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Fri 6 Sep, 2013 03:02 pm
I was curious - do you write reviews? You know either on hotels, or products, or restaurants?
Sometimes I have. I figure since I read them and use them if I have something significant to say that could be helpful I will do so. I have found though many on-line reviews not completely helpful. I try to give specifics on my experience to hopefully make them helpful - especially as I recently stayed somewhere based on overall reviews which ended up not being the ideal place for me. I did explain why I didn't like it and would state that others could like for the exact reason I did not - thought that is more helpful than the old - great place, fantastic for kids (well hell yeah if your kids like second hand smoke)..
What prompts you to write a review?
@Linkat,
I frequently do reviews on Amazon. The reviews are a significant part of Amazon's value, but you do have to do some careful reading. I have done at least one review for Urban Spoon. I seldom bother with descrete retailers as it frequently looks like they are filtering out anything less than five star reviews. LL Bean is an exception. They've published some really negative reviews.
@roger,
I had a couple on tripadviser. One of which I got a response from the manager. The thing is the hotel staff and service was great, but the sound proofing is so horrible - not sure what the heck they can do about that. In part to I would write in case there is something they can do to make improvements, but then again I don't hesitate to tell them in person either.
Um, I used to like LLBean, probably still would.
I've commented in a few places. Exchanged emails with a food writer I admire, Russ Parsons, about street markets. Have talked via email with Seth Kugel of NYTimes. (he's about travel, but travel involves food).
I want to engage with a guy I admire up the wazoo, or did when I read him, Jonathan Gold. We used to explore the whole greater LA area, so much good food in small places. This started with a friend following Kit Snedeker of the olden Herald Examiner, a defunct newspaper.
But, I can't just talk with J Gold. I don't live there any more, so I can't really engage. He was very good in letting people know about good small places.
@Linkat,
yup
I started yelping 7 or 8 years ago
do reviews at a few other sites as well
I tend to cover restaurants and local services - hair salons, fitness facilities ... that sort of thing
I follow reviewers who rate places similarly to me - bad and good. That has led to some great meals and good parties over the years.
@ehBeth,
got a funny email a few months ago from a steak house offering me two free meals after I'd written a brutal review of one of its competitors. I thanked the manager but declined the vouchers.
I only do restaurant reviews now, I tend to do it first visit or when I notice the place getting significantly better or worse. the reason is that these reviews are most likely to be helpful to prospective customers and management, thus worth my time to write. almost always I write on Opentable.
@ehBeth,
Sadly, how unethical of him. I'd print what he asked you to do..in a review of his restaurant.
Yes, I do. I review all hotels, b&b's, apartments I've stayed in, as well as all significant restaurants I've eaten in. I often depend on those reviews when going abroad and I think it only fair to pass on my comments to fellow travellers. As for restaurants - for me in this city, it's a MUST. So much bad or indifferent food, and many reviewers here have obviously never eaten the 'real thing'. I have felt ripped off from their reviews, so I certainly add mine.
@Mame,
Meantime, if a friend would go to Chianti, that friend would talk with me
@Ragman,
He didn't ask me to do anything. It was a nice, funny email. Nothing unethical about it.
@ehBeth,
Quote:got a funny email a few months ago from a steak house offering me two free meals after I'd written a brutal review of one of its competitors...
Seems I misunderstood. You're saying that he was kidding?
@Ragman,
I'm curious - what do you think he was asking me to do?
@ehBeth,
Quote:I follow reviewers who rate places similarly to me - bad and good
That's a fantastic idea - people's tastes and expectations are so very different - probably why at this particular place I stayed there were really high reviews and some really low reviews. I rated it low because it fell short of my expectations of service and what a resort should be.
But others may not have stayed at higher service resorts or maybe have not traveled as much such their expectations are different.
@ehBeth,
Oh and I've also written to places when service or quality is low. I have found that some really take it seriously and respond back and others never even acknowledge it. I do try to be fair and point out what I like as well and try to be specific - especially at places in which I've had great experiences previously sort of to let them know things are starting to fall in the hopes they will correct it rather than just get a free meal or discount. I honestly hate seeing a place that was doing things right start to skimp and save and then fall apart.
@ehBeth,
My husband used to work in the restaurant industry. If a customer complained or had a bad experience, he preferred to give them a gift certificate than comp the meal - and of course to try to help in any way he could at the moment. The idea being that they come back and have a better experience. Maybe this is what they were trying to do with you. Maybe it was a one-off situation and you went on a bad night. He wants to try to win you over next time and keep you as a customer. Not a bad tacit.
Restaurants, hotels and b&b's on tripadvisor.
History related stuff on various websites.
@ehBeth,
I misread it. I thought he ASKED you to write bad reviews of competitor. My error. It's murder losing my reading comprehension.
@Linkat,
I have my own blog and I keep posting there. Sometimes I give my reviews on other bogs also.
I post online reviews when I'm either very impressed by a service or when I'm very disappointed by one. Otherwise I don't bother.
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