to leave a bad review on Trip Advisor?

[Mintyy]

I've never ever left a review, good or bad, ANYWHERE.

If I go on Trip Advisor and have a little rant will I become a TA thicko?

I need support before I go in ...

We paid £1200 for a fabulous 3 double bed villa with large private pool , nr to private beach, not far from the border of France, in Spain. However, it was for 3rd week of July but still regarded as high season. Absolutely no problems, nothing to complain about so YANBU to leave negative feedback on Tripadvisor - sandwiched between a few positive remarks.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1174221-Thickos-on-TripAdvisor

For anyone who hasn't read it...

YANBU btw, go for it.

I ALWAYS review on trip adviser and am honest.

Review away

What would you do then daisychain? I don't have an email address for the owners of this villa (they are British) the only means of contact I have is via a local representative, presumably their agent (also British). Should we email him after we get home and say how much more we would have enjoyed our stay if x, y and z were provided?

There is no coffee maker, for instance.

In the deepest south of France, most British visitors are going to fly rather than drive and so have a limit on what they can pack and bring with them. Basic household products would be welcome ... and a little welcome pack would be nice?

There are 2 loo rolls ... would it kill them to provide 4 so that we don't have to go out and buy another packet and leave a couple here when we leave, thus subsidising the owner's spending on loo rolls ...?

I would leave a review stating the facts, good points and bad. If they have their heads switched on they should address complaints. If they don't or are rude in reply then fuck em.

I would write it. If I have ever written negative reviews I do make sure I list the positives to so I don't come across as a moaner and generally, there always SOME good points about places you go.

I think you're better to take it up directly with the owners/agents. If they don't respond to your satisfaction then put a review on tripadvisor. We had a dreadful birthday meal this week and I'm going to email the restaurant HQ this weekend. I'll see if I get a reply before I go to trip advisor.

I booked somewhere where Someone complained about the (supposedly good) wifi. The was an essential for me. The house owner pretty much made out that said guy was a bit of a stupid luddite in his response. I emailed to ask - knowing what tripadvisor can be like - explaining how important a strong internet connection was He assured me it worked perfectly. When we got there, he showed me the plug in router (kept in a quality street tin in the barm) and told me we should put it back when we finished with it !!!!! the fucking thing never worked and got me all kinds of grief from work. When I asked him - he just shrugged. I was fit to kill. You have to read between the lines, but I think a good, genuine TA review is very useful and not to be ignored

I always review on the assumption that the owners might read the review, particularly where there may be areas of improvements that aren't worth contacting the owner about - things like no xyz on arrival.

I try and focus on the positive, ie beautiful well-maintained villa and pool, very clean, good area yadda yadda. The only downside was....blah blah blah.

At some places I've stayed, where it's via an agency, it's difficult to know if feedback is getting to the owner. My mum works in a B and B and they find TA really helpful for feedback and useful tips - silly things like a shelf being at an awkward height etc.

If I had a major issue, I would contact the owner first. I would still write a review though - but would mention the owners response/resolution or lack of one.

YES!!! its a lot of money, I always stay SC and never pay anywhere near this!!

yes I would expect value for money for that rate, its not butlins is it?

OF COURSE YOU can expect brilliance, if you owned a holiday let would you rent it out at anything less than brilliance?

I know I wouldn't.

Dont agree about ONE review destroying a reputation either.

Owners can respond if they so wish, and apologise and contact you.

Thank you Porto. I know you are a travelling guru so get what you're saying.

I think holiday home owners can become complacent and often think they can get away with things. I wouldn't be so ruffled if all the descriptions about this place didn't mention "luxury". I don't think its luxurious to arrive in a house that you can't live in unless you go to the local Intermarche and spend quite a lot on essential cleaning products (dishwasher tabs, laundry products) that you have to leave in situ because you don't have the baggage capacity to take them home with you.

I just don't think its terribly classy tbh

I had similar recently in a villa in Spain - as in no dishwasher stuff, no basics, no nothing. And it was explained to me that it's a nationality thing - the Germans, apparently, actively dislike inheriting their predecessors leftovers and see it as akin to a not properly cleaned house (whereas the British welcome it). So villa owners tend to ere of the side of caution and do a full sweep of the house on changeover day, thus keeping themselves stocked with a lifetime's supply of half-used washing capsules, etc.

That could be complete bollocks of course, but the person who told me sounded authoritative.

No coffee maker ?????
I can't believe such a thing possible in a French property ! That definitely takes it into 2 star territory.
I'd still email the agency with your list of concerns, at the very least I'd expect a coffee maker or cafetiere to be purchased for you instantly. Things like the toilet roll and dishwasher tablets are annoying but sometimes happen.

without giving them the chance to explain

The problem is....when your on holiday you have very limited time and you go on holiday to relax, not start chasing round trying to get things up to scratch.

Also one cannot be sure of the owners response. We had a terrific row with our owners once, in Spain, they had a restaurant right next to flat and forgot to tell us of major building work, waking me up every morning at 5am, on holiday after being up with baby.

They tried to deny it, sent their daughter round, the chef, everyone to tell us they were not aware of the work...if we had done this at the start of the holiday it would have ruined hte whole thing and left bad feeling. They clearly did not give a shit.

I agree - I expect to turn up to find stuff to last a day or so at least. Loo rolls, salt and pepper, dishwasher tabs, bin bags. The best places do wine/beer/water/coke etc in the fridge. Some - Logis Du Pressoir in the Loire springs to mind - all of the above, plus fresh bread, butter etc. We turned up to once place in Antibes to find it stocked with rose wine, beer and cream cake etc and we were so happy we missed the supermarket. That place was probably around the £1500 mark, but was like moving into someone's house, where they had just popped out. It had EVERYTHING. Umbrellas, buckets and spades, herbs and spices, cook books, Sky Tv....

We rent villas all the time and that seems expensive . Especially for a two bed.
These houses don't come with dishwasher tablets etc. You have to buy all your own supplies like that.

I recently left my first bad review on TA. I didn't rant, and I did point out the good things about the hotel, but there was one major flaw to do with the hotel policy that, had I known about it in advance, would have meant I didn't book, to do with rooms not being ready at the stated time. The hotel clearly aren't going to change their policy, so I thought others had the right to know in case they, like me, would have preferred the opportunity to book elsewhere.

I think it depends on the outcome you want. If you think there's a chance the problems with your holiday could and would be put right, then it's worth contacting them first to see what they say. If it seems unlikely, or you're not satisfied with the response you get, then it would be doing other people a favour to give them the information in advance via TA. I'd certainly want to know about the problems you mentioned, OP, before shelling out that kind of cash. I don't think you would BU to post a factual, non-ranty review telling it like it is.

Not a very good reviewer i am, but if i don't like something, i'll point it out.
Like staying at a 'luxury' apartment all furniture was crooked, squeaky, and bed felt like a coffin. Two very heavy doors on the way to kitchen and sound isolation that you can hear every word of your neighbours arguing. If it was a backpackers' hostel, i'd understand, but not something for upmarket value...

Complain - it's overpriced and tacky to talk about luxury with a put-u-up bed.

I'm in the same boat mintyy. We actually contacted our owner whilst we were there and it was the response we got that I'm not happy about. After being fobbed off we listed everything else that was not as described or sub standard that wouldn't have been a problem if she had been apologetic but haven't sent it to her yet nor put a review up. I can't work out if we are being petty or not but having only just got back it's too fresh to be able to think about it logically!

I think mentioning lack of dishwasher tablets etc. is a bit nit picky tbh in a self catering place. I'd appreciate if things were there but wouldn't think it warranted a complaint if they weren't. Ditto a welcome pack (unless specifically mentioned elsewhere)

I'm still in shock at the no coffee maker . Even in the very basic apartment we were in this summer ( no dishwasher, no tv, a wifi "hot spot" which consisted on standing against the owners living room wall), in fact even in the even more basic ski apartment we stayed in in Feb ( no sheets, towels, no sink in bathroom - had to wash hands in kitchen sink , no DVD player) yes even in all of those, there has always been a coffee maker. DH and I couldn't survive a whole day without one.

My thinking is, British owners = kettle and teapot but possibly no coffee maker. Continental owners = coffee maker but possibly no kettle and teapot