Have you ever experienced this on Amazon?

You're looking for a Bluetooth speaker.

Same brand. Same model. Same specs.

But you see two listings.

One is priced ₹400 higher… and it's selling better.

Why?

Because the listing that is showing more expensive, has 4.8 stars and glowing reviews about quick delivery and excellent packaging, and a trustworthy seller profile.

On the other hand, the cheaper one?

3.9 stars, complaints about delays and damaged packaging. You would now hesitate buy inspite of seeing a lower price.

Same product. Different experiences. And that difference in perception leads to a difference in price.

Sellers on Amazon know they are not just selling a product. They are selling trust. And trust is built or broken through reviews.

If Amazon sellers can use reviews to price confidently and grow sales… why can't hotels?

In hospitality, rooms in the same neighbourhood may offer similar features like bed, bathroom, Wi-Fi, breakfast.

So why do guests choose one over the other?

Because of the story that's already being told… through reviews.

Let me take you to Udaipur. And to someone who learned this firsthand.

This is the story of Meera Kapoor

Meera ran a 10-room boutique hotel in Udaipur. Beautiful interiors, a rooftop with lake views, and locally sourced decor. She had worked hard to make it special.

But six months in, the rooms weren't selling.

The photos looked great. The pricing was fair. But bookings just weren't coming in.

One night, she was going through her TripAdvisor page and saw this:

“Beautiful hotel, but no hot water. No one answered the phone when I tried to call. Felt a bit abandoned.”

That review was three months old. And it had been marked “helpful” multiple times.

She searched her own hotel on Google. It showed a 3.4-star rating.

A no-frills guesthouse around the corner had 4.6.

That was the moment Meera understood the gap.

It wasn't the product. It was the perception.

Her competitor had similar rooms, a basic setup, and a higher average price. But with a better reputation, they were getting booked faster… and at ₹700 more per night.

She realized her pricing strategy was not flawed but the online story was.

So what did she do next?

She fixed what was broken.

The team got trained. Hot water issues were sorted. A simple breakfast tray was introduced.

She started asking for reviews.

A short note was added in each room. A thank-you message went out after checkout with a review link. Staff got small rewards every time their name came up in a 5-star review.

She responded… to everything.

Old reviews, new ones, even vague ones. She replied with warmth and clarity. It showed she cared, and it showed guests she was listening.

And it worked

Her Google rating went from 3.4 to 4.2 within 6 weeks.

Average rate increased to ₹5100

Occupancy jumped from 40% to 68%

Direct bookings started coming in again

She didn't change her hotel. She changed the lens through which people saw it.

If Amazon sellers can justify a higher price just because of a better experience…

If customers can pick one shampoo bottle over another based purely on stars…

Then hotels with so much more to offer, can absolutely use reviews to shift perception, attract better-paying guests, and build long-term trust.

This isn't a tech strategy. It's a mindset shift.

And Meera's story proves it works.

Turn Reviews into Revenue

Want to learn how to use reviews to boost your hotel's revenue?

Download our Revenue Strategy Guide. It's packed with actionable insights to help you leverage reviews, improve your online reputation, and drive more bookings.

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