At the Hotel Amsterdam in Earls Court, we’re thrilled to see so many of our new guests and regular visitors alike leaving us glowing reviews on top travel review sites such as TripAdvisor.

That said, we’re also just as happy when you use these kind of platforms to tell us what we could be doing better. By doing so, you give us a great opportunity to listen to your feedback and continue to make the service we provide the best in West London.

Still, TripAdvisor and the like aren’t only useful for us in the hotel industry. When it comes to booking a place to stay for your next trip to London, consumer review sites can play a big part in helping you choose the perfect hotel.

How? Here’s just a few ways you can use websites like TripAdvisor to help you out when booking your next London hotel.

Find those hidden gems

Head to your favourite search engine and type in the words “Hotels in West London,” and we’re willing to bet the proverbial farm that you’ll be inundated with results – normally from those large hotel chains who can afford to buy their way to the top of search results.

Whilst we’re not knocking this practice in and of itself, it does mean that, for you as a customer, a lot of the smaller hotels just don’t show up on your initial radar. With numerous little hidden gems around West London and beyond, not to mention an abundance of hotels offering a much better per-night deal than the big chains, this does mean that you run the risk of losing out.

Log on to an independent review site however, and your search is far more likely to throw up those unique hotels such as our own Amsterdam Hotel in Earls Court which not only cost far less than the big names, but also offer a much more personal, friendly service.

Avoid the sales hype – find out what your hotel is really like

Having done your initial look on the search engines, the next most likely course of action is to head to the hotel’s website and see what they’re like. Again, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it does mean that all the information you’re getting from that hotel comes direct from the pen of a clever sales and marketing professional who worded every last sentence with the sole aim of enticing you to make a booking.

When you use TripAdvisor or a similar website, you avoid most of that sales hype and instead get a real, first hand account of what it’s like to stay at that hotel, written by the people who’ve actually stayed there.

Candid photos – More accurate than any brochure

Likewise, one of the biggest benefits of using a site like TripAdvisor is that you can see candid, unedited photos posted by the same users who wrote their reviews. No glossy, brochure-style images here, just honest snaps that paint a far more accurate picture of what you can expect should you book.

A look at the local amenities to plan your stay

Of course, you can always use TripAdvisor for more than just booking a room. When you check out the page on the Amsterdam Hotel, Earls Court’s top bars, restaurants and other local amenities are all presented to you to, providing you with the perfect opportunity to really plan out your stay before you get here.

Enjoyed your time at Hotel Amsterdam? We’d love to hear from you on TripAdvisor

Whether you used a third-party site to book a room with us, or whether you’re a returning customer who keeps coming back thanks to our high quality, affordable accommodation in the heart of West London, we’d love to hear your feedback. Every review you leave helps us to improve the service we provide, so please do get in touch, either by using TripAdvisor itself, or contacting us directly through our website.