A recent article in USA Today, "How can you tell which TripAdvisor reviews to trust?", offers some of the same specific strategies that we use when checking out hotels and restaurants on "the world's most popular travel site."
We do look for places that are high in the ratings but we don't worry too much about who's in the Number 1 spot. Some of the rankings are hard to fathom but the article claims that they're based at least in part on the number of recent reviews.
A visit to any establishment with fewer than 10-20 reviews is a complete risk that may pay off... or not. We throw out the highest and lowest reviews, and we look for general themes in the contents, whether positive or negative.
One point the article doesn't mention: Maybe it's because we're retired teachers, but any review that's poorly written or full of spelling errors loses credibility with us. For the same reason, when writing the very occasional review ourselves, we proof read to make sure we're not making any obvious misteaks.
Whenever possible, we'll also check out other sites for reviews and comments, but there's no question that "40 million reviews and opinions, most of them directed at 450,000 lodgings worldwide," leads us to peruse TA regularly.
Incidentally, A British outfit is threatening to sue TA for "defamatory comments" on behalf of a number of tourist establishments and it will certainly be interesting to see how that unfolds.
Kathy and Brian
Two retired educators alternating joyfully between seeing the world and enjoying our eight grandchildren (in order of birth), Jake, Avery, Taegan, Lily, Peyton, Riley, Blane, and Jace.
Kathy and Brian met in the clarinet section of the University of California (Santa Barbara) Symphony Orchestra several decades ago.
Brian's Western Canadian roots and Kathy's Colorado ties resulted in their making beautiful music together along with producing a cross-border crop of descendants.
Kathy spent a year studying in Vienna at the Institute for European Studies and the University of Vienna.
Brian started the school band program in Hope, British Columbia, and later became the high school's vice-principal for 6 years and subsequently principal for 15 years before retiring in 2001.
Kathy, in between raising our three children, taught kindergarten and first grade, middle school, and high school - mathematics, computer studies, ESL, and her first love, band, before retiring in 2001.
We enjoy sharing our travel experiences and providing the odd travel tip to friends, relatives, and visitors.