TripAdvisor: Friend or Foe?

colby2277 · January 30, 2009

I agree with Abbie, she said it perfectly! I have been to the DR many times, and everytime it has been more than fabulous! Be a traveler, and enjoy your time there!!

Positanobride10 · January 30, 2009

I happen to like Trip Adviser but you have to look at other sites too. I usually look at a few others and then take the average ratings of all sites. Then choose. Every hotel or place will have one or two negative reviews but if the negatives are lower than the positives, you have a good chance of enjoying the hotel/resort.

Erika J · January 30, 2009

I agree, some people will never be satisfied and always find something to complain about and will never be happy, even with the Ritz.

Others will understand the service with a smile means more than service on the beach.

Especially when the complaints relate to food in countries outside the US. They cannot expect the same level of "five star" food.

Susanandmo · January 30, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abbie

i ADORE trip advisor!

my hubby and i always say, there are 2 kinds of people who travel to mexico (for example):

~travelers- a traveler books the best hotel for their money and expects little but is rewarded by being surprised with way more than they thought they were getting. a traveler is the kind of person who tips well for services, doesnt complain much, and is just happy to be on a tropical vacation in a beautiful and warm location with a drink in their hand while sitting in the pool, instead of at home/work, and will find a way to make any situation work for them.

~vacationers- people who should have stayed in america/canada because nothing is good enough for them. unadventurous people. people who are used to being spoiled and waited on hand and foot but dont tip well even for fantastic service. people who expect 5 star/diamond/apple service and accomodations in a 3rd world country thats sometimes-motto is "Manana, I'm on Mexican time!" rude, pushy, and unaware that the native people of the country are human beings too.

anyways, we always read the review with these descriptions in mind, you can immediately pick the "traveler" reviews from the "vacationer" reviews. hubby and i definately see ourselves as travelers, and we have never been so disappointed or disgusted with a place that we have stayed at that we came home and wrote an embarassing review like some i have seen on TA!

my absolute favorite part about the trip advisor reviews is you can look at REAL pictures taken by and uploaded by the actual person, rather than just the resort/hotel photos that the PR person for the hotel chain wanted you to see.

you can see exactly what you are getting yourself into: bugs, mold, dirt, linens, bathrooms, pools, bars, buffets, everything! if you dont like what you see, dont stay there! i always look at the traveler photos first when i start researching any hotel, pictures dont lie!

but just take what you read with a grain of salt, if you feel good about the place and you dont go there expecting perfection, you will end up having the best vacation every time

Thank you Abbie! I really needed this.

Susanandmo · January 30, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel&B

I love trip advisor! I've planned several trips based on reviews, and I've yet to be disappointed. I totally agree with Abbie's thoughts on the 2 types of travelers. I think you can kind of tell when reading the review if the reviewer is like you or dislike you. Does that make sense? Some people are insanely hard to please. You need to treat people with respect, be friendly, and TIP! The rewards are immeasurable.

My honeymoon hotel opened a month ago, and the reviews are totally a mixed bag. I'm just hoping that by the time I get there in 3 months, the kinks will be worked out.

The real traveler photos are totally the best!

Hi Mel! I was really starting to get down when reading all the mixed/negatives reviews of the VM. I really do hope that all the issues are worked out soon. My brother made a good point thou... the main aspects that we were looking for in a resort is a great room, peaceful location, nice beach and bars. We are going to be doing tons of activities while we are there, so we need a nice peaceful place to relax and drink

Where you planning on switching to another location?

JHarwood2Be · January 30, 2009

TripAdvisor has been extremely useful in my DW planning.

I used the site to read reviews (especially of weddings) and to look at the traveler photos when choosing a resort.

We ended up choosing a brand new resort that just opened November 1st. TripAdvisor has been my lifeline regarding how things are going there. The reviews go from one extreme to the next and I agree, you just have to know what is important for you and your guests. I also read the Puerto Morelos forum everyday and pick up a lot of tid bits about the resort or further discussions of the reviews.

I can see how TripAdvisor can be a stressful resource during all of this, but I'd rather hear it all instead of being surprised when I arrived at the resort.

Mel&B · January 30, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susanandmo

Hi Mel! I was really starting to get down when reading all the mixed/negatives reviews of the VM. I really do hope that all the issues are worked out soon. My brother made a good point thou... the main aspects that we were looking for in a resort is a great room, peaceful location, nice beach and bars. We are going to be doing tons of activities while we are there, so we need a nice peaceful place to relax and drink

Where you planning on switching to another location?

I did decide to switch to the Riu Palace Pacifico. It took a little weight off my shoulders. It had a few small features I like, like a swim up bar and umbrellas at the pool- silly stuff for sure.

I think Deams VM will be beautiful and I'm sure you will have a lovely wedding. The rooms are supposed to be gorgeous and the grounds are too. Dreams Resorts have an excellent rep, and I do think they are just working out the kinks.

This is back to topic about T.A. I read a review of the Riu two days ago that had me in stiches from laughing. The title was "Honeymoon Ruined!" I was shocked and read on. Why was the honeymoon ruined? The entire review was based on two things; 1. One night they had to bathe with bubble bath gel because they was no soap. They called the front desk and it took a few hours for the soap to arrive. 2. They received a plate of chocolate covered strawberries, but it said "Happy Anniversary" instead of mentioning the honeymoon. The couple went to management and complained because of the mistake. These two things "ruined" their honeymoon. You can find this review on TA under the Riu Palace Pacifico.

This is the kind of review I would completely ignore. It was comical! Some people will be upset no matter what- you just can't make them happy. This is a clear cut case of Abbie's "vacationers." Ridiculous!

P.S. If anyone from BDW wrote this review, I apologize if I offended you.

JC0721 · January 30, 2009

I like Tripadvisor. I think it's very helpful BUT, don't read too much into it. I like how Abbie put it - some people are just prone to complaining about everything. If there are more good posts than bad I would think that's a good sign. Just check the hotel sites also and see if they fit your needs.

dennita · January 31, 2009

I have used TA to help me find a resort for my wedding and i must admit i have been put of some resorts because of the reviews. However, in the past i have read negative reviews of places i was due to visit or had visited and i had a lovely time and could not fault it. People do have different expectations, but when ur planning something as important as your wedding, its hard not to listen to negative comments read on TA.

LIW · February 2, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abbie

i ADORE trip advisor!

my hubby and i always say, there are 2 kinds of people who travel to mexico (for example):

~travelers- a traveler books the best hotel for their money and expects little but is rewarded by being surprised with way more than they thought they were getting. a traveler is the kind of person who tips well for services, doesnt complain much, and is just happy to be on a tropical vacation in a beautiful and warm location with a drink in their hand while sitting in the pool, instead of at home/work, and will find a way to make any situation work for them.

~vacationers- people who should have stayed in america/canada because nothing is good enough for them. unadventurous people. people who are used to being spoiled and waited on hand and foot but dont tip well even for fantastic service. people who expect 5 star/diamond/apple service and accomodations in a 3rd world country thats sometimes-motto is "Manana, I'm on Mexican time!" rude, pushy, and unaware that the native people of the country are human beings too.

anyways, we always read the review with these descriptions in mind, you can immediately pick the "traveler" reviews from the "vacationer" reviews. hubby and i definately see ourselves as travelers, and we have never been so disappointed or disgusted with a place that we have stayed at that we came home and wrote an embarassing review like some i have seen on TA!

my absolute favorite part about the trip advisor reviews is you can look at REAL pictures taken by and uploaded by the actual person, rather than just the resort/hotel photos that the PR person for the hotel chain wanted you to see.

you can see exactly what you are getting yourself into: bugs, mold, dirt, linens, bathrooms, pools, bars, buffets, everything! if you dont like what you see, dont stay there! i always look at the traveler photos first when i start researching any hotel, pictures dont lie!

but just take what you read with a grain of salt, if you feel good about the place and you dont go there expecting perfection, you will end up having the best vacation every time

Fantastic Post! I wholehaeartedly agree! I read Trip Advospr, and I actually think it's a very good website, but I always take the negative reviews with a grain of salt.

Some people will never be happy unless they are complaining. It's important for people to always keep in mind that they are going to a different country/place. It's not going to be the same as home. If they want everything to be the same as home, then they should stay there.

Best Destination Wedding Sponsors

TripAdvisor: Friend or Foe?

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation

Posts

Topics