Why You Should Stop Relying on Hotel Reviews When Booking Your Trip

Russian travelers have been warned not to put too much stock in online hotel reviews when making their reservations. Darya Abakumova, an expert with the package tour booking service OnlineTours, shared this advice in an interview with Lenta.ru.

According to Abakumova, the vast majority of guest feedback comes from people who had a bad experience. When a hotel meets expectations, guests rarely take the time to write a positive review. On top of that, everyone has different standards for comfort. “Reviews are always a subjective take from a specific person with their own expectations and past experiences,” she explained. “What feels like a disaster to one traveler might go completely unnoticed by another—or even be seen as a plus.”

She also pointed out that many booking platforms are plagued by “review farms.” Hotel owners buy positive ratings, while competitors pay for negative ones. As much as 15 percent of all feedback about a hotel could be fake.

Instead of relying on reviews, Abakumova suggests checking the date of the hotel’s last renovation, studying its location on a map, and paying attention to room size and the actual dimensions and number of beds.

In other travel news, experts recently named Minsk the most affordable foreign city for the May holidays. Round-trip flights to the Belarusian capital from May 1–11 start at about 8,900 rubles, with hotel rooms averaging around 6,800 rubles per night.