Monday, January 31, 2011

Avoid the Headache of a Bad Hotel by Reading Reviews

By Robert Nickel


The very nature of marketing is to promote the best aspects of any establishment or business in order to win the attention and patronage of the public. Any hotel can be presented in such a way in its own promotional materials as to make it look like a beautiful, comfortable haven worth every penny of the room charges, occupancy taxes, and gratuity fees.

The photographs presented on the hotel's website, in its brochures and among its listings with various travel services are strategically chosen to market the very best visual aspects of the facilities and services the hotel provides to visitors. While these photographs can be truly representative of the entire grounds and accommodations offered by the hotel, they may also be only the very best views of a less-than-adequate business.

Too often tourists arrive at their hotels only to find that the majority of the facilities don't match up to the few images to which they had been privy when booking their accommodations. Don't be disappointed by your hotel decor or comfort level. Be sure to read reviews of the hotel posted by past visitors.

Reading the promotional materials of hotels and resorts will lead you to believe that each and every hotel out there is the very best available. Hotels promote themselves as providing the most comfortable accommodations, the most beautiful grounds and guest rooms, the very best customer service, and the most delicious and affordable room service or on-site dining.

The reality is that not every hotel can be as good as marketing materials would have you believe. Too often you will only discover this fact after arriving at a hotel and beginning your vacation or business trip.

Don't be disappointed by the hotel staffs' dedication to quality service. Don't find that the hotel is actually understaffed and does not have the ability to meet the needs of all its guests. Don't get stuck with a hefty hotel bill for sub-par service and poor accommodations.

Find out as much as you can about the hotel before you make reservation. The very best way to accomplish this is to read reviews from previous visitors and tourism industry experts. Each type of review will provide you with different insights, all of which will benefit your decision-making process in determining which hotel will give you and your family the best possible experience while on vacation.

Finding a hotel that falls within your budget and expectation ranges can be challenging. You must be realistic about the types of accommodations and services that will be offered within your budget range. If you have a lean vacation budget, you may need to be satisfied with a less posh, more affordable hotel.

Just because it's a budget hotel doesn't mean that it has to be seedy, unattractive or uncomfortable. Finding hotels within a particular budget range that are beautiful, comfortable, and affordable is often best achieved through reading the reviews of previous visitors.

Other individuals who traveled on a budget are a great resource for quality hotel information. These people will be able to give you an honest and realistic image of what their hotel experiences were like. You'll be able to find out what the rooms really offer, how the hotel staff treats guests, and what the dining amenities are like.

Knowing if other visitors were satisfied with their entire hotel stay can help you decide if the hotel is right for you. Learning where the hotel's weaknesses lie can help you determine if those weaknesses are acceptable for the price or if they are deal-breakers. Sometimes hotel reviews can point out weaknesses in particular hotels that you will find completely acceptable, especially when the room prices are truly a bargain.

Professional reviews from tourism industry experts can give you insight into aspects of the hotel's accommodations, amenities and operations that individual tourists may not document in their personal reviews. Those who work within the industry are more accustomed to providing details on all the various aspects of hotels that tourists find important.

What may be important to an individual traveler may not be at all important to another individual. Reading the reviews of individual travelers is a good idea but surveying tourism industry reviews is also recommended. By combining the information gleaned from both sources, you will get a more realistic, all-encompassing view of the facilities and services provided by each hotel that you're considering.




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