Stumped For Hotel Restaurant Or Activity Choice? How To Spot “ Fake News” On TripAdvisor
Find out how to decode holiday experience reviews and make sure you only rely on the ones with valuable information.
Every year thousands of people refer to Tripadvisor for honest and frank testimonials about future hotel stays, holidays activities and restaurants. The majority of the reviews are exactly that. They are written with a genuine intention to reliably inform. However, the site is also the perfect breeding ground for serial misery complainers and outright malicious attempts by competitors or grudge holders to destroy a business. On the other side, many well- heeled establishments pay PR agents to write undercover fake positive reviews to boost their reputations.
The issue facing most readers is how to establish if the review is the real deal. It is quite simple to find out and just requires a moment of detective work.
FAKE PR REVIEWS
These tend to follow a pattern. The PR formula is to “drown” one bad review with 7 fake PR reviews. These reviews are always over positive as PR people never dare to say anything negative about the place that is paying them. Genuine reviews always have some minor default or niggle mentioned. Unbalanced reviews are more likely to be fake.
Some also directly quote from hotel brochures or restaurant advertisements. They are that lazy. So if the wording seems familiar, it probably is. It is straight from their marketing collateral.
If you suspect that the review is a PR faker, then scroll down. The magic PR formula of 7 positive reviews to drown one negative review never fails. You will then note that the positive reviews all make positive comments to directly negate the points made in the negative review. “We found that that the menu was rather limited and the roast beef looked tired", becomes “we were astonished by the vast array of choice on the menu especially the roast beef option that was succulent and delicious".
SERIAL COMPLAINERS
Sadly, the TripAdvisor world attracts its share of ‘Sunday tire kickers’. In fact, they get a real kick out of it. They walk in determined to find fault not even looking for a discount as ransom money (though some do) and just pull the place apart. When you read a negative review about a place, always read their other reviews. You will find that serial negative reviewers just can not help themselves. They will attack anything anywhere and they (like the positive reviewers) are also incapable of balance.
Often they will also contradict themselves in their “standards” or “likes” between reviews. So one place will be criticised for being empty and quiet, another for being too busy and noisy. You will find establishment after establishment torn to bits with not a positive in sight. Then you know you are reading the work of a serial establishment assassin and you are better to ignore their warped words of wisdom.
OUTRIGHT MALICIOUS SABOTEURS
These reviews are seriously sharped tooth. Rival establishments pay their clients or friends to visit their competitors and let loose on TripAdvisor. The reviews are always over vicious. They are also stupid. They often give themselves away by mentioning how much “better” the rival establishment was. Example. "We found the reception at the Cross Keys Inn friendlier and warmer than this establishment." To uncover a sabotage reviewer, take a look at all their other reviews and you will normally find that these people have very few or sometimes no other reviews to their name. If they do have reviews, you will often find similar attacks on other rival establishments.
Saboteurs are also past masters at writing absentee reviews. They never actually go to the place. Normally for fear of being recognized as enemy fire. They are just told what to write. These reviews are quite easy to spot. They lack detail. Most people who review a restaurant or hotel will mention a decorative feature, the name of a dish or some other kind of exacting detail for emphasis of their point. Absentee reviewers will generalize. They will talk about the “food” in general. They will be unable to give specifics about room décor, dishes, prices, menus . It will always be a broad brush criticism as a collective.
An example of an Absentee reviewer would be “The food was poor quality and very expensive with a limited menu and the surroundings were dirty and unhygienic.“ 99% of real reviewers mention a specific detail to back up their argument. Example : “ Our prawn cocktail starter was lacking in prawns. We thought that the offer of only three main courses on the menu was too limited. We also found the grey tablecloths to be dirty and it was clear that the stained glass windows needed a thorough cleaning. “ Any one who gives such detail to the criticism has definitely visited the establishment. Any one who does not give detail, invariably has not visited the establishment.
“AND HE OR SHE WAS RUDE”….
Negative reviewers always chuck this in the end of an unfavourable review as the “cherry on the cake” swipe. Be very wary of anything else this reviewer has to say. It is the easiest thing to hurl at any establishment as the critic knows that it will be more or less impossible for the organization to prove otherwise without exact telephone recordings, CCTV videos Etc. Many people make this accusation after an unreasonable request has actually been politely but firmly turned down. Denied room upgrades, discounts, late check–outs, free spa treatments Etc… are all frequent triggers for “AND HE OR SHE WAS RUDE’.
If you suspect that the review is nothing more than the bitterness of a freebie discount scrounger. Look at their other reviews. You will find that the pattern of getting something for nothing appears. They praise the establishments that oblige and slag off establishments that do not. Example: “We liked this hotel, they very kindly upgraded us to a beautiful suite. “ is then followed by another review, “ this hotel had no idea of customer service. When we complained about the size of our room, she did nothing… and she was rude”.
TAKE THE AGGREGATE
Finally, when considering a hotel or restaurant through TripAdvisor don’t just take one person’s word for it.
Valid criticisms will always appear as a common theme. Also read the best rated reviews and the worst rated reviews as benchmarks. Then read four or five reviews in the moderate ratings rankings. Only then will you really get a fair balance.
Try to get a picture in your mind of the reviewer first and the establishment second. Only with a proper knowledge of the former can the reviews on the website be of any real use in the fair assessment of a location and your decision to actually make a reservation.
MEPM offer impartial travel experiences to a host of destinations as well as international real estate advice. For our help to decode holiday experience reviews or for further information or an impartial consultation CONTACT US NOW!
