Spotting a fake hotel review starts with knowing what to look for, from overly polished marketing phrases and buzzwords to suspicious reviewer profiles and photos that seem too perfect. Real reviews tend to include specific details, like weak shower pressure or thin walls, that give you a better sense of the stay. AI has made this harder since a fake review can now sound completely human, but searching a hotel on Reddit can help you see what actual travelers are saying.

Then we head to New Orleans, where the 13-room Blackbird Hotel has something you don't find at most boutique hotels: a resident mystic. Every Thursday and Friday evening, guests can stop by the lobby bar for tarot, astrology, palm readings and psychic readings. The hotel isn't part of a major loyalty program, so you can't use points here, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth considering.

Finally, it's time for some credit card homework. With Q3 ending Sept. 30, it's worth checking your credit card accounts for quarterly statement credits that are about to reset. For example, you might have easy-to-use Resy or Lululemon credits expiring. Also, if your card has rotating 5% cash-back categories, make sure you're using the current ones before the deadline and activate the new categories once October begins.

You don't need a Bilt credit card to earn Bilt Points. Join Bilt Rewards for free and earn points on purchases you're already making while still earning rewards from your credit card.

Take Lyft, for example. Link your Bilt and Lyft accounts to earn 2X Bilt Points on eligible rides. You can also earn bonus points at participating restaurants, Walgreens, and fitness studios through Bilt Neighborhood Benefits.

Flying Delta or Alaska? Your checked bag should hit the carousel within 20 minutes of reaching the gate on domestic flights, or you're eligible for 2,500 bonus miles. The catch? You have to ask for it.

Have a travel or points question? Submit it here and it may be featured in a future episode.

I’m immediately suspicious when every hotel review says a place is perfect. I wanna hear from the person complaining about the shower pressure or the thin walls.

You’re listening to Departure Digest. We’ve got fake hotel reviews, a tiny New Orleans hotel with a psychic in the lobby bar, and a reminder that some of your credit card benefits are about to expire.

A few weeks ago, we talked about a Vegas hotel that tried to catfish guests online. It had a new name and AI-generated photos, but it was the same crappy hotel underneath.

Today, we’re talking about the other side of that problem, fake guest reviews.

First, ask yourself if the review sounds like an ad.

If a supposed guest says a hotel is “world-class” or uses buzzwords like “redefining hospitality,” then I’m skeptical.

Real people give you details, like if the shower pressure was weak, the bed was amazing, or the bartender remembered my name.

That’s useful info.

“An unparalleled experience that exceeded all expectations” sounds like somebody from marketing got a little too close to the keyboard.

Second, check the reviewer, not just the review.

If it’s a five-star rave from someone who’s never reviewed anything else, has a random username and a relatively new account, I’m taking a closer look.

Same goes for the photos.

I’m not saying a beautiful photo means it’s fake. But it’s a bit sus if someone with a new account has a dozen photos that look like they came straight from a press kit.

Real guest photos tend to have some imperfection.

The angle might be weird. The lighting is bad. Someone’s suitcase is sitting in the corner.

And now AI makes this even harder because a fake review can sound completely human.

Then I look at the pattern.

If a hotel has dozens of terrible reviews and then suddenly one glowing five-star review appears, that alone doesn’t mean it’s fake. It just means I look closer.

Same thing if a bunch of reviews suddenly show up around the same time.

Maybe they use almost identical language. Maybe they were posted before the hotel even opened.

My rule is simple. The more perfect the review looks, the more I want to see something imperfect.

This is also why I use Reddit a lot when I’m planning trips.

If I’m considering a hotel, I’ll search the hotel name on Reddit and see what actual travelers are saying. Redditors are good at sniffing out PR speak and bots.

You might find someone talking about noisy rooms, a bad floor to stay on, or photos that make the place look way better than it actually is.

So check the actual address. Look at the reviewer’s other posts. Search beyond the hotel’s own review page.

Okay, let’s move from reviews you can’t trust to a hotel that wants you to trust something else entirely.

Your horoscope.

The Blackbird Hotel in New Orleans has just 13 rooms, tucked into the Lower Garden District.

It’s not part of any of the major hotel loyalty programs, so you can’t use your points here. But it does have something I haven’t seen at many hotels.

A resident mystic.

Every Thursday and Friday evening, Carie Ewers sets up in the lobby bar for tarot, astrology, palm readings and psychic readings. Walk-ins are welcome if there’s availability.

So you can check into your hotel, order a cocktail, and get a little insight into what the universe has planned for you.

If I’m booking a smaller, design-forward hotel in NOLA and I don’t care about using points, this is exactly my kind of hotel.

Now for the least glamorous part of today’s episode.

Go check your credit card accounts.

Quarter three ends Sept. 30, which means a bunch of quarterly credits are about to reset.

Some Amex cards have quarterly credits for things like Resy and Lululemon. Other cards have credits tied to travel and hotels.

These perks add up faster than you might think. So while I’m not telling you to spend money just because you have a credit, if it’ll help you save on a purchase you were going to make anyway, you definitely shouldn’t let it go to waste.

And this is where I’d get a little creative here. Some credits have specific rules, so check the terms before assuming a purchase will trigger the credit.

For example, some hotel credits can cover things like dining at a qualifying resort, even if you’re not staying there. Just make sure you know what qualifies before you swipe.

One more thing. If you have a card with rotating 5% cash back categories, use your current categories before Sept. 30. And if your card has new categories starting Oct. 1, remember to activate them once they’re available.

So basically, Sept. 30 is your credit card homework deadline.

That wraps things up for today. Keep that date in mind, and look a little closer when you’re reading hotel reviews.

I’ll see you Friday.