How valid are hotel reviews ?????

[hillbillycruisers]

Hotel / Motel reviews tend to be like restraunt reviews...one mans good time is another mans worst ever visit...its amazing to read the way some people's opinions differ.. we have stayed and eaten in places we thought were very nice, only to see someone trashing it in a review..the cruises we've been on were great, but I'm sure with 2000 plus people onboard there were people who thought different...remember there are people who cannot be satisfied no matter what...anyone who has ever worked customer service for very long knows this is true....I think most people are fair about hotels, restraunts, and cruise ships...but the ugly comments seem to get attention...and while I'm sure there are ligitimate reasons for some of the bad reviews...I'm not gonna be easily swayed...as it says on my license plate..I'm from Missouri and you'll have to Show-Me :)

[zqvol]

I went to a hotel review another review site after booking my hotel based on the reviews on a previous site...just out oif curiosity and too much free time on my hands..lol. It's absolutely mind boggling to see the extreme range of reviews on the same hotel, ranging from beautiful,clean rooms to the need for EXTREME refubishing,bugs and black rings around the toilet. I know everyone has their own expectations of quality but the ranges are so extreme that it almost seems sleeping in your car is the better bet. I have seen marked differences of opinions on the ship I am booked on but not as extreme as the hotel reviews. Thoughts ?

 

Give them the same weight that you give ship reviews.

[JenSDCA]

Like the others said...weigh the reviewer's tone, and take with a grain of salt. (Or many, atop a frothy margarita!) I try to post reviews after any stay, because I benefit from other peoples' reviews (then again, I don't travel too much!). On my last trip, we got moved to a different room halfway through our stay, and the 2 rooms were as different as night and day! So I can see how one place might have varying reviews. I tend to regard reviews like Olympic scoring - toss the highest and the lowest, and weigh the rest.

~Jen

[nanadeborah]

I have been toying with the idea of reviewing my upcoming Transatlantic Freedom cruise on CC but hate the idea of being attacked.

One of my side professions is as an undercover evaluator (much more fun than being a social worker!) I am frequently called upon to evaluate hotels and restaurants posing as whatever level of customer the corporate types want to target. I then measure the customer service and whatever else is the target of the evaluation and report objectively. I usually receive a several page list of items to check out, all of which has to be done without being able to write anything down at the time because I am undercover. I merrily go around unscrewing lightbulbs in the room ( and complaining about no light to the front desk) , stealing the towels, and doing whatever else is required by the corporate entity in order to find out what the response by management of the location is.

I take digital pictures of both good and bad, write up extensive narratives, and generally give a great deal of detail. I also report employees who go out of their way to provide good service.

I do not give subjective statements unless asked to do so. For instance, I would not say that my hotel room was disgusting (subjective). I would say that there were dust bunnies and a hair net under the bed, dirt streaks on the sheets, and roaches in the bathroom (objective). You would get to draw your own conclusions.

All of this is in order to explain that writing objective reports is my business.

So, do you think this sort of review would be accepted on this board, or would I bring out the flaming fanatics?

[OhioJeff]

I have been toying with the idea of reviewing my upcoming Transatlantic Freedom cruise on CC but hate the idea of being attacked.

One of my side professions is as an undercover evaluator (much more fun than being a social worker!) I am frequently called upon to evaluate hotels and restaurants posing as whatever level of customer the corporate types want to target. I then measure the customer service and whatever else is the target of the evaluation and report objectively. I usually receive a several page list of items to check out, all of which has to be done without being able to write anything down at the time because I am undercover. I merrily go around unscrewing lightbulbs in the room ( and complaining about no light to the front desk) , stealing the towels, and doing whatever else is required by the corporate entity in order to find out what the response by management of the location is.

I take digital pictures of both good and bad, write up extensive narratives, and generally give a great deal of detail. I also report employees who go out of their way to provide good service.

I do not give subjective statements unless asked to do so. For instance, I would not say that my hotel room was disgusting (subjective). I would say that there were dust bunnies and a hair net under the bed, dirt streaks on the sheets, and roaches in the bathroom (objective). You would get to draw your own conclusions.

All of this is in order to explain that writing objective reports is my business.

So, do you think this sort of review would be accepted on this board, or would I bring out the flaming fanatics?

 

I say go for it. If you are scared to post it on the Carnival board you could always just submit it to member reviews.

 

I wouldnt let the threat of a potential flame stop me.

[Brenda Bell]

:D Go for it!

[chadinennistx]

I went to a hotel review another review site after booking my hotel based on the reviews on a previous site...just out oif curiosity and too much free time on my hands..lol. It's absolutely mind boggling to see the extreme range of reviews on the same hotel, ranging from beautiful,clean rooms to the need for EXTREME refubishing,bugs and black rings around the toilet. I know everyone has their own expectations of quality but the ranges are so extreme that it almost seems sleeping in your car is the better bet. I have seen marked differences of opinions on the ship I am booked on but not as extreme as the hotel reviews. Thoughts ?

 

NKG, this is up my alley as i work in guest services dept. in a upscale hotel here in dallas. just like the reviews ppl post after their done with their cruise,10 ppl could have had the vacation of a life time,but 2 ppl have a bad experience with their cruise or their stay in a hotel and will never frequent them again. so my advice would go with the high ratio of positive reviews of the hotel your leaning towards and hope your in the majority of being a happy guest of that hotel.///GL + Happy Cruzing

[NKG6002]

I have been toying with the idea of reviewing my upcoming Transatlantic Freedom cruise on CC but hate the idea of being attacked.

One of my side professions is as an undercover evaluator (much more fun than being a social worker!) I am frequently called upon to evaluate hotels and restaurants posing as whatever level of customer the corporate types want to target. I then measure the customer service and whatever else is the target of the evaluation and report objectively. I usually receive a several page list of items to check out, all of which has to be done without being able to write anything down at the time because I am undercover. I merrily go around unscrewing lightbulbs in the room ( and complaining about no light to the front desk) , stealing the towels, and doing whatever else is required by the corporate entity in order to find out what the response by management of the location is.

I take digital pictures of both good and bad, write up extensive narratives, and generally give a great deal of detail. I also report employees who go out of their way to provide good service.

I do not give subjective statements unless asked to do so. For instance, I would not say that my hotel room was disgusting (subjective). I would say that there were dust bunnies and a hair net under the bed, dirt streaks on the sheets, and roaches in the bathroom (objective). You would get to draw your own conclusions.

All of this is in order to explain that writing objective reports is my business.

So, do you think this sort of review would be accepted on this board, or would I bring out the flaming fanatics?

 

 

I WANT YOUR JOB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[map70065]

I do look at different review sites and compare. I don't cross any place of my lists unless I see several bad reviews for just cause (poor housekeeping, safety, etc.) I pretty much ignore complaints about unfriendly staff, noise other things that change from day to day. If someplace has a bunch of negative reviews I will cross it off my list.