I’m a travel expert and you should never book hotels with too many 5* reviews
A TRAVEL expert has revealed why you should never book a hotel with too many five-star reviews.
Although checking out a hotel’s reviews can be useful if you’re considering staying there, too much positive feedback might not be a good thing.
Travel writer Brandon Presser has stayed in roughly 3,000 hotels, and he’s learned a trick or two along the way.
He warned travellers they should never stay in a hotel with too many five star reviews, as it’s unlikely it’ll have much character.
So when Brandon checks out the reviews for a hotel, he hopes someone has left a review saying they “absolutely hate it”.
He explained that if someone hated the hotel, it’s likely it won’t be run-of-the-mill or boring because if a guest really didn’t like it, then there has to be something memorable about it.
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He told Bloomberg: “I want a property that’s garnered praise from nine out of 10 people, and I want that 10th person to absolutely hate it.
“That’s how I know it’s not a staid, could-be-anywhere hotel, but is taking a risk and making a statement instead – [it’s] memorable.”
Choosing a hotel with all five-star reviews isn’t the only mistake guests make when they are booking a night away.
John McMahon, the CEO of online hotel travel agency Five Star Alliance, said one of the biggest mistakes guests make is not questioning why a hotel room seems to be a bargain – a lesson he learned the hard way.
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He told Travel + Leisure: “[Ask] things like, ‘Is there any construction going on at the hotel?’.”
“I once checked into a hotel in Tampa that overlooked the river. The only problem was the windows were covered with adhesive because they were cleaning the facade of the building. So much for the view.”
And B&B owners Andy and Julian Banner-Price, who run the award-winning The 25 B&B in Torquay told Sun Online Travel why you should never trust the pictures either.
They said: “Always look at the photos guests took. B&Bs always use the best angles but the best pictures are from the guests.
“If I see mouldy silicone in the shower in the guest reviews, I move on immediately. Do your research first.”
“My pet hate is if I don’t see any pictures of the hotel room bathroom, it makes me immediately suspicious.”
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A hotel worker has revealed the stupid questions guests often ask when they check in.
And a hotel receptionist shared the most annoying thing guests say to her on a daily basis.