The survey, however limited in sample size, reflects exactly (with one exception) what I'd expect. "Boutique-style" hosts are the way to go.

I use LightningBase, and it's superb. I am forever amused by those talking of WP Engine and Pagely as the go-to places for managed hosting. Just Google for reviews of LightningBase, and you'll see it knocks the other two into a cocked hat.

The one thing that's wrong in the survey is that WP Shout says:
"Many of the survey’s very well-reviewed hosts aim at higher-tier customers—people spending $50 to hundreds or thousands per month for hosting. Some of these hosts (Lightning Base and WP Engine) are in managed WordPress hosting..."

While I'm happy to be thought of as a "higher-tier customer(!)" I actually pay less than $20 a month for three sites. I'll soon by upgrading to $50 for ten.