The Barend Property Grading System
Following the withdrawal of Visit Scotland’s Star Rating system in early 2025, Barend has introduced our own internal grading system. Continuing the ethos of verifiable, measurable marking, our grading system aims to help you find the perfect holiday home for your budget.
Read on to find out how we’ve put our scheme in place, how it compares to Visit Scotland, and what you can expect from the different grades.
What Our Grading System Does and Doesn’t Do
• Consider the inherent quality of an item. For example how well built it was originally, the materials and craftmanship.
• Consider wear and tear: brand new carpets will (hopefully!) be amazingly fluffy, but over time they may flatten and stain. (A carpet of higher initial quality will usually wear better than one of lower quality)
• Take in account guest feedback: when constructing our grading, we reviewed feedback over the years and looked at what was important to you
• We take into account how practical the property is as a holiday home: is the heating system easy to use / quiet; is there extra space in the kitchen; is there space for your toiletries; can you reach plug sockets easily to charge your phone; what is the ratio of bathrooms to people; does the lighting make it easy to see what you’re doing, and give you a choice of ambient or task lighting; are the doors and windows easy to use.
• Take into consideration style / fashion: this changes frequently and style is very down to personal taste. Whether something is deemed “modern” or “old fashioned” is down to the individual. We supply plenty of photographs of each property, so you can pick depending on what style you like!
• Pick out our “favourites”: the system is impartial, what we “like” and “don’t like” is irrelevant
• Give extra marks for facilities (e.g. some hotels are graded higher because they have a pool, gym etc. This doesn’t affect our grading)
How does the System Compare with Visit Scotland’s Star Grading?
• Unlike Visit Scotland we do not require each area to meet the grade. Under Visit Scotland if all main areas were 4 star, but one key area (like a bathroom) was 3*, the property would only be 3*. In our scheme, the average score for the whole property is taken. If one area is one grade lower, this would not bring the grade down (but if one area was 2 or 3 grades lower it would). This ensures consistency whilst recognising that there may be some standout features in the property. As an example; a silver property must reach a silver grade overall, and can’t have any areas lower than bronze; if an area was only graded value, the property would come under our bronze band instead.
• One big difference is that our grading is focused just on Barend, so is only comparing properties across our portfolio. Our premium properties highlight the best properties at Barend; this does’t necessarily mean they are comparable to a suite at the Ritz – that’s not quite Barend! But it does mean you’ll experience top quality, extra attention to detail, and everything you could need for an amazing holiday in the countryside!
• We also specify further minimum requirements for each grade, so that even if the overall marks were higher, a property might not meet that grade. For example to be a gold or premium property, a lodge must have fibre broadband. Find out more about minimum requirements below.
• We have incorporated many of Visit Scotland’s themes into our grading. For example, we break down each room and its components, mark them individually and then give an overall score.
• Our grades also cover similar subjects (fixtures and fittings, flooring, decoration, beds etc). But we have given more weight to areas that we think are important based on guest feedback (such as black out blinds, bed and mattress quality, kitchen space).
• Like Visit Scotland, we have kept minimum requirements. All our properties, including Value and Bronze, must still adhere to strict minimum standards, so you can rest assured you will have a great holiday.
How are the properties graded?
The properties are all reviewed in depth against a set of criteria. Each criterion is marked out of 5 and a weighted average is taken. The top scoring properties come into our premium grade, the lowest scoring into our value grade, and the rest are categorised into bronze, silver and gold, depending on their weighted score. The grades are reviewed every 2 years as a minimum.
We don’t just look at how “nice” things are; we also take into account how practical the property is as a holiday home: is the heating system easy to use / quiet; is there extra space in the kitchen; is there space for your toiletries; can you reach plug sockets easily to charge your phone; what is the ratio of bathrooms to people; does the lighting make it easy to see what you’re doing, and give you a choice of ambient or task lighting; are the doors and windows easy to open. Some of these might not be obvious at first, but they can be the little extra that makes your holiday that bit more relaxing! Our higher graded properties tend to excel at these criteria.
The other criteria can be broadly summarised as: the exterior of the lodge (including outdoor furniture and balcony); flooring; fixtures and fittings; sofas; and beds. Within kitchens we look at the quality of white goods, surfaces, and pots/ pans etc. Within bathrooms we look individually at the suite and fittings (like taps etc).
Some elements may have more of an impact on your holiday, and these are weighted more highly.
Additionally, each grade has minimum requirements as detailed in the next section.
What’s the difference between the grades?
We have 5 grades of property at Barend Holiday Lodges: Value, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Premium.
Value doesn’t mean poor! Value properties provide an excellent opportunity to enjoy all of Barend’s perks, such as luxurious bedding and towels, a swimming pool, and more, at a budget-friendly price. These properties still adhere to Barend’s stringent minimum requirements, ensuring a simple and comfortable stay. You can expect a great night’s sleep, a well-equipped kitchen, ample seating, and all for less than the cost of a hostel!
Our Value properties offer:
• The same excellent quality bedding, towels and cleaning service as our other properties.
• They also receive the same amenities (such as swimming pool and golf).
• Value properties must offer comfortable seating and seating around the table for the number of guests they sleep (i.e. if a property says it sleeps 8 people; it must also sit 8 people around the dining table and on sofas / chairs in the living area).
• Free internet, parking outside the property and a starter pack of toilet roll, washing up liquid, hand soap, kitchen towel and dishcloth
• Outdoor furniture,
• Safe, simple accommodation
Bronze properties offer an incredible way to visit Barend on a budget, providing a few extra comforts compared to our Value range. These chalets offer a comfortable level of living, but they may lack additional bathrooms or have slightly more wear and tear compared to silver and gold properties. Don’t miss out on this chance to explore Barend at an unbeatable price.
Our Bronze properties offer everything a Value property does, plus:
• A higher average score across our criteria. This means there will be areas of higher quality or improved usability for guest enjoyment in the holiday home.
Silver properties are a great option if you’d like a little more attention to detail without splashing too much cash. There may be some stand out features in the property (such as recently-renovated rooms). Silver properties offer a variety of layouts. The grading takes into consideration upkeep of the property, guest convenience, quality of fixtures and fittings (and subsequent wear and tear) and this grade offers an excellent compromise of price and quality.
Our Silver properties offer everything a Bronze property does, plus:
• Less wear and tear or higher quality products on average,
• Better attention to guest comforts
• There will be areas of excellence within silver properties, and all areas will be very good,
• Minimum of 1 bathroom and 1 additional toilet if the lodge sleeps 8 people,
• In addition to meeting an average Silver score, no individual area (kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms etc) can be less than bronze if scored individually
Gold properties offer high levels of creature comforts. They cleverly utilise space within the lodges, providing additional bathrooms and high-quality furnishings throughout. Most rooms have recently undergone refurbishment, and the owners have prioritised ease of use, considering factors like lighting, heating, cupboard space, and bathroom-to-guest ratios. These chalets come equipped with our standard welcome bags upon arrival and can comfortably accommodate up to 8 people.
Our Gold properties offer everything a Silver property does, plus:
• They must have black out blinds or curtains in bedrooms,
• Fast fibre broadband as standard
• Minimum 2 bathrooms
• Minimal signs of poor quality or wear and tear,
• In addition to meeting an average Gold score, no individual area (kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms etc) can be less than Silver if scored individually
• Welcome Bags for stays of 4 nights or more; including tea, coffee, milk, bread, jam, salt and pepper
Premium properties showcase the best and most popular properties Barend has to offer. These holiday homes, with their touch of luxury, have been meticulously decorated and maintained to cater to guests’ preferences. Equipped with high-quality fixtures and fittings, these countryside retreats boast attention to detail and thoughtful use of space. Enhanced welcome bags add to the overall experience. All premium properties feature multiple bathrooms and fully-separated bedrooms, accommodating up to six guests comfortably. (Due to the bedroom layout, premium lodges only sleep a maximum of 6 people).
Our Premium properties offer everything a Gold property does, plus:
• Minimum 1 bathroom per 2 people,
• Must have 1 king size bed
• Coffee machines
• In addition to meeting an average Premium score, no individual area (kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms etc) can be less than Gold if scored individually
• Premium welcome bags for stays of 4 nights or more; including tea, coffee pods, milk, bread, jam, salt and pepper, plus condiments (ketchup, oil) and a mix of snacks, such as poshcorn, olives, handcut crisps etc.
