I took a driving trip through the Southwest two years ago, a trip which requires a fair amount of planning concerning hotels. I used TripAdvisor quite a bit re the hotels and found it very helpful if used within its limitations.

I tend to care less about the "We liked it" kind of review and go for the details. Yes, you have to wade through the ultra picky guest reviews. If many people say it's "miles from anywhere" and I want to be able to walk to dinner, that may weight in with me. Complaints about loudness less so, because noise doesn't both me. I especially want to hear about lack of elevators, as my sometime traveling companion can't carry luggage up steps. It's the totality of the review, really, and what it says about the things I care about.

I stayed at one place in Moab where the constant review was that the rooms were too dark. This is an issue for me, but I booked anyway because it had some other things that the available hotels did not. Sure enough, it was a cave. I reviewed it when I returned and added my two cents to the "it's too dark" issue. Shortly thereafter the management noted that they had upgraded the lighting. Now, I don't know if they actually did, obviously, but they would have been foolish not to. A certain percentage of hoteliers will make these changes because it is good for business, and then we all win.