Beyond TripAdvisor: How to Use Travel Websites to Plan Your Trip
With the revelations that TripAdvisor deleted claims from customers who said they were raped at reviewed hotels, travelers have been wary of the website, long a mainstay of those looking for guidance in choosing properties.
So we asked readers in the TPG Lounge to help other travelers come up with new ways to plan their hotel stays by revealing their personal strategies for getting the most out of hotel-review websites and apps.
Here's what we learned.
More Is Better
As you might expect, readers generally find that the more data they could collect, the better grip they can get on where they want to go and what they want to avoid. In most cases, they go to a variety of sites, look through the reviews, and make note of common themes and recurring issues from different sources.
For Angie Sparks and Su May Ong, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Hotels.com, the Rick Steves' Travel Forum and Google reviews form the backbone of their searches, depending on the trip, though "I take them all with a grain of salt," Sparks said. "I feel trip reports give me a better perspective, and I get a sense if the person writing it has similar needs and travel styles to mine."
Paul Hough likes TripExpert, Oyster and Forbes, then searches for TripAdvisor reviews by people with recent experiences at the properties he's interested in. Yuri Scharan, who said he also goes to Fodors and US News & World Report, said TripAdvisor will remain his mainstay despite the controversy.
"Even though TA deleted these rape reviews (which is awful and absurd), I don't think I'll stop using TA just for that," he wrote. "I write reviews for TA all the time, and it's the most helpful source out there for travelers."
The multiple-source method is the way to go for the pros, too. Erin Shields, senior editor of travel products at US News & World Report, piped up that her publication canvasses reviews from TripAdvisor, Expedia, Google reviews, Yelp and Booking.com "to get the gist (good AND bad) of what travelers have to say about hotels, attractions and more. Most of our hotel reviews also feature a pro and con."
Aim for the Middle of the Road
To separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to reviews on any site, readers said that it's always a good idea to ignore the outliers. Those that are too effusive in their praise and those that are unremittingly critical make them suspicious about the posters' true motives.
"I always make sure to click on the three-star, middle-of-the-road reviews, because they are likely to be real and give you both positives and negative(s)," she wrote.
Jesse Albright is also wary of fake travel news.
"I usually don’t bother with reviews, and when I do, you have to weed out the folks that complain and focus on the folks with a legitimate issue and get a good handle on common issues across all reviews," he said. "Still, review sites are a waste, usually. It’s sanitized misinformation, usually."
Sites Have Strengths and Weaknesses
Some places are just better than others at conveying what's up with certain aspects of travel. Pat Bunyard, for example, said TripAdvisor isn't the go-to for hotels. Instead, that's where Booking.com and Google Maps shine.
"I base my choices on what I want to see, location, value," Bunyard said. "The research is fun and educational. I would never go to a restaurant or hotel because someone slept or ate there once and liked it. I always choose because the hotel or site of interest meets MY needs. With Google Maps I can walk the street and look at the building. Reviews must be taken with a grain of salt, especially those on TA."
Restaurant selections for Evelyn Castellano Escamilla come from Eater, while Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure supply her needs for hotels. Karen Fletcher, on the other hand, goes straight to the horse's mouth when she can.
"I tend to go directly to the hotel sites for booking," she said.
And, finally, Daniel Howard said he looked forward to contributing to a TPG travel forum.
"I vote TPG creates a new website/app for travel advice! We do have the best community for it, after all," he said.
Full disclosure: The writer of this article was formerly a paid reviewer and photographer for Oyster, which is owned by TripAdvisor.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.