Tripadvisor is killing my travel plans!
 

It seems that whenever I get excited about a particular hotel in a certain city, inevitably I check tripadvisor and get mixed reviews on virtually EVERY hotel. I filter out comments such as: 1) rude staff (too subjective), 2) mixups with reservation (can happen anywhere), 3) specific room problems like water pressure, noisy air conditioner, etc. However, my ears perk up when I hear, "thin walls" and "old" and "ugly views"

Sorry. I accidently posted above before finished. As I was saying, I read negative reviews and it strikes a cord with me as I have been in hotels with the same general "this place is kind of run down" feel and I hate it. I read tripadvisor, get discouraged and search for another hotel and get the same. So I think, "well, I'll just find a cheap chain motel that I can't be disappointed in but then read horrible reviews on tht hotel! Then I get depressed and forget about the whole trip. Can anyone console me?

Where are you looking to travel to? Do not always take trip advisor as the final word. A lot of hotels (usually the larger ones) will have renovations going on in some areas so you have this mix of totally redone and nice...in the midst of remodeling...and really needs to be remodeled. Your best bet is to enroll in AAA if you a frequent traveler and that way you can take advantage of their free maps, trip tiks, and destination books which will provide you with an accurate rating of the hotel. Also, keep in mind that all the rooms are not the same...some may have seen more college drinking parties than others, so in that respect its the luck of the draw. Provide me with a destination and I may be able to help you out!

I don't think ANY hotel will 100% please every single visitor they ever had. I think waaaaaay too many people use Tripadvisor as their bible when it comes to rating hotels.

It just takes one person who had a bad day, is uber-picky, or expects something that price/quality hotel just doesn't provide.

I've also read posts on tripadvisor that sound like a personal vendetta.

It is one resource - but only one, and I'd never make my final decision based on a couple of bad reviews on Tripadvisor.

Hi Knute,

I agree with Janis. I think tripadvisor can be a good resource, but I strongly believe that no one should ever only use one resource. I prefer three minimum.

If you hang around here long enough, and read many trip reports, you will start to see what you have in common with the travelers here. I feel the regular posters here vary greatly and that is so wonderful, so you can start to trust their opinions, and as you read more and more, you will start to think, "Oh, 'so and so' has tastes similar to my own, that hotel would probably work for us..."

Three resources minimum Knute, I have never been disappointed when I follow this rule, trust your instincts.

Read previous posts here, post specific questions, and yes, tripadvisor can be a good source, but should not be your only one.

Best of luck %%- Tiff

Just to add to the two previous posts, often you'll find "shill" posts on Tripadvisor and elsewhere, posted by agents, employees etc. of competing hotels, resorts, and especially condos and B&B's. One of the sure signs of this is if there are many glowing reviews, and just a few completely negative reviews of the same property, within the same general timeframe.


Janis and Tiff have the right ideas. Use more than one source for your reviews, always take the general consensus, and always remember that a given percentage of people cannot, under any circumstances, be satisfied.

I think people are much more likely to post negative comments than postive ones. And some people complain about everything. I think you are on the right track looking at specific complaints, though.

The times we have been disappointed in a hotel is usually when we were trying to get a deal or the best for the cheapest - while price is not everything, if a certain hotel is more than 20% cheaper than others, there usually is a good reason - if you try to find out that reason and then decide if it is important to you, you can add that to your research.

I can see why you feel that way about Tripadvisor. It can really be confusing because the reviews indeed can be so different, you wonder if it is the same hotel! But the others have made good points. Don't rely solely on Tripadvisor but check out various sources to get a more balanced opinion.

I'm convinced by some of the Tripadvisor reviews that for some folks, nothing is quite good enough. Even if a hotel provided a personal butler to them, they'd be mad. So it colors their entire opinion about a place.

I know a lot of people talk about the rude hotel staff thing, but what they may not realize is that they themselves may be acting rude and condescending. If you go up to a desk and demand something as if you were the only guest in the hotel, you're not going to win yourself any fans.

I'm not saying a hotel staff person should ever be rude to a guest but people often respond in the same manner in which they are being addressed.

In my travels, I've often found that a multitude of errors can be worked out swiftly by having a sense of humor and a little patience. Not always, but much of the time. And they might even bump you up to a nicer room!

I was thinking the same as gail. People are more likely to post a negative review than a postitive. I would not listen to the one bad review. Hey, I read a few good reviews on Trip advisor once and stayed in a hotel and it was a dump!!! So, I had to post a worn, old, and tired review. A nice hotel to some could be a Motel 6 that has seen better days to someone else. Everyone's opinion is different. If you read the reviews here, you will know by their personality in the way they express themselves, if their opinion means something or not.

I guess there are two things here:

1) I don't understand the logic of looking for a cheap chain motel after exhausting all other options, then being bummed because it gets bad reviews. Cheap chain motels probably get more bad reviews than anyplace else, because they don't offer luxury, and they probably get more than their fair share of people staying there who expect more than is reasonable.

2) Why not look up reviews for several hotels you have stayed at and liked. You can then get a feel for how well reviews in general echo your own feelings. You'll probably find that even hotels you loved get plenty of negative reviews, and can then realize that no source of reviews can tell you everything you need to know. Choosing a hotel is always going to be somewhat of a gamble. Even so, it's probably less risky than traveling in general can be, so just embrace the risk and do your homework, then dive in.

I hope this helps you feel better...I know when I write a review of a hotel for TripAdvisor, my "pros" are usually quick (friendly staff, good breakfast, etc.), but I take longer to explain the negatives. It probably looks like the negatives were bigger issues, but I'm just trying to be clear about them because I think it makes the review more helpful.

I also tend to include things that might be issues for others even if they weren't for me personally. For example I hotel I recently stayed at in Italy had lots of stairs. Not a problem for me, but it could be for older travelers, so I mentioned it in my review.

I tend to agree with you about Tripadvisor.

One instance that stands out was when I was looking for a hotel at the Seattle airport and read the reviews for the Best Western Airport Executel.

One reviewer gave it very low reviews because he didn't like the name (really), had trouble finding his room (huh?) and the hotel wasn't really "at the aiport" (1 mile away -- I guess the guy was going to be happy only if is room was on the runway).

SundanceKid, I would have to respectfully disagree with you about depending on the AAA books for accurate descriptions of hotels. I don't think they inspect their listed hotels very often, (don't these hotels pay to be listed???).... Anyway, we have run into hotels that were not nearly as nice as AAA said they were! So I don't even refer to their guides anymore, even though I am a member.

As to TripAdvisor, anybody can post anything. I do read the reviews there but don't consider them the last word. I have come to depend on certain chains of hotels .... they rarely let me down. And if they do, I DO complain nicely, and the problem is corrected, or I get money refunded. If you read many trip reports here, certain hotels get recommended again and again; there's a good reason for that! :-)

I agree with Bonnie about AAA. I once tried to save a few bucks by staying in an EconoLodge that was AAA listed. I hadn't had a problem with EconoLodges in the past, and the AAA made it sound like a safe bet. Turns out it was a ramshackle, converted mom-n-pop motel that had cigarette burns in the sheets and no functioning ice machine. Not a huge deal for just one night, but it put me off AAA for good.

Re. Tripadvisor, I like to cross-reference the reviews there with what folks have to say here about a given hotel. That has worked twice for me now.

Yesterday I asked a similar question about Traveladvisor on the California forum. I use it as one of a few sites. A hotel I was looking into, the Rex in San Francisco, has many, many reviews that look more like an advertising campaign by its owners/staff. They read like advertisements rather than traveller experiences. Many are written every second day for periods of time. Phrases are repeated word for word.

To clarify AAA listings. Properties do not pay to be rated but must pay to use the AAA logo or their diamond rating.

Properties that are 4 or 5 diamond are inspected on a much more regular basis than those of lower ratings. With only 65 full time inspectors they simply cannot check them all each year.

While the inspectors do have a comprehensive check list of criteria for each diamond level, they are still people and there will be inconsistancies.

I put a much higher value on 'professional' critiques of the major rating agencies (AAA and Mobil) and the guide books than I do from Tripadvisor. While it's nice to check out what Joe Public has to say I take these reveiws with a grain of salt....

I agree with the posters above that... some people just like to complain. It is more compelling to get home and post your bad review, than if you had a OK experience with adequate hotel service... well that doesn't send you rushing to post about it.

Quite honestly, I have not used Trip Advisor (ignorance is bliss?) except to post a couple favorable reviews of my own favorite hotels, but I have taken recommendations from people on Fodors and another travel BB who responded to a specific question I posted. This is a one-to-one recommendation in response to exactly what I asked about. Granted this has been for international &/or vacation travel not just US city motels.

I've stopped even looking at Trip Advisor. Seems like more and more of the entries are either being put in by the motel's owners or their competitors.

I find the advice of people in this forum to be much more useful.

Keith

I think tripadvisor is the gold standard when booking hotels. Any hotel that has more than 30 reviews will generally give you a good consensus of opinion from people who have actually stayed there. I generally rely on the most current year reviews, since a hotel may have gone through a renovation during that time. Also many reviews now include guest photos (not the professional ones that make the hotel look great) which are really helpful.

As someone else said, check hotels you have already stayed in and see how your opinions of the hotel compare with the consesus on tripadvisor.

Like any other site where people post their opinions, including this one, you have to take everything you read with a grain of salt. You also have to understand that not all people view places the same way and can have very different ideas on what makes a place a great place to stay.

What you are really looking for on any site offering opinions is an overall view of the place. If I see 20 negative reviews and only a few positive ones, I reject a place. If I see 20 positive reviews and only a few negative ones, I'll consider the place. I'll also check other sites to see what they say about a place. While this takes time, when you are spending a lot of money for a vacation, it is well worth it.

Tripadvisor is obviously subjective and not all people have the same standards and expectations of hotels. And I'm not sure what you mean by "mixed" - how many good vs bad - and how much the issues matter to you.

But - perhaps if they all sound really awful to you you need to consider raising your price point. In most cities you're not going to get almost all good reviews (and even then there will be some complaints from the very picky) unless you do 5* or upper 4* properties. (3* places may be charming and pleasant - but there's almost always something going to be worn or tired or loud or inconvenient or something.)

Perhaps you're just expecting too much for what you want to spend.

AAA gives its diamonds based on services offered. A wonderful, clean interstate hotel with a friendly staff that doesn't have many ammenities will score lower than stink-o places with 24-hour room service.

Read what the entries say with a grain of salt. I researched hotels for Paris and Amsterdam recently on their website. Most people that complained about things seemed to want a 3 or 4 star hotel with a 2 star price or they weren't aware of things that are standard in Europe for example- small bathrooms and rooms compared to the US. Look closely at what people remark about in a positive way. ARe those the things that are important to you too? Do the same for the negatives. And don't pay attention to the overall rating of the hotel. I have no idea how they derive at that number. Our hotel in Paris was rated #338 when we booked it and now 2 good reviews later it is #170. Go figure!

As a responsible Fodorite and travel professional, I have decided to review every hotel I visit.... which is maybe 25-30 a year.
I bought a good digital camera and take lobby, room and view shots.
I write a fairly brief summary of the stay and post it along with photos.
Most of my reviews are pretty positive.
I may say something negative about a hotel but I balance it out with the good points.
I post the same review on tripadvisor.com, igougo.com and travelocity.com
Takes just a few minutes because I do not write much more than necessary for someone to make a decision.
You should try it!

Here's a thought: I wonder how many of the people here who say they check Tripadvisor before their trip, actually come back and post a review upon their return home?

I bet it's a very small percentage. (Obviously excluding TxTravelPro)

I do. As someone else pointed out, an old review is pretty much a useless review, as things can change even on a monthly basis with many properties.

I do. One on favorite in Mexico I posted my email and have gotten several personal correspondence with questions about that particular hotel.

I just got back from San Antonio and posted a trip review on Tripadvisor first thing (Fodors review to follow) :-)

I've found Tripadvisor to be right on the money every time I've relied on it. If I see five people complain about hard beds, for example, I can be pretty sure that the beds are hard. One person griping about the beds, though, and I don't really take that into account.

I heart Tripadvisor.

knute,

Here's one method whree tripadvsor might actually be of some help (think Olympics):

1)Look at places that have plenty of reviews

2) Throw out the top and bottom ten percent.

3) Average the remainders

I loved the message about the guy who didn't like the "airport" hotel, because it was too far-1 mi.! She said he must have wanted room on runway-felt good to laugh again!
I saw a post on one particular property from TWO DIFFERENT people giving a very nice review of a hotel in Arizona until they both raved about the same name hair product! That's too much!

Someone mentioned that lower * hotels may get worse reviews because people expect too much. I find that I am more particular when I review (online or just mentally) the high end places.

If I find a nice place that is really clean, charming, in a good location, etc and is very cheap, I tend to be more forgiving of its flaws.

On the other hand, if I'm paying top dollar, I expect a lot more..a room service meal delivered late or dirty bedspread will really irritate me here.

Expedia, Travelocity, and Yahoo Travel has user reviews of hotels which are not as biased as Tripadvisor's reviews. I wouldn't totaly rely on Tripadvisor. Compare the review of a hotel on those sites to Tripadvisor's. Then, make a decision. Expedia dosen't have many hotels that are reviewed, but check it out. Travelocity and Yahoo Travel have more hotels that are reviewed.

I actually look to see where the reviewers are from geographically. Not to say this plays a major role in my decision making, but if someone is from my part of the country, I like focus on that review. Maybe it's silly. But I have found tripadvisor to be helpful. (Radisson Aruba, Couples Negril, soon to be Grape Leaf Inn..also popular on this site).

I agree that you should check several sources.

On a forthcoming trip to San Diego, I check biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding.com and read the user reviews of the hotels offered by Priceline. Those reviews tend to be a lot more accurate.

I also check Yahoo, Travelocity, and - just last night - ran across another site: mytravelguide.

Mytravelguide gave me so many reviews, my head is whirling (410 reviews for one hotel!). The comments tend to be short and succinct. There are plus and minus signs beside each review.

All these plus tripadvisor, too, and I still can't decide! My problem is that I don't want to be too near the freeway or the train tracks. My conference will be downtown and all the big hotels seem to be near one or the other. OR near/on the beach, something I don't need while being stuffed away in dark conference rooms all day. So, it looks like a commute would work best, and, of course, the price cannot be expensive, as I'm only going to be using the room for short sleeping nights.

So, you see, you need to narrow down your preferences, then the possible hotel locations, and then find a few choices there. THEN, read the several websites for reviews on the hotels of your choice. Otherwise, tripadvisor isn't of much help.

I like tripadvisor and use it extensively but cautiously. Find it good about 80% of the time.

Good luck! :)

I've been a travel consultant for 35 years. Our office cannot figure out why people try to book trips themselves, but having said that----we will refer to trip advisor ourselves to get an up to date review. We have a rule---we throw out anything from a European review (they tend to be too accepting) and anything from a New Yorker (impossibly demanding and picky). Read all the reviews and get a sense---a hotel like anything else is subjective. My favorite place in St. Barts would be out of the question for most of my clients...........

<cannot figure out why people try to book trips themselves>

Oh brother. You do realize you're posting your remark on Fodors, home of self planning travelers extraordinaire?

Yikes - TC -you can't truly mean that.

I've been planning our two family vacations each year all by myself and have no idea how a travel consultant could do better than I've done.

Your criteria seems no better than sifting through tripadvisor.

And knute, I relate to your dilemma. I get nuts sometimes after reading tripadvisor reviews!