A recent investigation by consumer campaign group Which? has uncovered a disturbing trend in AI-generated hotel summaries on Tripadvisor. The reviews, designed to help travellers choose their next destination, consistently downplay serious complaints from guests, including allegations of sexual harassment, food poisoning, and poor hygiene.
One shocking example highlighted by the investigation involves the Riu Palace Santa Maria in Cape Verde. Despite a High Court lawsuit by hundreds of guests alleging illnesses linked to poor hygiene and food safety, the AI summary initially described the resort as having 'spotless cleanliness' and 'diverse restaurants' earning 'rave reviews'. Customer reviews told a different story, with reports of raw chicken, flies on the buffet, and even 'dead little roasted mice by the sitting area'. The AI-generated review for this hotel is no longer available.
Further findings included an AI summary praising a Dominican Republic hotel's 'abundant' amenities while glossing over 'inconsistent' cleanliness and 'maintenance issues', which guests had reported due to dry mains taps and widespread illness. In Turkey, an AI summary described service as 'friendly' for a hotel where guests felt unsafe due to repeated sexual harassment from male staff.
Tripadvisor has responded by stating it is refining its AI tool and investigating specific examples where summaries did not accurately reflect property feedback. The company maintains that these features are delivering their intended purpose: helping travellers quickly grasp the breadth of feedback while encouraging them to explore full reviews. They also emphasised that AI summaries do not replace individual traveller reviews, assuming customers will use common sense to cross-reference AI advice with user contributions.
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland urged caution, advising users to bypass these AI summaries and focus on reading guest reviews, particularly one-star ratings, and consulting other travel sites. Professor Duncan Brumby from University College London suggested this issue aligns with his research indicating AI's tendency to 'sanitise and rub off the edges' of sharper criticisms.
For holidaymakers planning their next trip, experts are warning against solely relying on AI-generated summaries. Delving into individual guest reviews, paying close attention to negative feedback, and cross-referencing with other travel sites is crucial for making informed decisions.