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Tripadvisor

tripadvisor.com
2.1

18 reviews

17%
5-star
17%
Positive
56%
1-star
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ReviewTerminal Summary

TripAdvisor receives a critically low 2.1/5 rating due to widespread complaints about billing errors, refund denials, poor customer service, and lack of accountability when platform issues occur.

What customers love

  • Knowledgeable and friendly tour guides who enhance experiences
  • Well-maintained facilities and good locations at some properties
  • Occasional excellent individual staff members who go above and beyond

Common concerns

  • Systematic billing failures including double charges, hidden fees, and unauthorized charges that customers struggle to get refunded
  • Non-responsive customer service that denies responsibility, applies rigid policies without exceptions, and leaves customers without resolution
  • Platform technical issues and booking errors that are not corrected or compensated, shifting full liability to customers
  • Lack of transparency in pricing and refund policies; failure to disclose additional fees at time of booking
  • Refusal to mediate between customers and service providers, leaving customers with no recourse for cancellations or errors
  • Suspected review manipulation and tolerance of fraudulent activity including blackmail by malicious reviewers

Customers mention

billing errorsrefund denialshidden feescustomer service failurebooking mistakesplatform bugs

Frequently mentioned

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Showing 18 reviews
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Frank
21 May 2026

I can’t believe trip advidor would keep our money!

I used trip advisor more times than I can remember and never had a problem. I guess that record had to end. I booked a sunset cruise in Charleston not knowing that my friend booked it. I boiked and cancelled the cruise on the same day of the ctuise. I was told by a representative that I lost the $222.00 because of a travel policy. The cruise company person also asked trip advisor to reimburse me. I am a disabled Vet on a fixed income and surprised that trip advisor would do this to a loyal customer.

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Glen Greenberg
20 May 2026

Booked a tour through Tripadvisor but…

Booked a tour through Tripadvisor but they made it for the wrong date which we did not realize until too late - so missed the tour (which was supposed to be scheduled the following week). They were not sympathetic or able to correct the error with the tour operator, instead stating just contact the tour people (who said it was against their policy to help out at this late date). So- double check everything Tripadvisor does and, better yet, don't use them.

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Ivo
19 May 2026

We booked a round-trip

We booked a round-trip, Boekarest. One day, 12 hours tour. Visit Bran (dracula), Brashov ans Peles castle. In the bus you could buy guided tickets for Peles castle, price 60 euros. Normal enterance is 20 ( without guide). 40 euro per person extra? The other bus where a friend of mine was, had to pay, 35 for guided tour Peles... same tour, same date, same organisation! Lots of time in the bus, not much time to visit Bran castle. Our busdriver, drove to hard, everywhere, went trough the red lights I wrote a review, this was last Sunday, and still not published.. Never again. Feels like a good tourist trap.

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Jakki Nelson
17 May 2026

Good times in a Segway

I booked an e-bike tour but ended up on a Segway, which is harder than it looks, especially in a historic city like Granada with uneven cobblestones, steep hills and high curbs. But so much fun and my guide, Feres,helped me learn. Touring the city was fun. We went up and saw great views. Fares told us a lot about the city. I recommend this tour. It was only two hours and a good bargain too!

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Jasmine Gibert
15 May 2026

Do not ever book a hotel through them!!!

Do not ever book a hotel through TripAdvisor!!! I paid in full upfront only to get to the hotel and then tell me I had not paid. I had to repay the hotel again!! Both payments came out of my checking account. I paid double!! It’s late ant night and I’m traveling to see my dying grandfather in the hospital. 30 minutes on the phone with trip advisor and I still don’t have a refund in my bank. Such a scam!!!!

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Laura Cruz
9 May 2026

Deceiving

I booked a room using Agoda for $56 per night as soon as I contacted customer service to confirm my reservation that was paid for I was told they would be collecting a $200 deposit and an additional $56 cleaning fee not including what I had just paid upon being notified that I told them I wanted to cancel. I was not expecting $256 on top of the room the website states no refunds however they are not transparent and they failed to post the additional fees. They refuse to refund me my money despite me calling them immediately I would never book with that site again. I even reached out to the actual hotel staff, they also refused to refund the money for a place I never stayed due to hidden fees that are not described on the page. No refund policy, however they are not transparent

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Cynthia Maxwell Mason
8 May 2026

Luggage Ground Hog Day.

In April I traveled on United Airlines to Greece. My bag never arrived. I spent hours daily responding to requests for forwarding the bag. My Apple Tag indicated my bag never left ORD Terminal 5. Ten days after departure after I had replaced necessary items I learned United was finally forwarding my bag. It arrived at our final hotel the night before we returned home. I was charged $211.01 to bring my unused luggage back home. United denies all responsibility stating international law requires the final local Greek airline to assume full responsibility for reimbursement. Those leading our trip did not know this. I did as the Tour Director and EF Tours instructed. I also filed with Blue Ribbon bag location services. They closed the case claiming luggage had been found. But not returned to me! I always knew where it was!!! Now I’m applying through insurance. I’ve spent hours daily. All I get are apologies for the inconvenience, no results. I see why people stuff carryon compartments full. Wow.

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Antony Brown
5 May 2026

Stayed at the Oceanview Resort for four…

Stayed at the Oceanview Resort for four nights last month. The location was fantastic, just steps from the beach with beautiful sunset views from our balcony. However, the room felt dated and could use some renovations. The air conditioning was loud and kept us awake the first night. Staff were friendly and helpful, especially Maria at the front desk who went out of her way to assist with dinner reservations. Breakfast buffet had good variety but food quality was inconsistent. Pool area was clean and well maintained. Overall decent value for the price point, though not exceptional.

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SNL
5 May 2026

Extreme use of AI

Extreme use of AI, and scripts that do not deal with problems and blindly follow "guidelines" when people are even doing illegal things like review manipulation and blackmail. Honestly, I would not trust TripAdvisor listings at all now. Go use GetYourGuide, Klook, Travy, I would even recommend Airbnb over TripAdvisor

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John Smith
5 May 2026

Promotes extortions and blackmail

This company collaborates with guests who commit extortion / blackmail to businesses refusing to takedown reviews that have been confirmed as such. Does not follow its own policies, and does not comply with EU regulations. No idea how this service is still alive without penalties from regulators. Recommendation to other businesses: never onboard yourself on this platform, there's no benefits but only headaches. Although the reply below seems very reassuring and claims they are on top of everything, i am a victim of extortion from malicious guests who use this platform to extort money from my business, and Tripadvisor gladly defends the criminal.

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Rita Chennault
4 May 2026

Le Bistronome Café * Restaurant in Caen

Le Bistronome Café * Restaurant in Caen A small café near the harbour among many others, but don’t be fooled. Our last day in the area so we decided to try something new and it certainly something we will not forget. The food was excellent and the service was super. From the moment we started, with just wine and beer and until we finished with a 2 course dinner, everything was just excellent. The only thing to regret, is that we did not have more time in the area so we could enjoy another meal in this charming café.

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judith labovitz
3 May 2026

Good food. But…..poor services

Good food. Not good service

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Мария Киризвас
3 May 2026

Platform bug cost me €140 — no accountability from Viator

Booked a tour via Viator, but encountered a serious platform issue. For several days, the “My bookings” section was not working, which made it impossible to review or manage my reservation. Because of this, I couldn’t correct a booking mistake or cancel in time. I provided clear evidence (including screenshots and console errors), but Viator refused any refund even after escalation, shifting responsibility to the tour operator. This is not a simple no-show — it’s a platform failure that directly prevented proper booking management. Be aware: if something breaks on their side, you may still be held fully responsible.

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Jamie Tucker
3 May 2026

I had an amazing girl's trip to…

I had an amazing girl's trip to Jamaica! We stayed at the Grand Palladium Resort, and everything was beautiful. The resort was clean, relaxing, and had such a great atmosphere. The food, entertainment, and overall experience made our trip so memorable. A special thank you to Damian Sterling, who was absolutely wonderful to us the entire trip. From picking us up to taking us around the resort, he made sure we were comfortable and taken care of every step of the way. His kindness, professionalism, and excellent customer service truly stood out. He definitely deserves 10 stars! Thank you for making our girls trip such an unforgettable experience. We can’t wait to come back!

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David Hargraves
1 May 2026

TripAdvisor is very poor

TripAdvisor is very poor. List things that are clearly not the best places to visit. 3 of the top10 for Bourgas, Bulgaria are airport transfers. The rest only expensive paid trips with tour agencies. Google brings up better results than TripAdvisor

Page 1 of 2 · 18 reviews

Tripadvisor — Review Summary

Based on 18 verified customer reviews, Tripadvisor holds an average rating of 2.1 out of 5 — rated Poor on ReviewTerminal. 17% of customers gave 4 or 5 stars.

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