Travel rating and review site, TripAdvisor has released a summary of its trend data. The latest update shows an eight year increase in UK service standards, not a bad report card as Britain prepares for an influx of visitors for the Olympics and Jubilee celebrations.
The report summary notes the rather quirky nature of accommodation in the UK as presented by mainstream media. Anyone who has stayed in a remote guest house on the edge of a city in Britian, might well have the sense that the comedy series Fawlty Towers has more than a grain of truth.
The good news is that the average review rating on UK properties according to TripAdvisor are now rated among the best in Europe. So it appears that there may be less risk of being stuck in a shabby or intrusive hotel.
The review ratings are collected by TripAdvisor from travellers around the globe. Back in 2004 hotels and B&Bs in the UK lagged behind the average rating on properties in the rest of the world.
The <3 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
The data also revealed the difference in consumer review ratings across the English counties, with properties in the South West and the North of England scoring particularly highly.
The five English counties with the highest average TripAdvisor rating for hotels and B&Bs are Cumbria, Cornwall, Northumberland, Devon and Somerset.
It’s notable that London does not feature on that list. If visitors are headed to the capital for this year’s events, then it looks as though local guest houses and inns will have to pull their socks up.
The data comes at a good time to compliment TripAdvisor’s recent expansion with more City Guides and mobile features.
It’s interesting to see ratings like this as we head into the summer and possible, if not unpredictable, better weather in the UK. With new companies disrupting this space like Airbnb, it will be even more useful in future to see how ratings for traditional hotels and guest houses stack up against these independent services.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.