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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tripadvisor

45 replies

Alwayslumpyporridge · 11/04/2018 21:08

I pre booked a holiday for May half term nearly a year ago, the trip advisor reviews were ok. Now after a rainy Easter I looked again and they are horrific. Hotel is summer only, closed end October and reopens in May so no idea why reviews are being posted now, also the hotel is very booked out all season, if it was that bad surely would t be going?

My AIBU is; am I being unreasonable to cancel it based on reviews? I Would have to change the destination entirely as not much left now. DH thinks I am

OP posts:
FASH84 · 11/04/2018 21:10

Can you call the hotel and find out if they are open? Not all reviews on TA are real

Teacuphiccup · 11/04/2018 21:14

Nah don’t worry about it.
This happened to us over Christmas where we’d booked somewhere and the reviews were good and then we checked just before we went and they were horrific. We almost cancelled but it turned out to be a lovely place and we enjoyed it so much we booked for next year while we were there.

SuitedandBooted · 11/04/2018 21:38

I would continue with the booking.
Some reviews on Tripadvisor make no sense at all.
I know someone who runs a B&B. Guests have marked him down for being too far from the sea, being able to hear a dog barking (through an open window), and rainy weather!
My favourite was one saying how a local attraction was "Very expensive for a day out, particularly for a family". It has FREE entry! Confused

Teacuphiccup · 11/04/2018 21:43

My favourite one was someone complaining that they had hoped they would have used local stone for the bathroom tiles and had been looking forward to going to that particular area to see that stone and was gutted the hotel had used a different type of tile Hmm

PartyRat · 11/04/2018 21:48

I once read a trip advisor review complaining about someone farting near their table in a restaurant....and the fartee wasn't even a member of staff, just another customer!!! Hmm

iklboo · 11/04/2018 21:56

Not tripadvisor but we went on holiday to Spain with my grandparents when I was about 8. They complained

The sun was hotter than at home
You couldn't get the morning paper (Daily Mirror) at 6am from the shop
The staff were foreign & didn't get their 'jokes'
You couldn't get Newcastle Brown Ale in the hotel bar
There wasn't a bookies

Whatshallidonowpeople · 11/04/2018 21:59

I read one poor hotel review where the complsint was that his wife had jumped into the sea and couldn't swim!!

Knittedfairies · 11/04/2018 22:00

I wouldn’t put too much faith in TripAdvisor reviews; some are ridiculous.

Emilizz34 · 11/04/2018 22:01

I like reading TripAdvisor reviews but tend to treat them with caution . We’ve stayed in some fantastic 5 star hotels in Portugal in the last few years and I was very surprised to read the nature of some of the complaints . A lot sounded ridiculous.
One review said that breakfast consisted of tinned fruit and toast . Now this hotel had the largest buffet that I have ever seen in a restaurant the size of a ballroom so I’m not sure what that was all about .

goose1964 · 11/04/2018 22:02

It sounds like a competitor has decided to give themselves an edge by posting bad reviews.

MagneticMan · 11/04/2018 22:09

If the bad reviews have come in a sudden spate it could be down to a bit of witch hunting via social media.

There was that incident recently at a cafe where the parents claimed they and their SN child were 'thrown out' (except they weren't). There were a number of fake reviews on Tripadvisor and Google after that from people who'd never been there.

witchofzog · 11/04/2018 22:11

What's the hotel called op? Maybe we could help make sense of the reviews or maybe others have been there and can reassure you.

I went to an amazing hotel in Crete a few years ago . I would go back like a shot. Someone named the exact room.I stayed in as being awful. There wasn't enough for teens to do in the room. Erm it had a bed, bathroom, balcony and tv. What else did they need? There was a pool and loads of activities just down the path not to mention the beach and indoor games room. It was utter rubbish

LegoPiecesEverywhere · 11/04/2018 22:16

I take much of tripadvisor with a pinch of salt. I read one memorable one star review where the reviewer (who was a sister of the bride) complained that the hotel would not allow them to decorate the lobby area the day before her sisters wedding. The worse part was they were having the actual wedding reception in a competitor hotel nearby not even in that hotel.

Original poster
Alwayslumpyporridge · 11/04/2018 22:16

Witchofzog, Hotel is called Caretta Beach

OP posts:
Slievenamon · 11/04/2018 22:28

There are numerous Caretta Beach hotels. Which country?

witchofzog · 11/04/2018 22:45

I have found 1 in Greece and 2 in Turkey. None look awful op. Thry all seem to have a 4 star rating on Trip Advisor and decent recent reviews. Is it one of these?

Alpineflowers · 11/04/2018 23:04

A friend booked a hotel over the phone in Greece. Then we saw the reviews on Tripadvisor. Really bad and with photos as well. Got there and although it was basic, it was a great friendly little hotel, the food was on a budget, but local, plenty of it and healthy.

Crete...'
Once saw a review by an American chap who had stayed at the same hotel I stayed in for a night and he complained that the streets were too narrow, that he couldn't get a hired car up to the front door and that there was no lift. The hotel was in a beautiful old Jewish Quarter and some of the Venetian style buildings were over 600 years old. Gorgeous old hotel it was and right near the old harbour

Ginkypig · 11/04/2018 23:05

For me it very much depends on the content of the bad reviews. Or wether it's a cheap hotel so therefore to not expect 5 star luxury.

Lots of rude service, mould, or pictures of stains, rips or multiple mentions of bed bugs etc then obviously that's not somewhere I'd stay.

A few ridiculous people expecting Egyptian cotton and wanting to be hand fed grapes I ignore it.

frankchickens · 11/04/2018 23:13

From MN classics for anyone who missed it -
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1174221-Thickos-on-TripAdvisor

Jaimx86 · 11/04/2018 23:14

If it's the one in Greece, I'd be cancelling based on those reviews. Sorry, Op.

FASH84 · 11/04/2018 23:28

The reviews from Greece are brilliant, complaints because of; self inflicted injuries, beer cups too small, it rained for five days, the food at a relatively inexpensive all inclusive wasn't great. Oh and did in the pool (this one made me laugh most). OP it depends what you want, we never book AI (only for our wedding but can't afford that every year) and the water slides look fun for kids. Prime have to remember Star systems are different in other countries, guarantee you wouldn't get a UK standard four star for this price, and there's nothing wrong with that. Go and have a fabulous time and ignore the trip advisor drama, at least four of them posted within a day or so and all complained about the same things including a hospitalised member of their group (injured falling over), I smell a compensation claim. Have fun

FASH84 · 11/04/2018 23:29

Dog in the pool not did!

witchofzog · 11/04/2018 23:37

I can only see one in Greece and it has near perfect reviews. Does anyone have a link to the other one please ?

Euphemism · 12/04/2018 01:46

Trip Advisor at its best

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