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31/03/2008, 7:52 Quillan Joined on 23/08/2004 Forum Moderator Posts 3,576 Re: The guide books  Jura wrote: 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. 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'. http://www.chambresdhote.com    Report

31/03/2008, 9:13 jon Joined on 29/12/2007 Gironde Posts 328 Re: The guide books 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!                Report

31/03/2008, 15:01 Cat Joined on 21/01/2005 ------- Forum Moderator ------- Lot Posts 2,788 Re: The guide books  Jura wrote: 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.   Crikey Jura, I see what you mean.  I just read the comments on Trip Advisor for your auberge Cathy Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...    Report

31/03/2008, 21:38 Rose Joined on 06/02/2007 Dordogne (24) Posts 646 Re: The guide books 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?    Report

31/03/2008, 22:01 Russethouse Joined on 23/08/2004 Forum Moderator Posts 9,495 Re: The guide books Does the B & B, Gite or Hotel owner get a choice ? Can a customer originate a comment about a place not already listed ? www.quimperclub.org 99    Report

01/04/2008, 7:22 Quillan Joined on 23/08/2004 Forum Moderator Posts 3,576 Re: The guide books 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. http://www.chambresdhote.com    Report

06/04/2008, 9:41 Wilko Joined on 23/08/2004 84 Vaucluse Posts 207 Re: The guide books Have to say  tho' that T/A works for us, why doesn't it work for you Jon ? Rgds Wilko    Report

06/04/2008, 18:02 cassis Joined on 28/12/2007 Manhattan and Glasgow Posts 309 Re: The guide books 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. Zoggy played guitar, jammin' good with Weird and Golly. Lyrics copyright Sausage Music 2008    Report

08/04/2008, 21:05 J.R's gone native Joined on 16/07/2006 Picardie, Sussex Posts 1,695 Re: The guide books 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.    Report

09/04/2008, 13:45 J.R's gone native Joined on 16/07/2006 Picardie, Sussex Posts 1,695 Re: The guide books The posting I made here last night has been removed along with a few others, I dont think that I posted anything contensious, is there a reason?    Report

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France Forum » Owning/Running ... » B&B/Chambres d'... » The guide books

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