TripAdvisor’s dirtiest hotels in Europe

By Eileen Smith On February 3, 2010 · 6 Comments

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How far can you trust anonymous user rankings of the “dirtiest hotels”?

THE WORST, most disgusting hotel I’ve ever had the misfortune of visiting.

That’s how one member describes TripAdvisor’s #1 dirtiest hotel in Europe, located in Blackpool, England. Other visitors agree, reporting dodgy wiring, a dumbwaiter-like elevator, filthy bedspreads, and windows too dirt-smudged to see through.

This and more comes from the site’s recently posted list of the 2010 Top Dirtiest Hotels in Europe. Eight of the 10 are in England. Ouch.

Britain’s tourism industry responded quickly, claiming that reviews on TripAdvisor (and other sites like hostelbookers, hostelworld, hostelz, bug, activehotels, and travelpod) can be posted by people with ulterior motives, who may or may not have stayed at the hotel.

They’ve got room for argument, given last summer’s scandal following TripAdvisor’s announcement that some of their hotel reviews could be fraudulent (including positive plants by staff as well as negative plants by competitors). So who is the researching traveler to believe?

It comes down to qualified trust, of course.

These sites help us make a decision based on information from complete strangers. I might not trust one faceless stranger advising me against a hotel, but when legions of them join up to reach a consensus, it’s hard not to pay attention.

Photo: liz.novak

My personal hostel-review website barometer is set at about 7 out of 10. If 70% of the people that went didn’t hate a hotel, I probably won’t either. Of course, if I can find a hostel or hotel that reaches the 80th percentile or higher on these websites, I’m happier still.

I may not be able to trust implicitly the reaction of every traveler to a hotel, but taking a little (possibly jaded) advice has suited me fine. And, if respondents say there were bedbugs…well, then even if there weren’t, I’d still rather stay someplace else. But that’s just me. Maybe you find Holiday Inn’s plans to hire Employees to Warm up Your Hotel Bed by Rolling Around in It equally disgusting.

It’s not only England.

There are dirty hotels everywhere. If you’ve got your own review barometer set up, check out TripAdvisor’s lists of the filthiest crash pads in the U.S., Canada, and all of Asia.

Smart travelers will do their research, and unsmart ones will lick their wounds, which may be caused by sharp objects, insects, shower falls, or any of a variety of other unidentified unsafe conditions, imagined or real.

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Forget cleanliness. How about weird? There’s Igloos, Castles, Sewage Pipes, and Survival Pods: The World’s 10 Weirdest Hotels, and the followup, More Bizarre Hotels Around the World.

From there, venture on to Hamster Hotel a Playground for the Sexually Subversive?

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Eileen Smith

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http://travelsofadam.com Adam

In my opinion a good way for hotels & hostels to make sure they’re getting accurate reviews would be to provide FREE WIFI for their customers. A simple landing page for when you log in (for free) with a link to a review site of their choice would ensure MORE reviews and, in all likelihood, more accurate reviews.

Here’s to hoping!
http://www.collazoprojects.com Julie

I’ve wondered about the utility of a site like TripAdvisor since learning from a friend who owns an inn in Puerto Rico about ways that a competitor gamed the system to enter a false and negative review (false in the sense that he never stayed there). IN her case, the damage was minimal because she’s ranked #1 in her category and has hundreds of positive reviews; however, she invested hours trying to get TripAdvisor to investigate (providing records that substantiated the person had never stayed there because the dates he indicated were actually booked for someone else). As a small business owner who’s chief, cook, and bottle washer, those hours were an investment of time she had to protect the hard-won and well-deserved excellent reputation she has; however, they also drew her attention and efforts away from more necessary tasks… like taking care of guests.

I always look at these sites with a cautious eye. People’s expectations are so subjective anyhow.
http://www.atravelaroundtheworld.com marta

i often refer to tripadvisor to search reviews for hotels before booking but i am also very cautious as often you will come accross really bad reviews and really great one for the same place that you wonder who is right and who is not or if they are really talking about the same thing.plus as julie said is all subjective, a backpacker would probably have not the same needs of a old couple on a cruising trip
http://bearshapedsphere.blogspot.com/ Eileen Smith

I would never discount a hotel on the basis of one recommendation, and know that the system is open to abuse. Also, that different standards apply. For a family vacation we were doing some research and came up with complaints such as “there was a lizard in my room!” (in the Dominican Republic) to “not enough cabana boys.” Clearly these must be taken with a grain of salt. We (sadly) did not find a lizard in our room and did not notice that the number of “cabana boys” was either in excess or lacking.

But in general, between no intel at all and the intel of a passel of strangers, I’m inclined to make use of what the strangers have to say!
http://www.nataliectaylor.blogspot.com/ Natalie T.

Because reviews are subjective, I agree in the 70% rule. If 7 out of 10 users are recommending a hotel, then it shouldn’t be all bad. Most people on Trip Advisor want to boast that they’re an “expert” because they stayed at xyz resort. I always like to have a Plan B, plus I look at pictures on Flickr and cross reference with other sites, like LP’s Thorn Tree Forum. However, sometimes you just have to suck it up and take a risk. Not knowing is one of the greatest surprises of travel.
kathryn

I might be cynical but I’d always assume that places doing this kind of thing – writing bad reviews about competitors and glowing ones about their own premises. I pretty much go with the 70% rule although never thought of it like that. I’d also discount any reviews that are totally negative or totally positive and do some reading between the lines.

If you use these kind of sites (and I think they are fantastic) then it’s important to also make sure you post honest reviews on your return. The more “real” reviews on the site, the less effective the dodgy ones are.

TripAdvisor’s dirtiest hotels in Europe

It comes down to qualified trust, of course.

It’s not only England.

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