More on Phony Reviews
 

Don't know if this is the right Forum for the topic, but this follows up on a thread of Tripadvisor reviews. We should check four or five sources, I suppose.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shop...e-reviews.html

Well...the whole thing about it being difficult to spot phony reviews is not true in my experience. It's like spotting the crazies- they're usually readily apparent. I'd be more interested to know how most consumers read or use reviews. Fake reviews are just another form of advertising- you're assuming you know what your target market is looking for, but often I think companies aren't even aware of who their target market IS. So advertising- fake reviews or otherwise- does tell your audience something, but the message the company sends is rarely the message the consumer takes away. Take hotels- I'm one of those people who cares very little about dated decor or continental breakfast, so 5 star reviews about both mean very little- what it comes down to is how many complaints about cleanliness there are, whether it has a pool, and what the price is. So I'd be interested to know how many of my fellow wanderers value ratings over specific content or vice versa?

I also don't find fake reviews hard to spot.

Yes I'm with you, mouse, that for a hotel I need a clean room, a pool, and a decent price. I also care about noise like if it's right on a busy highway or above a bar.

Truly do not care about "dated décor", Wifi (that's a biggie now), breakfast, etc.

Ha! Forgot about wifi! Yes, that's huge with so many of my friends. I don't understand basing your choice of hotel on thatbut that's probably because I literally am only in the hotel to sleep:)

marvelous--

When I read the reviews, I care most about cleanliness, quiet and comfortable beds. Like you said, I'm only in the hotel to sleep.

Some of our favorite hotels have "dated décor."

I am NOT an "only in the \room to sleep" person. I really enjoy a vacation hotel room or apartment, and like it to be comfortable and enjoyable. But the things that are important to make that so for me seem different from many.

The most recent apartment I had rented the owner was kindly concerned because the microwave was dead and was scrambling to replace it before I arrived. I told him, truly no need!