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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To consider lveaing the following review on trip advisor

69 replies

listsandbudgets · 27/05/2014 19:46

Can't decide whether to or not as hostess was actually very pleasant and I suspect she's a single parent struggling to keep things going. Upset though as we paid a lot of money for this. We won't be returning :(

We booked a last minute break for myself, dp and two DCs. I'd start by saying this is a small b&b and the hostess herself was very friendly and helpful. Also it was a bank holiday which might explain some of the issues.

The room was described as a family suite to sleep 4 and was £XXX. The website stated breakfast was included and that it was possible to buy dinner.

The problems started when we received a phone call at lunch time saying that although the website stated a 4pm in check in it would not be possible to book in until 7.30pm.

By that time were were on our way and knew it would be hard to find another room in a similar location so we rejigged our day and decided to go out to dinner before arriving.

On arrival we were shown our room which turned out to be so small that we could just get the travel cot in at the expense of opening the door all the way. A suite it was not. We had a short but comfortable double bed with a double sofa bed stuffed in at the bottom of it for DD. The hostess made it quite clear that she would have expected the children to share a bed if we'd not had the cot.

The blinds were broken and didn't keep the light out and the tap to the bath was broken making the bath unusable. We were told to use the shower next door - no good with a baby.

Breakfast was good although it turned out that only the continental was included - we found a bill for the cooked breakfast on our table when we came down. We had use of an excellent visitors lounge which was a saving grace as there is no way dp and I could have sat up in the very cramped room after the children had gone to bed.

All in all a disappointing experience for what was described as a luxury suite. Maybe suitable for adults travelling alone if some of the other issues were resolved.

room tip the family suite is a cramped family room

OP posts:

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 27/05/2014 22:40

Before trip advisor I assume you will raise these points direct with the owners and give them a chance to make good in some way?

SueDNim · 27/05/2014 22:53

What would be the point in raising them directly? Is it with the intention of never posting a review? So that the owner can pay off the 1 in 5 people who complain, but shortchange the 4 in 5 who are pissed off but don't complain. Or is it to write a review that says these things were crap, but we got some money back? It isn't always necessary to engage in private correspondence before posting a review - Tripadvisor does give the opportunity to respond to the owner.

I understand that a B&B is a small business, so lets be nice to them. But it can hardly come as a surprise that Tripadvisor exists, so you need to get things right first time.

lessonsintightropes · 27/05/2014 23:37

Let's be honest it's not Ebay and the OP was thoroughly ripped off IMO, LadyGardener.

Redglitter · 27/05/2014 23:42

I would post it as it is. I wouldn't cut it down. A full explanation of how you found things is fairer. Your review is a good length, honest and hasn't turned into a rant.

softlysoftly · 27/05/2014 23:58

I'd post it it seems fair.

Hate tripeadvisor though. Even when reviews are clearly fake they won't remove them and the star ratings mean you are dragged down the listings where people don't look past page 1.

People sell their reviews so unscrupulous operators can either buy good ones or buy bad ones for competitors providing enough detail to make them seem real. We've had this happen but with a slip up. They mentioned their "tofu" dish tasting bad we don't serve tofu could prove it but TA refused to remove it.

I've heard of other businesses being contacted by TA employees who charge for making bad reviews dissapear or even threaten to write them .

It's hugely corrupt and can destroy family businesses.

rant over.

youmedancing · 28/05/2014 00:01

Write the review. Contact the hotel. One shouldn't influence the other nor should you have to do both. It's better if you bring things up in time have it rectified but Brits are terrible at that however by this time it could look like blackmail.

Dubjackeen · 28/05/2014 00:35

Unacceptable, in my opinion. Did you raise the issues with the owner?
Either way, I would be writing a review, based on your experience.

Dubjackeen · 28/05/2014 00:35

Just to clarify, YANBU.

PowerPants · 28/05/2014 00:52

I feel your pain softlysoftly. I run a cafe and we had one clearly malicious review. I could prove that it was fictitious but TA refused to remove.

I loathe TA and wish we had never gone on there!

SoonToBeSix · 28/05/2014 01:00

Sharing a sofa bed is normal
In travelodge I don't see the problem.

Monty27 · 28/05/2014 01:09

You should have complained at the time, asked for a refund as well.

I'd feel bad about leaving a bad review and possibly deal directly for a full refund but make it absolutely clear where they went wrong.

Jenny70 · 28/05/2014 02:34

As a veteran of many family rooms, many assume children will share a double sofa bed... but it doesn't sound like a luxury suite... just a family room.

The checkin change would have been a massive issue, we don't like to leave bags etc in the car, so would be expecting to checkin and walk to dinner somewhere.

Bath thing, depends on whether you think this had just happened and not yet been fixed. She did offer alterative washing arrangement, unfortunately not entirely suitable, but if she said "the tap broke today and the plumber can't be here until Tuesday" I'd not mention it. If it was "the bathroom is out of action, use the shower next door" I'd be more thinking this was a longer term issue that future travellers might consider.

Breakfast, maybe a comment that only continental was included (poor form not to check with you on price for full breakfast before you order).

MrsSparkles · 28/05/2014 07:11

Yes Yes youmedancing. Leaving a review and raising the issues direct are not mutually exclusive. I feel so sorry for people in hospitality when people are asked how their stay/dinner etc was and they say fine and then leave a scathing review on TA.

Personally I like to see if its been raised with the owner on TA as how its dealt with gives a very good idea of the service. With the best will in the world things do go wrong (unless everyone else is perfect...).

In your case, reading the review I think its a mixture of a things that perhaps could have been cleared up at the time and perhaps deeper issues that do need addressing. I don't think its a malicious review, and I think it would be fine to post it, personally I just feel its better to give owners a heads up.

fairyfuckwings · 28/05/2014 07:59

What exactly did op need to bring to the hostesses attention? They already KNEW:

The check in time had been put back 3 1/2 hours
The bath didn't work
The room was cramped
They'd ripped them off on the breakfast charge

Really if they expect guests to not mind all these failings they're in the wrong business!

MorrisZapp · 28/05/2014 08:11

Um, thé owner already knows about all of the failings. Why raise them again?

The owner is clearly gambling on people not complaining, this really is shit. They know they put back the check in time. They know how big the 'luxury suite' is and they know they charge extra for a supposedly inclusive breakfast.

I've written loads of reviews on TA, mostly positive, some negative. It's never entered my head to write anything but the truth.

What a load of guff, as if the owners don't know that a 7 pm check in is a preposterous inconvenience, and won't. Know this until some kind person tells them? That's mad, sorry.

Cleo22 · 28/05/2014 08:17

I would post it

Southeastdweller · 28/05/2014 08:19

Your review is very well-balanced and expressed but personally I'd want to do as Monty says and deal with them directly - you could get a refund and it may make her think about improving her service. If no joy there then I'd post the T.A review.

In any case the owner took the piss with you so complain away.

UriGeller · 28/05/2014 08:23

Yes leave the review. I look at trip advisor to find good friendly places. I wouldn't want to travel with my family to a place we'd booked a suite to find it was one room stuffed with furniture, and no bath.

Wearyworker · 28/05/2014 08:33

I'd leave the review, the owner knows all that and still put you in the room, she already thinks it's acceptable what she done.

youmedancing · 28/05/2014 11:05

I was going write a lengthy post about the circumstances in which our B&B owner might be defended but realised there would be way too many ifs and buts. I would merely mention that this may be a communication issue rather than sharp practice. This may have been exacerbated by the last minute nature of the booking.

I think there's a lot of vitriol against someone who may just have been having an off day. Hotels are unforgiving like that: there's an awful lot of time to annoy people.

Given this is a parenting forum I should also mention that we stopped doing family rooms a number of years ago as we found that we found we were unable to make people happy. People often don't particularly like sharing with their children and a room full of beds never looks good. It's often a purely cost based decision.

Despite this we still receive a lot of calls from people who like the look of our hotel and our reviews and 'can we just put an extra three beds in the room'. It'll be fine they tell me. It won't: I had a lady who had chosen to share a room with her 2 teenage sons crying uncontrollably because it 'wasn't the break she had hoped for'.

Having said that, this was the OP's experience and the tripadvisor review is a reflection of that.

youmedancing · 28/05/2014 11:32

Oh and to the lady who didn't like the B&B because it felt like someone's home, that's exactly the point. It's not to my taste but for many people the personal home from home service is exactly why they choose it.

FYI: If TA reviews repeatedly mention the owners by name this is the style of service you are likely to receive. If you don't like it you may be better served by a hotel or at least places that mention "staff". You may find they're a touch more expensive though: having staff and all.

This is why TA is A Good Thing. Still needs more positive reviews though.

Chocotrekkie · 28/05/2014 11:40

I would want to know these points.
If I booked a family room with a baby I would expect to be able to get a cot in the room.

I would expect to be able to check in at the time stated. I don't want to be hanging about somewhere until 7.30. 4 o'clock is a fairly late check in to me as it is.

If there is no bath in a family room I would expect this to be made clear.

Charging extra for a cooked breakfast should be made clear.

Broken things should be fixed straight away - if they are not able to then apologise on check in and offer a discount/free breakfast etc.

MummytoMog · 28/05/2014 12:06

I would post it personally. If I had known how manky the bathrooms in my (I thought quite expensive) BnB was, I wouldn't have stayed there. I made the mistake of not checking TA before booking as it was for a wedding and I was a bit late booking somewhere. I nearly cried when I saw the mouldy plastic cabin I was expected to shower in. If I'd been even a tiny bit more pregnant, I wouldn't have been able to shut the shower door. So much for my lovely luxurious break away without the kids. TA was quite clear on the bathrooms being a bit dingy, so my own stupid fault.

JohnnyBarthes · 28/05/2014 12:22

They double booked and had to put another room into service for you, probably to keep another guest quiet. This is not good. Shit happens but they dealt with this badly - it's how places deal with occasional fuck ups and acts of God that distinguishes them.

The ridiculously delayed check in time is unforgivable - if they couldn't arrange alternative provision with a fellow B&B owner then they should have come clean, admitted the error and offered you an enormous discount.

I use Tripadvisor a lot and always leave reviews. If it's any comfort softly and power often bad reviews of places have the opposite effect on me. I always check to see how many other reviews someone has posted before giving them much credence and also check responses to poor reviews, too. this is one of my favourites - particularly the penultimate sentence in the restaurant's response

chandalier · 28/05/2014 12:38

youmedancing we also have a hotel and your views are identical to mine. We had to stop doing family rooms a while back too as parents do not enjoy being altogether in one room when away for the night. Travel cots take up huge floor space and it makes a difference to how people see the room. Add all the baby debris in and it is a shock to them and we gradually noticed that these were our only unhappy guests. We have a self catering house nearby also and always get happy reviews from families when they have stayed there.

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