How NOT To Respond To Negative TripAdvisor Reviews
Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 12:16AM 
In these times of hyper-connectivity and information overload, TripAdvisor is becoming a more and more important tool for travelers and hoteliers alike. Like or hate it, TripAdvisor is the #1 source of (relatively) unbiased reviews on the internet. This means that the modern hotelier has to develop some basic public relations skills in order to manage this new form of exposure.
While a well-run hotel will always have more good reviews than negative ones, inevitably someone will have something bad to say about you. In these situations there are many ways in which a hotelier may choose to respond. Here are some hilarious/horrifying examples from the undisputed champion of poor damage control, the Golden Beach Hotel.
Excerpt from a Review:
“the only good thing about our stay it was the night the clocks went forward an [hour] less spent in a room from hell”
Management Response:
“If it was os bad you should have checked out , all other guests where more then happy . If this guest truly felt so bad no one was forceing them to stay!!!”
See what I mean? This guy is kind of awesome in a terrible sort of way. A hotel manager should accept criticism and endeavour to improve the hotel so that that specific problem never happens again. Employing the same kind of debating techniques that I employed in my defence of my habit of including rocks in my snowballs (circa Grade 4) is generally not the best way to go.
Excerpt from a Review:
“The rooms are being updated, but mine was dodgey. The management is rude and the general mood is tense. Buyer beware. Pick another.”
Management Response:
“Once again we have had no guests from the USA , its a real shame find something better to do with your time as you have so much of it !!!!”
Only picking three of these great dialogues was actually pretty tough (to see them all, go here). But generally, the manager's responses only vary between calling their guests liars, and claiming that they were thrown out from the hotel for unacceptable behaviour. However, for a grand finale...
Excerpt from a Review:
“Well were do I start? The room was discusting do u have a cleaner? The room was old,tatty and the dust was so thick we wrote our names in it!!!!!!!! The bed was old the sheets were dirrty and smelt.The bathroom had nice mould in the corner of the shower just what you want to see when you have a wash”
Management Response:
“Yes we do have cleaners but if this customer is fishing for a job dear sir please send in a cv and ill get back to you !!! And yes we also have a regular laundry delivery service. we aim to satisfy our customers but unfortunately some people expectations are beyond reason, what can you do . Smile ....”
Why anyone would ever stay here after seeing this is beyond me. At any rate, to avoid being a hypocrit, you can see all of Centro's Tripadvisor reviews here. Take a look at how we manage criticism, and feel free to let us know how we could do better.
The Centro Motel is Calgary’s first, and most easily reviewed, Boutique Motel. Located in the Montgomery neighbourhood, just south of Calgary’s Motel Village, the Centro offers stylish, trendy rooms at competitive prices . For more information on booking, rooms and rates, check out the home page, or Contact Us.