TripAdvisor
#601
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: YYC/MNL
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy SE
Posts: 520
I still trust TripAdvisor. To determine accuracy of the reviews, you just have to be cognizant of other sources (like FT for prefered locations around a city and then see if the review 'fits' what others are saying).
#602
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: LHR / IAD
Programs: BA/AA/UA
Posts: 2,955
Eh, we must choose our battles (and our escalations). It's quite enough for me to see that her establishment (which was ranked about #115 at the time) is now ranked below #200
#603
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
Understood. But it seems a little risky for a business to pull that kind of stuff in Europe with its strict privacy laws.
#604
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
Exactly. Look for the patterns and the common threads. ^
#605
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
Programs: Delta DM 1 MM; Hz PC
Posts: 11,169
#606
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
Here is an interesting article about a couple charged 100 GBP for posting a negative TripAdvisor hotel review ...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...ne-review.html
Hopefully the hotel will be criminally prosecuted for this.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...ne-review.html
Hopefully the hotel will be criminally prosecuted for this.
Last edited by cheltzel; Nov 19, 2014 at 6:44 am
#607
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
Here is an interesting article about a couple charge 100 GBP for posting a negative TripAdvisor hotel review ...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...ne-review.html
Hopefully the hotel will be criminally prosecuted for this.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...ne-review.html
Hopefully the hotel will be criminally prosecuted for this.
edit: Actually, they do already have. Rougly 60% are terrible, out of 250 or so..
http://www.tripadvisor.de/Hotel_Revi...e_England.html
#608
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
Oh, I'm sure they'll get plenty of bad reviews now
edit: Actually, they do already have. Rougly 60% are terrible, out of 250 or so..
http://www.tripadvisor.de/Hotel_Revi...e_England.html
edit: Actually, they do already have. Rougly 60% are terrible, out of 250 or so..
http://www.tripadvisor.de/Hotel_Revi...e_England.html
Hopefully the British authorities that are supposed to protect consumers will get involved.
#609
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Looks like Italy thinks TA is no longer reliable:
TripAdvisor Fined $610,000 in Italy for Failing to Prevent Fake Reviews
TripAdvisor Fined $610,000 in Italy for Failing to Prevent Fake Reviews
#610
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CT USA
Posts: 2,577
I really don't believe any reviews I read on the Internet. Just too many spammers and people trying to game the system. Also many of the terrible/negative reviews I read about are complaining about things that really wouldn't bother me as much. Some people seem to get so whipped up about minor things. Many of my hotel stays are short so I can pretty much get through any thing for a couple of nights. Location and price are my two most important factor in determining if I am going to book somewhere.
#611
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EP; WN CP;UA SILVER; MARRIOTT TITANIUM; HH DIAMOND; IHG PLAT; RADISSON PLAT; HYATT GLOBAL
Posts: 1,938
I have witnessed too many times during check in that the family next to me spent a fortune on Expedia and gets a basic room, and I use points and get an upgrade.
#612
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: STL
Programs: WN, DL, AA; Hyatt or Wyndham
Posts: 1,079
I don't think it's too hard to tell a real review from a fake one. Or at least, to tell reviews that have the indicia of reality, and then just ignore the other ones.
Indicia of reality? To me, likely real reviews are not too excited one way ("BEST PLACE EVER!!!!") or the other ("HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE HOTEL IN EVERY DETAIL!!"). They are generally balanced. They don't HAVE to be balanced, because sometimes people have a very pleasant or very negative experience. But even the most positive or negative reviewer will generally throw in an "on the other hand" comment. Fake positive reviewers have a hard time slipping in even one detail about the negative aspects of a facility or service. The more sophisticated fakes probably do slip in one or two "minor negatives" (they didn't have enough towels, but they fixed that) to seem balanced. If there is only a minor negative mentioned, my radar is up for fake.
The next big indicia of reality are DETAILS. Details details details. "My room was horrible" carries no weight with me. Instead, "my room had only one clean towel, and there were dirty glasses, and it had not been vacuumed or cleaned under the bed, and I had to wait 1 hour past check in time to even get in" is helpful. Similarly, "the staff is great!!!!" means nothing. "The hotel manager accommodated my unusual request for two extra pillows fluffed by Arnold Schwarzenegger" is helpful.
Indicia of reality? To me, likely real reviews are not too excited one way ("BEST PLACE EVER!!!!") or the other ("HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE HOTEL IN EVERY DETAIL!!"). They are generally balanced. They don't HAVE to be balanced, because sometimes people have a very pleasant or very negative experience. But even the most positive or negative reviewer will generally throw in an "on the other hand" comment. Fake positive reviewers have a hard time slipping in even one detail about the negative aspects of a facility or service. The more sophisticated fakes probably do slip in one or two "minor negatives" (they didn't have enough towels, but they fixed that) to seem balanced. If there is only a minor negative mentioned, my radar is up for fake.
The next big indicia of reality are DETAILS. Details details details. "My room was horrible" carries no weight with me. Instead, "my room had only one clean towel, and there were dirty glasses, and it had not been vacuumed or cleaned under the bed, and I had to wait 1 hour past check in time to even get in" is helpful. Similarly, "the staff is great!!!!" means nothing. "The hotel manager accommodated my unusual request for two extra pillows fluffed by Arnold Schwarzenegger" is helpful.
#613
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
#614
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,598
I look mainly pictures and other useful practical information what people post on TA. Then again, I don't trust at all the part of review pertaining to value people post, which is very balanced, I rather make my own conclusions based on pictures and other information.