Can you really trust online traveler reviews?

Recently, TripAdvisor.com started placing warning labels next to reviews they thought were "suspicious." Several months ago, there was a flap at TripAdvisor's sister site CruiseCritic -- both of which are owned by Expedia -- when readers learned that a number of "unbiased reviewers" were actually receiving free cruises from Royal Caribbean.

The benefits of a good ranking on these sites are tremendous -- especially when occupancy rates are at record lows. And with consumers paying less attention to conventional advertising and more attention to blogs, user forums, and other social media, marketers are doing everything they can to exploit it.

So just how trustworthy are those online reviews from "real travelers?"

The real answer is "it depends." Although the vast majority of reviews on these sites are probably sincere, choosing accommodations based on consumer reviews alone is risky business.

According to TripAdvisor, the top two Waikiki hotels are the Best Western Coconut Waikiki, and Hotel Renew. The Best Western is across the street from the Ala Wai Canal, which is a pretty long hike to the beach. And it has a tiny pool, that's in shade most of the day. Hotel Renew is closer to the beach, although not on it, and does not have a pool.

If we booked either of those hotels based on TripAdvisor reviews, we'd have been sorely disappointed.

Our best advice is to use professional reviews to come up with a short list in your price range. Fodors, Frommers, Concierge are all reliable sources. Then use traveler reviews and photos to validate your selection. As with diving, throw out the best and worst reviews, then read between the lines.