TripAdvisor
Feb 14, 2018, 9:59 am
#766
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
I'm surprised to see people still debating the issue of review sites, whether TA or any other. None of them have been reliable for years.
If you still need convincing as to just how unreliable TA et all are, just read about the guy who invented a London, England restaurant and had it become the #1 TA choice!
https://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C1....0.OkyCSwlFRck
I find the food photos he used particularly amusing. Imagine one of those round deodorizer 'cakes' that you see in a men's urinal sometimes, disguised as a fudge brownie with some shaving cream on top. He even had a top food critic trying to make a reservation. You gotta admire the guy's inventiveness and imagination though.
Nowadays, there is an entire industry generating fake reviews on every kind of review site. Here is an example of a company that will happily post positive reviews: https://reviewsthatstick.com/
And for video reviews, here is a woman who will not only post positive reviews for a business but will happily dress up and lie about her background to increase the likelyhood of the viewer believing her.
Prolific video testimonial creator says there's 'nothing wrong' with selling reviews - Business - CBC News Watch the little sample video clip, very enlightening.
The only reviews you can rely on are those given by people you know and trust.
If you still need convincing as to just how unreliable TA et all are, just read about the guy who invented a London, England restaurant and had it become the #1 TA choice!
https://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C1....0.OkyCSwlFRck
I find the food photos he used particularly amusing. Imagine one of those round deodorizer 'cakes' that you see in a men's urinal sometimes, disguised as a fudge brownie with some shaving cream on top. He even had a top food critic trying to make a reservation. You gotta admire the guy's inventiveness and imagination though.
Nowadays, there is an entire industry generating fake reviews on every kind of review site. Here is an example of a company that will happily post positive reviews: https://reviewsthatstick.com/
And for video reviews, here is a woman who will not only post positive reviews for a business but will happily dress up and lie about her background to increase the likelyhood of the viewer believing her.
Prolific video testimonial creator says there's 'nothing wrong' with selling reviews - Business - CBC News Watch the little sample video clip, very enlightening.
The only reviews you can rely on are those given by people you know and trust.
Feb 14, 2018, 10:38 am
#767
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,160
I don't really take TA as the gospel truth to begin with .... I use it to help form a general impression of the place, see photos taken by guests, that sort of thing. I find it to still be a very useful tool for that purpose.
Feb 14, 2018, 3:52 pm
#768
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 233
I post a lot of Yelp reviews but only a few on TripAdvisor. Other than hopefully helping out strangers, I don't quite know what the benefit to posting is. At least Yelp has "elite" status that gets you invites to some events. But I am grateful for reviews of some of the properties that most Flyertalkers wouldn't ever consider let alone review.
Feb 14, 2018, 10:13 pm
#769
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
Programs: No programs & No Points!!!
Posts: 14,222
Feb 20, 2018, 3:58 am
#770
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 37
Trip Adviser is an ocean of phony reviews. There have been a few articles posted about the spotting of false reviews. I spend half my year here in the Caribbean surrounded by hotels. These hotels I know first hand are either quite empty and pathetic in service, food but they are on gorgeous beaches. Trip Adviser posts reviews written giving the highest possible stars and ratings written by probably the employees themselves, the management corporations or good friends. These reviews which can be quite lenghthy praise employees by name, give full-on descriptions of hotel property and are lauding things which we who live here know are false. Articles have been written about Trip Advisers reviews and how to spot the real from the fake. I used to send in reviews and had a high level there but quit writing anything when I started seeing these excellent reviews appearing almost constantly. I feel sorry for hapless travelers believing only Trip Adviser. In the past I tried refuting some of these phony reviews but got to be very frustrating to do so.
Feb 20, 2018, 6:11 am
#771
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,871
Trip Adviser is an ocean of phony reviews. There have been a few articles posted about the spotting of false reviews. I spend half my year here in the Caribbean surrounded by hotels. These hotels I know first hand are either quite empty and pathetic in service, food but they are on gorgeous beaches. Trip Adviser posts reviews written giving the highest possible stars and ratings written by probably the employees themselves, the management corporations or good friends. These reviews which can be quite lenghthy praise employees by name, give full-on descriptions of hotel property and are lauding things which we who live here know are false. Articles have been written about Trip Advisers reviews and how to spot the real from the fake. I used to send in reviews and had a high level there but quit writing anything when I started seeing these excellent reviews appearing almost constantly. I feel sorry for hapless travelers believing only Trip Adviser. In the past I tried refuting some of these phony reviews but got to be very frustrating to do so.
it's a tool. 1 tool.
how it's used is up to the operator, not a fault of the tool.
Feb 20, 2018, 6:29 am
#772
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 37
I agree Deniiah and I believe it is being used by the unsuspecting. Trip Adviser with its many underlying corporations that govern it are nor providing services to actually care about the clientele (whomever they are). But yes many people do not care as much about where they are going nor where they are staying. But they will give a quick nod to a site like TA and possibly say "OK" we go here. I actually heard some tourists at the airport here say "what hotel are we going to" as they looked for a transport bus at the airport patking lot.
Feb 20, 2018, 3:16 pm
#773
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
Trip Adviser is an ocean of phony reviews. There have been a few articles posted about the spotting of false reviews. I spend half my year here in the Caribbean surrounded by hotels. These hotels I know first hand are either quite empty and pathetic in service, food but they are on gorgeous beaches. Trip Adviser posts reviews written giving the highest possible stars and ratings written by probably the employees themselves, the management corporations or good friends. These reviews which can be quite lenghthy praise employees by name, give full-on descriptions of hotel property and are lauding things which we who live here know are false. Articles have been written about Trip Advisers reviews and how to spot the real from the fake. I used to send in reviews and had a high level there but quit writing anything when I started seeing these excellent reviews appearing almost constantly. I feel sorry for hapless travelers believing only Trip Adviser. In the past I tried refuting some of these phony reviews but got to be very frustrating to do so.
Feb 20, 2018, 4:22 pm
#774
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
As with all things, TripAdvisor is a tool that has its positives and negatives--not unlike FlyerTalk.
Anyone who relies on TripAdvisor rankings to decide between hotels or restaurants is likely a fool. It's obvious that false reviews can impact those too easily.
That being said, I find TripAdvisor to be a powerful tool to get a better sense of a place and to get more information. Of course, I have rules:
(1) If a reviewer hasn't reviewed at least 20-25 other hotels or restaurants, I don't trust that hotel or restaurant review. I check.
(2) I check reviews overall AND for the specific timeframe I'll be there. Season and occupancy can make a big difference.
(3) I always message the reviewers for the top 5-10 reviews that seem to be particularly reliable and/or make me like or dislike a hotel. I always get a response--and that makes me feel much more confident in my estimations. That I always get a response makes me feel more comfortable with the way I evaluate reviews on TripAdvisor, too.
(4) I ignore any and all reviews from reviewers with only 1-5 reviews.
(5) I place a lot more stock in reviews whose reviewers have stayed at other hotels or dined at other restaurants I also know.
I find it very easy to get additional info (how is the air con?) and lots of great recommendations when I message the individual reviewers, too.
Anyone who relies on TripAdvisor rankings to decide between hotels or restaurants is likely a fool. It's obvious that false reviews can impact those too easily.
That being said, I find TripAdvisor to be a powerful tool to get a better sense of a place and to get more information. Of course, I have rules:
(1) If a reviewer hasn't reviewed at least 20-25 other hotels or restaurants, I don't trust that hotel or restaurant review. I check.
(2) I check reviews overall AND for the specific timeframe I'll be there. Season and occupancy can make a big difference.
(3) I always message the reviewers for the top 5-10 reviews that seem to be particularly reliable and/or make me like or dislike a hotel. I always get a response--and that makes me feel much more confident in my estimations. That I always get a response makes me feel more comfortable with the way I evaluate reviews on TripAdvisor, too.
(4) I ignore any and all reviews from reviewers with only 1-5 reviews.
(5) I place a lot more stock in reviews whose reviewers have stayed at other hotels or dined at other restaurants I also know.
I find it very easy to get additional info (how is the air con?) and lots of great recommendations when I message the individual reviewers, too.
Last edited by bhrubin; Feb 20, 2018 at 4:28 pm
Feb 25, 2018, 10:44 am
#775
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,206
As with all things, TripAdvisor is a tool that has its positives and negatives--not unlike FlyerTalk.
Anyone who relies on TripAdvisor rankings to decide between hotels or restaurants is likely a fool. It's obvious that false reviews can impact those too easily.
That being said, I find TripAdvisor to be a powerful tool to get a better sense of a place and to get more information. Of course, I have rules:
(1) If a reviewer hasn't reviewed at least 20-25 other hotels or restaurants, I don't trust that hotel or restaurant review. I check.
(2) I check reviews overall AND for the specific timeframe I'll be there. Season and occupancy can make a big difference.
(3) I always message the reviewers for the top 5-10 reviews that seem to be particularly reliable and/or make me like or dislike a hotel. I always get a response--and that makes me feel much more confident in my estimations. That I always get a response makes me feel more comfortable with the way I evaluate reviews on TripAdvisor, too.
(4) I ignore any and all reviews from reviewers with only 1-5 reviews.
(5) I place a lot more stock in reviews whose reviewers have stayed at other hotels or dined at other restaurants I also know.
I find it very easy to get additional info (how is the air con?) and lots of great recommendations when I message the individual reviewers, too.
Anyone who relies on TripAdvisor rankings to decide between hotels or restaurants is likely a fool. It's obvious that false reviews can impact those too easily.
That being said, I find TripAdvisor to be a powerful tool to get a better sense of a place and to get more information. Of course, I have rules:
(1) If a reviewer hasn't reviewed at least 20-25 other hotels or restaurants, I don't trust that hotel or restaurant review. I check.
(2) I check reviews overall AND for the specific timeframe I'll be there. Season and occupancy can make a big difference.
(3) I always message the reviewers for the top 5-10 reviews that seem to be particularly reliable and/or make me like or dislike a hotel. I always get a response--and that makes me feel much more confident in my estimations. That I always get a response makes me feel more comfortable with the way I evaluate reviews on TripAdvisor, too.
(4) I ignore any and all reviews from reviewers with only 1-5 reviews.
(5) I place a lot more stock in reviews whose reviewers have stayed at other hotels or dined at other restaurants I also know.
I find it very easy to get additional info (how is the air con?) and lots of great recommendations when I message the individual reviewers, too.
Feb 25, 2018, 11:07 am
#776
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: GIG - YYC - SVO
Programs: Lost it all and don't care
Posts: 945
Here's how I deal with TA and other sites were reviews get posted.
I ignore them.
I have stopped posting on and checking TA and other sites about 6 months ago (after being a prolific reviewer) once I had a realization that probably 50% of what you read there is prefabricated BS from reputation management schemes, or stuff that was posted by kettles.
Why though ? Well, I only go to a bad place once. And my interpretation of what's bad, will be different than yours, and yours, and yours.....etc. YMMV............
I ignore them.
I have stopped posting on and checking TA and other sites about 6 months ago (after being a prolific reviewer) once I had a realization that probably 50% of what you read there is prefabricated BS from reputation management schemes, or stuff that was posted by kettles.
Why though ? Well, I only go to a bad place once. And my interpretation of what's bad, will be different than yours, and yours, and yours.....etc. YMMV............
Feb 26, 2018, 1:34 pm
#777
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat, Hertz Prez Circle, National Exec
Posts: 1,357
Here's how I deal with TA and other sites were reviews get posted.
I ignore them.
I have stopped posting on and checking TA and other sites about 6 months ago (after being a prolific reviewer) once I had a realization that probably 50% of what you read there is prefabricated BS from reputation management schemes, or stuff that was posted by kettles.
Why though ? Well, I only go to a bad place once. And my interpretation of what's bad, will be different than yours, and yours, and yours.....etc. YMMV............
I ignore them.
I have stopped posting on and checking TA and other sites about 6 months ago (after being a prolific reviewer) once I had a realization that probably 50% of what you read there is prefabricated BS from reputation management schemes, or stuff that was posted by kettles.
Why though ? Well, I only go to a bad place once. And my interpretation of what's bad, will be different than yours, and yours, and yours.....etc. YMMV............
Feb 26, 2018, 3:56 pm
#778
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
The bigger the online content provider/facilitator becomes, the more the tendency to kiss up to the more powerful business and government interests. TripAdvisor and FT are a sign of that dynamic and it ends up being to the disadvantage of critical observers and contributors who would have previously relied upon what those content providers/facilities enabled in the travel space. It doesn’t make the space useless, just less useful if not downplaying expectations for such sites and adjusting how to process the content.
Last edited by GUWonder; Feb 26, 2018 at 4:02 pm
Feb 27, 2018, 1:52 pm
#779
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,160
TA sucks for specifics anymore but you can still get a good feel for a place by looking at it. Especially if there are a bunch of user uploaded pictures. Though anymore TA is something you can use to help you decide on where to stay, rather than being a one stop place to look like it was a few years ago.
Feb 28, 2018, 3:19 am
#780
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 545
I agree, although to some extent, TA has been made at least partially obsolete by improved websites. 10-12 years ago many hotel websites were very rudimentary... fast forward to now and most have a huge assortment of photos that help you get a sense for what a hotel is all about.
However what bothers me with TripAdvisor is not the hotels gaming the system but the degree to which TripAdvisor itself goes to delay, censor and block negative reviews. This puts an artificially positive bias on everything viewed there.
So there is no danger of it being obsolete. More like they have it so good that their greed to please the advertisers is what will kill them in the end.