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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Gave them enough chances.. do I put a bad review on Tripadvisor now?

23 replies

alltoomuchrightnow · 22/10/2016 19:26

Basically am I BU to leave an awful review…
Gave then enough chances to put it right.
Only reason I want to leave a bad review is not due to the original problem (broken bed) but because they never got back to us although they said they would..and then ignored my polite email.

On August Bank Holiday weekend DP and I stayed in a place for one night that he's stayed in several times before. Our first time there together. It's a room behind a pub (like a mini motel set up as the rooms aren't actually joined to the pub). Not exactly B&B as breakfast is optional - you pay to have it, which we didn't .
It wasn't that cheap at £70 for one night for a room behind a pub (i.e. in the car park) but being BH weekend we were v pleased to get it as everywhere else in area was fully booked up and DP had had no problems staying there before.
We got there and went straight out.. so it wasn't until late at night when we discovered the bed was broken (literally held together with bits of tape as the frame was broken). Big mistake is that we didn't take photos. The pub was shut and no one to contact so we decided to suck it up.. we couldn't have moved rooms anyway as had had the last one there. DP strapped it up as best could with a belt and we had an uncomfortable night as had to lay v still!
Next morning we looked for the owner but could only find his son. Politely we told him the problem , we were v nice about it after all DP has had various decent stays here and no doubt will again (it's near to a place he often works at) . Son was apologetic and said his father wasn't around and they'd definitely get back to us in the week and perhaps offer us money off the next stay (this is actually no good to me as I was the one to pay for this and won't be staying there again myself - DP's work pay for his stays - also bugged me the way they assumed DP paid and after a bad night that we'd stay again..)

Am I also BU to think if you purely book a room with no breakfast,that a bed for the night is the main thing you pay for?!
Anyway we received no phone calls so I emailed them couple of times but I actually waited a couple of weeks to give them time to respond.
We also went on Trip Advisor and found a review moaning about..the same room with the broken bed. So they actually knew about this bed already and did nothing about it(months before)
My email was polite and friendly (I work in customer service) but I never heard a thing
So due to lack of acknowledgment (to me, it's bad manners and not taking a complaint /issue seriously i.e. totally ignoring)… should I leave a bad review?

OP posts:

BlueberryJuice · 22/10/2016 19:31

Definitely, you have given them plenty of chance to respond and as they have clearly already known about the problem and done nothing then your unlikely to hear from them

Original poster

alltoomuchrightnow · 22/10/2016 19:31

Here's the review we found from May… bear in mind we went end of August..and it seems in May they already knew about it..

''We just needed a clean and tidy room for the night while we went to an attraction nearby. On the face of it that's what we got - until we went to bed later. The bed was completely broken on one side and despite our best attempts to fix it we still had an awful nights sleep. Worse still, when we reported the issue the following morning it transpires the staff knew about it. Which really brings into question their principles - could you let out a room on a bed-only basis where you know the bed is broken??!!! We barely got an apology let alone any attempt to recoup any good will.''

OP posts:

PlumsGalore · 22/10/2016 19:32

Yes, I would. The more people that read about the bed the better. Had you read the review before going you may not have booked, it's only fair to protect future visitors.

Original poster

alltoomuchrightnow · 22/10/2016 19:34

I really wish I could get the money back or part of as I've left my job since!
There's no point getting money back for another time as for me there won't be another time. I booked this place to visit somewhere that turned out to be 45 mins drive away (which obviously was my choice) and have since found out that friend's friend owns a fab B&B in the very place we want to re visit so we'd go to hers next time and not to this place that isn't even near.
Is there anyway of going about this because there is proof we did not get what we paid for? Obviously I can't try and do a review until this but I guess I can't force them to pay up as an independent place

OP posts:

RaeSkywalker · 22/10/2016 19:37

I'd definitely write a review now.

Original poster

alltoomuchrightnow · 22/10/2016 19:43

I have always worked in customer service (retail management, receptionist jobs etc). If someone comes with a gripe I always listen and hear them out. No matter what. Even if I think they are wrong/ mistaken/ unfair. I want people to leave feeling listened to , that's what keeps people coming back.. being ignored does not. People should not be in hospitality industry if they don't care about customers.

OP posts:

moomoo222 · 22/10/2016 19:48

Very identifying quote on your most recent part of the post OP - you can find the review very easily from that (& I can see they have mixed reviews already - mind you it's not the end of the world if people here put two and two together it's not the 10 o'clock news!). However, sounds crap - I bloody hate people being so shit at what they do and getting away with it - get on there and warn other potential customers, maybe they will up their game!

Serialweightwatcher · 22/10/2016 19:52

Of course leave a bad review - it was rubbish and people should be made aware

Original poster

alltoomuchrightnow · 22/10/2016 20:01

ah had no idea, Moo! That you could find where it is from a review (am guessing through google and not through TA itself?)
I've now read DP's review on there.. only just found that he left one ! Still feel like doing my own though

OP posts:

Coconutty · 22/10/2016 20:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OlennasWimple · 22/10/2016 20:10

This is exactly what TA was designed for, no?

underneaththeash · 22/10/2016 20:19

I fact I think it's your social duty to do so save anyone else having to stay it in. I think the hoteliers have a bloody cheek.

ConvincingLiar · 22/10/2016 20:20

I'd be tempted to put a small claim in for the money you paid for the room. Have a Google to see how much the court fee is.

moomoo222 · 22/10/2016 20:20

Yes sorry OP, total geek here (or clearly over-invested and need to get a life if that's my first response!), but yes, do it - I've left a real mixture on TA, love to support someone who is making a real effort and giving a great experience for the customer - and when it is the opposite I think it is good to know that you might have warned someone away from a shoddy/lazy business!

Duck90 · 22/10/2016 20:40

I probably wouldn't, especially since your dp thinks it is still a good place to stay in the future. I get that it is annoying about the bed, but the son offered money off next stay (which I understand will benefit dps company not you).

what would you like to achieve from a negative review. To put people off going - but your partner thinks it's a place worth multiple stays. If you must, review it should 3 or 4 stars, with a mention to the bed, and poor communication.

Disclaimer - I don't leave reviews of any form , good or bad on trip adviser.

tofutti · 23/10/2016 21:43

Duck, that's probably a good thing, as your reviews would probably mislead people!

OP, I would definitely leave a 1 star review. They're knowingly and deliberately taking the piss.

Jarstastic · 23/10/2016 21:55

Is your DP's review for the same stay? If so, you shouldn't leave another one, I believe it would contravene tripadvisor's terms.

If it isn't, go ahead. Try and be balanced and only comment on your experience not use other reviews. And bear in mind that when you leave a hotel a review with very few stars, it impacts their visibility on tripadvisor. It can have quite an adverse impact on a small business.

zad716 · 24/10/2016 05:20

One thing is you probably shouldn't assume that the bed you used in August had been broken since May unless the place is rarely full and so that room is not normally used.

camelfinger · 24/10/2016 05:26

Definitely write a negative review. That's surely the whole point of TripAdvisor. Just be objective and avoid ranting and others will find your review useful, I'm sure.

Original poster

alltoomuchrightnow · 24/10/2016 15:17

The son actually said 'perhaps we can offer money off the next stay, but we'll ring you in the next few days'' and never did. Then ignored emails.

OP posts:

ConvincingLiar · 24/10/2016 18:53

They're tossers. I suppose you could contact dad and explain you're still waiting for a call back? Just in case message wasn't passed on.

NothingIsOK · 24/10/2016 19:31

TA review is all very well, but you ought to be seeking a full refund of the room cost as well. Write, describe the problem, make I think clear that you know they knew and that it is not acceptable to rent a bed that's is broken.

If they don't respond with a full refund then pursue them through the small claims system. Screenshot any othe TA reviews that mention the bed in case they get taken down in the meantime.

Liiinoo · 24/10/2016 19:38

Definitely review, but not necessarily 1 star. If it was clean/quiet/plumbing worked etc then those positive things also need to be taken into account. Do you remember the room number? Include that in the review if you do. That gives future guests a head up and a chance to leave if it isn't fixed. If it starts costing them money they will fix it quick enough.

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