TripAdvisor Hotel Booking
4.9
5.9
Overall Score
Author: Kalicia Bateman
LAST UPDATED: January 30th, 2021
The Good
- Unique features
- Reviews
- Traveler's choice
- Mobile app
Unique Features
Trip Advisor does more than allow users to filter through and book hotel rooms. Trip Advisor is a great tool for finding flights, hotels, and other travel services. Each month, TripAdvisor helps millions of people as they search, review, or book travel accommodations. Their platform pulls pricing information from thousands of travel sites and hotel platforms to provide travelers with the most up-to-date information. Each travel agency offers unique features that benefit travelers as they book their upcoming trip. In addition to having the ability to book flights, hotels, and other vacation rental necessities, Trip Advisor also provides their users with the following capabilities:- Read Reviews - travelers who have stayed in a hotel, eaten at a local restaurant, or visited a destination attraction write reviews to inform other travelers and help alleviate the guessing game associated with booking accommodations without ever having visited before
- Compare Prices - compare the fares and rates of thousands of accommodations all with one search
- Travel Community - through the travel forum, prospective travelers are able to ask questions to those who have already visited their desired destination and receive tips and advice
Reviews
The review aspect of their business model is one of the most intriguing features TripAdvisor has to offer to travelers. As of right now, TripAdvisor has over 350 million reviews covering more than 6.5 million accommodations. These accommodations range from hotels, to restaurants, to travel attractions and provide travelers with a more complete picture of what their experience may be like.Traveler's Choice
Traveler's Choice is also a resource that is unique to TripAdvisor. Travelers can browse the year's top hotels, destinations, beaches, etc. based on user reviews. This list comes out each year, and travelers can look at the winners of the past as well. This tool allows travelers to find popular destinations and attractions that they may not have necessarily known about otherwise.Mobile App
Another product TripAdvisor makes available to travelers at no cost is their mobile app. The TripAdvisor app is available on both mobile devices and tablets. It comes with a number of services that can benefit almost any traveler, including:- SeatGuru: this feature includes seat maps, flight search, and flight status updates
- GateGuru: this features includes airport maps, stores, tips, weather and flight status
- TheFork: this feature allows travelers to book reservations at the best restaurants
The Bad
- Tools and resources
- Limitations of rewards
Tools and Resources
TripAdvisor offers the most complete user review system, and as such, their travel booking side of things does not include as many tools or resources as other booking sites. Other online platforms incorporate TripAdvisor reviews, but the technology that makes up the TripAdvisor data is not necessarily innovative.Limitations of Rewards
While TripAdvisor does have their own rewards program, it does come with some limitations travelers should be aware of. For example, a number of travel agencies will offer a dollar for dollar rewards system that helps travelers save on hotel rooms and other attractions. TripAdvisor's rewards program is a bit more restrictive in that it requires the following:- Book a trip on TripAdvisor to get first promo code
- Code will save traveler 20% ($250 spend = $50 off, $500+ spend = $100 off, $1,000 spend = $200 off)
- The day after the trip is booked, an email will be send with instructions on how to redeem the bonus on vacation activities
The Bottom Line
- Top travel destinations with thousands of hotel options
- Fast and easy booking for flights, hotels, rental cars, etc
- Packages available for bundle booking
- Reviews on millions of accommodations
- Mobile app to help organize and plan trip
- Limited rewards bonuses
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Kari Staheli
I love using Tripadvisor when I plan my trips. I always go to the reviews that others have posted about their experience with a certain hotel/attraction/ect.. and it helps decide which options would be best. I always chack tripadvisor before I book anything.
9 years ago
