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    3 min read 5 stepsApril 19, 2026Verified April 2026

    How to Use TripAdvisor to Find Great Restaurants and Hotels

    TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel review site. This guide shows you how to read reviews, compare hotels, find restaurants nearby.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Apps & Services
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    3 min read
    Steps
    5
    Topics covered
    tripadvisor
    travel
    hotel reviews
    restaurant reviews
    booking
    travel planning

    In this guide (5 steps):

    1. 1.Open TripAdvisor
    2. 2.Search for a destination or nearby places
    3. 3.Read reviews and check ratings
    4. 4.Compare hotel prices
    5. 5.Make a restaurant reservation
    1

    Open TripAdvisor

    ~15s
    Download the free TripAdvisor app from the App Store or Google Play. Or visit tripadvisor.com on any web browser. You can browse without signing in, but creating a free account lets you save favorites and track trips.
    2

    Search for a destination or nearby places

    ~20s
    Type a city, landmark, or just "restaurants near me" in the search bar. TripAdvisor will show hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Use the filters to narrow by price range, cuisine type, hotel star rating, or traveler rating.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Tap "Near Me" or allow location access to instantly see the top-rated restaurants and hotels in your current area.

    3

    Read reviews and check ratings

    ~22s
    Tap any listing to see its full page with photos, overall rating (out of 5 bubbles), and detailed reviews. Read several reviews, not just the most recent. Look at the rating breakdown (Excellent, Very Good, Average, Poor, Terrible) and the reviewer's travel type (Family, Couples, Business, Solo).

    Quick Tip

    A place with 4.0 from 2,000 reviews is more reliable than a 5.0 from 12 reviews. Quantity matters.

    4

    Compare hotel prices

    ~22s
    On a hotel's page, scroll down to "Check Availability." Enter your dates. TripAdvisor shows prices from multiple booking sites (Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, the hotel directly) side by side. You can click through to book on whichever site has the best price.

    Warning

    TripAdvisor shows prices from partner sites but does not always include all fees. Click through to the actual booking page to see the final total before booking.

    5

    Make a restaurant reservation

    ~15s
    On a restaurant's page, look for an "Reserve a Table" button. Some restaurants allow direct booking through TripAdvisor's integration with OpenTable. Tap the button, choose your date and time, enter your party size, and confirm. You will get a confirmation email.

    You Did It!

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    TripAdvisor is a website and free app where travelers share honest reviews of hotels, restaurants, vacation rentals, and local attractions. With over one billion reviews from real travelers, it is one of the best resources for planning a trip or finding a good place to eat.

    The basic idea is simple: before you book a hotel or visit a restaurant, check what other travelers said. You can see photos, read reviews, compare prices from multiple booking sites, and even make reservations directly through TripAdvisor for some restaurants.

    TripAdvisor covers hotels, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, restaurants, tours, and "things to do" at destinations worldwide. You can use it to plan a trip months in advance or find a restaurant for tonight's dinner.

    The site is free to browse. Creating a free account lets you save places to a wish list, write your own reviews, and get personalized recommendations.

    TripAdvisor also has a "Travelers' Choice" award that marks the top 10% of listings worldwide — a good quick filter when you do not have time to read dozens of reviews.

    The free app works on iPhone and Android. The website at tripadvisor.com works on any computer.

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    Official Resources

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