We judge the whole stay: the welcome, the room, sleep, comfort, cleanliness, service, consistency and the care shown when nobody appears to be watching. A modest inn is judged against what it promises, not against the facilities of a large hotel; an expensive hotel receives no exemption because the building is beautiful. We also ask whether the property deepens the experience of its destination. The final test is simple: would we be pleased to send somebody we cared about here?

Food comes first. We consider ingredients, flavour, technique, judgement, balance and consistency, then the quality of service, atmosphere and hospitality around it. Complexity is not automatically better than simplicity, and price is never a proxy for quality. Value is judged against what the restaurant sets out to be and whether the experience justifies what it asks.

A great pub is more than food, decoration or reputation. We look at welcome, drinks, food where relevant, atmosphere, comfort, consistency and whether the place still understands the social purpose of a pub. It should work for the people who use it regularly and remain hospitable to those arriving for the first time.

We judge the quality of what is served, the welcome, atmosphere, consistency and value. The strongest cafés become part of the rhythm of a place: somewhere people return to, somewhere visitors understand a destination a little better, and somewhere the ordinary details have been handled with care.

We judge the quality of the visit rather than the fame of the attraction. Interpretation, accuracy, storytelling, care, presentation, access and the value of the time spent there all matter. A small museum can outperform a nationally known attraction if it allows the visitor to understand something more clearly and leaves a stronger impression.

Events are judged in the moment. We consider organisation, atmosphere, programming, originality, visitor experience and the contribution the event makes to its place. Tradition can add depth, but longevity alone is not enough; a new event can deserve recognition just as quickly if the experience is exceptional.

Artists are judged through the work. We consider originality, quality, thought, consistency, technical command where relevant and the strength of the wider practice rather than one successful image. The work does not have to depict its surroundings literally, but where an artist contributes meaningfully to the cultural life of a place, that contribution matters.

We consider visual judgement, composition, timing, light, originality, consistency and the strength of the wider body of work. A dramatic subject does not automatically make an important photograph. We are interested in what the photographer has seen, the decisions behind the image, and whether the work deepens the way a place is understood. Audience size is irrelevant.

We judge skill, originality, material understanding, finish, integrity of process and the quality of the finished object. Tradition matters when it remains alive rather than merely reproduced, and contemporary work belongs equally when the standards of thought and making are high.

Locality alone is not an achievement. We judge flavour, ingredients, consistency, craft and command of the process, with provenance considered where it is genuinely relevant. The category can include bakers, growers, cheesemakers, brewers, butchers, smokehouses and others; the format is open, but the standard is not.

We consider design, originality, craftsmanship, materials, coherence and longevity. Heritage can give a brand depth, but it cannot compensate for weak design; a new label does not need an invented past to deserve attention. We look for work with confidence, purpose and an identifiable point of view.

The human experience comes first. An average hotel does not become award-worthy because it provides a water bowl. We then consider how thoughtfully dogs are accommodated, the clarity and practicality of the policy, available space and whether guests travelling with dogs are genuinely welcomed rather than merely tolerated.

Some things become less interesting when forced into the wrong category. The Special Award allows Countrylook to recognise a person, institution, tradition, place or idea that makes an exceptional contribution to a destination but does not belong naturally elsewhere. Its criteria are broader; its standard is not lower.