That glowing five-star hotel review might not have been written by a guest at all. As AI-generated reviews flood travel sites, more customers are getting fooled, but a few simple checks can help you tell real feedback from fake.
Advertisement
In 2025, more than 20% of luxury hotel reviews were found to be AI-generated, more than double the rate in 2022. These reviews, which were skewed to the positive, are one of several AI-assisted efforts to entice customers, including altering photos, seeding fake discussion threads, and burying negative feedback.
It takes some serious detective work to spot these fake reviews, but there are telltale signs you can look for before booking that hotel.
Person booking a hotel online | Source: Pexels
Too polished writing. You’ll know it’s AI-generated when the writing is almost too perfect, relying on generic, overly smooth praise like “excellent service.” Authentic reviews are often imperfect and more detailed. "Real people mention staff names or specific, messy details,” Scott Dylan, founder of an AI venture capital company in Mountain View, California, told USA Today.
Advertisement
It’s not just the writing but the rating too. Kishore Bitra, who shared his story about how he discovered a fake hotel review, also suggests 1-star and 5-star reviews are likely fake. “The 3-star review is usually written by a rational human being who actually stayed there,” he said.
A person reading online comments | Source: Pexels
Clustered reviews. When the reviews appear clustered, with suspicious timing, there’s a big possibility they’re AI-generated. Real reviews may appear in small doses, over weeks or months. So if you see a series of glowing reviews posted in succession, that’s a red flag.
Repeated errors. Because AI bots don’t recognize their own errors, they will repeat them again and again. Nicky Zhu, a product manager for an AI accessory company in Colorado, recalled seeing a series of reviews for a beachfront resort mentioning a restaurant that’s been closed for a couple of years. A real person wouldn’t have made that mistake, according to Zhu.
Advertisement
Person viewing images online | Source: Pexels
Apart from these signs in the text, photos can also speak volumes. Look for inconsistencies like unnatural shadows or misplaced furniture, since AI is notorious for generating strange images.
The next time you book a hotel online and chance upon the review section, make sure you bring your keen eye and look for key signs of an AI imprint.
Advertisement