Trust & Safety Centre

This page explains how SpaSpot works behind the scenes: where every piece of information comes from, what is written by us, what owners can change, and how to report a problem. It is updated when the process changes; last updated 2026-10-17.

Where listing data comes from

Every listing starts from the business's public Google Business Profile: name, address, phone number, website, opening hours, price level, accessibility details, rating, review count and the reviews Google marks as most relevant. Nothing is collected from private sources. The import date is shown in the footer of every page, and a listing is refreshed when the data is refreshed, not on a fixed schedule.

How the descriptions are written

The "About" text and the sections that follow it on a business page are written by the SpaSpot editorial team with the help of an AI writing system. The system receives only that listing's public data and reviews, is instructed to state nothing the data does not support, and may not make health or treatment claims. Every draft is checked automatically for length, for invented or promotional phrasing, and for the facts it cites, and drafts that fail are rewritten. Each page states the date its description was written and the number of reviews it drew on. Descriptions are opinions neither of SpaSpot nor of the business: they summarise what customers have publicly reported. Business owners can replace the description from their account, and anyone can report an error.

Reviews and ratings

Reviews are reproduced from Google as written, with the reviewer's name and relative date, and are never edited, reordered for favour or removed on a business's request. Ratings are Google's. We do not host our own reviews, do not accept paid reviews, and do not sell positions in any list. Top-10 lists are calculated from rating and review count, as explained on How it works.

Photos and videos

Photos come from the business's Google Business Profile, are compressed for speed and carry metadata crediting the source. Photo tours are slideshows made from those photos. The photo and image policy covers rights, owner controls and removal.

Claims and the Verified badge

The Verified badge means the person managing the listing proved they run the business, either by connecting the Google account that manages its Business Profile or through a manual review of evidence. Verified owners can edit details and hide photos, but cannot touch ratings or reviews. Claims from people who do not represent the business are refused and the account is closed. Details are in the business terms.

Safety

SpaSpot lists businesses; it does not inspect them, license them or vouch for them. Spa, massage and beauty services are regulated differently in every place. Check that a business holds the licences required where it operates, ask about hygiene and training if it matters to you, and consult a doctor before treatments that may affect a medical condition. Nothing on this site is medical advice.

Account security

Owner sign-in uses a password plus a one-time code sent by email, or a one-time code alone. Codes expire in 10 minutes, allow five attempts and work only in the browser that requested them. Administrator accounts require an authenticator app. Passwords are stored as salted hashes, secrets are encrypted at rest, and all traffic is over HTTPS.

Reporting a problem

Wrong details, a closed business, a photo that should not be shown, a review that breaks the content guidelines, or a listing claimed by the wrong person: use the corrections form or email [email protected]. Reports are read within 3 working days. Safety concerns and photos of people without consent are handled first.

Policies

All policies are collected in the Legal Centre.