For the longest time, we have been relying on third party review sites to check and see other traveler’s experiences with a particular product or service. Websites, such as TripAdvisor, Yelp, HungryGoWhere, HardwareZone, etc., have thrived because thousands of customers visit their site and exchange thoughts as well as their experiences with one another.
One of the most popular online review sites is, of course, TripAdvisor. For those unfamiliar with TripAdvisor, it is a hotel reservation and review travel site with hundreds of thousands of reviews from avid travelers all over the world. This leader in the pool of online hotel review sites has long been around and that could be the contributing factor to the absence of new features in the website.
Here are three things we wished hotel review sites offer.
Rating of the Hotel’s Internet Speed
While I was browsing the TripAdvisors of the world, it suddenly occurred to me: why don’t they rate the hotel’s Internet speed? After all, this is becoming an increasingly important factor in my hotel choices.
Most hotels around the world now offer WiFi and Internet services to their guests. As we continue to advance in this highly technological world where the Internet powers most of our daily activities, from our scheduling; checking out the nearest eatery; finding the best prices for local attractions; or even contacting our loved ones, the speed of the Internet plays an important role in providing hotel guests with a pleasant experience.
It would, therefore, be extremely helpful if the hotels’ Internet speed are rated by the hotels themselves or reviewed by their guests.
Also read: Travel often? Packnada is your cool overseas wardrobe that packs itself!
Rating of the Average Check-In/Check-Out Duration
Another useful item that should be reviewed and rated by the TripAdvisors of the world is the average check-in/check-out duration. This is also another important factor which influences my hotel choices.
There are some hotel concierges that have terrible customer service and their inefficiency cause long waiting time at the counter.
While the check-in/check-out duration, including waiting time, might vary according to season, it would be good to have a rough estimation of the total waiting time to be checked in or out of the hotel. This would allow for additional time to be buffered and allocated for, so that the time spent waiting for the check-in or check-out is minimized.
Integration with Airport Transportation
Another improvement that would be a good addition to the TripAdvisors of the world is to be integrated with taxi booking apps or even with Uber, the private chauffeur app which is currently available in more than one hundred cities in the world. As travelers travel around from one place to another and one hotel to another, we need taxis or drivers to chauffeur us around. Taxi booking apps or Uber would be perfect to complete this experience.
A seamless booking experience would therefore look like this: Once you are done selecting and booking your hotel, before you check out, there should be an option for guests to enter the account details of their taxi booking app or their Uber app. The taxi or Uber driver would then be notified of your travel trip and pick you up from the airport.
If these three items are included on hotel review or reservation sites, they would definitely add on to the overall experience of a traveler.
Also read: Hotel booking through Twitter? Loews Hotel is the first to lead the pack
