3 rules for spotting fake hotel guest reviews

Boutique hotels that feel like home + Oklahoma's most design-savvy hoteliers show me their city.

Jan 12, 2026

Hi (HAP)pers,

I’m writing today’s newsletter from The Manor Hotel in Delhi’s New Friends Colony—a hidden gem in India’s capital city with just 14 keys that doesn’t feel like a hotel at all. Think less front desk, more staying at your impossibly chic friend's private residence—the kind where every room could be in Architectural Digest India, but nothing screams for attention. It's all restrained elegance: a manicured lawn, crisp white buildings with clean lines, a rectangular lobby anchored by an impressive entrance, and floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with light.

Speaking of hotels that feel like actual homes (forewarning: this is very subjective)—I’ve rounded up some of my favorite stays that genuinely felt like crashing at a friend’s place. This is just a handful from the past few years, but they’re the ones that really stuck with me.

Ett Hem (Stockholm, Sweden) - Breakfast here feels like you’re in your Swedish friend’s minimalist kitchen, and somehow they have every ingredient you could want.
Orli La Jolla (La Jolla, CA) - A 13-key home-turned-inn near my hometown. Spanish Colonial-style exterior, outdoor furniture for chats, and a layout that includes something similar to a backyard. It’s a short walk from the beach.
Commodore Perry Estate (Austin, TX) - Refurbished by Ken Fulk, who’s an absolute genius when it comes to interior design. A historic estate is at its nucleus.
The Rohet House (Jodhpur, India) - The family still lives on the property. Lush gardens, Rajasthani-tinged furnishings, and service that exhibits why Indian hospitality outperforms.
The Chloe (New Orleans, LA) - Alligator door handles and a classic Victorian exterior housing 14 rooms. The front porch will charm you, no doubt.
Domaine de Fontenille (Lauris, France) - A French mansion from 1638 tucked into Provence’s untamed landscape.
Relais La Corte dei Papi (Cortona, Italy) - A beautifully restored 1700s farmhouse estate in Tuscany.

Commodore Perry Estate, Relais La Corte dei Papi

For the Comments Section 💬

What’s one hotel you’ve stayed at that felt like a friend or relative’s home?
What elements make a hotel feel like a home?

How to Spot Fake Hotel Guest Reviews, According to Moi

Look, I’d love for every boutique hotel worth staying at to have a review on HAP. But let’s be real—I’m running an independent publication, not Condé Nast. Our HAP Collection features hundreds of boutique hotels personally visited, reviewed, and approved by our credentialed travel journalists, but there’s still a world of hotels we haven’t gotten to yet. So if a hotel isn’t on one of my go-to curated sites—Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Tablet, Design Hotels, and a few others—I might find myself scrolling through guest reviews on Expedia or TripAdvisor. And here’s where things get tricky: fake reviews are everywhere. (I’m talking guest reviews here, not editorial ones—spotting fake editorial content is a whole different skill, which I’ll save for another newsletter.) Anyway, humble flex, I can spot a fake customer review in about two seconds. So I’m sharing my three-pronged red flag guide to help you do the same, because the last thing you want is to book a stay based on fake guest feedback.

1st red flag: Language that sounds like a TV commercial

If a guest review sounds like a commercial—you know, stuffed with words like “world-class” and “state-of-the-art” and just drowning in exclamation points—it’s totally suspicious. As someone who has worked in the industry for quite some time now, I can confidently tell you that any Booking.com review declaring how the hotel is “disrupting luxury travel” was most likely written by the owner or the marketing/PR team.

2nd red flag: Photos that don’t look imperfect

Here’s the thing about @John658 from Chicago: he supposedly stayed at this hotel, but his profile is completely bare—no other reviews, no Instagram link, no photography portfolio. Yet somehow, the photos accompanying his review look like they came straight out of a marketing brochure. If he were a real guest who bothered to snap some photos, you’d expect to see the usual imperfections. Maybe the shot’s a little crooked. A pillow is askew on the lobby couch. The front desk photo would show actual people—not everyone grinning with suspiciously perfect teeth, flawlessly positioned clothing, and magazine-worthy jawlines captured in portrait mode. You know, the kind of staged perfection you see in those airport ads for Hilton’s latest rewards program or a Disney resort. But nope. John658’s photos look too good. No watermark, no photographer credits, nothing connecting them to an actual person who was actually there. Just stock-photo-level perfection that screams “borrowed from the hotel’s marketing materials.

3rd red flag: Inconsistency

Intuition all the way. If there’s one five-star review surrounded by terrible ones, or one angry review when everything else is positive, that outlier is worth questioning. Sure, people have different experiences, but when something stands out that dramatically, your hunch about its mysterious inconsistency is probably correct.

Show Me Your City: Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City might just be the Great Plains’ most exciting city, from its burgeoning art gallery scene to its medley of lauded restaurants. Meet Bradford House, the Great Plains’ only member of Design Hotels. The historic, 35-key former home feels anything but sleepy—wrapped in eclectic, world-minded design that layers global antiques, saturated color, London townhome polish, and Scandinavian restraint into one effortlessly cool whole. I sat down with founders Sarah Kate and Jason Little to talk about their pride and joy, the quirks that give Oklahoma City its character, and exactly where they’d take me if I came to town. Here’s what they had to say.

All the Places They’d Take Me in OKC //

Where should I eat?

Cafe Kacao – Latin restaurant and go-to spot for a celebratory breakfast.
Sedalia’s – Seafood & oyster eatery known for adventurous, thoughtful meals.

Where should I drink?

Later Bye – A favorite stop for cocktails.
Powerhouse – Ideal for an afternoon of Hatch Chile Margaritas.

What’s an independent shop I should check out?

Monopole Wine – The place to find a bottle of something interesting.

Where should I read?

Commonplace Books – Perfect for wandering the stacks.

Where should I visit?

Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center – A constant source of creative inspiration.
Oklahoma Museum of Art – Loved for film screenings and cultural programming.

Where should I party?

Resonant Head – Always delivers when live music is calling.
Sedalia's, Resonant Head

What makes OKC underrated?

“Oklahoma City feels quietly electric right now. There’s a real cultural renaissance happening here, but it still flies under the radar in the best way. The city has grown into itself without losing its ease. There are vibrant historic neighborhoods, distinct districts with their own rhythms, a world-class basketball team, and an art scene that feels deeply rooted and genuinely supported. What surprises people most, though, is the food. The culinary scene has absolutely blossomed—James Beard-recognized chefs, thoughtful local restaurants, and an incredible range of international cuisines that feel personal and community-driven, not trend-chasing. It’s the kind of place where you can feel the pride people take in what they’re building together. And maybe that’s what makes OKC so underrated. There’s a warmth here—a sense of belonging, creativity, and Midwestern generosity that’s increasingly rare in larger cities. It’s a place that welcomes you in and lets you stay awhile.”

Where’s a place that doesn’t look Instagram-worthy but has a line of people who know?

“Nic’s Grill. It’s small, a little worn, and absolutely unapologetic about it. You’ll stand outside, wait your turn, and feel like you’re participating in a long-running local ritual to have one of the city’s most well-known burgers.”

What do people get wrong about OKC without having visited?

“People tend to assume Oklahoma City is one-note, when in reality it’s layered and full of nuance. There’s a perception that it’s either purely rural or purely conservative, or that there’s “not much happening.” But that isn’t true. What they miss is the creativity here. The artists, designers, chefs, and small business owners who are building something thoughtful and forward-looking often without needing outside validation. They miss the beauty of the neighborhoods, the depth of the cultural institutions, and the way history and progress sit side by side. And maybe most of all, people underestimate how it feels to be here. There’s a kindness that’s hard to explain until you experience it. OKC isn’t trying to be anywhere else. It’s comfortable in its own skin, and that confidence is what makes it special.”

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