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The guide books


jon
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Quillan, I have a problem with the authenticity of someTripadvisor reviews simply because those writing 'said' reviews do not have to provide any proof at all that they have actually STAYED at the accommodation they are reviewing. I have read many of them, even posted some reviews myself, and Tripadvisor are now turning the negative reviews into a form of 'entertainment reading' and I object to this.

For example, we had one English couple who stated both over the phone and in their booking email that they would be arriving around 8pm on a Sunday evening, they even requested an evening meal...they actually arrived at 7AM that Sunday MORNING and were perplexed as to why no-one was there to open the door. They left and did not return at all so were charged as 'no shows'. We found out what had happened after they returned to England and chose to write us an extremely abusive email. This couple, on returning home, went and submitted a truly dreadful review about us to Tripadvisor complaining about the 'bad service' (that they had not stayed to experience), 'the poor accommodation' (that they had never even seen), the location (we cannot help it if the original owners chose to build the place where it is several decades ago) and the 'lack of grass and flowers' (this was in the middle of a very cold and windy January...boggles the mind).

It took us several weeks and countless emails to have this fraudulent and defamatory 'review' of us removed from their site...it seems as though when reviewing a property people can say what they like, but property owners have very little comeback in the end. And it just isn't right.

People booking through sites such as Venere, Bookings and HostelWorld can only post accommodation reviews IF they have actually STAYED at the property in question...Tripadvisor, in my mind, caters to a lot of people who have chips on their shoulders.

 

 

 

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I tend to look on any review that stands out as being very different from all of the rest with suspicion.  After all, if 15 people say how great a place is, and two say it is truly dreadful, I'd believe the majority.  And if 15 people say a place is awful, and 2 say it's great, I'd be inclined to suspect that the owners themselves (or their friends or relatives) were trying to bump their rating.

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The problem with the general public offering their views.....is that they are"the general public" and that means that we all have different standards.

For those people who search for the cheapest...and lets hope that it is clean  and near the beach...then do not use a guide book..no need.

Others look for a special experience...want to know that the property was re-decorated last spring and that owners husband  cooks a great leek and prawn tart....and that there are 4 bedrooms with very comfortable beds...and you can choose your room.You can locate the hotel or b and b by map  and you can expect that the property has been inspected by an expert.The expert is usually an ex chef or hotel keeper.

 

Many guides can diirect you to locations on line offering contact tel numbers ....call the owner get some extra info...a night or so in a good location...great place works magic.Even paying 20 pounds for a guide book will make a good investment...makes good reading..usually....

Sorry but Trip adviser does not work for me.

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[quote user="Jura"]

People booking through sites such as Venere, Bookings and HostelWorld can only post accommodation reviews IF they have actually STAYED at the property in question...Tripadvisor, in my mind, caters to a lot of people who have chips on their shoulders.

[/quote]

Hostel World does not always get it right. In amongst our reviews is a not so good one and it's clear to me (and to anyone that knows where we are) that the review is about a different place (geographically, like 80km away). We have asked numerous times for this one review to be moved to the correct place or removed and we have not even received a reply. People who use these sites for a multi centre holiday can quite easily get places mixed up so I consider this to be just an honest mistake but it's annoying just the same. One way is to log them in to the site while with you and remind them to place their review there and then while it's fresh in their mind.

The thing about such sites as Trip Advisor is that whilst it's good for prospective guests it frightens owners to death because anyone can make a review but if you have a good place it can work well for you. It covers a wide spectrum of accommodation types as well as bar and restaurants. But like somebody has said you just go through the lot and if all but one says it brilliant then you ignore the bad one. I have also seen other comments on Trip Advisor like a negative report because the place was 'to quiet' and yet it's a rural hotel! You just think 'silly a s s', (why the nasty work machine has this word in it I do not know - its a type of donkey) what do you expect'.

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Even the best of hotels can get trouble......there are people out there who make crazy reports...just to appear imoportant.By the way does anyone know Veules les roses in Normandy......it is a really pretty seaside village with lots of character and one of the most interesting looking hotels I have ever seen.

Not the best hotel though...breakfast boreing....Not difficult to produce a great breakast at a fairly low cost.

So many people put no effort into their work.

Bacon and eggs ...by the way nice to eat...sometimes...but no so good for the body!          

 

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[quote user="Jura"]

Quillan, I have a problem with the authenticity of someTripadvisor reviews simply because those writing 'said' reviews do not have to provide any proof at all that they have actually STAYED at the accommodation they are reviewing. I have read many of them, even posted some reviews myself, and Tripadvisor are now turning the negative reviews into a form of 'entertainment reading' and I object to this.

 

[/quote]

Crikey Jura, I see what you mean.  I just read the comments on Trip Advisor for your auberge [:-))]

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Sorry Jon and Jura but I have to say we use tripadvisor all the time too and have done so for quite a few years.  So far we've never been let down by the reviews. I maybe a bit lazy and I tend to try and find most information on the internet these days.

I would go with Cat in that I tend to go with the 'normal' comments rather than the exceptional... you will always get someone who could never be pleased... but if there are a handful of reviews you should be able to get a feel for the place.  We now just enter the town/area we want to visit and see what comes up... I use tripadvisor for cheap family overnight stays and the more expensive special stays... I found our hotel in Maui on Tripadvisor for an extra special holiday and wasn't dissappointed and we also found our Paris B&B the same way and again... it was just as we expected. 

I can accept what Jura is saying - it must be really hard if people abuse the system, but on the whole it is a popular well known site that is used around the world... perhaps you should try and encourage your customers to add their comments to the site in addition to your other options? [:$] [:)]

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Yes they can it would seem. We are on it but no photo and no description and we never put it there. No reviews either as present. There are other companies that review as well and we are on them, some we put ourselves on others we just appeared. Fortunately the lowest we have is a 9 out of 10 and that's because it's a wrong entry (different town as I said before). Actually its quite flattering to see your place reviewed, makes you feel all warm. I would never have gone looking if it were not for Cat and would never have known we had been reviewed.
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We have great reviews on Trip Advisor and get a few bookings from it each year, though given the sloppy attitude of the TA site management I would not lose any sleep if TA disappeared tomorrow.  I have found that TA is good in parts but also open to abuse and full of inconsistencies to which the managers are happy to turn a blind eye if it suits them.

For example,
the town to which each accommodation listing is allocated is not properly monitored - in fact it's frequently billocks and is open to manipulation by owners.  Just looking at the pages for Lower Normandy:

On this page for our nearest town of Alençon:

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g196641-Alencon_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The hotel listed at #1 (les Etangs de Guibert) is in a different town altogether, Neufchatel en Saosnois.

Similarly, on this page for Bayeux:

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g187181-Bayeux_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The following is not in Bayeux:

1.      

La

Garenne
, is at
Meuvaines

And on this

page :

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g187181-c2-Bayeux_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The following are not in Bayeux:

1.      

Chateau

de l'Isle-Marie
,
is at

Picauville (also different department)

2.      

La

Ferme des Perelles
,
is at

Pouligny

3.      

Le

Chateau de Cottun
, is at

Cottun

4.      

B&B

La Foulerie
, is at

Cahagnes

5.      

La

Caillerie
, is at

Cahagnes

And on this

page :

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g187182-Caen_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The following are not in Caen :

1.      

Les Fontaines, is at

Barbery

2.      

Le

Bellevue
, is at Chéron

3.      

Le

Chateau d'Audrieu
, is at

Audrieu

4.      

Hotel

Le Canada Hermanville
, is at Hermanville

5.      

Hotel

le Vauban
, is at Carentan

6.      

La

Cremaillere-Le Gytan
, is at Courseulles sur

Mer

7.      

Mercure

Saint Lo
, is at Saint Lo

And on this page :

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g187182-c2-Caen_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The following are not in Caen :

1.      

Le

Mas Normand
, is at
Ver Sur Mer

2.      

Le

Manoir de Crépon
, is at

Crépon

And on this page :

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g187191-Rouen_Haute_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The following are not in Caen :

1.      

Le

Clos des Fontaines
, is at
Jumieges

2.      

Chateau

Corneille
,
Gaillon

3.      

Best

Western La Berteliere
,
is at Saint Martin Du Vivier

4.      

Hostellerie

des Trois Poissons
, is at Gisors

5.      

Hotel

La Villa Marine
, is at Le

Tréport

And on this page :

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g196646-Mont_St_Michel_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The

following are not on Le Mont St Michel

1.      

Le

Fruitier Hotel Restaurant
, is at Villedieu les

Poeles

2.      

Best

Western Hotel Montgomery
, is at

Pontorson

3.      

Les

13 Assiettes Hotel
, is at
Le Val Saint Père

4.      

Brit

Hotel Relais du Mont
, is at
Ceaux

5.      

Le

Cygne et Residence Restaurant
, is at

Saint

Hilaire du Harcouet

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g196646-c2-Mont_St_Michel_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The

following are not on Le Mont St Michel

1.      

Les

Blotteries
, is at Juilley

2.      

La

Jacotiere
, is at Ardevon

And on this page :

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g196646-c3-Mont_St_Michel_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

The

following are not on Le Mont St Michel

1.      

Au

Bon Accueil
, is at St Marcan

2.      

La

vieille Foulonnière
, is at Les

Pas

And on this page :

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotels-g187184-Deauville_Basse_Normandie_Normandy-Hotels.html

 

The

following are not in Deauville:

1.      

Mercure

Deauville Pont l'Eveque
,

is at

Saint Martin aux Chartrains

2.      

Pierre

et Vacances Le Garden Club
, is at Branville

3.      

Village-Club

Ma Normandie
, is at
Breville-les-Monts

4.      

Hotel

Eden Park
, is at
Pont L'Evêque

You might argue that some latitude is permissible, but some of these listings are many a country mile away from the place they claim to be and there is no consistent policy.  I've pointed this out to TA (I didn't just research this for the forum)  but TA don't seem to give a damn.

Trip Advisor commentaries are also wide open to abuse, regardless of the protestations of the site owners about rigorous checking and coming down hard on people who abuse the system.  I've spotted a
number of places that have a bunch of recommendations in a short period of time then nowt - that, to me, is very suspicious.  Owners can post their own favourable comments just by using a proxy IP and false ID, which is hardly rocket science. Never mind putting friends and relatives up to posting fake reviews.

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I have just spent an enjoyable time on trip advisor.

I found the establishment mentioned, I neither know or care if it is the one run by one of the posters, I did though enjoy the guests coments and the replys, the male of the establishment seems very well balanced in his replies.

I also checked out accomodation in my region and  found only one major chain hotel which is universally known locally to be terrible, and that is saying something bearing in mind that all the others are awfull!

The very first review was glowing, gave 5 stars for everything and purported to be from Mary and John from London, it was "ow do wee sayee" clearly written by a very French Marie et Jean hoping to promote their hotel, perhaps I should offer to retranslate it for them[:)]

Given the above I would tend to believe the bad reviews especially if countered by the owners opinions and be very suspicious of overly good reviews.

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No.  I saw what you posted (and all the other stuff) this morning and it all appeared innocent enough. But there does not have to be a reason for stuff to be deleted or edited.  Such things can happen at a whim, at random, like a lightning strike or a drop of bird poop from the air.

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Not sure, J.R.  A reply to your message went missing, too.  Maybe there's a fault in the software? 

I saw what you posted (and all the other stuff) this morning and

it all appeared innocent enough. But there does not have to be a reason

for stuff to be deleted or edited.  Such things can happen at a whim,

at random, like a lightning strike or a drop of bird poop from the air.

Second thoughts - could it be related to someone revealing a member's real name?  I mention no names, only offer this as a possible

explanation.
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[quote user="cassis"]Not sure, J.R.  A reply to your message went missing, too.  Maybe there's a fault in the software? 

I saw what you posted (and all the other stuff) this morning and

it all appeared innocent enough. But there does not have to be a reason

for stuff to be deleted or edited.  Such things can happen at a whim,

at random, like a lightning strike or a drop of bird poop from the air.

Second thoughts - could it be related to someone revealing a member's real name?  I mention no names, only offer this as a possible

explanation.[/quote]

Double apologies [:)]

Forum software limitations mean threads have to be dissected post by post and re-attached post by post.

Now all re-instated I hope.
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[quote user="Wilko"]

Hi Clair

Wen was that then ??

Rgds

Wilko

[/quote]

I couldn't possibly comment, as I'm sure you know.

Back to the topic of guide books...? Have you read any good reviews lately?

I don't use them in their paper version, but I do use a web listing which allows visitors to mark the holiday accommodation on their return. By the same token, the owner can also mark the visitors and both sets of reviews are available to prospective visitors and owners when an enquiry is made through the web listing.

So far so good for us and all ratings to date show 5/5 [:D]

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[quote user="cassis"]The idea of marking visitors appeals HUGELY! [:D]

So - you're getting 5/5; what does your average visitor get? [Www]

[/quote]

Unlike the rating by visitors, the rating by owners is fairly new to the web listing.

So far I have had not complaints to make about visitors from that web listing and they have got top marks from me.

I have had several bookings for the coming months through that same listing and I keep my fingers crossed that the comments will stay positive [:)].

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http://www.homelidays.com  You have to join it but then you can review a place after you've stayed there and likewise the owners can review the guests.  Many, many times I would love to tell the world not to take some that I've had to stay.  So far none of the homelidays visitors fit that category.  They've also been mainly non-English-speaking guests, French, Spanish or Italian.
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