Nowhere is the Internet's democratic nature clearer than in the user-generated reviews on such websites as Yelp and TripAdvisor. All it takes to weigh in on a restaurant, hotel or bar is a user profile.
While they're a boon for consumers sharing unfiltered opinions, there are obvious hazards: What can be trusted? How do we know a hotel owner hasn't put family members up to clogging sites with positive reviews of his property?
Jonathan Barsky says travelers can trust the content, at least when it comes to TripAdvisor. Barsky, co-founder of Market Metrix, a firm that tracks customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry, compared reviews of 67 hotels on TripAdvisor with scores derived separately by his firm's Hotel Index. (Market Metrix and TripAdvisor have an information sharing partnership, but "the study had nothing to do with the nature of our relationship; it only enabled the study to take place," Barsky said.)
His conclusion was that the scores generally matched up, though TripAdvisor ratings had higher highs and lower lows. Barsky attributes the unpredictability at the edges to passion. People often submit ratings only after exceptional experiences, whether good or bad.
He agreed there's room for foul play, noting that little can be authenticated, including whether someone actually stayed at a hotel.
The solution is to use such sites critically. Read the most favorable reviews and the least favorable, but don't take them as gospel. Pay more attention to the middle and, perhaps most important, look for trends. "Most hotels don't have that many reviews on TripAdvisor, so it doesn't take that long to read them all," he said. "If a bunch of people say the pool stinks or the workout room is as big as a closet, I might look elsewhere."
Adam Medros, vice president of product for TripAdvisor, said the size of the website -- along with a team of about 25 workers dedicated to "content integrity" -- protects its accuracy. He also suggests forming opinions based on multiple reviews.
"The owner [of a hotel] and their friends will never be able to write enough reviews to tip the system," he said. "The sheer number of travelers will outweigh that. The system will heal itself."
