I think that if you are not careful in your research that you can be tricked very easily. I think it is important to search for comments and also to not just assume that a place looks a certain way from pictures because you have no clue how old those picture are or if they were doctored in photoshop. Do your research....ask a travel agent.

This is where consumer sites are very useful. Wikitravel is probably a good one to start with. Somewhere that does independent reviews is a must.

Yes, looking up hotel reviews is the thing to do these days. You just never know where you could be booking a room. I have seen these types of sleazy motels all around Los Angeles, and I always see the ads in the paper and in travel books advertising their "great pool" or the "nice view".

Yes, I've seen many a TV show about horror hotels, where they were basically a building site and the only reason you were able to see the beach in the photos from the room you booked was because the photo was taken before the roof or wall was built! Such a shame how people work to trick you.

It is always a good idea to get some advice if you are traveling to a place for the first time. There are plenty of sites out there that you can get information on a hotel from. I would check with some of the larger travel sites and if they have them listed I would go with it.