Travel brochures and glossy Instagram posts frequently show a picture of paradise, yet the reality for travelers at some popular travel destinations often falls significantly short. A study looking at almost 100,000 Google reviews from popular attractions in the world’s 100 most visited cities shows what destinations can leave tourists feeling frustrated, and which ones exceed what they had hoped for. The study analyzed 19 negative terms such as, “terrible,” “disappointed,” and “rip-off,” highlighting the divide between a romanticized vision and what you actually get.

Cancún, Mexico tops the list, unfortunately, with 14.2% of reviews being negative. Despite its sunny, beach-haven reputation, many visitors feel cheated, and "rip-off" is a complaint that keeps coming up.

Not far behind is Antalya, Türkiye, with 12.2% of negative reviews, and then Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (11.9%), followed by Beijing, China (11.2%), and Orlando, USA (10.6%). What causes this dissatisfaction changes from place to place: in Beijing, reviews mention "bad" most, generally, pointing to a general frustration, while in Punta Cana and Antalya, you may hear about rude service. Some other top 10 destinations include Mumbai, India (10.0%), Honolulu, Hawaii (9.9%), Johor Bahru, Malaysia (9.4%), Kyoto, Japan (9.1%), and Playa Del Carmen, Mexico (9.0%).

These findings tend to show that overhyped spots, often advertised with vibrant cityscapes or pristine beaches, can struggle to deliver when real-world problems such as high costs, unmet expectations, or poor service exist.

On the other hand, some cities surprise and delight travelers. Dublin, Ireland leads with 11.2% of reviews highly recommending it, followed by Edinburgh, Scotland (10.9%) and Toronto, Canada (9.9%). Istanbul, Türkiye, is notable for its beautiful aesthetic, with 33.9% of reviews mentioning "beautiful," thus, captivating visitors with architecture and history.

It seems these travel destinations, often less hyped than the popular ones, can benefit from people expecting less, letting their charm, hospitality, and authenticity shine through.