Travel Tip: Post detailed reviews on TripAdvisor!

Why This Tip is Important: The best reviews come from travelers who have been there and done that so your first-hand experience is the most helpful to other travelers. I rely heavily on the reviews that contain the most relevant details and this includes:

1. The Facilities (WiFi, Parking, Cleanliness, Room Quality, Etc)

Is the WiFi is free or not? (And if not, how expensive and reliable is it?) What is the parking situation? (In Europe, it’s like hitting the jackpot when you stay at a hotel with free parking.) Are toiletries offered or do you need to bring your own? Is the room clean, and if not, what has made you deem it “dirty?”  If it’s dirty, don’t just say it’s dirty. Tell the reader why and if possible, include a photo. If the hotel offers a parking lot that you have to pay for but there is a cheaper garage across the street – note that as well. This is also the area to tell the reader if they should request one room over another. In European cities, there can be a lot of street noise, so more often than not, you want to ask for a room not facing the street. Or you want to ask for a higher level room because there may be a better view. These tips help out other travelers in determining whether or not the hotel fits their needs right off the bat!

My review from Prague – it was definitely worth noting that requesting a quiet room was key!

2. Location

Sometimes, Google Maps can be misleading and a hotel can be in a better, or worse, location than it seems. It can be farther than the hotel advertises on its website from the attractions you want to see, which can be disheartening upon arrival. I’ve gotten to always putting in distances after we return from a trip because I find that to be most helpful. I want to know if I’m going to be walking through a shady area or if the distance to the desired attractions or the public transportation that is going to get me there is quite far. Put in those details, please!

In Munich, what the reviews said and what was reality was were totally separate.

3. Don’t Sugarcoat It

If it’s bad – say it’s bad. If it’s disappointing, say it’s disappointing. And if it was better than expected or better than the other reviews say, add that too. In Brussels, it was hard finding a good hotel at a reasonable price and so I booked a room at a hotel that got really negative reviews – which helped me out when I was pleasantly surprised that while I was expecting the worst, it wasn’t really all that bad. But it’s important to share that too.

Be honest – not telling the truth helps no one!

4. Add in other details you find to be most important.

In Europe, it’s not out of the question for there not to be air conditioning in the hotel room, which can be stifling in the hot summer. The breakfast can be wonderful or not worth the money. The staff could have gone above and beyond or could be downright rude, which also lends to a good or bad experience. If there are any other quirks that you found would have been  helpful while you were booking your room, include those details! It could be helpful to someone else.

Be detailed when writing a review to be helpful to the next person!

Good breakfast? That could make the difference between booking a hotel or not!

If there are special details, include those!

So next time you get home from a trip – wherever it may be – be a good travel buddy and please post a review online!  You never know who you might be helping out! 🙂