Tripadvisor

I had an incredibly unpleasant encounter with Viator TripAdvisor, FlipKey, and Holiday Lettings recently. Despite making a reservation well in advance for one of the homes listed on their site, I fell victim to a fraudulent scheme. A month before our scheduled travel date, the supposed "owner" contacted me with a suspicious request to send money via Zelle payment. Recognizing the red flags, I immediately reached out to the TripAdvisor fraud department for assistance. After conducting an investigation, they confirmed that the listing was indeed fake.
As a result, our group found ourselves without accommodation for a trip that was just around the corner. To make matters worse, the area we were visiting was in high demand, causing prices to skyrocket since our original booking. Despite this unfortunate turn of events, TripAdvisor offered no compensation to help offset the price difference. Additionally, their efforts to find a suitable alternative that matched the original accommodation were lackluster at best.
This experience has shed light on the fact that TripAdvisor and its affiliated companies do very little to vet and verify the listings on their platform. The lack of oversight has created an environment where criminals can take advantage of unsuspecting customers, and it appears that TripAdvisor is turning a blind eye to these issues. Based on my personal experience, I strongly advise seeking alternative travel booking services that prioritize trustworthiness and reputation when planning future trips. It is crucial to avoid such atrocities.
In conclusion, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend TripAdvisor's services based on my recent encounter. The lack of accountability and the potential for fraudulent activities make it imperative to explore more reliable and reputable options for travel bookings.

Actually always found places recommended by Tripadvisor much worse and discovered by my self or another websites much better. Its just promoting big businesses and the rating stars are not reflecting the quality at all...

They don't check if the business that's listed is legit. They answer emails not for quality but quantity. They don't even read them. They approve businesses that don't have websites or any online presence. Just don't use them. Beware

I have noticed over the years that trip advisor seldom posts negative reviews. I have tried to post several three star reviews and they have been taken down or not been posted despite them being objective. My only conclusion is that there is a conflict of interest somewhere in their business model.

TripAdvisor is, without a doubt, a traveler's best friend in the digital age. This platform has transformed the way we explore the world, offering a wealth of information, reviews, and insights that enrich every travel experience. Having used TripAdvisor extensively, I can confidently say that it has become an indispensable tool for any globetrotter.

Why when you do a search does it give you an excursion 8 hours away?
Then Refuse to refund after you have to cancel it

I used TripAdvisor on my recent trip to Nashville, TN and they COMPLETELY misrepresented the Motel they recommended. They had to of weeded out the back reviews.
I wasn't able to arrive until bedtime. I have no choice but to stay the night. This Motel is absolutely unacceptable. I walk in the room and it smells like poop. I am not exaggerating. This room smelled like someone hid poop somewhere. There's no clock, no lamp, no outlets by the bed.
I had to go to Dollar General and buy 2 pillows and a blanket so I could sleep that night. So much for trying to save a bit of money and staying at a Motel. I feel as if you misrepresented this location immensely. This supposed Handicapped room has a bathtub with high sides that I cannot get into even if I wanted to. I am so upset. I have to sleep there because I can't possibly look around for another place at that late time. I left the next morning and I will not be using your website again.
When I woke up that morning, there were smooshed I don't know what kind of large bugs in several locations and pieces of the mattress on the floor like something had gathered them or was living in the mattress. I paid $83.86 PLUS your fees. This is unacceptable. You misrepresented this place.

Don't book through them. Drove 4 hours to only find out that the hotel canceled my reservation because trip advisor didn't send them my card information. I ended up having to pay an additional $300 so me and my children would have somewhere to lay our head. They did not try to compensate me one dime. The hotel blamed them and they blamed the hotel. Totally ruined our trip. Save yourself the trouble and don't book through them ever. Let's add that the room looks old outdated and dingy

It was a simple log-in problem but became a 24 hr work to solve with innumerable chats, calls, repetitions, checks...
Clearly a company which could not cope with the challenges automatation brings and which loads that incompetence onto their customers...Not useful is on top the use of exotic call-centers with bad english and worse connections...anyway: for those with enough time,there is always a solution, you just have to find it...

My husband and I traveled to Quintana Roo specifically for this experience. I am a teacher and teach about the Maya empire.

Our tour was confirmed for 6:00 am., and we arrived at 5:45 am to be safe,but nobody showed.

After many attempts to contact the tour operator, (the number listed in the booking was incorrect) he said they changed the pickup time to 5;30 am the day before travel, but he couldn't reach me because Viator/Trip Advisor had relayed to him the wrong country code and now it was too late to get us.

Trip Advisor/Viator has refused to refund the $318 we paid despite all of the printed and screen-captured evidence. After years of only booking through them for everything from Viking tours on Icelandic horses to Stockholm ferry-rides, this will be my last tour with this company. Can't express enough my disappointment that this company worth 200 million can't give a teacher the price of her no-show tour back. :(

Legacy Vacation Club, "Hilltop" in Steamboat Springs, CO has gone downhill over the years. For owners, there are high maintenance fees and yet, very little has been done to upgrade the rooms. The mattresses are poor in quality. The stove is so old one can not read the numbers on any of the dials. The carpets are stained and torn. There are no dishwashers. The rooms have not been updated regarding fire sprinklers. The sinks are slow to drain. If you are an owner, trying to find the time to vacation, it is very frustrating. Most dates they will tell you are booked and yet no one seems to be there. They save rooms for those traveling to Steamboat.
On the upside the staff is very friendly and helpful. They have some nice amenities, grills, weight room, and a swimming pool.
We have stayed our last time at Legacy Vacation Club. So many other available places to stay for the money.

Trip advisor is a worldwide platform that helps travellers who love travelling around the world know, get insights of new places to plan their next trips. It provides quality and good information in all areas right from culture, food, hotels, restaurants and everything travelers love to know.

When booking a tour in your app, I accidentally selected the wrong one. I contacted you immediately, literally within 1 minute. You refused to cancel without a 100% cancel fee, even though my intention was to cancel and book the correct one.
I understand that it was a late cancelation but it was also a late booking and the tour company would not have commenced any plans for my tour and were most likely not even aware of it within the few minutes it took between booking and cancelling! I feel it was very unreasonable and unfair, to not offer any type of leniency in this situation. Especially when your whole product is based around the customer using a self-serve app. This cost me $1500. I better not use you again in case I make a mistake, best to use an agency or book through hotels.Thats the message you're sending to customers when you don't provide any cooling off period for mistakes/errors. I mean- seriously- even a 10-20min window.

I recently purchased show tickets through TripAdvisor's subsidiary Viator. I mistakenly chose the wrong date - a week earlier than we would be in town. I did not realize this until after the original show date. I asked if I could transfer the reservation and was told I couldn't and was berated for not noticing within the policy 24-hour period. I understand policy and if I was trying to cancel it would be different - I still wanted the tickets, just on a different date. I don't recommend booking any entertainment through this site. Out the money and no show tickets.

Company allows fraudulent reviews to be posted under false identities and doesn't request any proof of visiting an establishment from the user (like sitejabber and trust pilot do - funny that?!). They instead request business owners to provide proof that the review is fake. In ordinary circumstances this would be impossible, but in this instance I was able to provide a crime reference number to prove that the particular individual was under investigation for stalking, harassment and common assault against me. Key things they were under investigation for, they had mentioned in their review which proved who it was written by. Despite this, Tripadvisor who works solely on corruption has chosen to leave the defamatory review up, and instead provide me with a postal address in the USA (when I'm in the UK) to appeal.

Additionally, they have no complaints department or process and multiple emails have been ignored by their incompetent CEO who's probably busy relaxing on Epsteins island.

Disgusting - avoid.

She wouldn't tell me anything and would be angry with me for no reason. Constantly on her phone and wouldn't let me even touch it.
Spyfix6 was basically my last clue.
When I got to her WhatsApp chats I broke in tears, my Wife was about to run away with this guy she had never met in real life.
Cannot thank Spyfix6 (at) gmail (dot) com enough.

Smartphone surveillance
Cheating Spouse.

This "community as they call it" consists of very rude people. They give their opinion on every word you say BUT answer the question you are asking! It's actually frustrating to post something on their forums.

Heard great things about this place but was very disappointed. Don't ask for more bread to start.frowned upon...felt very rushed.not even an hour into the experience. Appetizers were ok. Very small portions.my Sicilian mother-in-law sauce was better than the rigatoni I was served.Dessert was Zeppoli which they are known for.very heavy and dry. Not served warm.assistant to main waitress was not friendly.would not go back especially for the price we paid.so many other good restaurants in Collingswood.do your self a favor and skip Zeppoli.over rated for sure on the reviews I read prior to visiting the restaurant...their glory days are gone!

I am host on Tripadvisor.com.The poor level of customer service and delayed payments is astonishing.I have emailed, been calling them daily for at least two weeks because I haven't received a payment after a guest checked out(a week ago) but until today no progress.Yet if you refuse to host a guest they charge you USD180.
Apparently they have a finance department that no one can talk to or email directly.
Its an experience I wouldn't want anyone to go through.
I'm still waiting for the issue to be resolved.

Booked a hotel in August for a March stay through TripAdvisor. The Strand in Myrtle Beach cancelled one day before arrival because they are doing renovations to two buildings! Called Trip Advisor for help and they said they would call and try to work it out with the hotel and never called me back. No reason to book through their site when they aren't willing to help if there is a problem.

It gets frusterating when reviews are rejected, but that travel forum they have not only is stationed in North Korea, but it's owned by the same administrator that owns the city-data forum; Kim Jong-Chul. And like city-data, there is no freedom of speech and no respect for the First Amendment of the United States Constitution on the Tripadvisor travel forum. And the reason is simple; North Korea is a totalitarian dictatorship. There is no freedom of speech in North Korea. Saying that the Kim Dynasty did something wrong gets people publicly executed in North Korea. Reviews are checked by a moderator before they are posted, and even true reviews get rejected, giving another feeling like the entire Tripadvisor site may in fact be stationed in Pyongyang. And like on city-data, if they don't like your forum posts or your reviews, they permanently disable your Tripadvisor account. They also enforce a zero tolerance policy for shared IP addresses on the forum, especially school and library IPs, and they never, ever allow anyone to post from a school or library IP; that will get your account immediately and permanently disabled, including if you log in on a school, college, or library computer.

I assume it is good since you are associated with them; you seem good. I have never used travel agencies, only church related groups or organizations like CIE Tours. I notice other reviews; take a look at them.

Tripadvisor.com forums consist of volunteers from the online public. Therefore, one will find an array of characters and personalities. Some are scammers pushing their wares. Others (the majority) are fellow travelers. However, there are some specific forums (e.g. Paris) that consist of regulars (some residents of that particular city/country) and they can be absolutely rude and nasty. What is very frustrating and galling is when people get their posts deleted arbitrarily by other forum members. That's legitimate if the posts were indeed inflammatory or 'inappropriate' (Tripadvisor's term). But what's happening more and more nowadays is that some of these forum posters, who have a personal dislike towards other forum posters, report innocent posts as being 'inappropriate'. There is no way to prove that is happening other than what you witness yourself. Don't even bother arguing your point with the Tripadvisor personnel as they could care less.

In short, Tripadvisor may be a good way to learn about traveling. But you need to keep in mind that there are quite very nasty, negative types who are there day and night hoping to make things difficult for others.