We arrived at our hotel on Maui, took in the scenic views and warm breeze, and went to our hotel room. That’s when the bump came in our trip. It’s an understatement to say the photos that were on the hotel’s website poorly represented the room we were standing in at that moment. The room was so small that my husband whacked his toe on the dresser leg and broke his toe the first night!

Because we were in our hotel room only to sleep, it didn’t impact our relaxing trip of seeing the whales, the beaches, playing golf in the mountains, and eating scrumptious food. But, if we had dreamed of sitting in our room, relaxing and looking out at the ocean, we would have had to find another hotel room, if one was available.

That trip was a few years ago. Now we know there are websites that can help you determine the fake photos. One such website is www.oyster.com. This site has investigators who take pictures and review the hotels, as well as post customer reviews.

Also, www.tripadvisor.com is a website where travelers post their own pictures of resorts and hotels. In other words, you see photos not taken by professional photographers or pictures that have been photo shopped. You see the real thing.

On this website you can see how the hotel is rated on value, location, sleep quality, rooms, cleanliness and service. There are reviews from travelers going into great detail about the experience. You can also check out restaurants and things to do in that area.

Before making reservations for a hotel that is unknown to you, check their BBB rating and BBB Business Review, if the hotel is located in the United States or Canada. Ask friends where they have stayed. There are also good guide books that have tips on hotels.

Don’t end up like one blogger thinking they were staying on the beach only to find out the hotel was separated by a large parking lot and a loud busy street.

Do you have any tips?