Arks
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 22, 2010
- Messages
- 6,460
- Reaction score
- 579
TIME Magazine has a decent one-page article this week on how to get the most out of hotel review sites. Among the advice they give readers:
- Read the bad reviews first. If they mostly criticize the same thing, you know there really is a problem there. If the gripe is an anomaly, it might be a plant by a competitor, or just a fluke.
- Research the reviewer: how many reviews have they written. Its it an experienced traveler, or a one-timer.
- Be wary of too many reviews. Huge numbers of reviews may indicate the hotel is paying to get reviews.
- Research shows that fake reviews use "he" or "him" more, while real reviews are more likely to give the name of the innkeeper or staffer.
- Consult several sites. TA has more reviews, but Expedia, Priceline, and Hotels.com require users to verify that they actually stayed at the hotel, so their reviews are not as likely to be fraudulent.