Videos raving about a luxurious getaway on your social media feed aren’t necessarily the best way for you to find a great hotel deal, said Jennifer Barger of the Washington Consumers’ Checkbook.
And despite the prevalence of hotel reservation sites, and 3D room tours, “you really have to take them all with a grain of salt,” said Barger, whose travel and home reporting credits include National Geographic Travel, Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, Washingtonian and USA Today.
Barger generally looks at 5 and 1 star reviews, but only as a starting point.
“It might give you a clue to something like, ‘Is it too loud, is it near a highway?’ If noise is important to you, them maybe that’s a clue” not to book at that particular hotel, said Barger.
Barger added that if a review specifies that a bed-and-breakfast is well run and can accommodate gluten-free customers, that kind of information can provide specific things that can apply to you.
Be wary of glowing reviews on TikTok videos, Instagram reels and booking sites, Barger said. Influencers, and some journalists “are creating content because they’ve gotten a free stay” or have a lucrative marketing deal.
“You might also want to find a true hotel critic — the few people or organizations left that really do rankings of hotels that aren’t just an influencer saying, ‘Wow, look, I love this hotel,'” Barger said.
Reviewers she trusts include The Telegraph, Rick Steves, Frommer’s or the Michelin Guide.
How important are photos in booking a stay?
“They are and they aren’t,” Barger said. While she wouldn’t book a hotel that doesn’t include photos, Barger said to look at the photo for the class of room you’ll be staying in.
Hotels and reservation sites often display photos of the presidential suite, or a property’s most well-outfitted rooms.
“If you’re booking the petite bargain room, it’s going to look nothing like that,” Barger said.
Barger said many photos posted by the hotel may be shot with a fish-eye lens: “They do what real estate photographers do, and you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s giant.'”
Before you book, become familiar with what 300 or 400 square feet feels like, Barger said.
“That will give you an idea of whether you’ll have enough room to put your bag down, or whether you’ll have to leave it in the bathtub,” Barger said.
While travel sites like Booking.com and TripAdvisor can be helpful in narrowing down hotels, Barger advised to book directly with the hotel, because it gives you more consumer protections.
“If you have to cancel at the last minute or something is drastically wrong, with third party brokers, sometimes you can have trouble getting your money back,” Barger said.
And when considering a five-star hotel, Barger said booking through a travel agent can often result in an upgrade, in part because of their relationship with the hotel. And since agents are paid a commission by hotels, you’ll likely shell out little or nothing for their services.
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