Caution with hotel reviews - When honesty also takes a vacation

Studies suggest that almost 90% of vacationers rely on online review portals. Reviews have become the digital capital of the hotel industry. But for the booker, it is important to be vigilant - as the number of fake reviews is increasing.

The word of the often anonymous guest has gained weight and is already more important to many people than personal recommendations from their own friends. Virtual thumbs up or thumbs down are increasingly deciding the success or failure of a hotel today. And it didn't take long for some hotels to start using tricks here. The result: Manipulated reviews to enhance their own status.

Fake reviews are also becoming more professional. Creativity is blooming in new ways, which is said to have even led to texts deliberately being provided with spelling mistakes, just to simulate a little human fallibility.

To protect yourself from fake reviews, there are a few points to keep in mind.

First of all, it is important to distinguish between review portals (such as tripadvisor or HolidayCheck) and booking portals (for example booking.com or HRS). The former offer every internet user the opportunity to publish an evaluation. Registrations with disposable email addresses are quickly done, some portals don't even require this step and create a gathering place for anonymous forgers. So anyone can write whatever comes to mind. Although there is a step in a somewhat more credible direction with the so-called "trusted reviews", which are also identified as such - they are based on a partnership between the hotel operation and the review portal and increase the likelihood that the author actually stayed in the hotel. According to the information provided by these portals, content reviewers and software algorithms are also used for verification. However, to be more confident that a real guest has also given a real review, it is worth taking a look at the second group - the booking portals. Here, the reviews only come from vacationers who have actually checked into the corresponding hotel. They are asked to give an evaluation of the offer after their stay.

Be skeptical when reading phrases like "best hotel in the world" or "paradise on earth". Such catalog expressions and superlatives not only seem exaggerated, in most cases there is just hot air behind them. It is better to believe specific descriptions written in simple language. Be suspicious also when comments are consistently positive. Tastes differ, as do individual requirements. There will probably be no hotel that can please everyone.

Also consider who has written a comment. Older people have a different selection process than young people, parents often focus on child-friendliness. Depending on age and background, their opinion may differ fundamentally from yours. The travel time of the reviewer can also influence the critical examination - in high season, it can be quite difficult to find a hotel that is not completely overcrowded.

No matter how convincing a review is for you, always compare several different portals at the same time and do not hesitate to report doubtful and questionable reviews to the portal operator if necessary.