Here’s How You Can Win $10,000 to Redo a Failed Vacation

We’ve caught hotels around the world red-handed using this sneaky technique. Many properties have mastered the art of carefully cropping cramped spaces, like pools or gyms, to avoid showing prospective guests the full picture. For example, this up-close shot hides the fact that this pool has probably seen better days (and that it’s really closer to the size of a large bathtub). Not exactly what we had imagined when we left home for our vacation in the sun! The image of the attractive couple only further distracts from the reality of this pool (but more on that later).

When most people fantasize about a relaxing beach getaway, they don’t envision a swarm of other strangers. And that’s exactly why some resort websites set out to give the illusion of a deserted paradise by photoshopping out the crowds. After all, if the blue water and soft sand isn’t enough to entice you into booking, the possibility of having the place all to yourself will seal the deal. As is the case with this image, while the water and sand do look pristine in both versions, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a lounge (or a patch of sand, for that matter) in actuality.

Hey, where’d that tray of fresh flowers, delicious breakfast spread, and perfectly wrapped present go? Special touches, like flowers and snacks, can make a plain hotel look extra inviting, so expect to see lots of false decor and food in marketing photos. A very disappointing disappearing act, if you ask us. Another thing to look out for: the two-become-one magic trick. Plenty of hotels will place two twin beds side by side, then make the mattresses appear as one with calculated camera angles.

Here, the sunset is so orange, and the silhouettes are so perfect, it’s almost too good to be true. And in this case, it is. Some hotels get a little technicolor-happy and add saturated colors to give off a romantic, yet unrealistic, effect. While the beach in the below picture is pleasant, with blue water and golden sand, it doesn’t have the same dramatic impact as the sunset candlelight dinner for two.

Hotel guests, beware of the vanishing view. While the marketing photo on top would have you believe that the room overlooks the ocean, the image below reveals the true sight. Lying by omission, or what we often call the magic eraser, is another technique that hotels commonly apply. You may discover that your property has distorted an image to make iconic landmarks appear closer, block out unpleasant views, or fake the view entirely.

A gorgeous couple, romantic atmosphere, and even a cocktail in a hand -- the top image really pushes us to imagine ourselves in the setting. But these well-positioned models are distracting us from asking one very important question: why can’t we see the entire hot tub? Well, the answer is because said hot tub is tiny and not very romantic at all. In addition to strategically using smiling models to distract us, the good old careful crop ploy strikes again, too.

Much like the smiling model approach, hotels will often tempt potential travelers into booking a stay with a sexy lady. The woman here appears to be playfully soaking in a luxurious bubble bath, but in truth, she doesn’t exist, and even worse, the bathroom is nothing special -- if not, a little drab and cramped.

Cameras aren’t the only tool hotels use to dupe potential guests -- in fact, marketing language is just as deceptive. Look out for meaningless phrases like “there’s something for everyone,” as well as “a stone’s throw,” which might translate into a 20-minute walk, and “intimate and cozy,” which might be euphemism for small and cramped. Also, oceanfront doesn’t always mean oceanview -- while the former will look out directly on the water, the latter may only guarantee a glimpse of the sea, even if that means a sliver of blue so far in the distance that you have to squint your eyes.


Enter for a chance to win $10,000 to redo a failed vacation here!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va8xrj46dDw


Editor's Note: These are not real photo fake-outs, and the images were used purely for demonstration. 


Update: February 20, 2018: The Oyster Vacation Do-Over Contest entry period is now over and we’ll be contacting our “unlucky turned lucky” winner soon.