So what do we think about TripAdvisor?
 

I find it interesting that frequently the top rated hotels in TripAdvisor are not really mentioned much in these forums. Any theories as to why? Do you think some hotels artificially pump up their ratings? (Like companies who push their way to the top of Google searches, or authors who have everyone they know write good reviews on Amazon).

I DO read the reviews on TripAdvisor but tend to take them with a grain of salt.

What's the general feeling about TA as a resource for hotels?

Thanks,
Alice

I consult their ratings, especially for places about which I have little info. But I also compare with ratings on the booking sites, look here, etc. I think of them as primarily a hotel site, so I use them for that. Don't pay much attention to their ratings on restaurants, sights, etc. I especially like booking sites with lots of pix, like worldby.com, and booking.com.

I, too, take their ratings with a grain of salt. I don't believe they rating system works well as it doesn't take in consideration the number of ratings. I use it along with Fodor's, word-of-mouth rec's and other websites for a complete picture.

And I do think they have phantom postings from companies boosting their ratings.

I especially don't listen to the restaurant ratings. I go to Zagats for that.

I am a constant contributor to TripAdvisor. I make the same hotel recommendations here that I make there. There are many reliable contributors on both these forums. Whenever anyone suspects a hotel recommendation is not real we speak up. Earlier this year on TA we caught a hotelier trying to pull a fast one and as a group we made sure he was brought to the attention of other members as well as to the TA staff. I can't speak for other forums, but the Greece forum is very well-monitored on TA.

>> I find it interesting that frequently the top rated hotels in TripAdvisor are not really mentioned much in these forums. Any theories as to why?

Yes. Probably because TA's user base is much more broad than that of Fodors.

I usually cross-reference the reviews on TA with those on Fodors. If I find something not reviewed on Fodors, I'm likely to post a thread about it. What I really appreciate about TA is that you can find info on tons of different hotels in all kinds of regions, whereas Fodors forums usually cover the most obvious tourist destinations.

I also really pay attention to people's complaints on TA. Some people will give a bad review to a hotel because the breakfast didn't meet their approval, whereas I could care less about breakfast quality!

I use Trip Advisor frequently for hotel reviews, but I don't pay close attention to the overall rating (#___ in _______). I do look at what people have actually written (and you can usually ferret out the fakers that way), to see if 1) I care about what they care about, and 2) we have the same general sensibilities (for ex., someone who always stays at the Four Seasons will not likely like some of the hotels I like, but neither will someone who always stays at Motel 6).

I always use Tripadvisor, I think it is a great resource. It's the best one-stop shop for hotel reviews anywhere. I always review hotels when I stay in them to add to the database. I don't give a hoot about their "ratings" or even pay much attention to them. I have no idea how they come up with the number and don't really care. I read the reviews for the comments. I'm not the kind of person who wants to stay in some no. 1 hotel anyway, based on popularity, in fact, I tend to avoid those places.

What is a rating is completely different than the reviews which are content and written. I have never read any that I thought were totally fabricated, all of the ones I've read seemed sincere and were useful. I don't always agree with the authors' ideas or what is important to them, as my criteria or things of importance may be different, but any review is useful.

I really don't know which hotels are top rated on TA to cross-check them to Fodors and draw up spreadsheets as to which ones are popular there and are not mentioned here. Fodors is fairly narrow compared to TA in terms of users and hotels mentioned, I think.

I love Trip Advisor! Of course I think that the reviewers may have different ideas of the perfect hotel, I find that the site gives invaluable feedback re: hotels. As someone else said, I cross reference it with other things - Slow trav, Fodors, travel books, etc.

I think it's a great website.
Susan

Hi; I think Trip Advisor is a great resource. Booking.com venere.com are also good resources. I don't believe the TA reviews are rigged and related to Hotel's giving them. That's not realistic. There are just too many negative reviews not to believe the comments. But it's simple, you just have to make a judgement call after reading peoples comments. And it is one of the web sites I rely on. However, I don't always listen. If I had, we would not have been walking down 110 steps to our B&B in Lyon. Yes, we had to walk back up with our luggage. Our B&B owner did help. [Another 310 steps down to the city.] ENJOY iris1745/dick

I consult both tripadvisor and Fodors Forums when planning a trip. Until recently with the arrival of the "word of mouth" addition in the Fodors destination guides, I have found tripadvisor reviews generally more helpful. Once or twice I read suspect reviews of places I've been and didn't think much of, but that's rare. I also post frequently on tripadvisor, despite an experience when an obnoxious resort guest "recognized" his family in my review, and sent me quite a few bitter e-mails, but that's another story...

I think you have to read the evaluations carefully especially as to the poster's ability to rate the hotel. Some people expect everything to be five star and rate every hotel to the same standard.

For others it maybe a different sent of factors. For example -- I recently gave the Holiday Inn Express on Wabash in Chicago a very high rating. We used the hotel because it was the closest to our son's apartment. After we return I looked at the reviews. It received some average reviews because the rooms were too small (true) and the hall ways were narrow (also true) plus lack of some high end extras. The comments on their face were all true BUT the room was $94 in the middle of Michigan Ave and two blocks west. For $94/night it was terrific value. It was not a four star Hilton at $350/night. But as a budget hotel it was more than adequate and deserved IMO a high rating. Not in comparison to a Hilton but in comparison to what the hotel provide.

You need to look under the covers to see what is being evaluated and how. I have found all of their evaluations to be fairly accurate.

I always check the reviewer on TA, to see how much they have contributed. If the review that I am looking at is their only one, I tend to discount it.

How about the TA forums? There are any number of good "local experts" to provide up-to-date information, as well as many European contributors. The one problem is that a few people can be pretty territorial and downright nasty toward fellow contributors, but that's happened here too.

>> I find it interesting that frequently the top rated hotels in TripAdvisor are not really mentioned much in these forums.<<

I am a frequent contributor to Tripadvisor and I always check Tripadvisor before booking a hotel. You need a little experience to assess the quality of TA reviews, and if you are able to sort out the fake ones, it is an excellent resource.

The Fodor's forums are a different story. These forums are a great resource when you look for highly personalized advice.

However, these forums generate their own myths. It has probably started years ago when one Fodorite had a good travel experience and communicated this in one of the forums. Then, like lemmings, the Fodorites visit this place, hotel or attraction and communicate it too. Finally, it appears as if

- Burg Eltz was the only worthy castle in Germany (there are dozens of better castles in Germany, but Burg Eltz is a Fodorites' myth),

- Albergo de Senate was Rome's best hotel (Rome has several hundred hotels, but here in these forums not more than a handful are mentioned),

- Eze was the only hilltop village on the Cote d'Azur

- Gengenbach was the most picturesque town in the Black Forest

- the Cotswolds were the most picturesque region in England

etc.

The result are those standard itineraries which frequently appear here on this forum.

We should think about own behaviour - whether it is really helpful to those seeking good advice.

Well, that generated a lot of thoughtful responses. But it seems that it's basically as I thought. TA is good as ONE of your sources of data. Don't pay too much attention to rankings, look at the comments (that's what I do).

I agree with traveller1959 about the lemming syndrome, similar to the Rick Steves syndome. There are a LOT of hotels out there, and unless you are ridiculously picky, if you do a little homework, you should be fine.

As for me, I like to concentrate on location (I like to be able to walk or get to public transport easily), I tend to like small hotels or B&Bs more than huge hotels, and I need a quiet place because I am BAD sleeper. Having breakfast available is a plus, but if I have a kitchenette I can do it myself. (I just don't like having to 'go out' for breakfast).

I don't need to stay in very expensive places, but I want to be comfortable. (I travel differently now than I did in college!). Using this forum, TA, various travel books, venere.com and other sites, I haven't been disappointed with any accommodations I've booked over the last five years - New Zealand, Provence, Northern Italy, Ireland...

The Internet has made such a difference - we all probably remember only having those few travel books to look through, no pictures, no feedback from other travelers.

Thanks for your thoughts - Alice

<i>As for me, I like to concentrate on location (I like to be able to walk or get to public transport easily), I tend to like small hotels or B&Bs more than huge hotels, and I need a quiet place because I am BAD sleeper. Having breakfast available is a plus, but if I have a kitchenette I can do it myself. (I just don't like having to 'go out' for breakfast). </i>

Alice, you know yourself (and better than anyone else knows you I'm sure)! For me, location is very important (like to be able to walk a few steps to a coffee house and public transit), I like big hotels better than small ones, I care very much about the comfort of the mattress and pillows, I don't particularly need quiet because I can sleep through almost anything (except the unloading of beer barrels at 6 a.m.!), and I never ever eat breakfast in the hotel I'm staying in. Luxury and service are not very important to me, but I do like something with nice decor and that doesn't look worn. We each have our own needs and desires. So, back to the original TA question, people say things that you have to "sort out" -- one person says the beds are really comfortable and the next says they're not. Well, what they really mean is "I love a firm mattress and it was perfect for me" whereas poster no. 2 means "I hate a firm mattress so the bed was really uncomfortable for me". Or someone says, "the rooms are beautiful". Well, what does that mean - they may like chintz and flowers, which I detest. As long as you know "how" to read the comments, TA is very useful IMHO.

I use TA and contribute quite a bit but since I tend to bid on Priceline or stay at smaller guesthouses I often don't make hotel suggestions here on Fodor's b/c my needs for a hotel are simple, I don't mind staying out of city center to save a little money etc.

While looking over the reviews on TA, I pay no attention to the ones where someone didn't like the clerk at the front desk. I can get along for 3 minutes with just about anyone.
I look the reviews where my basic needs will be met happily. I know what I should get for the price I'd prefer to pay.

Someone mentioned that they discount reviewers with only one review. I've contributed to TZ for many years but after I changed my email account not long ago, forgot my password at TA etc, I had to start over. So, my map is no longer marked, I look like a newbie. So, I read the people with only a couple of reviews.

Sometimes I use trip advisor for hotel and restaurant reviews.
I dont care for their forum layout so I dont hang there like I do here.

I like to check out the reviews on TA and I particularly like to see the Travelers' Photos of the hotels. I know that these traveler photos are mostly snapshots and not done by a professional photographer, like most photos on hotel websites. If there is a telephone pole or a parking lot in the view, most likely it will show in the snapshots.

traveller

You have seen much and generally give great advice, but there is a twinge of superiority in some of your posts that is "behaviour" that is, perhaps, worthy of "thinking about" as you put it.

Referring to Fodorites as "lemmings"?

In a recent post you were the first responder to someone who asked what the must-sees were in Europe. Now, I am one of many who finds posts that unfocused a bit disconcerting, but your answer began with;

Are you American?
Then must-dos are Paris, Normandy, Rome, Seville, Barcelona, Amalfi, Neuschwanstein, Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
This is the standard American standard European travelling programme.


Is opening with an insult based on nationality helpful?

You have clearly had the immense good fortune of travelling throughout Europe, and the world, extensively - some people's circumstances mean they might only be able to get over once. They may be packing a lifetime of expectation and dreams into that one trip and if it means that their memories are created and their dreams fulfilled by visiting London, Paris, Munich, Rome, and Venice in 10 days, then so be it.

I've found trip advisor extremely helpful especially since I've been traveling around a lot in the past couple of years. To me choosing a hotel is often a crap-shoot, so it helps to get a general feeling of what other travelers have experienced. I especially like the travelers photos. It gives you a good idea of what to expect outside the glossy photos by the hotels. As I read through the reviews, I find certain buzz words specifically appeal to me that might not mean anything to another travelers: friendly staff, good breakfast, close to metro. I could really care less about noisy locations, small rooms...

traveller1959: There is some pretty insulting "stuff" in your post. Suggesting that some unknown Fodorite went to the Cotswolds or Eze, and thus they became the "Official Fodor destinations" of all us lemmings. Sheese. Hate to tell you, but the Cotswolds have been a major tourist destination since long before there was an internet and before anyone had a computer to search/post.

Of course, there are lots of other scenic areas in the UK, but just because you don't like a place doesn't mean those who do are cretins.

That snobbishness is one reason I don't really use TA that much except to check for full service/larger hotels in towns I'm not familiar w/. But for small B&Bs, I personally would not rely on TA. For a small place the number of guests in a year is so tiny and the potential sample size is too small to be reliable.

Staying on the subject, I use Tripadvisor a lot and contribute occasionally. I may not stay in the number 1 or 2 rated hotel, but I feel it's a wise bet to stay in the top 20 or 50, depending on how large the city is. So far, I've had great luck. I like to read the good reviews as well as the bad. I also think some of the comments are given based on individual expectations, but it's not that hard to see the comments that are made over and over again. The bad comments are more revealing. A hotel I saw rated very high looked great on the website until I read a comment that it was 100 stairs from the street to the hotel's front door. That told me to keep looking. Compared with research options fifteen years ago, this (along with others) is a great tool. The only down side is that I've lost the adventurous side of travel where I would exit a train or plane and look for a place to stay. I'm definitely staying at nicer hotels now, but I'm also locked into a schedule of where I will be and when I will be there.

I found tripadvisor worked well for my trip to S. Italy and Sicily, but then I had a really bad experience with the riad Dar Silsila in Marrakesh, which I had picked because it was very highly rated, with many favorable reviews. I later came to the conclusion that most of the favorable reviews, from one-time posters, were scams. (For the gory details see http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...can-medley.cfm) I suspect that the same may well be true of other Marrakesh listings.

I have been much more cautious about relying on the site for my next trip.

Traveller got it half way right; "there are dozens of better castles in Germany, but Burg Eltz is a Fodorites' myths"

I've met people irl and seen others go on about the glories of Burg Eltz, so they may not be exclusively "fodorite myths". It's that many people read a guide book or look up info and b/c the place is old and intact they are satisfied without thinking about it. Everyone has their own thing.

For the people who really like to think about architecture and history the Burg Eltz at the first glance is a disappointment. But OTOH, if people enjoy it, why not let them have the fantasy? They might be the same people that can look at what I’d consider just a pretty little pond and be able to tell me what makes it exceptional.

People who come onto this board and asked the old standards, “What should I do when I go ____”. They have no idea what they’re looking to see, they just want to see the standard tourists sites. So why shouldn’t they have that?

If someone were willing to take more travel risks and look outside of a guidebook for an itinerary they would be asking different questions. And those too, would be answered.

I'm not quite clear whether this inquiry by Alice 9 was posted to the General Fodors Europe Forum or whether it was just tagged to "Greece Forum" readers -- I do know she has started several lengthy inquiry threads lately on the TA Greece forum.

About TA reviews as regarding GREECE HOTELS ONLY, a previous poster is correct in that they are QUITE reliable... especially if you do this: check hotel reviews, and then cross-check by using the "search" function in the TA Greece forum to see what is said about that hotel in a non-review context. Very often the forum threads have great detail about the comparative advantages of various hotels in a locality.

Many TA website/forums are quite different in character from Fodors -- I think the demographic is different. Fodors is more oriented to USA/UK, somewhat more affluent; while it deals with budget travel, also has more focus on gastronomy & luxe travel than TA. TA draws from a wider economic spectrum, AND participants include many more from other European countries. TA Greece forum, especially, has quite a number of active experts, Greek and expats, who actually LIVE in Athens and other Greece locales, so have a daily-life expertise that is MOST valuable, and which I do not find on any other forums.

Slight correction: not sure that Alice9 posted on the TA GReece forum; my memory may be playing tricks on me. If so, sorry.

I use TA especially for accommodation but I always cross check with other sites and books eg Lonely Planet, Hotel Club. Of course everybody has different standards and you need to read between the lines eg complaining about the size of rooms in very old European hotels , the unavailability of ice (who really cares), noise, mattresses.
I have stayed in some hotels that I found perfectly acceptable yet others have given poor ratings.I usually put a comment in TA.

The top rated TA hotels tend to be top dollar as well, don't they? Maybe Fodorites tend to be more middle-middle class?

pdx wrote: "The top rated TA hotels tend to be top dollar as well, don't they?"

I think that is generally true. Having used Tripadvisor for quite a while, I have formed the impression that many, possibly most, reviewers make their judgements on some sort of abstract absolute standard, and don't adjust their expectations to take account of price.

You can see that in another way: some budget hotels get negative reviews because they provide a budget hotel level of service rather than a five-star level of service.

Alice, you're absolutely right about how much the internet has opened up possibilities for (for me at least, almost endless) searches for the right lodging. I remember the days of looking through Michelin Red Guides--only--and trying to make sense out of the symbols since the reviews were always in a foreign language. It still amazes me to remember some of the fantastic hotels I found that way--and what fun it was to finally see them since I'd never even seen a picture.

Sort of like how before I became proficient in reading menus in various languages we used to just point to something and hope and what fun it was see what it turned out to be. Now I can see the menus over the internet and if necessary run them through babelfish to practically know months in advance what ingredients will be in something I might choose to eat next summer.

Have we lost some of the fun along with some of the angst?

I do prefer Tripadvisor. The posters are less clickish. There really is no bickering or primadonnas on the forum. The information that you get is very helpful

My way of using TA is to first locate a place that interests me. I'll then go to TA to see the overall review. Then I'll look directly at the worst reviews, then mid range, finally the top.

If the worst reviews are things like "the pillow wasn't fluffed" or "the manager was rude", I'll ignore the review. If it is like "plaster falling in", "rooms smelled like a sewer" then I go to the next location.

TripAdvisor is usually my first port of call when looking for accommodation in a particular town. Since the establishments are presented top down by rating, I read the reviews of the top rated places first and work my way down. I read the reviews carefully, looking for key words that will tell me whether or not I am going to like the place. The more factual detail in the review the more helpful it is. Just plain raves (good or bad) are not very helpful. Once I have a shortlist of places that I think I might like, I Google each of them in turn and check them out on every other site I can find that mentions them. This process usually whittles the short list down. When the list is short enough, I initiate a correspondence with each of them, asking questions, checking rates and availability, etc. Their responses are then factored into the selection process. I will usually gravitate towards the more helpful, friendly ones.
I selected all the B&Bs for my Scotland trip by the above method and, fortunately, I did not have a single dud. I am currently doing the same for Devon and Cornwall and have high hopes of an enjoyable trip.

I THOUGHT I was posting to the Greece forum since that's where I've been lately and there are clearly many thoughtful people on this forum. But I might have forgotten to check that box (I'm still not used to the new interface). But the question is certainly pertinent to any of the forums. We're all here for the same reason - to help plan our trips and to help others to do the same.

In my experience, the top rated TA hotels are not necessarily the most expensive ones, it seems to be a mix.

And the forums here are for much more than hotels, of course - people are so helpful about WHEN to go, transportation issues, what to bring (there AND home). An invaluable resource.

Alice

I always consult TripAdvisor about hotels before I travel, and I think you can rely on about 80% of the reviews. Fodor's provides a lot of info about sights, food, etc., but for hotels Tripadvisor has a lot more info...

As far as i can see TA has the same people answering the same information all the time - I makes you wonder if the DE are Travel agents in drag ? No room for travelers? - All info seems to point to certain hotels and agencies. I have received a letter from a group of people in Santorini that inform me of under the table practice by certain people - something as they say is common knowledge on the island. - When i confirm this i will publish the letter - I have very good friends in Santorini and they can and will inform me if that is true.
I believe That forums should be open to people that have actually used the hotels and services No one person can know everything.

Let only Travelers post reviews not D.E. that live millions of miles from the place of question.

For my trip planning either in USA or Europe, I check both TA and Fordor's. Both sites give me what I am looking for. For hotel, I use TA because it is easier to navigate. I look for smaller hotel in certain price range and start reading the reviews. Most of the time, the chosen hotels met my expectations. For other questions, TA is easier to glance through the subjects page by page. I like the fact that they have local experts. Fodor's is a good site with good people. I like the new layout.

TA is one of many resources that I use in planning.

((I))

Pakanfou,
I am a DE on TA, so are a number of others that post on here!
For me it's the Peloponnese, I holidayed here for years, now live here & I have never been a travel agent, nor been approached or paid by anyone. In fact I don't think any hotel or restaurant owners know I contribute on there.
I just enjoy sharing & helping as do most contributors. IF there are any that are self promoting or have a hidden agenda they soon get spotted & reported.