Hotel Fake-Out Photos

Oyster's Fake-Out Photos help you decide whether hotel rooms and amenities are real or fake.

Oyster's Hotel Fake-Out Photos Oyster uncovers the truth about hotel photos posted on pamphlets and websites. See the fake photo and then compare it to the real photo taken by an Oyster reporter. The first photo is a marketing fake-out taken of the pool at Jamaica's Rui Negril Club. That's a beautiful woman in the swimsuit, right? Check out the next photo. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/jamaica/hotels/riu-negril-club-all-inclusive/">View Rui Negril Club's review</a>

Oyster's Pool Photo This photo, taken by an Oyster reporter, captures the true atmosphere around the pool at the Rui Negril Club. It's a real impression of what it's like to sunbathe among the crowd of swimmers splashing around.<a href=" http://www.oyster.com/jamaica/hotels/riu-negril-club-all-inclusive/">View Rui Negril Club's review</a>

Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay's Gym Photo It's well-known that Montego Bay has to be seen to be believed. Unfortunately, the same goes for some Montego Bay hotel websites. Oyster has learned to be distrustful of smiling gym-goers -- nobody smiles at the gym unless something fishy is going on. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/jamaica/hotels/holiday-inn-resort-montego-bay-all-inclusive/">View Holiday Inn Montego Bay Review</a>

Oyster's Gym Photo There are, in fact, very pretty views and decent gym equipment at Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay, but they're not to be found in the same space. The cardio equipment is located in a plain, yellow room. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/jamaica/hotels/holiday-inn-resort-montego-bay-all-inclusive/">View Holiday Inn Montego Bay's Review</a>

Aqua Hotel's Pool Photo South Beach's Aqua Hotel isn't a horrible place to stay, but it's definitely not all its website makes it out to be. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/aqua-hotel-and-lounge/">View Aqua Hotel's Review</a>

Oyster's Pool Photo The "pool" -- which in fact is no bigger than a hot tub -- is laughably less impressive than the carefully cropped images on the hotel's homepage lead you to believe. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/aqua-hotel-and-lounge/">View Aqua Hotel's Review</a>

Aqua Aloha Surf's Pool Photo Oahu's Aqua Aloha Surf Hotel shows a zoomed-in, cropped section of the pool on its website to give the illusion that there's a lot more pool than there actually is. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/hawaii/hotels/aqua-aloha-surf/">View Aqua Aloha Surf's Review</a>

Oyster's Pool Photo This Oahu hotel may be named the Aqua Aloha Surf, but it certainly doesn't have a whole lot of aqua in its lima bean pool. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/hawaii/hotels/aqua-aloha-surf/">View Aqua Aloha Surf's Review</a>

Aston Waikiki Joy's Gym Photo Oyster continues documenting misleading hotel-gym marketing photos. We turn now to the Aston Waikiki Joy Hotel in Hawaii. This photo is from the hotel's website. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/hawaii/hotels/aston-waikiki-joy-hotel/">View Aston Waikiki Joy's Review</a>

Oyster's Gym Photo Yes, the treadmill and stationary bike are in both photos, as are the glass doors. But what the fake-out photo doesn't show is that you'll be working out in what appears to be a basement with old living room furniture. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/hawaii/hotels/aston-waikiki-joy-hotel/">View Aston Waikiki Joy's Review</a>

Ayres' Room Photo Ayres Hotel's website picture is an example of how simply dressing up a room with a few props -- extra pillows here, pretty flowers there -- can make an already-luxurious room appear lavish and exquisite. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/los-angeles/hotels/ayres-hotel-manhattan-beach/ ">View Ayres' Review</a>

Oyster's Room Photo Don't be surprised, but here's the real picture of the deluxe king room at the Ayres Hotel. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/hawaii/hotels/aston-waikiki-joy-hotel/">View Ayres' Review</a>

Breezes Montego Bay's Pool Photo The beautiful sunset, lush foliage, cushioned lounge chairs and decorative Jacuzzi tiles in the Breezes Montego Bay hotel website photo above look lovely and romantic. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/jamaica/hotels/breezes-montego-bay/">View Breezes Montego's Review</a>

Oyster's Pool Photo Oyster's reporter found out that they don't actually exist! Manipulate a photo enough, and any hotel will look like the Taj Mahal. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/jamaica/hotels/breezes-montego-bay/">View Breezes Montego's Review</a>

Essex House's Exterior Photo Oyster found this doctored marketing photo of The Essex House Hotel in South Beach, Miami, on Expedia.com. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/essex-house-hotel/">View Essex House's Review</a>

Oyster's Exterior Photo The fake photo of The Essex House Hotel conveniently leaves out a street lamp and traffic light, both of which can be seen in Oyster's unaltered photo. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/essex-house-hotel/">View Essex House's Review</a>

Four Seasons Miami's Room Photo Ah, to be a guest at The Four Seasons Miami. The carpet is a lovely, subtle beige hue, the curtains are understated and elegant, and the city (and your troubles) is far, far away. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/four-seasons-miami/">View Four Seasons Miami's Review</a>

Oyster's Room Photo You know what's probably not so fun? Expecting the room on the left and finding the green carpet and festive curtains you see on the right instead -- and then looking out your window to discover the sweeping view of the Miami skyline is, in fact, a breathtaking view of the building next door. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/four-seasons-miami/">View Four Seasons Miami's Review</a>

Hotel 91's Exterior Photo Per the hotel's description: "Hotel 91 is a new 70 room smoke free hotel located in Manhattan's vibrant Lower East Side. Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo, Wall Street, and other major NYC attractions are only steps away." <a href="http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hotels/hotel-91/">View Four Seasons Miami's Review</a>

Oyster's Exterior Photo Oyster found out that those NYC attractions aren't just a few steps away. Here's the real breakdown: Chinatown: 0 steps, Little Italy: 1,000 steps, SoHo: 1,600 steps and Wall Street: 2,200 steps. It seems that the Hotel 91 is trying hard to distance itself from its actual location -- under the Manhattan Bridge, in the bustling heart of Chinatown. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/new-york-city/hotels/hotel-91/">View Four Seasons Miami's Review</a>

Hotel Madera's Lobby Photo You know, this photo fake-out is rather heartwarming. The photo on its website gives no indication that the lobby of Kimpton's Hotel Madera in Washington, DC, is tiny. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/washington-dc/hotels/hotel-madera/">View Hotel Madera's Review</a>

Oyster's Lobby Photo This photo, snapped by an Oyster reporter, shows that the Hotel Madera's lobby is, in fact, teensy. But maybe that's OK. Despite the limited space, the hotel still hosts a complimentary wine hour. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/washington-dc/hotels/hotel-madera/">View Hotel Madera's Review</a>

Hotel Nash's Gym Photo Oh, look. A photo pulled off of a hotel website featuring people smiling and laughing in a gym, a place where people are typically neither smiling nor laughing. This one comes from the Hotel Nash in Miami, whose fitness center promises "enough cardiovascular equipment to work every part of your body." <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/hotel-nash-llc/">View Hotel Nash's Review</a>

Oyster's Gym Photo Take a look at Oyster's photo of a sparse, dull gym room at Hotel Nash. When you see models on a hotel website, you probably have a photo fake-out on your hands. <a href="http://www.oyster.com/miami/hotels/hotel-nash-llc/">View Hotel Nash's Review</a>