Using Trip Advisor can be super helpful for information and filtering.
But beware the limitations of the pricing and booking process for large families and groups.
Use it for research, feedback, shortlisting but look elsewhere for booking.
Here’s the Pros and Cons:
1. Big Plus: Analysis of Reviews
TripAdvisor is great for the breadth of reviews visible.
This provides a really fantastic insight into where you are looking to stay.
It is also possible to filter the reviews to make them more relevant to you – filter by Family, and the time of year if you know when you want to go.
This gives you relevant reviews from similar size parties.
Check out the reviews but use the tick-box filters to match your likely experience.
2. Big Plus: Search Filters
Using the Style filter on the left-hand side once you have done your initial search.
This gives you the option to search by Family-Friendly
This will immediately remove any adults only and other unsuitable hotels.
You can also use this to filter in other ways, for example budget and use the Amenities filter if there is something you definitely want included like a swimming pool.
Efficient use of the filters gets you a shortlist quicker!
3. Hidden Benefit of the Search box
The free text search box can be great for looking for the type of rooming that you want.
Examples to try here are interconnecting rooms, family suites, 2-bedroom suites.
Put these together with the location, for example interconnecting rooms in New York.
Now this searches reviews for these keywords so it’s not a search availability. but it can give you a great insight into whether these room types are an option and feedback on them that is very specific to your requirements.
4. What not to rely on: Availability and Pricing
The more adults and children you add to the guests section the less reliable the outcome in terms of pricing.
This is because TripAdvisor has to make compromises to pull information from multiple providers, so it is not as accurate for larger groups.
Watch for TripAdvisor automatically increasing the number of rooms in search once you get over a certain number of guests – it varies but can be as low as 3 adults.
Pricing is less reliable, or certain room types may not be included in the TripAdvisor search.
TripAdvisor is fantastic for reviews and filtering, and writing specific free text in the search tab to get insight into the type of rooms available. But once you have the shortlist other ways to book will give you a wider range of online room availability, for example the hotel or hotel group direct or use the more large family/group friendly booking.com interface.
