Originally Posted by bcworld

What would you do? Take the money and remove the review? Just remove the review? Leave the review and dob them in to Tripadvisor? Or something else? My gut feeling is to ask them to remove all the management comments from other guests reviews and perhaps ask them to be more honest in their marketing and wait and see what happens before removing the pics.

Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede

They've shot themselves in the foot.

The offer of full refund is a tacit admission that your experience was very poor, which means your review is entirely valid and you are under no obligation to remove it. If they agree you deserve a refund, they should be giving it to you with no strings attached. A refund is not supposed to be a bribe.

I would point this out to them, refuse the money and inform Tripadvisor, quoting the hotel's messages in full. Don't ask them to remove anything; let Tripadvisor take care of this.

Originally Posted by Sherro

i dont agree, I think that is a bit harsh. The problem with Trip Advisor when you run a small business is it can REALLY hurt you if you stuff up. The problem with posting a bad review (and I have done it) is that it sticks, and people will avoid going to that place, even long after the hotel or whatever has fixed its ways. I think a good test is where there as loads of poor reviews and clear the manager or owner isnt bothered by them and ignores them, but if someone reaches out and tries to compromise with you and offer some sense of acknowledgement and refund I think thats actually quite an OK thing to do and makes perfect business sense. Reporting them to the Paper for trying to fix their ways seems a bit humbug to me, and I bet if it where someone you know running the hotel youd be far more leniant.

come on guys lighten up a bit, be flexible, charitable, and accepting.

Originally Posted by bcworld

Last year when working in Sydney I made a fairly last minute booking at a busy time and ended up with very little choice of where to stay.

I ended up in a small North Shore hotel.

It was a HOLE...my room was shocking, but I knew everywhere else was full and I wasn't prepared to ask my employer to pay the $500/night it would've cost to get a room somewhere in the CBD that week.

A few months later I came across some photos I took to send to the people back at the office so they could have a laugh about it...and I decided to put a review on Tripadvisor, with the photos.

My review was just the latest of a seriers of dismal reviews...generally 1 blob out of 5 on the Tripadvisor scale, so my experience wasn't unusual.

This week I was contacted by that hotel, who seems to have recently signed up a tripadvisor account. They told me that since the review and photos were posted they have experienced a significant loss of business; that my photos are not representative of most of the other rooms and that the room I stayed in was a budget room (not how it was advertised - the words luxury & refurbished were used). They offered me a partial refund and asked me to consider removing the photos. I told them I wasn't interested. I'm a bit annoyed because they have commented on all the negative reviews stating that they believe they MAY have been posted by a rival hotel or disgruntled ex employee. They have also commented on my review that I was staying in their budget accommodation when as I said that wasn't what I paid for or believed I was getting.

Miraculously since the hotel signed up to Tripadvisor a few weeks ago they received some positive reviews at last! Tripadvisor has since deleted at least one of them. Written by themselves I expect.

They have now written to me again, offering me a full refund ($400) directly in return for deleting my review. The have stated that they estimate their loss of turnover at up to $80k!!! And they would like me to talk to the owner.

All of this is completely inappropriate through the Tripadvisor system of course.

They seem desperate, and they believe they have been 'sufficiently penalised' - their words. I don't have any interest in putting them out of business but their hotel stinks...my review is accurate and I didn't even write much, just let the photos do the talking.

What would you do? Take the money and remove the review? Just remove the review? Leave the review and dob them in to Tripadvisor? Or something else? My gut feeling is to ask them to remove all the management comments from other guests reviews and perhaps ask them to be more honest in their marketing and wait and see what happens before removing the pics.

Originally Posted by Weebie

Don't convert your money to sterling and remove the review.

Would you write a poor review for 100 pound a night in London? Of course not.

"My experience was shit, the buildings were old and the room was small....I can't believe I spent 100 quid!!!" You comments make you sound like a whinging cheaparse even though I'm sure in reality you are not.

Originally Posted by bcworld

Last year when working in Sydney I made a fairly last minute booking at a busy time and ended up with very little choice of where to stay.

I ended up in a small North Shore hotel.

It was a HOLE...my room was shocking, but I knew everywhere else was full and I wasn't prepared to ask my employer to pay the $500/night it would've cost to get a room somewhere in the CBD that week.

A few months later I came across some photos I took to send to the people back at the office so they could have a laugh about it...and I decided to put a review on Tripadvisor, with the photos.

My review was just the latest of a seriers of dismal reviews...generally 1 blob out of 5 on the Tripadvisor scale, so my experience wasn't unusual.

This week I was contacted by that hotel, who seems to have recently signed up a tripadvisor account. They told me that since the review and photos were posted they have experienced a significant loss of business; that my photos are not representative of most of the other rooms and that the room I stayed in was a budget room (not how it was advertised - the words luxury & refurbished were used). They offered me a partial refund and asked me to consider removing the photos. I told them I wasn't interested. I'm a bit annoyed because they have commented on all the negative reviews stating that they believe they MAY have been posted by a rival hotel or disgruntled ex employee. They have also commented on my review that I was staying in their budget accommodation when as I said that wasn't what I paid for or believed I was getting.

Miraculously since the hotel signed up to Tripadvisor a few weeks ago they received some positive reviews at last! Tripadvisor has since deleted at least one of them. Written by themselves I expect.

They have now written to me again, offering me a full refund ($400) directly in return for deleting my review. The have stated that they estimate their loss of turnover at up to $80k!!! And they would like me to talk to the owner.

All of this is completely inappropriate through the Tripadvisor system of course.

They seem desperate, and they believe they have been 'sufficiently penalised' - their words. I don't have any interest in putting them out of business but their hotel stinks...my review is accurate and I didn't even write much, just let the photos do the talking.

What would you do? Take the money and remove the review? Just remove the review? Leave the review and dob them in to Tripadvisor? Or something else? My gut feeling is to ask them to remove all the management comments from other guests reviews and perhaps ask them to be more honest in their marketing and wait and see what happens before removing the pics.

Originally Posted by Weebie

for 100 sterling in London I would expect a similar quality for 300-400 bucks in Sydney. Just because people earn more than other countries many people seem to think they should recieve better value which is complete crap

Some hotels in Sydney especially at certain times can be outrageously high priced. I remember having to sleep on the streets one night becuse I couldn't find a room.

can pay 300 bucks for some shocking hotels here in Perth. and unlike Sydney we have plenty of room and limited tourists.

The Hotel is incorrect at labelling its room luxurious etc if there not but all the hotels talk up their rooms even if there shit. It's only trying to compete like lieing just a little in your resume.

Originally Posted by Weebie

Don't convert your money to sterling and remove the review.

Would you write a poor review for 100 pound a night in London? Of course not.

"My experience was shit, the buildings were old and the room was small....I can't believe I spent 100 quid!!!" You comments make you sound like a whinging cheaparse even though I'm sure in reality you are not. Some of these busineses can struggle to get the staff they need.