor that affects comfort, such as smoke, mildew, dampness, perfume, cleaning chemicals, or mustiness.
0	Strong odor that makes the room unpleasant or difficult to occupy.

Evidence of Pests, Stains, Mold, or Neglect (3 Points)

This includes signs of bedbugs, roaches, ants, flies, stains, mold, water damage, or long-term neglect.

Score	Meaning
3	No visible signs of pests, mold, concerning stains, or neglect.
2	Minor stains or wear, but nothing suggesting an active problem.
1	Concerning stains, possible pest signs, visible mildew, or signs of poor upkeep.
0	Active pests, suspected bedbug evidence, visible mold, severe staining, or conditions requiring room rejection.

Sleep Quality 15 points

Sleep quality measures whether the property allows a guest to rest comfortably. This category includes mattress comfort, bedding, noise, temperature, lighting, curtains, and overall sleep environment. A hotel’s basic purpose is to provide a place to sleep, so even a property with limited amenities can score well if the guest can rest safely and comfortably.

A perfect score means the bed is comfortable, the room is quiet, the temperature is controllable, the bedding is adequate, and the lighting or curtains allow proper rest. Moderate adherence means sleep is possible but affected by minor noise, average bedding, limited temperature control, or some light intrusion. Low adherence means the stay is meaningfully disrupted by noise, uncomfortable bedding, poor HVAC, bright light, thin walls, hallway activity, outside disturbances, or other issues that prevent restful sleep.

Sleep Quality Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Mattress comfort and support	4
Pillow, sheets, and bedding comfort	3
Noise control	4
Temperature and HVAC comfort	2
Darkness, curtains, and sleep environment	2
Total	15

Mattress Comfort and Support (4 Points)

Score	Meaning
4	Mattress is comfortable, supportive, clean-feeling, and suitable for a full night’s rest.
3	Mattress is acceptable but not especially comfortable; minor sagging, firmness issues, or age.
1–2	Mattress is uncomfortable, worn, sagging, lumpy, too hard, too soft, or affects sleep.
0	Mattress is unacceptable, damaged, dirty, or prevents reasonable sleep.

Pillow, Sheets, and Bedding Comfort (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Pillows, sheets, blankets, and bedding are comfortable, clean, and appropriate.
2	Bedding is acceptable but thin, worn, limited, or only moderately comfortable.
1	Bedding is uncomfortable, rough, too thin, insufficient, or noticeably poor quality.
0	Bedding is unusable, dirty, missing, or unacceptable.

Noise Control (4 Points)

Score	Meaning
4	Room is quiet enough for normal sleep; little disturbance from hallway, neighboring rooms, traffic, or outside activity.
3	Some noise is present but manageable and not seriously disruptive.
1–2	Noise is frequent, distracting, or makes sleep difficult.
0	Noise is severe enough to prevent sleep or create an unreasonable stay.

Temperature and HVAC Comfort (2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	HVAC works properly, room temperature is controllable, and air flow is comfortable.
1	HVAC works but is noisy, slow, limited, musty, or inconsistent.
0	HVAC does not work properly or room temperature cannot be made comfortable.

Darkness, Curtains, and Sleep Environment (2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	Curtains block light well, room can be made dark, and sleep environment feels restful.
1	Some light intrusion or minor sleep-environment issues.
0	Excessive light, poor curtains, flashing lights, or other environmental issues interfere with sleep.

Room Condition 15 points

Room condition measures whether the room is functional, maintained, and in acceptable physical condition. This is separate from cleanliness. A room can be clean but still worn out, damaged, poorly maintained, or inconvenient. This category looks at furniture, fixtures, walls, floors, plumbing, electrical outlets, HVAC, doors, locks, and general usability.

A perfect score means the room is well-maintained, functional, and free from meaningful damage. Moderate adherence means the room is usable but shows age, wear, minor maintenance issues, or cosmetic flaws. Low adherence means the room has broken fixtures, damaged furniture, plumbing problems, electrical issues, malfunctioning locks, poor lighting, water damage, or obvious neglect.

Room Condition Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Furniture, fixtures, and finishes	3
Bathroom condition and plumbing	3
HVAC, electrical, lighting, and outlets	4
General maintenance and visible wear	3
Room layout, usability, and functionality	2
Total	15

Furniture, Fixtures, and Finishes (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Furniture and fixtures are sturdy, functional, clean-looking, and in good condition.
2	Minor wear, scratches, outdated furnishings, or cosmetic flaws, but still functional.
1	Noticeable damage, loose fixtures, poor repairs, or worn furniture.
0	Broken, unsafe, unusable, or seriously damaged furniture or fixtures.

Bathroom Condition and Plumbing (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Toilet, sink, shower, drain, water pressure, and hot water all work properly.
2	Minor issues such as slow drain, weak pressure, aging fixtures, or cosmetic bathroom wear.
1	Meaningful issues such as poor drainage, unstable toilet, leaking fixtures, weak hot water, or damaged surfaces.
0	Bathroom plumbing or fixtures are unusable or unacceptable.

HVAC, Electrical, Lighting, and Outlets (4 Points)

Score	Meaning
4	HVAC, lights, outlets, lamps, TV, phone, and basic electrical features work properly.
3	Mostly functional, with minor inconvenience such as limited outlets or one weak lamp.
1–2	Several problems, such as broken lights, nonworking outlets, loud HVAC, or unreliable electronics.
0	Major electrical, lighting, HVAC, or functional failures.

General Maintenance and Visible Wear (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Room is well-maintained with no meaningful signs of neglect.
2	Some age or cosmetic wear, but nothing that seriously affects comfort.
1	Obvious deferred maintenance, damaged walls, worn flooring, water damage, or poor repairs.
0	Room appears neglected, unsafe, or in serious disrepair.

Room Layout, Usability, and Functionality (2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	Room layout is practical, easy to use, and reasonably comfortable.
1	Layout is usable but awkward, cramped, inconvenient, or poorly arranged.
0	Layout or room setup seriously interferes with normal use.

Staff / Front Desk 10 points

Staff and front desk service are judged by professionalism, accuracy, helpfulness, check-in experience, problem-solving, and overall guest interaction. This category does not require luxury-level service from a basic hotel. It requires that staff be reasonably respectful, competent, and responsive.

A perfect score means staff are professional, clear, helpful, efficient, and responsive. Moderate adherence means service is adequate but not especially warm, fast, or helpful. Low adherence means staff are rude, dismissive, unavailable, poorly trained, inaccurate, or unwilling to address reasonable guest needs.

Staff / Front Desk Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Check-in efficiency and accuracy	3
Professionalism and courtesy	3
Responsiveness to reasonable requests	2
Problem-solving and follow-through	2
Total	10

Check-In Efficiency and Accuracy (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Check-in is smooth, accurate, timely, and clearly explained.
2	Check-in is acceptable but slightly slow, unclear, or mildly disorganized.
1	Check-in is frustrating, inaccurate, delayed, or poorly handled.
0	Check-in fails, reservation is mishandled, or staff cannot complete basic process.

Professionalism and Courtesy (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Staff are respectful, professional, and appropriate throughout the interaction.
2	Staff are neutral or minimally polite, with no serious issue.
1	Staff are curt, dismissive, distracted, or unprofessional.
0	Staff are rude, hostile, inappropriate, or disrespectful.

Responsiveness to Reasonable Requests (2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	Staff respond appropriately to reasonable requests, questions, or needs.
1	Staff respond slowly, vaguely, or with limited helpfulness.
0	Staff ignore, refuse, or mishandle reasonable requests.

Problem-Solving and Follow-Through (2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	Staff handle problems fairly and follow through when action is needed.
1	Staff acknowledge issues but provide limited or incomplete resolution.
0	Staff fail to address meaningful problems or make the situation worse.

Safety & Guest Comfort 10 points

Safety & Guest Comfort measures whether the property feels reasonably secure, orderly, and comfortable for an ordinary guest. This category should be written carefully and fairly. It is not about making assumptions about people. It is about observable conditions: lighting, locks, entrances, parking areas, hallway conditions, exterior activity, security measures, and whether the guest can reasonably relax.

A perfect score means the property feels secure and comfortable, with working locks, adequate lighting, controlled access where applicable, visible order, and no concerning disturbances. Moderate adherence means the property feels mostly acceptable but has minor concerns such as dim lighting, worn exterior areas, occasional noise, or limited visibility. Low adherence means there are serious concerns such as broken locks, poor lighting, unsecured entrances, aggressive disturbances, repeated suspicious activity, unsafe parking conditions, or conditions that make the guest uncomfortable remaining on property.

Safety & Guest Comfort Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Door locks, room security, and access control	3
Lighting, parking, exterior, and common areas	3
Orderliness, disturbances, and comfort level	2
Privacy and guest peace of mind	2
Total	10

Door Locks, Room Security, and Access Control (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Door locks, deadbolt, latch, key card, and access points work properly.
2	Minor issue, but room still feels reasonably secure.
1	Lock, door, latch, or access concern affects confidence.
0	Room security is unacceptable or unsafe.

Lighting, Parking, Exterior, and Common Areas (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Parking, entrances, hallways, stairwells, and exterior areas are adequately lit and maintained.
2	Mostly acceptable, with minor lighting or upkeep concerns.
1	Poor lighting, neglected exterior, or common-area concerns affect comfort.
0	Exterior, parking, or common areas feel unsafe or seriously neglected.

Orderliness, Disturbances, and Comfort Level (2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	Property feels orderly, calm, and reasonably comfortable.
1	Some disturbances, noise, loitering, or disorder, but not severe.
0	Repeated disturbances, aggressive behavior, disorder, or conditions that materially affect guest comfort.

Privacy and Guest Peace of Mind (2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	Guest privacy feels respected and the stay feels peaceful.
1	Minor privacy or comfort concerns.
0	Serious privacy issues, unwanted interruptions, or lack of peace of mind.

Location / Convenience 10 points

Location / Convenience measures how well the property serves the needs of travelers in Abilene. This includes proximity to highways, restaurants, hospitals, colleges, downtown, shopping, work destinations, parking, ease of entry and exit, and general convenience. This category should be evaluated according to the likely purpose of the stay.

A perfect score means the hotel is easy to access, conveniently located for common guest needs, and practical for its likely travelers. Moderate adherence means the location is workable but has some inconvenience, such as difficult access, limited nearby services, awkward parking, or distance from major destinations. Low adherence means the location creates meaningful inconvenience, poor access, limited nearby options, difficult parking, or problems getting in and out of the property.

Location / Convenience Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Access to major roads, highways, and destinations	3
Nearby food, fuel, shopping, medical, college, or business needs	3
Parking convenience and property access	2
Fit for intended travel purpose	2
Total	10

Access to Major Roads, Highways, and Destinations — 3 Points

Score	Meaning
3	Easy access to major roads, highways, and relevant Abilene destinations.
2	Generally accessible, with minor inconvenience.
1	Somewhat inconvenient access or awkward routing.
0	Difficult, confusing, or impractical access.

Nearby Food, Fuel, Shopping, Medical, College, or Business Needs — 3 Points

Score	Meaning
3	Conveniently near useful services and common traveler needs.
2	Some nearby services, but not especially convenient.
1	Limited nearby services or inconvenient distance.
0	Poor access to basic traveler needs.

Parking Convenience and Property Access — 2 Points

Score	Meaning
2	Parking is easy, available, and convenient.
1	Parking is available but cramped, awkward, limited, or inconvenient.
0	Parking or property access is difficult or unreasonable.

Fit for Intended Travel Purpose — 2 Points

Score	Meaning
2	Location fits the likely travel purpose well.
1	Location is acceptable but not ideal for the stay type.
0	Location is poorly suited for the likely purpose of the stay.

Amenities 10 points

Amenities are judged according to what the property claims to offer and what is reasonable for its stay category. A Basic Stay does not need premium amenities to score well, but whatever is advertised should be available, functional, and honestly represented. Amenities may include breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, pool, gym, laundry, business center, coffee, refrigerator, microwave, TV, workspace, and pet accommodations.

A perfect score means advertised amenities are available, functional, clean, and useful. Moderate adherence means amenities exist but are limited, underwhelming, partially unavailable, or not especially well-maintained. Low adherence means advertised amenities are missing, broken, dirty, misleading, unavailable, or materially worse than represented.

Amenities Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Accuracy of advertised amenities	3
Wi-Fi, TV, workspace, refrigerator, microwave, and in-room basics	2
Breakfast, coffee, vending, laundry, gym, pool, or shared amenities	3
Quality, cleanliness, and usefulness of amenities	2
Total	10

Accuracy of Advertised Amenities (3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Amenities match what is advertised or reasonably expected.
2	Mostly accurate, with minor limitations or unclear details.
1	Several amenities are overstated, unavailable, or misleading.
0	Major advertised amenities are missing or falsely represented.

Wi-Fi, TV, Workspace, Refrigerator, Microwave, and In-Room Basics(2 Points)

Score	Meaning
2	In-room basics work properly and are useful.
1	Some basics are present but limited, outdated, unreliable, or inconvenient.
0	Important in-room basics are missing, broken, or unusable.

Breakfast, Coffee, Vending, Laundry, Gym, Pool, or Shared Amenities

(3 Points)

Score	Meaning
3	Shared amenities are available, clean, functional, and reasonably useful.
2	Amenities are available but limited, average, or only partially useful.
1	Amenities are poor, unavailable during reasonable times, dirty, or disappointing.
0	Advertised shared amenities are unavailable, unusable, or unacceptable.

Quality, Cleanliness, and Usefulness of Amenities — 2 Points

Score	Meaning
2	Amenities add real value to the stay.
1	Amenities exist but add limited value.
0	Amenities are not useful, not maintained, or create frustration.

Value for Price 10 points

Value for Price measures whether the stay is worth what was paid, considering the property’s category, condition, comfort, location, service, and amenities. This category does not mean the cheapest hotel automatically wins. It asks whether the guest received fair value for the rate charged.

A perfect score means the property delivers a strong experience for the price and would be easy to recommend within its class. Moderate adherence means the price is acceptable but not especially impressive, or the stay has tradeoffs that reduce value. Low adherence means the property is overpriced for what it delivers, or the experience falls below what a reasonable guest should expect at that price.

Value for Price Subdivision

Subcategory	Points
Fairness of nightly rate for stay category	3
Match between price and actual room experience	3
Fees, deposits, policies, and transparency	2
Overall recommendation value	2
Total	10

Fairness of Nightly Rate for Stay Category — 3 Points

Score	Meaning
3	Rate is fair or strong for the property class and local market.
2	Rate is acceptable but not especially impressive.
1	Rate feels high for what is offered.
0	Rate is clearly unreasonable for the experience delivered.

Match Between Price and Actual Room Experience — 3 Points

Score	Meaning
3	Room experience matches or exceeds what the price suggests.
2	Room experience roughly matches the price, with some tradeoffs.
1	Room experience falls below what the price should deliver.
0	Room experience is substantially worse than the price suggests.

Fees, Deposits, Policies, and Transparency — 2 Points

Score	Meaning
2	Fees, deposits, holds, policies, and checkout rules are clear and reasonable.
1	Some policies or fees are unclear, inconvenient, or mildly frustrating.
0	Fees, deposits, holds, or policies are misleading, excessive, or poorly explained.

Overall Recommendation Value — 2 Points

Score	Meaning
2	Easy to recommend for the right traveler and stay purpose.
1	Recommendable only with qualifications or warnings.
0	Difficult to recommend at the price paid.

Final rating

Total score	Comprehensive rating
90–100	Excellent Stay
80–89	Strong Stay
70–79	Acceptable Stay
60–69	Mixed Stay
50–59	Poor Stay
Below 50	Avoid Unless Necessary

Each completed review also identifies the best-suited travel purpose, a one-sentence verdict, detailed final notes, and whether the property is worthy of a repeat stay.