Tag: Hotel Reviews
View All TagsOpen Thread / Hotel Reviews / TripAdvisor / → All Tags
Have You Ever Been Bullied Into Writing a Positive TripAdvisor Review?
During a routine sunrise Twitter-browsing session this morning, we came across this story about employees from the Irish-based Carlton Hotel Group being instructed by their managers to post fake reviews on TripAdvisor. Needless to say, the reviews had to be positive, posted from non-hotel IP addresses, and include photos that were "not professional" but "good quality." Because you've got to be subtle with these things!
Which is impossible to do when said staff memo, which was originally sent by one of Carlton's sales and marketing directors, gets leaked all over the internet. The wily, conniving underbelly of hotel management: exposed!
But this made us think. How many times have you been co-erced (or simply asked) by a hotel to post positive TripAdvisor reviews after your stay? Would a free upgrade or restaurant voucher give you more incentive to say something nice? Or do you generally not make a habit of posting reviews in the first place? We want you to weigh in, fellow lodgers!
Paris Hotels / France Hotels / Hotel Openings / Hotel Reviews / Hotel WiFi / → All Tags
The Shangri-La Paris Gently Hints At Its Asian Roots
As we previously reported, The Shangri-La Hotel in Paris was once the residence of Napolean's grandnephew, Prince Roland Bonaparte. This week, The Independent showed up to give the sprawling estate the once-over. Four stars were awarded for the rooms, and (somewhat oddly) value, and an impressive five stars for service, making this newcomer to the City of Lights a serious contender on the luxury scene.
No stars were awarded for Horse-Drawn Carriage-ness. Oh, wait, that's not actually a category. Though, any hotel would be wise to include horse-drawn carriages as couples start seeking the most romantic spots for next month's V-day.
London Hotels / Olympics 2012 Hotels / Pop-Up Hotels / Boutique Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Concepts / Olympics Hotels / Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
What's Up With a Room For London?
A look inside A Room for London's nautical interior
Now that London's hotel of-the-moment, the single-suite Room for London, has opened its nautically-themed doors, we're on a mad hunt for reviews. Creative or kitchy? Comfy or cramped? Opinions will filter through in drips and drabs, as ARFL's limited coterie of guests experience and check out of the Southbank-perched lodgings.
Morocco Hotels / Marrakech Hotels / Boutique Hotels / Hotel Reviews / Africa Hotels / → All Tags
At Marrakech's Dar Ayniwen, Snag a Suite With a Private Terrace If You Can
Our series on Marrakech concludes with the grandest suite we saw during our four day jaunt to the Moroccan city.
Dar Ayniwen, like Jnane Tamsna, is located in La Palmeraie, providing a sea change in terms of environment when compared to the Medina. The estate-turned-hotel that doesn't shy away from pomp and circumstance: stately excess best describes its decor, from the textured Berber rugs layered and peppered throughout its interior, to walls plastered with vintage travel posters, to the plush gardens surrounding it, with a variety of bird species chirping a natural soundtrack for the villa.
Morocco Hotels / Marrakech Hotels / Boutique Hotels / Hotel Reviews / Africa Hotels / → All Tags
Organic Eating and Sunlit Garden Strolls at Marrakech's Jnane Tamsna
Removed from the frantic climes of Marrakech's Medina, Jnane Tamsna is located in the city's Palmeraie district, tucked away from other sizeable resorts in the area. We planned an afternoon sojourn to the grounds after learning about on-site cookery classes featuring staples of Moroccan cuisine. Fans of former Gourmet Editor-in-Chief Ruth Reichl may remember Jnane Tamsna's house chef, Bahija, featured on an episode of Adventures With Ruth.
Morocco Hotels / Marrakech Hotels / Boutique Hotels / Hotel Reviews / Africa Hotels / Hotel Service / → All Tags
Pancakes, a Fez and Babouche Slippers Took the (Birthday) Cake at Riad Joya
Yesterday we teased today's full review of Riad Joya, a boutique hotel planted squarely in the middle of Marrakech's Medina, the most ancient part of the city. Having made the claim that Joya provided us with the best service ever experienced, it's only fitting that we elaborate on such a bold statement.
Morocco Hotels / Marrakech Hotels / Boutique Hotels / Hotel Reviews / Africa Hotels / → All Tags
Why Hotels Should Take a Cue From Marrakech's Riad Joya
Mint tea and fresh Moroccan pastries: now that's a check-in greeting
Though London's winter has been comparatively mild to previous chillblain-inducing, blustering holiday seasons of years prior, us local Hotel Chatter-ers found ourselves craving a mid-season warm weather getaway nonetheless. Marrakech, Morocco won out over other similarly balmy cities for its proximity to the U.K. capital (it's just a three hour flight away) and the promise of tangines peppered with Ras el Hanout and preserved lemons.
Hotel Reviews / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Websites / → All Tags
Marriott is Also Putting Guest Reviews on Their Website
Marriott really wants to know what you thought of this Ritz-Carlton hotel room.
The hotels are striking back against hotel review giant TripAdvisor. The other week it came out that Starwood Hotels would be posting guest reviews--good and bad--directly on their website (after undergoing a vetting process to prove that the guest actually stayed there.) And now we learn that Marriott Hotels will be doing the exact same thing.
USA Today was privvy to Marriott's new review plan:
Marriott will run the reviews on a separate site called Marriott Rewards Insiders, which currently has 25,000 members with profiles but is rapidly growing, says French, head of marketing platforms and Marriott Rewards.
Like Starwood, Marriott will confirm whether a review writer actually stayed in the hotel before publishing the review, eliminating skepticism that a bad review might come from someone looking to undermine a hotel's reputation for whatever reason.
Also like Starwood, Marriott does not plan to offer incentives to customers to write reviews.
London Hotels / Renaissance Hotels / Hotel Architecture / Historic Hotels / Hotel Renovations / London Hotel Scene / Hotel Reviews / London Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
London's St. Pancras Renaissance Gets Another Cringe-Worthy Review
File this story under "Ouch": London's much vaunted and hyped St. Pancras Renaissance has received a less than stellar review by The Telegraph, whose reviewer describes rooms in the sprawling property as "bland" and "overpriced," with "lacklustre service" to match.
Among writer Fiona Duncan's main gripes: loud street traffic, curiously absent employees to answer questions, non-functioning internet, and no business centre for guests' use.
The first complaint comes as no surprise to those of us on the ground in London; anyone that's emerged above ground from King's Cross International Station, site of the Eurorail link and a major tube station, can attest to the constant swarm of travelers, buses, and horn honking taxi drivers around the area and the headache-inducing cacophony they produce.
Additionally, the noise complaint was brought up just after opening by The Daily Mail who mentioned that the "room shakes gently" when a train pulls out of the station. The non-functioning internet is new, however, and such a shame as it costs £6 an hour or £15 pounds for 24-hour access. Ugh.
Hotel Woes / Hotel Scandal / TripAdvisor / Hotel Reviews / Tennessee Hotels / Cockroaches / → All Tags
TripAdvisor Names The Top Ten Dirtiest Hotels, Hotel Owner Gets Mad
Hotel owners, take note: when you're trying to build credibility for your brand, it might not be a good idea to let over eight years' worth of god awful customer reviews pile up on your TripAdvisor page without taking action. Kenneth Seaton, owner of Pigeon Forge Grand Resort Hotel in Tennessee, is suing TripAdvisor for $10 million for placing him smack at the top of their Dirtiest Hotels 2011 list, citing 87% percent of reviewers gave the place a thumbs down.
According to The Mountain Press, Seaton's lawyers are referencing "flawed" rating systems that "distort" the actual performance of the hotel—further, they accuse TripAdvisor of "contriving...to cause respected customers to lose confidence" in the hotel.
Um, right. We bet all of those "respected customers" were just clamoring to stay another night here after browsing through the pre-existing reviews and photos. Roaches in the door frame? No thanks.
Hotel News / Hotel Websites / Starwood Hotels / Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Starwood Hotels to Put Reviews Right on Their Websites
The Nines in Portland
You know how when you go online shopping at Gap and Old Navy, you can immediately see reviews from other customers talking about the clothing (i.e. "I ordered a large and it fits like an extra large! Returned it right away!")? Well, that's soon what you are going to see at Starwood Hotels.
Hotel Check-In reports that Starwood will allow guests to write reviews directly on the hotel's website--as opposed to go to TripAdvisor and other review sites.
And not only is Starwood opening up their sites to reviews but after a property has accumulated enough reviews, the system will give it ratings-1 being the worst, 5 being the best--across several different categories.
London / London Hotel Scene / Service / Hotel Reviews / Hotel News Briefs / Hotels / Europe Hotels / European Hotels / → All Tags
London Hotels Can't Get No Guest Satisfaction
Surly, not sweet: London hotels slammed by a recent customer satisfaction report
The oft uttered stereotype that Brits lack grace in the service department was recently reinforced by a report compiled by Trivago, a hotel price comparison website. Measured against 1,000 cities and towns throughout Europe, London ranked dead last by way of reputation amongst travelers, followed closely behind by Birmingham.
Popular Stories
Follow Us
Hotels In: Africa | Asia | Australia | Caribbean | Europe | North America | South America
Our Publications:
Jaunted | HotelChatter | VegasChatter
