Is it better to listen to hotel reviews with lower stars but more reviews or higher stars with less reviews?

I would think the one with more reviews. I mean 4 stars is stir good, right? And it’s been rated more. Sorry I don’t know about hotels but I think that makes sense.

In your case I’d go with the one with more reviews.

Hey, these 4 star people may have not liked the way they hung the toilet paper in the bathroom. From experience, I have stayed in 2 star hotels that were equal or just as good as 4 or 5 star hotels.

Go with a 4 star. You will be happy.

Whoops- I made a mistake with my phrasing. Both these hotels are 3 star hotels. But one was rated by reviewers with 4 stars (or thumbs ups) and the other with 5 stars. There were 100 reviewers that gave the hotel 4 thumbs ups versus only 10 reviewers who gave the other hotel 5 thumbs ups.

2nd Answer, I have stayed at the Amerigo Hotel in Evanston, Indiana many times. Its rated as a 3 star hotel, but should have a 4 or 5 star rating. Its gorgeous inside and I have never stayed at a hotel that a televisons in the bathrooms and a shower that made you feel like you were in a car wash. I give the Amerigo Hotel a 5-star rating. Now, see how easy that review was?

Go with the one with more reviews. You never know if the owners/operators went out and reviewed their own place, so the more reviews will be more telling of actual users.

Between and four-star and five-star hotel, I’d go with the four star with more reviews.

The “official” star rating has to do with what amenities the hotels offer; so if they’re both three-star hotels, it means they have the same amenities. The reviewer’s ratings refer to personal experience and has nothing to do with the “official” star rating. So if the choice is between two hotels that present themselves as being roughly equal, I would go with the one that has a consistent record of leaving people satisfied (the one with 100 reviews) than the one that has only inspired a few really good responses (the one with 10 reviews).

I look at the bad reviews, what someone hated about the property, and see if the same negative is mentioned more than once. I also look to see if within the reviews people mention if they travel a lot and what hotels they tend to stay in. If the 10 reviews are for a boutique smaller hotel that might explain fewer people reviewing it. The 100 reviews are more likely to be accurate over time though. I use tripadvisor for reviews and have been generally happy with my choices. I also tend to stick with Marriott properties as much as possible, almost always happy with cleanliness and triple sheeted beds, and I really look at the photos provided on the hotel website.

Go by actual typed out reviews more than the simple rating system.

If the internet has proved anything, is that people are idiots that can’t properly use a rating system without extreme prejudice. Look at youtube, amazon, or Apples iTunes store. They are all kneejerk reactions.

The person who took the time out to document their experience is infinitely more useful.

I agree with sinscriven, reading the comments behind the reviews helps me in making my decision. I have read some people’s negative comments ratings are due to the fact that the multi-story hotel building made it hard to sunbathe poolside before noon or other things that really aren’t deal breakers for me. I rarely regret my choice when looking at all the info.

The one with the most reviews is probably best – be sure to notice the dates of the reviews, most hotels up grade every few years so reviews from three years ago won’t help that much.

More reviews is always my guide. I always have a read through them too and see if they are all complaining about the same sort of things. It is hard to say a hotel or restaurant is terrible or great if you are basing it on a handful of reviews over a long period of time.

It is always better to go by the negative reviews. About what and how often do people complain.
The positive reviewers all work for the hotel.