Attack of the Trip Advisors

SexyGreyFox

SexyGreyFox

SexyGreyFox

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Did anybody see this last night?
Some of the 'reviewers' wanted me to smack them in the head with my keyboard.
I never realised how sites like Trip Adviser are putting hotels out of business with mundane reviews.


DOCUMENTARY: Attack of the Trip Advisors
On: Channel 4 (4)
Date: Monday 31st October 2011 (Already shown)
Time: 21:00 to 22:00 (1 hour long)

This Cutting Edge film reveals Britain's most meticulous Trip Advisors and meets some of the hoteliers and restaurateurs at war with the site. The British hospitality industry is under attack. Businesses the length and breadth of the country are being assaulted by ever more nit-picking and abusive reviews. It's bad for their livelihoods and even worse for their sanity. But it's not the professional critics who are reviewing their hosts; a nation of virtual AA Gills and Michael Winners are using the Trip Advisor website to get their own back on hotels and restaurants. With more than 40 million users a month, Trip Advisor is the largest and most powerful travel guide in the world. But is it a force for good that gives the customer a voice, or an abuse of power that undermines businesses and ruins lives? How long can Britain's small businesses cope with relentless criticism before they pack it all in?
(Editor's Choice, Subtitles, 2011, 3 Star)
 
I've almost given up using Tripadvisor because of the mostly frankly pathetic and sensationalist reviews. Plenty of people going absolutely bonkers and leaving really harsh reviews as a result of either trivial problems, ridiculous expectations or things that are beyond any hoteliers control.

I almost didn't bother taking a tour to the Grand Canyon with one company because of how harsh some of the TA reviews were. It turned out to be fantastically organised and really excelent.
 
That guy who was all like "OMG the bathroom fan is still on after switching the bathroom light off" *Giant roll eyes smiley.gif*

The other one moaning about being given a gin and tonic by mistake too.

Really quite pathetic.
 
It is the same with most review sites, they seem to attract two kinds of people

1) Those who loved it and thought it was the greatest thing ever (low expectations?)
2) Those who hated it with a fiery passion (unreasonable expectations?)

The program reviewers seemed like people who enjoyed being a critic with some kind of point to prove to the world.
 
Didn't watch it, but It's the same for reviews in general, people expect to much from to little.
You have to read between the lines.
 
AcidHell2 said:
Didn't watch it, but It's the same for reviews in general, people expect to much from to little.
You have to read between the lines.
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Exactly if a place has 50 reviews mostly 4-5 stars and one or two 1-2 stars then you know it will be ok.

If a place has 40 1-2 star reviews and 10 3-5 star reviews then you need to avoid.
 
cymatty said:
Exactly if a place has 50 reviews mostly 4-5 stars and one or two 1-2 stars then you know it will be ok.

If a place has 40 1-2 star reviews and 10 3-5 star reviews then you need to avoid.
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It's also if a hotel Is £40 in central London. As long as its clean, then that's all ie expect. But you get people ranting and raving, rooms are small, it's noisy blah blah blah. If its on a main street with pubs and clubs, of course it's noisy.

I can't really see how trip advisor is putting hotels out of business though. Pretty much all hotels have bad reviews.
 
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Some people just overreact, I don't think that any criticism should face legal action. As long as it is not false then I don't see a problem with it.
 
chaosdestro0 said:
Some people just overreact, I don't think that any criticism should face legal action. As long as it is not false then I don't see a problem with it.
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Technically if the fault is untrue, the author could face defamation.

But then again, the "rating" is very subjective. If the customer gives 1 star because the desk lamp didn't work in an otherwise perfect 5 star hotel rather than 4 star. The question is how do you qualify what warrant the value of a star?
 
Raymond Lin said:
Technically if the fault is untrue, the author could face defamation.

But then again, the "rating" is very subjective. If the customer gives 1 star because the desk lamp didn't work in an otherwise perfect 5 star hotel rather than 4 star. The question is how do you qualify what warrant the value of a star?
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Yes, I can see problems when it is false. The biggest issue I have with legal action is that I can't see how the damage can be quantified.
 
A few years ago we were going to Tenerife in a complex called Laguna Park 2.
About 1 month before we went there was a Holidays From Hell special devoted just to Laguna Park 2 :eek:
My daughters were upset and wanted us to try and go somewhere else and then I had a logical think and went through the problems:

1) There were cats around the complex (tell me a place in Gran Canaria where there isn't?)
2) Somebody had their stuff stolen from under their pillow (when there was a safe that cost £5)
3) There was a pool table where kids made a noise (it was outside the club!!!!)
4) Somebody a few doors down was playing music until 3am (!!!!!)
5) There were loads of stairs (they were in the brochure)
6) There was a steep slope down to the pool (it had a warning in the brochure with a picture)
7) It was a steepish walk up to the complex from the main bars (it told you this in the brochure)

We ended up having a great time.
 
chaosdestro0 said:
Yes, I can see problems when it is false. The biggest issue I have with legal action is that I can't see how the damage can be quantified.
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That aspect could be argue with the Hotel turn over in a previous year and then the takings after the bad review appears, then work out the difference.

However, once the review is out, the bad word is out there and the customs is lost and it could be years before it is restored. It is that length of time that is hard to quantified even if the said bad review is retracted/removed.

But then again, even if you do sue, the amount to sue (limitation is only 1 year) for for hotel takings can be well into 5 to 6 figure sums. Most people will not have that and will just declare bankrupt and then the hotel gets nothing in return. Not to mention the potential legal costs, which a small family run hotel just cannot afford to do, especially if they are not making much money.
 
The sensible ones of us will use sites like TripAdvisor and read the comments and work out what is stupid and what is sensible.

The place I went to in Rhodes people were voting it low because it didn't have a toaster. :-/
 
People generally only post on sites like Trip Advisor or any review site when there is something to complain about.

The obvious comments such as what I've red in this thread I would hope many ignore.

Trip Advisor shouldn't be taken seriously, and usually have a pretty good consenus of feedback. It's just a reference.

But I agree that sometimes the ratings can be a bit off from you're own personal experience.

The channel 4 program also comes across as a bit of a sensationalist program to be honest.
 
Going to watch this now actually.

It's the same as restaurant review sites as well. There are people out there who defame and give bad reviews to rival restaurants and falsify reviews on their own places to look good.
 
dmpoole said:
A few years ago we were going to Tenerife in a complex called Laguna Park 2.
About 1 month before we went there was a Holidays From Hell special devoted just to Laguna Park 2 :eek:
My daughters were upset and wanted us to try and go somewhere else and then I had a logical think and went through the problems:

1) There were cats around the complex (tell me a place in Gran Canaria where there isn't?)
2) Somebody had their stuff stolen from under their pillow (when there was a safe that cost £5)
3) There was a pool table where kids made a noise (it was outside the club!!!!)
4) Somebody a few doors down was playing music until 3am (!!!!!)
5) There were loads of stairs (they were in the brochure)
6) There was a steep slope down to the pool (it had a warning in the brochure with a picture)
7) It was a steepish walk up to the complex from the main bars (it told you this in the brochure)

We ended up having a great time.
Click to expand...

So true as long as you know what you are booking and research it then happy times.

You can't complain if it s clear in the brochure that its on a hill
 
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