We’re still in the early days of figuring out how generative AI, LLMs, and search engines are index hotels. Everyone has their theories, and I’m sure thousands of actual SEO experts are running experiments as we speak. But one area where I’m increasingly convinced we’ll see a seismic shift is in reviews. I wrote about this some months ago, but with Google adding review summaries I think it bears repeating.
Reviews are already critical in hotel selection, but I believe they will be training the machines that filter what travelers see in the first place.
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A hotel can write on its website that it’s an “amazing retreat with stunning sea views.” Nice words. But AI can instantly cross-check those claims against the reality described in guest reviews. If reviews consistently mention the sea view, the AI amplifies that message. If not, the system may downrank the claim or flag it as misleading marketing. While I enjoy poetic copy on hotel websites, it needs to reflect reality.
Reviews also contain the real attributes that matter to guests: “great for families,” “easy subway access,” “great towels,” “quiet courtyard.” These might not be the things the marketing team highlighted, but they’re gold for AI systems trying to match intent. When someone asks, “Find me a family-friendly hotel near Paris,” the answer might not come from a glossy hotel pdf/website it will be easier and safer to take it from guest reviews.
Some weeks ago I tested the Brochure-to-Reality feedback loop. I fed an AI the reviews of hotel Costes in Paris and asked it to create a style and tone-of-voice guide for the property. The result matched the hotel’s actual marketing almost perfectly. In other words, the guests were telling the same story the brand was telling. (I know it might be easy for such an iconic hotel, but this example wouldn’t make any sense to you if I told you some random boutique hotel in the suburb.) My point is, that alignment becomes a very powerful feedback loop and “truth” meter for AI.
So, what does this mean for hoteliers? Encourage longer, more detailed reviews. Push for specifics, not just “great stay.” Bullet points, anecdotes, and small details are what AI bots will parse (enough plugs? sophisticated shower controls? etc). I believe the richer the dataset, the more likely your hotel is to surface in AI-driven discovery.
We don’t yet know what the SEO playbook of the future will be. But my bet is this: the hotels with the best, most authentic, most detailed reviews that match the marketing will win the AI-indexing war. This is why I think reviews are making a comeback, not just as social proof, but as the raw material that will define how (and whether) your hotel shows up at all.
But at this point this is just speculation. Ask for detailed reviews, it wont hurt. But we still need the results from the SEO analysts.
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