Hotel Review Sites

quickstepqueen

I use tripadvisor (gives at least some idea of real location i.e. is the tube really a 5 min walk) and for hotels/resorts abroad I've used:

http://www.holidays-uncovered.co.uk/

Blue264

dmg24 wrote: »

Just because you had a 5* experience at a hotel, it does not mean that somebody else will.

As I said, it's my job.
I have to be hyper critical and look at every aspect of the facilities and service because if I make a mistake in a recommendation it could cost my employer severely.
We also participate in 'soft openings' of new hotels where the hotel is filled with representatives from all the major travel companies and we literally have to write a list of 'bugs'.

Just as an example, I know of a couple of large hotels that have had damning photos posted on tripadvisor. The problem is that the photos date to last year before they changed ownership and had a hefty 8 figure sum invested in them.
I just think people should make their own minds up based upon their own experiences and requirements.

shamac

We always check holidaytruths.co.uk and find it usually spot on!:T

dmg24

Blue264 wrote: »

As I said, it's my job.
I have to be hyper critical and look at every aspect of the facilities and service because if I make a mistake in a recommendation it could cost my employer severely.
We also participate in 'soft openings' of new hotels where the hotel is filled with representatives from all the major travel companies and we literally have to write a list of 'bugs'.

Just as an example, I know of a couple of large hotels that have had damning photos posted on tripadvisor. The problem is that the photos date to last year before they changed ownership and had a hefty 8 figure sum invested in them.
I just think people should make their own minds up based upon their own experiences and requirements.

You are not getting this - irrespective of whether it is your job, people want different things, and therefore not everybody will share your view.

Not everybody agrees with the interpretations I give in my job - all because they may not be a professional in that area, it does not make their interpretation or opinion wrong.

The more reviews that you can get for a hotel, the more likely you are to get a rounded view of what to expect. I would rather have one hundred reviews, albeit with twenty of them being nonsense to me (though not necessarily to others), than ten views that are judged to be balanced or accurate by the publisher of the information (though not necessarily by the reader).

full-stop

Many thanks for all the links and info provided.

The more reviews that you can get for a hotel, the more likely you are to get a rounded view of what to expect

Too true.

Cheers

ynot2005

i like tripadvisor and bookings hotels website who seem to have the most reviews on individual hotels, overall i find reviews are normally fair and quite funny sometimes, especailly when they get it spot on, i.e one hotel manager is ignorant and the other one on duty is ever so helpfull, yep thats exactly what i found on my last stay there.

it does help if you can read a bit of french and spanish as you then get a more rounded view, i find the comments from from foreigners are more factual and helpful, because they know there is no tea making facilities in hotel rooms in spain and so dont run on about it as if its the end of the world.

my own preference is location is tops and the star rating is not all its cracked up to be, hostal, 2 star, 3 star, 4 star, can all be very lookalike and a big disappointment if you pay top prices and expect luxury for a 4 star

TravellingAbuela

There is also zoover.co.uk for reviews. I too wonder just what people expect from holiday accomodation. For instance in early June we stayed in an apartment in Majorca, described on Alpharooms as basic and budget, but despite this, the three reviews on there were very good. On the strength of these we booked an apartment. Then I made the mistake of looking on another review site and found two terrible reviews. OMG I thought, should we cancel? Anyway we went, yes it was basic (but spotlessly clean) and we loved it! So much we are going back in September!

sodamnfunky

I have used booking.com and expedia and the reviews of the hotels I have stayed in have been pretty accurate.

luci

www.holiday-truth.com has very rounded reviews and there are usually topics on the accommodation in the discussion forums too where questions about the accommodation can be asked at www.holidaytruths.co.uk

I use Trip Advisor if I can't find what I'm looking for on HT, but I have seen 5* hotels in Vegas absolutely slated on there.

andyrules

I use trip advisor and read between the lines! It's not too difficult to spot a review that is really a moan about one small issue, eg poor fruit selection at breakfast etc. But if there are several reviews that all feature how dirty the bathroom is, then I would take note.