bookchick

We can all agree to disagree on the individual attributes of lodging. Some folks prefer B&Bs, others home exchanges, some like to stay in the finest resort hotels, others claim it barely matters since all they do is sleep there. I think, though, all of us can agree we'd like to stay somewhere safe and clean.

On the cleanliness issue, you might want to check this out:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/DirtyHote...U&pid=1595

traveller1959

Thanks for the link.

There is, in fact, one hotel on the list which we had seriously considered once (Cap Esterel in Agay, France). Good that we have those reviews now. I hope that Tripadvisor will remain a reliable source - although it has become a subsidiary of Expedia.

thursdaysd

"I hope that Tripadvisor will remain a reliable source" I hadn't read about the Expedia take over, thanks for the info.

However, I have already found that tripadvisor is NOT a reliable resource everywhere! I picked the riad Dar Silsila in Marrakesh based on the many favorable reviews on tripadvisor, and later came to the conclusion that most of the reviews were scams (from one-time posters). (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.

lululemongirl

Dirty hotels are my biggest peeve when traveling. I'm not a clean freak or particularly paranoid about germs, i just like a clean room with fresh sheets. I would rather have a well maintained room without the fancy extras like artwork or coffee makers or hair products. Just give me a clean room with a comfy bed. The only thing I use sites like tripadvisor for is to get a look at the location and any pics of the building and rooms, obviously if there are many bad comments about a specific hotel i shy away from that hotel, but i don't take the ratings very seriously.I will search a specific hotel on many travel sites , that way i get an idea of the true nature of the hotel. Last time I was in Barcelona I stayed a cool hotel, it was clean and very well located, but since it was incorporated into an old building, the rooms were loud, I could hear other guests easily. I searched this hotel on 5 sites and not one of them mention the noise factor. For me, as a single woman traveling alone safety is a factor, hence the location should be central and in a safe area of town.

lululemongirl

what i find funniest about these "worst hotels" is that they are listed in tripadvisor and when you click on more pics it links you to either expedia or another site. LMAO, who would book a room from a link about the worst hotels !!!!