I know there was a thread recently about TripAdvisor, I can't find it.
I am always intrigued at the extremes seen in reports, for example, two reports on the same property :
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This hotel is basic. It's rooms are small, beds uncomfortable and it has no onsite restaurant.
compared with :
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Very nice hotel, lovely building and pool surrounds. Room was nice, with sunny balcony and very comfortable bed, clean white sheets and towels. The bathroom had toiletries provided as well as toothbrush/paste, shaver and cream, lotions, soaps etc - added bonus.
or this about the infamous Nanford house in Oxford :
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I stayed at the Nanford Guest House ........ The place was absolutely perfect for what I needed. Extremely close to the O2, secure parking (I went out late at night for a cigarette in the car and someone who worked for the guest house came out to check that everything as OK), perfectly adequate en-suite rooms.
From what I can see, this is the perfect hotel for anyone visiting the O2 and it is great value for money - even breakfast is included.
compared with :
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The hall and stairs had carpets that were completely frayed and appeared like they had never seen a hoover, wires were hanging from the stairs and the whole area had dirty stained walls. The side boards were covered in clutter with thick dust and dirt. The 2 rooms we were shown had a dirty shower, unfinished flooring and generally was unclean. This is a dirty, disgusting B&B with a rude host and needs a visit from health and safety.
awful b&bl its never been cleaned, there were holes in the bedding. towels very yellow dust everywhere, blood on the mattress very very old fashioned and this place needs to be knocked down and start again........
Creepy miserable rude owner who looked more than a little irritated at having to deal with paying customers.
....... you step into a house that is falling apart.
As for the room,don't expect a seat, a wardrobe or even a bathroom door that shuts, however there are plenty of stained holey towels to choose from. The sink isn't even in the bathroom and no soap is provided.
What a dump... rude owner, dirty rooms, funny smells, dust everywhere, pure filth in the carpets, cant bare thinking about whats in the beds, grease everwhere in kitchen and dinning room, wierd cats, stash of ant killer in the garden, mushrooms growing in a caravan out the back, cars locked away after 21.30 (no way out), drug addicts using the rooms at night, smell of weed everywhere...what a dump! We heard it has been closed down several times... please dont stay here, £25 per person seems cheap but its by far too much to pay for that dump.
Not hoist by any petard, I simply couldn't find the thread where the discussion of TA took place. I started it for a different reason and it branched out into a different direction.
Exascot : I didn't think you were taking the urine, and I've on idea what Sirikit is on but most of her comments are either plain vitriol or simply nonsensical, I ignore them!
I have often thought the same thing - can these people be staying at the same hotel as each other?
I do use their reviews as a guide, and I do contribute my own reviews, but I always take a pinch of salt when reading them. I tend to focus in on the "terrible" reviews and see how many reviews that person has - if it's only one I usually ignore it.
So far I have been OK in my choices based on TA...
I think you can take Trip advisor with a pinch of salt. I firmly believe hotel owners, family, friends post some of the reviews.
One hotel we stayed in in Phuket a few years back had the unfortunate event of a 12 year child being electrocuted as she touched an incorrectly wired poolside lamp fitting. Our three children were in the pool at the time and I will never never forget it. Trip advisor deleted my review. However, I contacted the Sunday Times and they ran an article on it in their Travel section.
Another case was the hotel in Mauritius where the Irish bride was murdered when she went back to the room. Trip advisor deleted reviews. That's why I don't trust it.
Last edited by Sober Lark; 10th Jun 2011 at 21:35.
I believe there are laws about discussions of legal cases which are sub judice. This might account for their deletion of reports such as you mentioned. I'm not trying to defend TripAdvisor, just making a suggestion.
Also, they don't 'delete' reports. They are pre-moderated, so they simply won't appear if the moderators consider them inappropriate.
A thread on an internet forum about the limitations of reviews on internet forums.
Suggest you pop over to the wannabees forum and read up some of the contrasting reviews on different flying schools...might find some similarities with the Trip Advisor review styles!
If someone can't work out for themselves the good and the bad of internet reviews, should they even be allowed access to a computer?
PS Trip Advisor is actually superb when contrasted with the average holiday brochure.
PPS I'm not surprised the average holiday consultant hates Trip Advisor, or anything else that might actually portray truth and clarity within an industry that for decades has been marketed on ninety percent bullsh1t.
PPS I'm not surprised the average holiday consultant hates Trip Advisor, or anything else that might actually portray truth and clarity within an industry that for decades has been marketed on ninety percent bullsh1t.
The Old Fat One. If this is aimed at our company perhaps you should read this in detail:
Nope not aimed at any company...it's aimed at the industry in general. An industry that loves to play footloose and fancy free with the "truth" (whatever that is, in this day and age). Of course many industries love to heap on the gloss, so nothing out of the ordinary, except perhaps to the degree the holiday industry do it.
Anybody who has spent two weeks trying to match the reality of their TravelHutch next to Sewage on Sea with the resplendent luxury of the five star all inclusive beach resort they thought they were getting knows what I mean.
So does anybody who has slept for two days on an airport bench, whilst trying to find someone (anyone) to take reponsibility for their plight because their airline has gone belly up because some dodgy Cypriot dude has legged it with the dosh.
I could go on...but bravo to the internet for levelling the playing field just a little.
Another good thing...and on a personal note. The expression: "you'll be reading about this on Trip Advisor" has got me an upgrade twice already this year.
The Old Fat One. Thank you. Your whole post just demonstrates why people should use a truly independent and respected travel consultant and not try 'DIY' unless you are absolutely sure. It may seem to cost a little more in the long run but think of the time saved not only in planning but also
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trying to find someone (anyone) to take reponsibility for their plight because their airline has gone belly up because some dodgy Cypriot dude has legged it with the dosh
And, sleeping on a beach.
We have operations here in Greece and in Botswana.
We quoted for a holiday for two here and they decided to DIY. They got kidnapped on the quay by the wrong hotel and had to pay double for two nights until they had sorted out which hotel they were supposed to be at. When leaving they went down to the port and sat there all day for a ship that didn't exist.
At a luxury safari camp in Botswana we met a honeymoon couple who could barely afford said holiday. Their (well known) high street travel agent who knew nothing of this specialist market had made a mistake in the camps. They flew in by light aircraft, which subsequently departed, no room at the inn. And, certainly no 'hotel next door' to go to.
I could go on. The fact of the matter is that with TA you are dealing with amateurs.
As for your:
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"you'll be reading about this on Trip Advisor" has got me an upgrade twice already this year
Well done sir, I am sure that you were justified. Personaly I would have said 'The Times'. However, these owners clearly didn't know how to play the system and get bad postings removed. It is just as easy to do as it is for them to post 5 star reviews for themselves.
We do not have an airport and never will. We were commissioned to look at the possibility of putting one here. Short of moving a few mountains around it is impossible thank goodness.
