TripAdvisor is the go-to review site for so many travellers, whether they're looking for advice from fellow explorers or leaving reviews after a recent visit. In April 2017, the site reached half a billion reviews across its 7.3 million establishments and organisations listed. But with so many reviews and ratings, what can all this data tell us? This week, TripAdvisor has released figures detailing the most-reviewed hotels, attractions and destinations on the site. Here’s what they found.

The Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana, on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, received more reviews than any other hotel in the world this year. It has had more than 26,400 reviews to date and has a rating of 4.5, with over 70% of reviews describing the hotel as “excellent”.

One of the most famous religious monument in the world, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia was 2017’s most-reviewed attraction on TripAdvisor, with near 30,000 travellers sharing their thoughts. The mesmerising structure, which is still unfinished – it’s not expected to be complete until 2026 – was designed by Antoni Gaudí and has been under construction since 1882. Inspired to visit? Read our Barcelona guide here.

Pasteis de Belém, a traditional bakery in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, received more reviews than any other food establishment in the world. With an average rating of 4.5, visitors go for the delectable custard tarts and coffee.

In contrast to the glitzy Hard Rock Hotel in the Dominican Republic – the world’s most-reviewed hotel – the UK’s most-reviewed hotel was a far more practical place: the Premier Inn at London Gatwick Airport. The one thing this British chain hotel has in common with the Hard Rock, though, is its average rating of 4.5. Earlier this year, Premier Inn was voted the best large hotel chain in the UK.

The London Eye is unmissable on the London skyline, towering over the Thames at 442 feet. It also seems it’s an unmissable attraction for visitors to the UK, as it received more reviews than any other in the nation. There's plenty more to the city than this wheel though – find out more in our guide.

The UK’s most-reviewed restaurant for 2017 isn’t a traditional English pub, nor is it a Michelin-starred establishment. Shaka Zulu, a South African braai (barbecue) restaurant in London’s Camden, received more reviews than any other restaurant in the entire country. However, with an average rating of just 3.5 it’s obviously not the best, sitting at number 2,546 out of over 18,000 restaurants in the capital.

As the hub most travellers arrive into, it comes as no surprise that London was the most-reviewed place in the UK. There are over five million reviews of restaurants, hotels and attractions throughout the city, compared with Edinburgh’s one million and Cardiff’s 282,000. Cut through the noise about London with our expert’s guide here.

In the US, the most-reviewed hotel was Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. One of the biggest hotels in Vegas – and 13th in the world – it's famous for its casinos and staff dressed as Romans, and it sits right in the centre of the action on The Strip.

Swallowing up much of the middle of New York City, it's unsurprising that Central Park was the country's most-reviewed attraction in 2017. It's also listed as the top thing to do in the Big Apple on TripAdvisor, with an average rating of 4.5 from over 100,000 reviews.

Beignets (deep-fried choux pastry) and coffee drew vast numbers of visitors to review Cafe du Monde in New Orleans this year, making it the most-reviewed restaurant in the USA. Sitting in the top three restaurants in the city on TripAdvisor, it has an average rating of four, with some reviewers describing it as "A NOLA must".

New York City has long been the most-visited city in the United States, so it makes sense that it tops TripAdvisor's most-reviewed list for 2017. The city has more than 3.5 million reviews relating to its hotels, activities and attractions. Inspired to visit yourself? Use our guide to plan your New York trip.

Doubling up as a booking site for hotels and attractions, TripAdvisor also provided data on the most-booked places. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai was the most-booked attraction, while the Boston Park Plaza received the most room bookings in the world. The UK’s most-booked hotel was the ibis budget London Whitechapel Hotel in London, and the most popular attraction was the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour.

The east African nation of Eritrea was the least-reviewed destination in 2017, with just nine travellers sharing their thoughts. There are fewer than 1,000 reviews on the site for the country, which borders Ethiopia, Sudan and Djibouti.

The site also released figures on which nation shares the most reviews, with the Japanese coming out on top. Brits shared an average of three reviews per user this year, and the most reviews were submitted on 14 February, which saw over 67,000 in one day. Over 39,000 businesses in the UK received their first review on the site in 2017. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more travel news and inspiration.