Last week, East Bay Express,  a San Francisco based publication, published a story accusing Yelp – a popular local business review site – of altering review content in exchange for monthly advertising fees.   The article included testimonials of local businesses that claimed they were offered a Yelp advertising program to improve their reviews on Yelp for a fee.

I will refrain on commenting on the merits of the accusations, but instead use the topic of the story to highlight the value of trusted review content.  

The Value of a Review is a Function of its Honesty

The internet has enabled the consumer masses to participate in the product and service marketing process.  We consumers are no longer limited to one-way marketing pitches and information to make our decisions.  Company X may claim they sell the best widget on the market, which may be the case, but unless we can see some verified testimonials and reviews from past widget users it’s just a marketing pitch.   

The challenge becomes making sure the testimonials and reviews we leverage when making our decision are from real ‘unfiltered’ consumers.    This is why the Yelp article mentioned above received so much attention last week.   Yelp attracts over 20M people per month that rely on the site to find and select the best local restaurants, hair salons, etc..   If consumers began to question the honesty of the reviews they find on Yelp, then the value of the site, service and reviews are diminished.

FlipKey’s Commitment to Honest Vacation Homes Reviews

At FlipKey maintaining the trust, verification and honesty of our reviews is paramount to helping ensure travelers find and book the best vacation rentals that meet their needs.  As such, we take great efforts to ensure our reviews are honest and authentic:

 - FlipKey clients can not pay to move, adjust or prioritize reviews 

-  FlipKey only solicits reviews through a closed email invitation process that ensures only confirmed guests are able to leave a review.  FlipKey’s system curbs the instances of competitors leaving false negatives on homes they have never stayed in.

-  The only reviews removed from FlipKey are reviews that violate FlipKey terms of service (e.g. contain profanity, personal attacks, etc.)

-  All FlipKey reviews are applied to FlipKey’s ‘authentication filter’ that identifies false positives (managers reviewing their own homes) and SPAM 

-   FlipKey publishes all reviews in chronological order, no matter if the review is a glowing 5-star review or a critical 2-star review.

Therefore, when you see a review is “Verified by FlipKey” trust that the content is honest and complete.  

Area: Gatlinburg, TN 

Expert: Shawn Spiezio

Years living in Gatlinburg: 8 

Company: Aunt Bug’s Cabin Rentals

Subject: Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals

What makes Gatlinburg a great destination to visit and rent a vacation home? 

Gatlinburg is quaint small town within a short driving distance to most of the Eastern U.S.’s population and is one of the main entrances to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Over the years, the 11 million annual tourists have become accustomed to staying in Gatlinburg vacation rentals up on the mountain ridges, tucked away in the woods, or nestled on the river.  The cabin rentals offer affordability, luxurious amenities, & the comforts of home which are great for a romantic weekend getaway, family reunion, and corporate retreat.  After a long day of hiking, shopping, or nothing, a little relaxing in a hot tub feels very good.  There is something for everyone in Gatlinburg.

What are the top things to do (attractions, activities, events, etc.) in the area?  Are there any hidden gems that people may not be aware of?  

Most tourists enjoy the Smoky Mountain National Park, Ripley’s Aquarium, Dollywood, Dixie Stampede, music theaters, shopping, golfing, hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting, and horseback riding.  Cades Cove is an early pioneer area in the national park that is great for biking, hiking, and sightseeing for bears and deer.  The Herbert Holt park in Gatlinburg is tucked away on the Little Pigeon River with picnic tables and a kid designated trout fishing area.  The Arts & Crafts area is home to beautiful galleries and local artisans honing their craft.

What are the top 5 ‘must-try’ restaurants in the area?  

The Pancake Pantry is a must for breakfast enthusiasts.  For lunch, I would recommend the Pottery Barn Café and the Bullfish Grill.  For dinner, try the Cherokee Grill, The Apple Barn farmhouse, and the Peddler.

What popular entertainment/nightlife options in the area would you recommend?  

If you don’t feel like shooting a game of pool or relaxing in the hot tub at your cabin, Gatlinburg offers a variety of nightlife options.  The Smoky Mountain brewery has live music and lots of tvs(I like their micro-brew Velles Helles.)  Many locals enjoy Hellbenders Grill, Jared’s Grill at the Ship, and TGIFridays.  If you feel like dancing, Blaines restaurant doubles as a club at night.  Also, Gatlinburg is host to the Smoky Mountains Tunes and Tales event in the summer which offers free musical entertainment and storytelling that appeals to all age groups along the streets of Gatlinburg. 

You rent homes to hundreds of guests each year….so you must have a funny story or two about people that visit Gatlinburg?  

I’ve got a few.  Originally called White Oak Flats, there are many stories as to how Gatlinburg got its name, all involving a controversial figure who settled here in 1854. Radford C. Gatlin opened the town’s second general store and when the post office was established in his store, in 1856, the town name changed to Gatlinburg.  Legend has it that if he left town for good, he could keep his life and the town would bear his name. 

Many people that come on vacation are looking for a little R&R.  Instead of following directions or a map,  people have become spoiled by their GPS devices.  One of our homeowners who was from Alabama and has been here a million times programmed his GPS for Gatlinburg TN.  At a stop, he hit a button on his GPS and followed its directions.  Several hours later, he realized he was in Missouri!!   

Citing a PhocusWright study, FlipKey highlights over 350K second home owners queued to begin offering their vacation homes to travelers more frequently

January 15^th Boston, MA:  With the vacation rental market estimated at $24B, the growing and popular lodging sector motivated PhocusWright – a leading travel research firm – to conduct the industry’s first ever dedicated market study.  Co-sponsored by 14 industry players including FlipKey.com – a leading vacation rental site featuring the industry’s largest collection of verified guest reviews – the study estimates 1.26M second homes are available for rent in the U.S. for families looking for an alternative to hotels and other lodging options. 

The study identified that 56% of the vacation rental market is represented by rent-by-owners with the remaining 44% of vacation rental homes managed by professional property managers.  Encouraging for the growth of the industry, the study highlights 50% of rent-by-owners are casual renters, offering their units primarily to friends, family and through word-of-mouth.  As the economy continues to place additional financial burdens on second homes owners, FlipKey expects more of these casual renters to become increasingly active, working independently or through a property manager to offer their home more frequently and to travelers beyond family and friends. 

“Although there are 1.26M vacation homes that have been rented, it doesn’t mean they were made available to the general traveler,” stated TJ Mahony, CEO of FlipKey.com. “When we pealed back the layers of the study we estimated there are 350K casual renters that don’t necessarily make their home available beyond their immediate friend and family network.  It’s reasonable to assume the current economic environment will help motivate many casual vacation rental owners to become more active.”

FlipKey defined an ‘active’ renter as an owner that markets their home to travelers beyond their family and friends network.  Mahony summarized, “if an owner actively markets their property online and rents their unit to two or more people completely outside their personal network each year we consider them active.”

When renting a vacation home its imperative vacationers feel comfortable and confident in the home and manager/owner of the property.  Vacation homes overseen by property managers and active owners often provide strong customer support, clear check-in / check-out processes and other support services consumers value.   Mahony concluded, “Given the economy and growing support and marketing services available, there is a clear opportunity for more of these casual participants to become more active, renting their homes more often, yielding increased rental income.”

About FlipKey

FlipKey^™ is a leading vacation rental service featuring the world’s largest collection of verified vacation rental guest reviews. FlipKey believes reputation, trust and feedback from past guests are the best resources to ensure consumers find the ideal vacation home. FlipKey currently features more than 60,000 vacation homes offering vacationers the unique advantages of more personal space, superior amenities and ideal locations throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico. FlipKey is majority owned by TripAdvisor, LLC, and is a member of the TripAdvisor Media Network, attracting more than 32 million unique monthly visitors* across 12 popular travel brands. FlipKey is available at http://www.flipkey.com

*Source: comScore Media Metrix, May 2008

© 2008 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved. 

What a year… Obama for president, the collapse of the financial industry and an unknown future for U.S. automakers.  2008 was chalk full of headlines with the vacation rental industry carving out its own “major news.”    Based on an extremely unscientific poll, FlipKey has amassed the Top 10 Vacation Rental Highlights of 2008.

#10:  FlipKey launches the industry’s first independent guest review service amassing the industry’s largest collection of verified vacation home rental guest reviews to promote the advantages of the vacation rental experience.

#9:  VRMA overhauls board of directors, including the introduction of the industry’s first supplier representation (Kyle Buehner, Navis Technologies) in an effort to improve the market awareness, impact and membership growth.

#8:  PhocusWright conducts the first formal, independent, industry study on the $24B vacation rental market highlighting that vacation rentals are emerging as a mainstream lodging category 

#7:  Orbitz begins promoting vacation rentals on Orbitz.com and Away.com through partnerships with Zonder and Vast, respectively.

#6:  Discover Vacation Homes is launched, introducing the first dedicated public relations effort to promote the advantages of vacation rentals and professional managers.

#5:  Industry addresses consumer confidence in vacation rentals with several companies introducing new vacation rental insurance products, the introduction of manager only search portals (e.g. ClearStay.com and VacationRoost) and additional PR efforts to educate consumers on the safety and advantages of vacation rentals.

#4:  Instant Software announces over $1B in online reservations were executed through its ISILink global distribution system (GDS), highlighting the migration of vacation rental reservations from call centers to the desktop. 

#3:  Large RBO website raises $400M, underscoring the growing popularity and growth potential of the vacation rental industry.

#2:  Vacation rentals hit mainstream press with the WSJ, New York Times, USAToday and several other national publications featuring articles on the vacation home rental industry.

#1:  TripAdvisor takes a majority stake in FlipKey and announces it will begin promoting vacation rentals to TripAdvisor Media Group’s 24M monthly visitors in 2009.

Situated on the border of California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe, CA is home to some of the most beautiful skiing trails in the Sierra Nevada’s. The area boasts the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America, with 7 Lake Tahoe resorts to choose from- offering a total of 535 groomed trails and 125 lifts. Many resorts operate complimentary or low cost shuttles around the lake, making the mountains easily accessible. 

Though Lake Tahoe and surrounding areas offer a number of hotels and ski lodges, often the best accommodations can be found in personal vacation rentals throughout the area.

Currently on FlipKey there are nearly 600 vacation homes located in the Lake Tahoe area – many featuring helpful guest reviews and tips. Here is what a few recent guests had to say about their Lake Tahoe vacation home experience. 

Review of CYHO681 – Lake Tahoe Accommodations

Review of Gold Dust Family Retreat by Accommodation Stations, Inc. 

Pristine white powder slopes, breathtaking views, and extreme mountain terrain are just a few of the things that come to mind while visiting one of America’s most vibrant ski havens: Aspen and Snowmass Village, CO. Explore four distinct mountains, each with their own unique steeps, glades, and runs that are all within a close proximity and made easily accessible thanks to free ski shuttles that travel continuously throughout the day.

Though Aspen has been long known as a pricey ski destination for the rich and the famous, there are affordable ways to take advantage of one of the top ski areas in the world. The best lodging accommodations can often be found in personal vacation homes, which offer luxuries that hotels simply can’t; extra space for skis and boards, a personal fireplace and hot tub, a full kitchen, at a price that significantly rivals surrounding hotels. A family of six looking for a two-bedroom hotel suite in Aspen for five days should plan to fork over roughly $4,200 during the month of December, while a mountainside vacation rental with three bedrooms can cost approximately $2,500 for the same length of time.

If your needs might call for a hotel or lodge don’t despair, there are some affordable hotel options as well. For instance, Aspen Mountain Lodge, in the heart of Aspen, CO, offers an affordable alternative to the majority of surrounding hotels. A three-bedroom suite during peak season, (February through March) will cost guests roughly $1,650 for five days, and is located just minutes from local Aspen shops and restaurants.

Exploring previous guests’ reviews and experiences is a powerful tool in identifying whether travelers are getting a deal or not. One guest titled their review of Aspen Mountain Lodge on TripAdvisor “Great Value in an Expensive Town,” stating that their garden room was comfortable, homey, well furnished- and affordable. The convenient downtown location, as well as the area’s free shuttle made transportation easy they wrote, and the complimentary breakfast was great. In the world of vacation rentals, similar testimonials can be found through FlipKey’s guest reviews. One guest titled their review of Evergreen Condos in Vail, “Great Location and Plenty of Room,” writing that they enjoyed the “large space in Vail Village,” as well as the indoor hot tub, outdoor pool, and the condo’s reasonable price.

We were excited to see a new client testimonial posted about the FlipKey service in a recent Instant Software industry newsletter by Lahaina Island Accommodations.   

Who is Lahaina? 

Lahaina Island Accommodations is located in Fort Myers Beach, FL and offers more than 165 privately owned vacation rental homes and condos just north of Lover’s Key and Bonita Beach, Florida. Lahaina began using FlipKey in September and has collected over 150 guest reviews through FlipKey’s guest review service.

What did Lahaina have to say about FlipKey?

*As featured in the Instant Software Newsletter*

“I believe that guest testimonials on my website are far more convincing than anything that I could say about my own company or properties in the same space. Working with Bryan at FlipKey is such a pleasure! He convinced me to send FlipKey requests to our previous year’s guests. We were nervous! But I followed his advice and it was a great success! Thanks, Bryan!” Barb further stated “We receive inquiry requests daily through FlipKey. Some people who inquire are so sure that they will enjoy their stay based on reading past testimonials that securing the booking is almost easy!”

Click here to read the entire article…

As one of America’s most popular ski vacation destinations, Vail, CO offers the perfect mix of skiing, cosmopolitan shopping, dining, and natural beauty. Vail allows you to explore three distinct sides of the mountain, each with three terrain parks and 5,289 acres of white powder.  In the afternoon, take part in one of Vail’s many winter events, including the Vail Snow Daze, a kick off to the winter season at Vail with live music, food venues, snowball eating contests and more. 

Although Vail Village and outlying areas feature a number of lodges and hotels, the best lodging accommodations can be found in personal vacation homes located throughout the area.

Currently on FlipKey there are nearly 300 vacation rentals located in Vail featuring verified guest reviews. Here is what a few recent guests had to say about their Vail vacation rental experience.

Review of Village Center 4D – 1BD/1BA Condo by Vail Management Company 

Review Evergreen 602 – 2BD/3BA Condo by Vail Management Company

Few places can rival Breckenridge, CO and the neighboring towns of Silverthorne, Keystone, and Frisco, CO for its flawless white powder slopes and great dining and shopping venues. Explore Breckenridge Mountain, one of the most popular ski destinations in North America with a summit elevation of 13,000 ft., thirty running lifts, and 155 trails. The fun continues in downtown Breckenridge, where you’ll find chic ski boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and local pubs. Enjoy the city’s Ullr Festival, a weeklong celebration of he mythical Norse god of snow, Ullr, which includes the Main Street Parade and winter sporting events. 

Although Breckenridge and outlying areas feature a number of lodges and hotels, the best lodging accommodations can be found in personal vacation homes located throughout the area.

Currently on FlipKey there are nearly 600 vacation rentals located in Breckenridge many featuring verified guest reviews. Here is what a few recent guests had to say about their Breckenridge vacation rental experience.

Review of Park Avenue lofts 306 by Great Western Lodging 

Review of Breckenridge Mountain Village by Peak Management

We are excited to announce the release of online booking functionality on FlipKey.com.  Vacation rental guests will now find our Online Reservation widget in the right-hand column of any vacation rental property accepting online bookings on FlipKey.com. Properties not offering online bookings will continue to feature email reservation forms and phone numbers that will allow guests to contact the reservation manager.

Why we are excited: 

The combination of guest reviews + online booking functionality is the holy grail of establishing trust in the vacation rental industry.  FlipKey guest reviews help prospective guests learn from the experiences of past guests, so they can select the right home and feel comfortable and confident in their decision.    Once the guest has found the perfect home, the booking process is straightforward and as simple as booking a hotel online.   Although many guests may prefer to call your reservation number or send you an email inquiry, simply knowing that your operation offers the ability to book online helps the consumer understand the professionalism of your operations….

The powerful combination of guest reviews and online booking functionality has several tangible benefits.   Most relevant to FlipKey, is FlipKey’s RepScore (short for Reputation Score), a scoring system that determines promotional listing placement on FlipKey and TripAdvisor (coming soon!).   By simply offering online booking functionality on FlipKey we can determine a more confident user experience compared to a similar property not offering online booking, which improves your listing placement on both FlipKey and soon on TripAdvisor.

If your software company supports online bookings and you’re interested in (i) collecting guest reviews and (ii) accepting online bookings through FlipKey contact us at myreviews@flipkey.com for more information.

FlipKey currently accepts online bookings for property managers using any of Instant Software’s services (V12, PropertyPlus, First Resort, Entech) or Escapia’s online distribution service EscapiaNet.