From misleading photos to shoddy facilities and poor service, a bad hotel can make a nightmare of your dream vacation. Here are 10 red flags to help you spot a bad hotel and tips for ensuring you’ve chosen the right place to stay.
10. Generic or Fake-Looking Photos
Look for “stock photos” that may not be the actual room. This is evident when the description doesn’t match what’s in the photo. Also look for photos that might be edited, such as lenses that stretch the image to make a space appear larger than it is or enhanced colors. Check travel review sites for photos taken by actual guests.
9. Key Photos Are Missing
When a hotel’s website only shows the exterior of the building — especially for an all-inclusive resort or one offering extra amenities — that’s a problem. Also, look for room photos that don’t show everything – that can be problematic too. If the hotel isn’t showing enough, look for travel sites where actual former guests have posted their own photos.
8. Common Areas Appear Poorly Maintained in Photos
Sometimes those dark photos on hotel websites are done intentionally. Dark lighting can hide a multitude of details such as stained or frayed carpeting, worn-out furnishings, and more. Look for dirty or poorly maintained amenities, like a cloudy or out-of-service pool. If they aren’t caring for these areas, they likely aren’t taking care of the guest rooms either.
7. The Good Reviews Are Pretty Old
The date of the review can be just as important as the review itself. Old reviews don’t tell you what’s happening now. Few new reviews and reviews that are over six months old can be a red flag indicating something has changed. The lack of new reviews could indicate that people aren’t staying there as often. Why not?
6. Hotel Has Late Check-In and Early Check-Out
If you have a long flight or drive and need to rest afterward, there’s nothing worse than finding out you can’t check in until the afternoon. Some hotels combine this with an early checkout time of 10 or 11 AM. That means you’re paying big bucks to occupy a room for only 15-16 hours. Early checkouts are annoying and inconvenient.
5. The Beds Don’t Look Comfortable
When you take a look at the bedroom photos of a hotel, scrutinize for fine details. Don’t trust that “perfect” photo the hotel put on their website. Go to travel sites and look at photos taken and posted by former guests. Does the mattress sag? Are the pillows pancake-flat? Nothing ruins a vacation like poor sleep.
4. Price Seems too Good to Be True
Never forget the adage: “If it looks too good to be true it probably is.” That goes for hotel prices. Many hotels use dynamic prices, which drop prices when demand is low. But is demand low at that hotel all the time? Why? Are they renovating and your stay will be a noisy one? Do some research.
3. Ongoing Construction or Renovations
To find out if the hotel is doing renovations or has ongoing construction, Google Maps, particularly Street View, can be your friend here. Look for signs of scaffolding or other construction work. If there is work going on, you could experience early wake-ups and day-long noise. Ask for a required room farther away from the work if possible.
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2. A Stingy Breakfast
With the pandemic behind us, many hotels have resumed offering free (Continental) breakfasts. If consuming a hotel breakfast is your plan, find out just how much breakfast that entails. Some hotels have very stingy offerings. If you want more of a breakfast, you may consider switching hotels or plan on ordering delivery or ensuring there is a nearby restaurant.
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1. Sketchy Payment and Refund Policies
Be cautious of hotels with payment and cancellation policies that are far more rigid than their competitors. It can be a sign of an untrustworthy business. While it’s common for a credit card to reserve a room, it’s less common to be charged for part or all of your stay upfront. Be wary of no cancellation and no refund policies.
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