Travel Review/Rating Websites

Can somebody drop an Invisibility Cloak over this question before Lee sees it, please?

It is pretty well-known that there are fake reviews, both positive and negative, on Tripadvisor. But they are posted by members, not by Tripadvisor itself. It is not a conspiracy. The hotels gripe that Tripadvisor should not accept such reviews, but that implies there is some way for the website to screen them. It is actually very easy to learn to screen them yourself, and to disregard the ones that are not genuine. Once I learned to do that, I found Tripadvisor a valuable resource in finding places to stay. Oyster appears to be trying to drum up business for themselves by running others down. They seem to concentrate on a few areas, mainly resorts, which makes them not useful to me at all. Also, their idea of a "fake" photo is a broad one. The example they give is simply a photo of a the same pool shown on the hotel's website, but taken from a different angle to show that it is next to a Macy's store. I can't fault the hotel for putting the best face they can on their website-that's not "fake". Posting a photo of a different property, OTOH, IS fake. I have seen some places that did that called on the carpet and labeled as a "fraud" in the Tripadvisor forums, so the self-policing works pretty well. I like to look at lots of photos on Tripadvisor, the ones posted by individuals as well as the professional photos provided by the hotel itself. And then I use Street View on Google maps to check out the neighborhood, if it seems a ppossible issue.

Nearly anything posted on the Internet should be carefully considered simply because it is so easy to fabricate information - good or bad. We have even had posters on this site that provide creative information. But with a little experience it is generally obvious. Don't know about fake photos on Trip Advisor but would doubt that. Where the fake photo can occur is on the individual web sites for hotels that they set up. A year or so ago, 20/20 or one of the other news programs had segment on creative photos on web sites. You just have to be critical reader and not rely on a single opinion - good or bad.

'Fraid you're too late with the "Invisibility Cloak". Actually, if I were going to Italy, Spain, or some other third world country, I might consult T/A. But for accommodations in Germanic areas, I don't feel it's necessary. I've stayed in something like 40 properties there in the last decade, and I've never stayed in one that wasn't "up to snuff". The "Germans" seem to have a very high standard. If you already have a website and email address for someplace, it's probably worth looking for reviews. But understand that T/A only lists about 1/3 of the accommodations available, and those are the more expensive places, the ones that already include the T/A commission in their prices, which you will pay. Plus, if you find somewhere using T/A, it won't include a URL or email. And when you go to the Internet to look for the place, you will probably find five pages of references to T/A or one of their associates. I much prefer to use a town's website, www.town.de (or .ch, .it, .at, etc). Here you will find a much more complete listing of accommodation. Most places (particularly the less expensive ones) are willing to pay the nominal fee that town websites charge for listing (€75/yr for one town of which I am familiar) but not the 15% or more for each booking. There are some towns that have captive "booking" services that also charge commissions (I avoid them), but most I have found give URLs for the place, if they have a website, or the email address.

In my opinion, the most "fake" photographs are on the websites of the various hotels themselves. As Lola said, professional photos are intended to make a place look as good as possible. I heard Arthur Frommer speak last year (and have heard him on Rick Steves' radio show) about sites such as TripAdvisor. He and Rick Steves say that you shouldn't trust the reviews there because you don't know who wrote them, if they have an ax to grind, or whatever. In their opinion, you should only listen to people (them) who will be objective. On the other hand, they themselves have books and tours to sell. So which is worse? For one site to slag another makes me suspicious of them. They have nothing good to say about themselves? Are they immune to fake reviews? Personally, I use TripAdvisor frequently. I throw out the most glowing and most awful reviews and see what those in the middle are saying.

"Plus, if you find somewhere using T/A, it won't include a URL or email." That is not always true. Here is just one TA example from quite a few in Sorrento where both the hotel website and email are shown. http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187782-d308082-Reviews-Antiche_Mura_Hotel-Sorrento_Campania.html

I think Lola summed it up pretty well, do lots of research, compare reviews,, go with majority of opinions.. and it does help to check that the reviewer is a regular,, not just a person who registers on the site,, posts one hotel review and never posts again,, that always bothers me.

Hotels, restaurants, and attractions can be listed at TripAdvisor without anyone paying any fees. I have had a number of places listed by clicking on "Write a Review", describing the place, and if not already listed filling out information to have it listed. TripAdvisor will charge hotels to "enhance" their listing with a phone number and website link. No one can spot all the fake reviews. I am the biggest doubter of TripAdvisor reviews, but I have to admit that their rankings for hotels and restaurants in my local area are pretty close to how I would rank them.

I feel I've had pretty good luck with Trip Advisor, but just recently had an experience that made me doubt it. A B&B we were going to stay at in September in England had, for the most part, good reviews. When we pulled up in front of the place, we couldn't believe how awful it was. A couple in the parking lot who were just checking in had seen the rooms and said very bad. We ended up not staying there. But, I see some reviews on there now that are very good and others that say it is beyond belief terrible. I can't see how anyone could say anything good about the place, so I now doubt how legitimate the postings are.

Why is a review on Trip Advisor not worth considering if the person posting has only done so once or twice? Are they not entitled to their opinion, good or bad? Does that mean someone posting information or advice here is not credible until they have hundreds of posts? As you can see by my 'post count' I have been on this site for awhile and am an active participant. I have also been registered with Trip Advisor for years, yet have only posted a couple of times. Why haven't I posted there? For one thing, I spend much more time on this site. I check TA for lodging information, but rarely feel the need to follow up with a review. That doesn't mean that a review I choose to make is inaccurate though. Regarding reviews, I have found that they must be taken with a grain of salt. I recently stayed at an apartment in Paris that had nothing but good reviews on vrbo at the time I booked it. When I arrived I found it to be less than desirable. I looked again at the listing on vrbo and found that someone posted a negative review after I had booked the place. The negative review seemed spot on to what I had found. The owner rebutted that review and said person was lying and had only been trying to negotiate a better price. I posted my own review, backing up the other poster and adding a few other issues I found. The owner rebutted my review, essentially calling me a liar too. I emailed him, but never heard back. I checked back a few weeks later and discovered the apartment is no longer listed on vrbo. Very curious...

Andrea, the ones to disregard on Tripadvisor and the " one post wonders"' the people who register and post a review the same day, never to return. They may be legit, but if it is over the top praise or a horrible review with bedbugs, be skeptical. Unfortunately this rule does not catch the paid reviewers, who have many reviews to their credit, all of them fake. Sharon 's comments about the small B&B with great reviews they do not deserve are a perfect illustration of the problem. A small place with few reviews can easily skew the results and raise their rating by motivating a few fake reviews. I saw this happen with a small place we were considering last summer in June Lake, California. The top rated place when I first looked was a small place with six reviews, five of them 5 star. It sounded great until I noticed that all five glowing reviews had been posted within a few days by first-timers, who never posted again. Alarm bells. We chose someplace lower in the ratings but with lots of history. We walked by the other place and I shuddered to think we might have stayed there. So beware.

On Trip Advisor, I would be skeptical of the one-review wonders, and ALSO of someone who has posted multiple reviews, but no forum posts. I read the reviews with a grain of salt, too. So far, I haven't been led astray. I have also received recommendations from posters on the TA forums that have led to quite excellent (for me) experiences. Several of the bookings agencies (Venere, Booking.com come to mind) have reviews and ratings too. They are harder to fake, because the agency sends out a request (with a link) to post a review. The problem I have with them is that they are usually very short, not telling so much why the person really liked or disliked the lodgings.

"...on Trip Advisor, I would be skeptical of the one-review wonders, and ALSO of someone who has posted multiple reviews, but no forum posts..." Then I guess my hotel reviews would be useless to you:) I've done about 15, but have never participated in their forums.

I use tripadvisor frequently to review lodging. When I look at reviews, I'm careful to look for themes rather than isolated comments. I will say that I was looking at lodging in Toledo the other day and noticed two places had the exact same photos that purported to be the view from the hotel. The hotels are positioned differently, so they don't have the same exterior view. I think it's because a contributor mistakenly put the photo in both hotels rather than some underlying conspiracy. I think Lee's suggestion to use town websites is an excellent alternative. It's probably best to use all available sources of information before making your choices.

I'm much like Michael S, but I have contributed many reviews over the years. I don't use an identifiable nom de plume there. I also have not participated in TA forums other than a couple of questions. Guess my reviews are worthless too.

Michael and Nigel-your reviews on Tripadvisor are definitely not worthless! Your profile will show that you have been a member for some time, and you have more than just the one review. It is the reviews by people who register and post a review the same day, never to return, which are suspect. If I find a review which might strongly influence me onw way or the other, I always check to see how long the reviewer has been a TA member. If they joined the day they wrote the review, I disregard it or maybe send them a private message to see if they will respond with more information. No one ever has.

TripAdvisor is a great source of information and you can usually find the "fake" posts. There are local experts on every board that are regulars and they often even all meet up in their areas and welcome all TA posters. TA does what they can to monitor fraudulent posts but they can only do so much. It's best to check a number of posts when considering hotels, compare with reviews on Expedia, Booking. com, Venere...and you usually get a pretty good assesment

So, the question that comes to mind for those who don't post reviews, is why not? Why not let folks know? This goes for your hometown too, or anyplace else you travel. Do you post reviews on Trip Advisor when you find a Hotel, B&B, Pension, Restaurant, Tour, or Attraction outstanding or not so wonderful? This goes for the RS website with the Graffiti Wall and the Guidbook reviews. Do you post there?

I use trip advisor a lot. The forums are an excellent source when you have specific questions about some more obscure topic or site since so many of the posters are locals. I also like the less restrictive posting rules- everything doesn't need to be a question, sardonic replies are OK........I check many sources including TA reviews when choosing places to stay. I look for places with lots of good reviews, then also read their "terrible" reviews. If they have recent negatives about cleanliness or any negatives about control freaks or surly innkeepers, I usually cross them off. ....... I post positive reviews for places I liked if it seems like they need more business. (haven't stayed at any bad places so far). I have only posted one restaurant review for a pretentious place with terrible food and snotty service........Many of the places we stay have politely asked us, "if we enjoyed our stay, please post on TA," but none have been insistent about it.

I've benefited so much from Tripadvisor that I make sure to review every place I stay in. It's pretty easy to tell my reviews aren't fake. I always say the same stuff, which I what I would want to know from somene else's review (price, location, distance from the train station, is the bed comfortable, is it clean, was there hot water). I always stay in cheap places and an astute person could follow even follow my reginal itineraries from my reviews (and be appalled at my consistanty bad spelling). Sure there are probably fakes but they are easy enough to spot. The people on the boards have been outstandingly helpful too, and there don't seem to be any imposters. I've had a tourist board answer my questions before but I just politely ignore them because they're going to say everything in their town is great.

To all - thanks so much! Excellent insight and information! To Crash - just.... YIKES. That's what I was thinking of.

Kira, We just received our T/A "Year in Review" E-mail two days ago. In the fun facts section, a guy from Las Vegas named "Hrrmmp", sent in one record breaking 9,166 word review. Another poster, "BradJill", sent in a total of 531 reviews of hotels and restaurants. That's over 10 a week. You think they really ate and stayed at all these places? And their online travel forum had a poster called "rescue" that gave advice 14,298 times, which is almost 39 posts per day! Think that guy travels a lot? No way, Jose'! Also, people from the U.K. posted 223 million words on T/A, about 400 copies of "War and Peace". I give a few reviews on T/A, but only if the place was a really good deal, or very, very bad. We mostly stick to RS's for eating and travel advice, and for hotel rooms, the website Eurocheapo, which takes zero hotel advertising money. We have gotten some of the best places to stay off their website. Almost forgot, don't book through the Eurocheapo website, though. Use it to find the cheapest and best rated hotel, then book direct through the hotels's website.

To Michael and Nigel - I do read those reviews and take them into consideration. If someone has only posted reviews I look a little further at that member's history. I am "skeptical" - but open-minded! Jo, you are absolutely right. I seem to have written reviews only when asked or when I didn't feel I got enough information from the existing reviews. It's time for that new year resolution list, isn't it?