A Fawlty system

Reading the posts got me thinking if we put literally any hotel through the nice, structured Accor journey, it can sound perfect. So let’s test it with an example…

Step 1: Awareness (a.k.a. Instagram envy)

I’m scrolling Insta, see my friend sipping G&Ts in a cute seaside hotel. She tags the location. It looks adorable. Whitewashed walls, ocean views, rustic signage. Immediately, I’m thinking: “I need this in my life.”

Step 2: Consideration (a.k.a. the rabbit hole)

I Google the hotel. The official website (owned content) sells me hard: • “Family-run boutique hotel with personal service.” • “Fine dining prepared by our passionate in-house chef.” • “Unique character and unforgettable experiences.”

Partner content adds to the glow, a travel blogger calls it “quirky British hospitality,” and a lifestyle magazine describes it as “charmingly eccentric.” Sounds like Insta meets Country Living.

Step 3: Comparison (a.k.a. OTA dive)

Then I open Booking.com, because that’s where the truth hides. The reviews are… mixed:

⭐ “Staff were unforgettable, the waiter spoke little English but had great enthusiasm. I think I accidentally ordered a hamster.” ⭐ “Owner personally came to our table… and shouted at us. 10/10 entertainment.” ⭐ “Breakfast was served, then thrown, then replaced. Best laugh I’ve had in years.” ⭐ “Booked the ‘gourmet dinner.’ Was told the chef had stormed out. We went to the chippy instead.” ⭐ “Beautiful sea view… slightly obscured by a moose head in the dining room.” And my brain goes: okay, this isn’t exactly Ritz-level, but at least I’ll have an experience.

Step 4: Booking (a.k.a. YOLO)

I see a deal: free cancellation, pay on arrival. That feels safe. Loyalty points? Pfft, I just want to know if I’ll survive breakfast first. I book.

Step 5: Experience (a.k.a. chaos tourism)

Check-in is… an experience. The owner shouts at the staff. The staff argue in three languages. A guest’s Waldorf salad never arrives. Someone faints. A fire drill goes wrong. Honestly? Best entertainment of my life. Forget Netflix.

Step 6: Advocacy (a.k.a. “you HAVE to see this place”)

I leave a review: • “Beds were fine, service was a circus. Wouldn’t recommend to my parents, but absolutely recommend to my enemies.” • “A once-in-a-lifetime stay. Mainly because I wouldn’t survive a second one.”

And now the big reveal… congratulations. You’ve just booked Fawlty Towers.

Which kind of proves my cheeky point: owned and partner content can make any hotel look perfect, but the messy, unfiltered OTA reviews hide the real story (Filieri et al., 2021). And maybe… just maybe we love those messy bits. After all, if people binge-watch Below Deck or Four in a Bed for the chaos, maybe the real magic in hospitality is showing how the curveballs get fixed, not pretending they never happened (Lemon & Verhoef, 2016).