Booking.com -fake reviews

[13roman58]

I have just had first hand experience of the above.
After reading about a 3* hotel with good "customer" reviews A 3* hotel in Poole Dorset.
Large rooms, efficient staff, excellent breakfast,etc,etc.
I stayed there for two nights,what a mistake.
I wrote my review this morning 100% honest of my experience which contradicted everything .I actually looked deeper into the hotel reviews and found a few that mirrored my experience but most were good.
I was invited to view my comments which are as sent but it is now SURROUNDED by new reviews giving 10/10-,9/10 -8/10 by people who have "stayed" this month and are "verified" giving excellent numbers but no actual comments by them. Fake reviews?
I
,

[Soner]

I second that. Had bad experience in Bitez Bodrum last month, gave honest review, but couldn't understand why there were so many excellent reviews. The hotel, staff and service were appalling.

[Keithcaley]

It seems that there are companies selling 'favourable reviews' for all sorts of websites...

[Jonnie]

At least with booking.com you have to stay in order to leave a review. Unlike Trip Advisor which is the puppet of the big hotel chains now. I went to a restaurant in Istanbul because it was high up the list, it was beyond dreadful. I don't bother with TA these days too many fake reviews and too many people who spend their time watching Masterchef and 4 in a bed and think they are experts. Try and find decent bloggers on google and you will get a better idea.

[sophie]

Jonnie, how I agree with you. Had the same experience in Adana earlier this year, the eatery was dreadful. Will never rely on TA ever again. Same goes for some places here though. Trip Advisor reviews amazing but wouldn't give it house room!!

[13roman58]

I didn't know about them.
At least it wasn't just me got duped.

[frontalman]

I knew about these fake reviews so I decided to stay home, and that was just as bad!

[erol]

I knew about these fake reviews so I decided to stay home, and that was just as bad!

but you could write a review saying it was great

[Soner]

I'll do that for him for a small fee.

[frontalman]

Thanks, but our place is really difficult to find and I want to keep it that way.

[Keithcaley]

Thanks, but our place is really difficult to find and I want to keep it that way.

As part of the fake review, you could include really dodgy directions

[Sugarpuffbear]

Having had experience of the hospitality business, I would be very wary of reviews on websites. Some are put up by friends, employees, or even the owners! Some are put up even by disgruntled employees.
One website for accommodation Laterooms is reliable as they only write to you after you have booked and stayed at accommodation booked through them, so their reviews are genuine. they are a booking agent. However accommodation owners can change and always base your booking on a recent stay's review.
Also make sure it is either a hotel, guesthouse or B&B you are wanting to book. Often these are mixed in with hotels. My personal preference is for a B&B with far more knowledge of an area. If you want the restaurant, gym, the pool etc then look for a hotel.

[mrsgee]

I never trust the reviews too much, as someone else said, owners, staff, competition, someone with an axe to grind, can all have an impact... sadly, the reviews, in my experience, are not overseen, and can make or break.....

[Jonnie]

Having had experience of the hospitality business, I would be very wary of reviews on websites. Some are put up by friends, employees, or even the owners! Some are put up even by disgruntled employees.
One website for accommodation Laterooms is reliable as they only write to you after you have booked and stayed at accommodation booked through them, so their reviews are genuine. they are a booking agent. However accommodation owners can change and always base your booking on a recent stay's review.
Also make sure it is either a hotel, guesthouse or B&B you are wanting to book. Often these are mixed in with hotels. My personal preference is for a B&B with far more knowledge of an area. If you want the restaurant, gym, the pool etc then look for a hotel.

My point earlier is that you have to have booked and paid with booking.com to place a review, something not required by tripadvisor. Laterooms used to be owned by holiday giant Tui and is now owned by Cox and Kings so do not expect these or any other mainline review company to be independent.

A concierge at a decent hotel or an independent operator worth his salt should have good local knowledge, that to me would be an indication of a good hotel which is why I get fed up with reviews on website such as trip advisor where reviewers have little knowledge of what they are talking about.

[sophie]

Fairly recently we went to Adana and bye passed the Reviews and emailed the Hilton direct. We had really informative and helpful replies, prior to us placing a booking. On arrival it was great to be able to speak to the people in reception face to face, even in a large International company as the Hilton Group,

[Trigger]

Always used trip advisor / Booking.com reviews to get information on hotels / restaurants and never gone too far wrong. In the most, it is useful, however, as already stated, you have to be weary of fake reviews. You can usually spot them a mile off as they don’t have a high posting rate.

[judyvin]

A friend decided to rent her villa out on HomeAway/Owners Direct for holiday lets after a 4/5 year long term let. Not getting any bookings she contacted them to ask why that might be and was told that it was because she didn't have any reviews. She subsequently got several people to write reviews and lo and behold the bookings came in. This was the advice of the booking site - so wrong!!!