North Wales hospitality venues test app aims to reduce fake reviews

A new app called HashView is being trialled for the first time in north Wales from 17 March, rewarding customers for reviewing hospitality venues in real-time.

A number of hotels and restaurants in Llandudno are taking part in the app’s UK rollout. Locals are encouraged to visit Chatsworth House Hotel, Baytree Hotel, The New Loretta, Blue Elephant and Thaitastic among others to try it out for themselves.

Geo-technology will detect which establishment a customer is in, and prompt them to leave a review during their visit, in return for a reward, which could include anything from a discount to a free drink or dish, redeemable during that visit.

Real-time reviews will not only help tackle the increasing number of fake reviews businesses are receiving but will also provide them with invaluable customer behaviour insights.

It comes after research revealed around 8% of the 31.1 million reviews submitted to Tripadvisor in 2024 were fake, according to the “Tripadvisor Transparency Report 2025.”

Sakshi Mahajan, CEO and founder of HashView, said: “I’ve lived in Llandudno for over two years now, and have quickly come to realise how co-dependent tourists and hospitality venues are on each other in the area.

“I therefore wanted to create something that would mutually benefit both customers and business owners. Tripadvisor removed 8%* of reviews submitted in 2024 to help tackle fake reviews, which are becoming increasingly damaging to businesses’ reputations — so I hope HashView can go a long way towards tackling this problem.

“What’s more, the app also pools data from Tripadvisor, Google Reviews and other sources — making it a one-stop-shop for genuine review-finding, meaning customers don’t have to waste time consulting and comparing numerous websites.”

Theresa Curbishley, general manager at Chatsworth House Hotel which is among the first hospitality venues to use the app, added: “With so many brilliant competitors in the area, we’re extremely dependent on reviews to get customers through the door — particularly during high season among visitors who are unfamiliar with the area.

“It’s therefore extremely important to us that reviews are accurate, and we’re very happy to be giving something back to customers who provide us with that honest feedback — in turn, helping us expand and improve our business for visitors and locals alike.”

To download the app for free, visit Google Store: HashView – Apps on Google Play