I was a long-time contributor to TripAdvisor with over 100 reviews and numerous useful review votes. I recently discovered that they only accept positive reviews for their partner hotels or restaurants, censoring out negative ones. I have been let down by several TripAdvisor recommendations that led me to poor-quality hotels or restaurants. Now, realizing it has become a biased business, I feel like I’ve wasted a lot of time writing content for what I thought was an impartial site.
Besides Google Reviews, are there any other reliable sources for restaurant and hotel reviews?
TripAdvisor censorship got you down? Look elsewhere for honest reviews! Yelp allows users to post real experiences (good or bad) on restaurants and hotels, letting you filter by rating and see detailed feedback. Travel blogs are another great option, with independent writers offering unique perspectives on the places they visit. Don’t waste time on biased reviews - read a variety of sources before you book your next trip.
I would not say that it is a legitimate source, based on your observations. I usually find it wishy washy when a site is all praises and no critics. They definitely have an online marketing strategy or are in cahoots with the hotels and restaurants.
Reviews on Expedia appear to be fairly trustworthy. Even though I don’t usually book with them, I always read their reviews because I don’t think TripAdvisor is reliable.
Jackson Smith, thanks for the tip! When reviews are opaque, it is annoying. Before I book my next vacation, I’ll be sure to read travel blogs and Yelp reviews to get frank opinions. I appreciate the heads-up; your advise about avoiding biased reviews is right on!