Frustrated with tripadvisor

Every so often I go over to tripadvisor to read the lates review on both Dreams and Riu and they are always so awfull. It bums me out. I start thinking that maybe I should pick another location etc. After a little while I calm down and realize that there are horrible reviews on pretty much every resort in tripadvisor. But I still just dont understand why its like that. Are people really that misreable. There is no way that either of these two resorts can be as bad as how people are describing them. Ecspecially after reading what all the girls around here have to say.

Hmmm. Maybe I should have put this one under JUST VENTING

Jackie:

Jackie - I totally agree! I am not getting married at a big hotel, so my hotel gets like one review every 3-4 months, but like half of them are bad. But I got great recs from past brides, I visited the hotel myself...I just try to block out the negative stuff. I mean you can only worry about so much!

I think I just need to delete tripadvisor out of my computer and my mind. It does me more harm then good anyway. Maybe its helpfull to other people but all it does for me is stress me out. A vacation is what you make of it right? I think those people need to just sit by the pool and have a nice big cocktail and stop looking in every nook and crany for something wrong.

I am officially never going to that site again.

Jackie

Jackie,

My FI and I felt the same way. We were trying to pick a place to get married at (pretty much between Dreams and Riu) and were very discouraged by what we read in Trip Advisor. Then we decided to go for our site visit and couldn't get into Dreams so we split our visit between the Presidente Intercontinental and Riu, both of which have horrible reviews. After staying at both of those places, we are convinced that the only people who post on there are they unhappy ones, and there are always going to be those people who won't be pleased by anything! The Presidente Intercontinental was absolutely wonderful and we would definitely go back. It was the most relaxing place we have ever been. The service was truly phenomenal and the people were wonderful. The food was nothing to write home about, but it wasn't TERRIBLE! The Riu was so much fun and it is a beautiful property, we had a wonderful time there as well.

I'm sure people like my FI and I don't help the situation much- we had a wonderful time at two resorts last month, but we didn't post a review. It just goes to show that good news travels fast, but bad news travels faster! I really think the only people who post on there are the unhappy ones, so take those reviews with a grain of salt and rely more on people on this board who are "normal" people who will give you an honest opinion!

sarah and janet are right...some people just aren't happy and have to bitch about everything...also you have to realize 1) it isn't the US so customs, foods, etc are going to be a little different...it is so funny when i read these review where people say things like "and the maid didn't even speak english"...

 

ummm...it is mexico!

Totally Tammy! My favorite is when you are in Mexico (or another foreign country) and you encounter these people, who I like to call "ugly Americans." When they can't communicate w/somebody due to language, they just speak louder! Duh! I always feel embarrassed by those people...I'm like, please don't associate me with them! If they want American service/staff/stuff, why do they go on vaca in another country

You girls are right. I was just freaking out last night after reading all of the reviews over there. I'm just not going to read them anymore. Besides you could put Ryan and I anywhere and we'd figure out how to have fun.

Jackie

You couldn't have said it better Jackie. I think sooo much of it has to do with your attitude and ability to "roll with the punches." There are always things that will come up that will disappoint or possibly inconvenience, but looking at those things as opportunity for adventure is what has always made Jeff & I have a great time on vacation. Of course there are times when you need to put your foot down- like when we checked into the Riu and our room wasn't even remotely ocean view unless you leaned over the balcony and craned your neck you could sorta see the ocean- we talked to the front desk and they moved us. But, instead of being accusatory, we took the approach that "there must be some mistake". One thing to warn people of at the Riu though, is that I was told that ALL their rooms are "ocean view." Well....I guess, if you don't mind leaning over the balcony for it! That would be the only thing I would caution you about at that place, but again, we talked to the manager and got moved- no problem at all. It's amazing what actually being nice to people will get you sometimes. Later, we heard people totally b**ching out the clerk at the desk about their room (they probably got the one we had!), and they were told that was their room and there was nothing that could be done. I don't know if maybe there were no more rooms to move them to, or if they simply were so nasty the clerk didn't want to help...

Trip advisor can be a great resorce but I think the reviews of actual brides on this site are far more helpful for what we are dealing with. I am getting married at the Hilton and it seems to do pretty well on the tripadvisor site but after I stayed there I also did my part to give them a review to keep the high rating going! I would recommend you all do your reviews on Tripadvisor as well. It only takes a minute and if you had a great time I think it's a nice way to say thank you to the resort!

I often use TripAdvisor to get an idea of places (I love the candid photois section) BUT it's sort of like the local news. By this I mean that people who have terrible experiences are more likely to actually go and post where the millions of people that have a terrific experience may never even think about going online to post about the place. So therefore I think that's why there are a lot of negative things up on Trip Advisor... just my 2 cents!