Lightning’s hotel reviews just made business travel even easier

When it comes to selecting hotels, many would be familiar with utilising consumer review websites to conduct research by comparing commentary of traveller experience. From comfort to service, location and amenities, thousands flock to the internet to provide a review– leaving you to scroll through pages to establish general feedback and whether it aligns with your needs.

At CTM, we understand that a successful hotel programme is more than just about location and price. It involves having strong traveller buy-in that meets the needs of both the organisation and the business traveller such as service, cleanliness, facilities and overall experience. And, that is why we have enhanced the functionality of our proprietary online booking tool Lightning with a new hotel rating and review feature prompting travellers to score their hotel experience upon checkout, based on the metrics most important to the business traveller and their travel programme.[JG1] 

If you find yourself wondering about the value and importance of peer-rated hotel reviews within an online travel booking tool, this blog aims to explore and answer those questions for you.

So, how does it work?

Lightning aggregates and displays hotel reviews and ratings submitted by the company’s employees only, ensuring feedback is relevant to your business and its travelling workforce. Reviews are then presented in Lightning’s hotel search results, enabling travel bookers to view, compare and select properties based on relevant feedback from their team.

Reviews via Lightning allow travellers to score hotels based on the room, value for money, service, cleanliness, facilities and their overall experience, in addition to providing commentary on their stay.

“Lightning’s hotel reviews give travellers and travel bookers the confidence to book the best products quickly without checking consumer review websites and provide a direct feedback loop to travel managers based on the traveller experience at properties within their travel programme”, said Brian Sheerin, CTM’s Chief Technology Officer EMEA, Brian Sheerin

Why does social proof matter?

Social proof plays a vital role in establishing product reliability and easing customer uncertainty. People naturally seek validation from others when making decisions. In the case of Lightning, the hotel reviews sum up the popular opinion of peers with similar needs and preferences, giving their fellow business travellers a way to cross-check their hotel research with their first-hand experience. In fact, a 2024 study by Wisernotify found that  92% of people trust a colleague's suggestion as opposed to only 70% trusting suggestions from the public.

The result for travellers is that they can make more informed and smarter choices about which hotel they book, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and convenient stay that aligns with their expectations. Access to peer reviews during the booking process provides reassurance and confidence to both travellers and bookers. Conversely, Travel Managers require visibility into the traveller experience to ensure that hotels within their programme meet agreed standards, delivering a positive traveller experience.

How do hotel reviews in Lightning support hotel programme compliance and traveller buy-in?

Travel Managers and bookers want to ensure that their travellers are complying with travel policy and booking via the correct channels for many reasons not limited to risk management, duty of care and budget control. They also want to ensure that travellers are adhering to preferred suppliers to maximise agreements – further supporting opportunities for future negotiations.

The ability to publish hotel reviews within Lightning helps support and influence the decision-making process. When individuals see others endorsing a hotel, it helps validate their choice and reduces the perceived risk of making an incorrect decision. Peer validation can be particularly helpful in situations where there are multiple options available for the destination.

High ratings and positive reviews help to build trust and credibility for a hotel. It signals to colleagues that the offering has been tried, tested, and approved, making it more appealing and trustworthy – Not just selected as part of the company hotel programme based on rate. Social proof creates a sense of belonging and community among travelling employees. Knowing that others have had similar experiences fosters a feeling of camaraderie and shared values, reinforcing the decision to engage with a particular hotel or chain.

Ultimately, arming travellers and bookers with peer hotel reviews at the time of booking supports good booking behaviour, travel programme buy-in through positive traveller experience and lowers the risk of out-of-policy bookings. It also helps showcase a considered and thought-out preferred hotel programme, where reviews help guide the narrative of where future changes may be needed based on collective feedback.

Lightning’s reputation for speed and simplicity, alongside the new hotel review and ratings innovation, demonstrates how a truly modern online booking experience adds value for both Travel Managers and their travellers to help build successful corporate travel programmes.