🏨 Avoid being catfished....


Hey there Reader,

No I am not talking about catfishing and dating.....because that's a whoIe other kettle of fish!

I'm talking about hotels, and accommodations.

You know those gorgeous photos of sun filtering through the most beautiful rooms and resort. Taken by professional photographers, and uploaded to the various popular booking sites.

The one's that lure you in, inviting you to take the vacation of your dreams with your hard earned money. Only to find that once you get there, it's definitely not the 4 star property you thought you were getting. Or worse, it doesn't even exist.

Like this tweet I found through one of the other travel newsletters I read, The Navigator, which made me chuckle.

Sometimes you gotta laugh, when you really wanna cry.

After 4 months of travelling, and using a variety of our favorite booking sites to book our accommodations here are a few ways we avoid being catfished by hotels etc:

  • Check multiple review sites, but take them with a grain of salt: I always check reviews from multiple sites Booking.com​, Expedia, Agoda, Trip Advisor, Google etc. I find Trip Advisor often has more comprehensive reviews than the booking sites. I look at the most recent, and the more negative ratings first. But also realize each person reviewing has their own agenda, and needs, so they may not have the whole picture you are looking for.

  • Look for reviews with recent photos: This can give you an idea of how things look now, not when they opened in 1985. Recent YouTube videos are also helpful.

  • Only book through reputable booking sites, a travel agent or directly with the hotel / resort: I know this is no guarantee, as some sites or travel agents aren’t as easy to deal with or aren’t as diligent or scrupulous as others, but it does afford some protection.

  • Ask friends, family or Facebook travel groups for recommendations: Recommendations can go a long way, especially if you can get the personal contact info for a great villa / condo / vacation rental someone personally stayed in.

If it does happen to you, try not to let it ruin your whole trip. See if there is a way to get some compensation, a move to a partner hotel or different room, or if you can swing it, book a completely different place and make the best of things.

I get it, it's frustrating when a place doesn't live up to the price or expectations.

We recently stayed at a fancy resort in Boracay for our daughter’s birthday, as a treat. The first night was lovely, great room, awesome amenities until we noticed an electrical burning smell from the AC.

The staff moved us quickly, but what should’ve been a simple switch turned into a 3.5-hour ordeal. They shuffled us through smaller rooms, one with just a cot for our daughter, and even stuck us in a loud, chaotic building. Eventually after I repeatedly advocated for a better room, we landed in a much bigger room back in our original building, though it still didn’t compare to our first.

I was pretty mad at wasting all that time, when we only had a few days on the island. But after a good vent to my partner, I decided to let it go, as I didn’t want it to ruin our girl's special island birthday. An experience that I am sure we'll talk about in years to come.

Well that's all for today's lovelies.

If you have any more tips for ways to avoid getting catfished by hotels, hit reply and let me know.

Journey On,

Donna

P.S. This Snorkelling & Sunset Cruise we took in Boracay was super fun.

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Packed for Life | Family Travel

An ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with my family. I give families the tools to experience the joys of travelling, no matter your budget. Through quick, practical solutions. Join me if you'd like to make more memories confidently travelling with your kids, without straining your finances, going into debt, or feeling like you'd have to sell off a kidney to fund your next vacation.

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