Is Social Media Ruining Travel? The Danger of Overhyped Expectations

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Have you ever arrived at a dream destination only to feel… underwhelmed? Maybe the streets were more crowded, the colors less vibrant, or the ‘hidden gem’ wasn’t so hidden after all. You’re not alone. Social media and travel reviews can set sky-high expectations, making reality feel like a letdown.

First things first—keep reading reviews. Especially ours and the ones from other BoardingArea bloggers.  🙂

But it’s hard to avoid breathtaking photos while scrolling Instagram or browsing travel blogs. You might see an influencer posing under a secluded waterfall in Laos like this one. What you don’t see? The tuk-tuk ride, the hike, and the crowd of other tourists just outside the frame.

This isn’t just a travel issue—it happens with hotels, restaurants, and even flights. We don’t just book experiences anymore; we preview, analyze, and compare them endlessly.

Do Hotel Reviews Take Away the Magic?

Take hotel reviews. You can see every inch of a room online before you even check in—the lobby, the bathroom, even the coffee maker. But does that steal the magic of walking into a hotel and being surprised?

I struggled with this after my stay at the St. Pancras Renaissance in London. The hotel is extensively reviewed, with incredible suites often showcased online—like this video from Nick at Frequent Miler of his Grand Staircase Suite upgrade.

So when we checked into our (still very lovely) suite, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were missing out. There was no dramatic lighting, no cinematic reveal. Just a nice room. And I caught myself thinking: Should I have asked for a better one?

Asking for a better room isn’t really my style. Well, maybe it is—my dad never took the first room offered. Would I have been happier in a different suite, or would I only be satisfied if I got the exact one where Nick stayed? (Wow, that sentence got creepier the more I typed it, didn’t it?)

I’ve never really felt FOMO when checking into a hotel before. I do plenty of research (Note from Joe’s wife: Gee, ya THINK? #rolleyes), but usually just to check the room layout and location. This time was different. I had built my expectations so high that reality had no chance of over-delivering.

That said, high expectations aren’t always bad. When I booked a suite at the Park Hyatt Washington D.C., I was most excited about the bathroom. And when I saw it? It was exactly what I wanted—including a shower larger than the bathroom in the apartment where I grew up.

When Surprise Makes Travel Even Better

But some of my best hotel experiences came when I wasn’t expecting them:

• Getting the “brochure room” at the Ryokan in Japan
• Staying at a Bright Angel Cabin at the Grand Canyon
• The upgrade we received at the Goldener Hirsch in Salzburg, Austria

Each time, either I got an upgrade I wasn’t expecting, or the place had a charm that photos couldn’t capture. The surprise increased the value of the experience.

Final Thoughts: Enjoy the Moment

If I learned anything, it’s this: Don’t build up a single part of a trip so much that it overshadows everything else. It’s fine to get excited about a hotel, like the TWA Hotel, a flight on Singapore Airlines, or an experience like a doors-off helicopter ride—but don’t let anticipation turn into disappointment.

The best travel moments don’t happen on your screen. They happen in real life. Stop scrolling. Start exploring.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary