How to Identify a Bad Hotel Online

There’s more to travel than meets the eye. Other than seeing beautiful places, exploring nature’s wonders, meeting people, or savoring local cuisines, traveling is good for the soul.

When planning an upcoming vacation, there are a few considerations to make. Of course, you’ll have to decide on your travel destination and figure out how to get there. One thing that cannot be forgotten is the accommodation—the place you’ll be staying overnight. Every traveler hopes to score a cozy room in a beautiful hotel they found online. However, many travelers often fall prey to sub-par hotels that didn’t quite live up to their expectations.

Nothing can go as frustrating as knowing that the hotel isn’t what you expected it to be. To avoid this common problem among travelers, here are six ways on how to spot a sub-par hotel.

1. Artsy or distorted photos

First, know that a site is supposed to list a hotel room, not curate an art exhibit. It’s supposed to show the room structure, the hotel lobby, and the whole edifice itself. However, if the site is more focused on presenting creative, artsy images, more than the actual room or hotel, be wary. Chances are, the hotel is trying to deviate from the actual room or hotel size that can impact your decision.

2. Too-good-to-be-true images

The next thing to consider is how certain images appear too good to be true. Unless the luxurious images can translate into costly booking, then you might not need to worry. However, if the photos posted online seem too fancy or luxurious that does not necessarily equate to what you have to pay, then something’s wrong. You don’t want to find that the pictures online aren’t the same in real life once you get there.

3. Outdated websites

Nowadays, you’d expect hotels to have online representations of their businesses. Most people heavily rely on their mobile devices when booking for hotels. If you visit a particular hotel and its website does not look appealing, that might give you an idea that it won’t be able to live up to your expectations.

4. Invisible in Google Maps

One good strategy that you can employ is to check the validity of the hotel is to check on google maps. Type the address into Google Maps to examine how well maintained the exterior of the property is. The images may not be exactly how they currently are, but they ought to be similar. However, if you can’t find anything or if the edifice looks sketchy, that may be an indication of a sub-par hotel.

5. Bad reviews

One great way to check whether or not the hotel can provide excellent services is to check for online reviews. If the reviews are predominantly negative, then you better think twice and move on to the next hotel.

6. Negative response online

While you’re at it going through the reviews, check how the hotel manager responds to reviews, complaints, or feedback. If the replies sound aggressive, defensive, or hostile, then that might reflect as to what type of hotel service you’ll receive.

It doesn’t take much effort to double-check and be highly critical when looking for a hotel online. Before you start booking, consider all the valuable tips mentioned above so that you won’t fall trapped for a sub-par hotel. You deserve a great place to stay as your hotel because that can add up to your overall travel experience as well.

If you are looking for an affordable place to stay in Phuket, Book a Bed Poshtel is the perfect place for you. As a backpacker hostel in a convenient location, we’ll be sure to impress, despite the relatively low price. Contact us today to book your stay!