You usually look at the star ratings as you plan your next trip. After, you give in to clicking on the hotel, then swipe left and right for some photos. You see how nice the hotel, rooms, and facilities are, then what? You scroll down and check the reviews.

What others say about the hotels we see on our feed affects our expectations. It helps us decide where we stay and know how to budget our money.

Now, the big question is – how can we trust what we read? How do we spot authentic and trustworthy feedback?

Not everything we read online is true. Sometimes, people fake it to make a hotel look bad or good. Booking at hotels that do not fit our expectations is stressful and disappointing.

Here are tips to figure out which reviews are helpful and make your stay memorable!

Why Should You Consider Reviews?

Imagine you’re new to Chicago and planning a one-day business trip. You could know what others thought about it, right? That’s what online reviews are.

Online reviews usually show thoughts and experiences about products, places, or services online. If you want to enjoy your trip, focus on the feedback because:

  1. Reviews are from real people talking about their actual experiences.
  2. Reviews show if people say the same thing. If most say it’s great, it’s great.
  3. Reviews can show people who are just like you. If you’re checking in with your pet, you’ll find thoughts about staying at a pet-friendly hotel.
  4. Reviews help you save money. If there are problems where you’re staying, it will warn you.

How To Spot Trustworthy Online Review Platforms?

Online reviews spare you a lot of trouble, especially if they’re from trusted platforms. Not all reviews or websites that host them are true. So, how do you know which ones to trust?

Step 1: Choose Well-known Sites

Let’s say you’ve been a fan of makeup products ever since. You go to Sephora and see a brand that’s quite unfamiliar and that you initially used. What brand will you trust more? Of course, the one you’ve used more.

You only try a new product if you see others promoting it and giving their reviews; it’s the same with hotel review sites.

You usually go for well-known sites like TripAdvisor or Yelp over new or unknown sites.

Step 2: Look for Trust Signals

Now that you’ve accomplished the first step, did you know that one benefit of trusting a well-known site is that reviews are not fake?

  1. Some sites have a special mark for reviews. They give a verified icon for those who booked and stayed at the hotel.
  2. Good sites also have rules about what can be posted in the reviews.
  3. Well-known sites have a system to check reviews. It makes sure that feedback is authentic and trustworthy.

Step 3: Keep Reading Different Opinions

It’s important not to dwell on one comment about a hotel. You need to keep looking at as many reviews as your eyes can take.

Go for a hotel with lots of reviews and a good overall score.

How To Spot Genuine Feedback?

As much as we get more digital, you should know that reading reviews is necessary before booking the hotel. Also, you need to be aware of fake and misleading ones. We have put together a few steps that can help you spot real reviews from fake ones.

Step 1: Look for Both the Good and Bad

If not all, most reviews from people include the good and bad situations they have encountered during their stay.

For instance, a person can say they scored the best hotel deals and discounts, but the amenities were so-so. This shows a real experience.

Step 2: Dive into the Details

Authentic feedback is usually specific in giving information. Although some people can say that a room is comfortable, a true review describes how comfortable it is.

Does it have something to do with the space? How soft are the pillows? Is the view beautiful?

Step 3: Match the Review with the Hotel’s Style

Hotels have the same style or theme. If the reviewer talks about the hotel’s appearance and you see it in the pictures, they’re real.

Step 4: Check the Reviewer’s Profile

Click on the person’s profile who left the review. If they have many reviews from different places and their reviews vary from good to bad, they’re likely genuine.

Be cautious if all their reviews are only super positive (or negative) for the same place.

Cross-Referencing with Hotel Reviews

There has been a talk at your office about a hurricane coming. How do you confirm the news? You ask your officemates about it and then check your social media and the news.

The example we mentioned is like cross-referencing. When choosing the right hotel room, look at the hotel’s website and see if it’s good. But you don’t have to rely only on one. You can look at many sites and see what it looks like.

Some websites might have only good things to say because they give points or rewards for good reviews. Others might be too strict, showing mostly bad reviews. Looking at many sites, you can see what most people think.

Aside from review sites, here are some other ways to cross-reference:
  1. Travel Blogs
  2. Group Chats related to Traveling
  3. Instagram
  4. Facebook
  5. Tiktok

The Risks of Not Trusting Real Feedback

As much as we have reminded you to be careful of the reviews you read, there’s also the danger of not trusting real feedback.
If most reviews are bad, then the hotel might not be as amazing as it looks. We also taught you how to cross-reference from site to site because of what fake reviews can do. For instance:
  1. You might pay more money for a hotel that’s not worth it.
  2. You waste time on a bad vacation that you can’t get back.
  3. You could be in danger if the hotel isn’t clean or safe.
  4. A bad hotel can make a business trip hard for people traveling for work.
Now, if you’re the one who just checked out of the hotel, your review is a sure help to others. Give other travelers the latest info and confirm if the reviews are authentic or fake.

Conclusion

In the world of travel, honest reviews from other travelers are super important. We trust every feedback we read to tell us if a place is worth our time and budget.

Imagine you’re visiting Chicago West Loop – a neighborhood with many hotel options. How do you choose the right one?

One hotel in Chicago’s West Loop, called Hotel Chicago West Loop, gets authentic and trustworthy reviews.

So, when you travel, always check out reviews and share your experiences. And if you ever go to Chicago, think about the Hotel Chicago West Loop. We’re sure you’ll like it!