I assume that to receive this sticker, one has to pay Tripadvisor?

Absolutely not. It's decided by the people who vote. The highest rated hotels/attractions get the Travelers Choice Award. Kinda hard for a beach to pay for a good review.

https://developer-tripadvisor.com/content-api/business-content/award-content/

I get new stickers every month mailed to me.

As a Travelers Choice hotel? Or just the average Trip Advisor one? If you are ranked high enough, they give these out for free. A friend who owns a restaurant here has one and he doesn't pay. Just gets good ratings.

I assume that to receive this sticker, one has to pay Tripadvisor?

Absolutely not. It's decided by the people who vote. The highest rated hotels/attractions get the Travelers Choice Award. Kinda hard for a beach to pay for a good review.

https://developer-tripadvisor.com/content-api/business-content/award-content/

I get new stickers every month mailed to me.

As a Travelers Choice hotel? Or just the average Trip Advisor one? If you are ranked high enough, they give these out for free. A friend who owns a restaurant here has one and he doesn't pay. Just gets good ratings.

"Recommended by Tripadvisor", this is what the actual sticker says.

As the OP states, do you rely on trip advisor reviews?

Yes I do, and many other reviews to determine my booking.

As an FYI, I just spent 20 days in Myanmar. Stayed in about 8 hotels. All but one had reviews on TA. And most were spot one. Excellent source of info.

REC by TA only means that a few people have bothered to post a review-if thats was completely voluntary and honest or not, there is no way to check. Even some streetfoodstalls around KhaoSarn have it now.

Funnily I had a amusing/enlightening experience about this just a few days ago: about a place in EUR where i stayed just 1 night. It had a high score (though I had chosen it on quite another site and mainly for location) on TA_ >9. This proved justified.

First they send me an urgent mail (repeated every day-I only respond mails ev. now+then) to ''review'' which only consisted of 2 Qs: OK? and would I rec. it? Both yes-and after that there was a congratulation/thanks with invitation-with specified link into TA-to give a review. So they try to preselect their reviews into only pos+. I only have to check regularly TA for other reasons and hate that-its forum is even more dumb as most of this.

It amazes me how much time people burn up picking hotels and whatnot they're going to spend a few days in.

It amazes me how much time people burn up picking hotels and whatnot they're going to spend a few days in.

Spend 2 nights in a hotel above an all night karaoke bar and you'll know why! LOL

But TA also gives you prices from a variety of sites. On my last trip, the link was to a few I've never seen before and gave me a discount of well over 20% vs booking.com, agoda and the others. And another time, actually showed me a few hotels the others didn't even offer.

Takes 10 minutes. Normally done a few days before while having a sundowner.

It amazes me how much time people burn up picking hotels and whatnot they're going to spend a few days in.

Spend 2 nights in a hotel above an all night karaoke bar and you'll know why! LOL

But TA also gives you prices from a variety of sites. On my last trip, the link was to a few I've never seen before and gave me a discount of well over 20% vs booking.com, agoda and the others. And another time, actually showed me a few hotels the others didn't even offer.

Takes 10 minutes. Normally done a few days before while having a sundowner.

If it takes you ten minutes you aren't one of the people I was talking about.

If you have stated already then my apologies, but what is the crux of the dubious review by the dubious reviewer. Maybe you could enlighten us.

Everybody gets (or they should by now) your point, ok, at your point seems reasonable, however I was interested in the crux of the complaint, major or minor complaint, have you addressed it yet.

Everybody gets (or they should by now) your point, ok, at your point seems reasonable, however I was interested in the crux of the complaint, major or minor complaint, have you addressed it yet.

How can a fictitious complaint be addressed?

"How can a fictitious complaint be addressed?". If it's fictitious then answer in any way you please to put your establishment back in the positive...think somebody above started you off with possible words to put as your answer. Why not even state in your response that you have reason to believe that the poster of the comments didnot stay at your establishment.

We get and understand your point as an establishment owner but your feisty comments to people on here aren't helping.

So, OP has made a fair point about TA. Anybody who makes a point is met with derision from OP. Does OP wish others to comment further?

I'm guessing anyone you agree with would be considered "wise and spot on", yes?

Enough with the off topic comments and bickering. Please.

I think this thread needs taking round the back of the forum and shooting. It's the merciful thing to do.

Childish petty bickering fest has been removed.