This One Simple Trick Can Help You Judge the Quality of a Hotel Room From a Photo

We’ve all been there. Staring at a tiny photo of a hotel room, trying to decide from just a few images if it’s worth your money. When reviews are sparse, there’s one simple trick you can use to judge the quality of a hotel room by its online photo.

Take a look at the bedding pictured in the hotel room—if the bedspreads are white (rather than patterned or a different color), it’s a good sign that the hotel is clean and modernized. However, if you see something like an orange and brown comforter, it can be a red flag that the hotel hasn’t been updated in decades.

Seeing a white bedspread tells you two things before you book. First, it’s a signal that the hotel has updated the decor somewhat recently, as all-white bedding became popular for hotels starting in the 1990s. (If you see bedding that’s reminiscent of the ‘80s or ‘70s, it’s unlikely that the rest of the hotel has been modernized.)

Second, all-white bedding tells you that the hotel has high standards for cleanliness. White bedding shows stains and age much easier than other colors, so by using this color for their linens, a hotel is showing that it’s confident in its cleaning procedures.

Of course, white bedding isn’t a guarantee that you’ll love your hotel room—it can still top an uncomfortable mattress. However, it’s a good starting point for reviewing a room just by a photo.