Comments on: Should I delete my TripAdvisor review of the Grand Hotel Minneapolis? http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bill http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-71611 Bill Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:28:00 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-71611 Lack of security?   Who was watching her purse?   It would be her responsibility. Lack of security?   Who was watching her purse?   It would be her responsibility.

]]> By: KP http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-69139 KP Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:30:00 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-69139 Trip Advisor is a snapshot and personal experience of that writer nothing more. It should be treated as such. There becomes greater issues when there are reviews about specialty resorts where guests mingle and chat often comparing pricing and services. I have seen this happen first hand resulting in collaboration in one persons joining Trip Advisor and the others helping to destroy the property. Worse, Trip Advisor posted it. I know the venue has a say but where else can you slander people places and things and get away with it under the guise of personal experience? Grain of salt, I say, that's the only way to take TA Trip Advisor is a snapshot and personal experience of that writer nothing more. It should be treated as such. There becomes greater issues when there are reviews about specialty resorts where guests mingle and chat often comparing pricing and services. I have seen this happen first hand resulting in collaboration in one persons joining Trip Advisor and the others helping to destroy the property. Worse, Trip Advisor posted it. I know the venue has a say but where else can you slander people places and things and get away with it under the guise of personal experience? Grain of salt, I say, that’s the only way to take TA

]]> By: Deborah Hansen http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-67442 Deborah Hansen Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:34:04 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-67442 I don't think that she should have put the review up for the hotel but for the restaurant. I have been in the position of responding to negative reviews on my property based on non hotel issues and wonder why someone would post it other than making themselves feel better even though it hurts a business and people that had nothing to do with it. I don’t think that she should have put the review up for the hotel but for the restaurant. I have been in the position of responding to negative reviews on my property based on non hotel issues and wonder why someone would post it other than making themselves feel better even though it hurts a business and people that had nothing to do with it.

]]> By: Therese http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-49043 Therese Sun, 03 Oct 2010 04:42:34 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-49043 Ok seriously, if all that I've read is true, she should NOT remove her review. Matter of fact if TripAdvisor took it down I'd just rewrite a bad review again and add how they covertly asked for the matter to be hush-hush. The hotel benefits from the restaurant so they have some ethical responsibility to care about it's guests/customers. Not saying they should necessarily take the wrong but you're really telling me that that they couldn't call the cops for her or try to assist? I mean the valet was humane enough to chase the thief so the hotel could have offered so assistance to prevent a bad situation from becoming worse (and do so on the spot not after a bad review) Ok seriously, if all that I’ve read is true, she should NOT remove her review. Matter of fact if TripAdvisor took it down I’d just rewrite a bad review again and add how they covertly asked for the matter to be hush-hush. The hotel benefits from the restaurant so they have some ethical responsibility to care about it’s guests/customers. Not saying they should necessarily take the wrong but you’re really telling me that that they couldn’t call the cops for her or try to assist? I mean the valet was humane enough to chase the thief so the hotel could have offered so assistance to prevent a bad situation from becoming worse (and do so on the spot not after a bad review)

]]> By: Organic Hotel Marketing http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-42991 Organic Hotel Marketing Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:00:44 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-42991 Many comments are focused on the guest's mistake of not protecting her belongings in a public space and the hotel's lack of liability for activities in the restaurant. Yet, most every "poor" review on TripAdvisor is about feeling a lack of respect. And, this is the case with this reviewer too. All she would have needed was a sympathetic front desk clerk who cared about her and called the police, and this issue would never have escalated. "Poor" reviews are frequently signs to the management that they have staff issues. "Poor" reviews also tend to be a bit vindictive, and thus they are likely to fall outside of the TripAdvisor posting guidelines. If they do fall outside of the guidelines, the property can- and should- appeal for their removal. I have facilitated this process in the past, and it is works well: the hotel is totally exposed on TripAdvisor reviews, and yet has the slight protection of the reviews needing to fall within a certain parameter of content- not of satisfaction. Some "poor" reviews cannot be removed- as they shouldn't- because they follow the guidelines and thus belong there. Many comments are focused on the guest’s mistake of not protecting her belongings in a public space and the hotel’s lack of liability for activities in the restaurant. Yet, most every “poor” review on TripAdvisor is about feeling a lack of respect. And, this is the case with this reviewer too. All she would have needed was a sympathetic front desk clerk who cared about her and called the police, and this issue would never have escalated.

“Poor” reviews are frequently signs to the management that they have staff issues. “Poor” reviews also tend to be a bit vindictive, and thus they are likely to fall outside of the TripAdvisor posting guidelines. If they do fall outside of the guidelines, the property can- and should- appeal for their removal. I have facilitated this process in the past, and it is works well: the hotel is totally exposed on TripAdvisor reviews, and yet has the slight protection of the reviews needing to fall within a certain parameter of content- not of satisfaction. Some “poor” reviews cannot be removed- as they shouldn’t- because they follow the guidelines and thus belong there.

]]> By: JS http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-31494 JS Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:56:53 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-31494 The hotel is not at fault. Crime can occur anywhere. If you leave your wallet, purse, etc., somewhere and if you are not holding onto it, then if someone takes something out of it (or just takes the item), then that theft is due to your own negligence. Failing to take responsibility for not properly securing your property is your own fault. Asking the hotel to weed out unsavory characters from a public restaurant is fanciful at best. Now, if the wallet was taken from her purse by force, that is robbery, and even then the hotel would not be at fault, because crime can happen anywhere. But this was not a case of robbery, as her wallet wouldn't have been stolen if she kept her purse and wallet on her and didn't let anyone take anything from it. More than likely, the OP left her purse on a table or hanging over her chair, with her wallet therein. I have little sympathy for her plight...but perhaps she will have learned to be more careful. Or perhaps the lesson that she learned is that she shouldn't trust Trip Advisor ... which might not be the best lesson to take from this situation. The hotel is not at fault. Crime can occur anywhere. If you leave your wallet, purse, etc., somewhere and if you are not holding onto it, then if someone takes something out of it (or just takes the item), then that theft is due to your own negligence. Failing to take responsibility for not properly securing your property is your own fault. Asking the hotel to weed out unsavory characters from a public restaurant is fanciful at best.

Now, if the wallet was taken from her purse by force, that is robbery, and even then the hotel would not be at fault, because crime can happen anywhere. But this was not a case of robbery, as her wallet wouldn’t have been stolen if she kept her purse and wallet on her and didn’t let anyone take anything from it.

More than likely, the OP left her purse on a table or hanging over her chair, with her wallet therein. I have little sympathy for her plight…but perhaps she will have learned to be more careful. Or perhaps the lesson that she learned is that she shouldn’t trust Trip Advisor … which might not be the best lesson to take from this situation.

]]> By: Rob in Ottawa http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-28627 Rob in Ottawa Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:43:22 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-28627 I'd have to say that since she wasn't actually a guest of the hotel and merely went through it to get to and from the restaurant, I don't see why the hotel should be slammed. It's a shame it happened, but slamming the hotel seems pointless. I’d have to say that since she wasn’t actually a guest of the hotel and merely went through it to get to and from the restaurant, I don’t see why the hotel should be slammed.

It’s a shame it happened, but slamming the hotel seems pointless.

]]> By: Consumer Travel Interview with Christopher Elliott http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-27462 Consumer Travel Interview with Christopher Elliott Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:22:11 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-27462 [...] an example. Last week, when TripAdvisor quietly removed a negative review from its site, my readers called it out. Likewise, a few months ago, some FlyerTalk members tried to game a fare error by British Airways, [...] [...] an example. Last week, when TripAdvisor quietly removed a negative review from its site, my readers called it out. Likewise, a few months ago, some FlyerTalk members tried to game a fare error by British Airways, [...]

]]> By: barbie45 http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-27088 barbie45 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:07:12 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-27088 Anne , I have been wondering the same thing and Iagree with you. Yes the restaurant should have called 911. Also the party as reported by several in attendance suggests the purses were piled up without being attended. Common sense dictates that leaving your bag unattended is not wise. I went to a bar to have lunch as the restaurant was crowded,and Iwas alone. I placed my bag on a vacant seat next to me. A police officer who was eating there very nicely told me what I had done was not to smart.Since then I have been very careful. Anne , I have been wondering the same thing and Iagree with you. Yes the restaurant should have called 911. Also the party as reported by several in attendance suggests the purses were piled up without being attended. Common sense dictates that leaving your bag unattended is not wise. I went to a bar to have lunch as the restaurant was crowded,and Iwas alone. I placed my bag on a vacant seat next to me. A police officer who was eating there very nicely told me what I had done was not to smart.Since then I have been very careful.

]]> By: barbie45 http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-27087 barbie45 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:35 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-27087 Michelle, you are so right. It is not the consumer reports of the travel industry. Even with Consumer Reports I sometimes wonder.Trip Advisor is from what I have read is affiliated with Expedia. Still I enjoy reading it,but do not treat it as gospel. Michelle, you are so right. It is not the consumer reports of the travel industry. Even with Consumer Reports I sometimes wonder.Trip Advisor is from what I have read is affiliated with Expedia. Still I enjoy reading it,but do not treat it as gospel.

]]> By: Anne http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-27082 Anne Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:50:45 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-27082 Why is she giving the hotel a bad review and not the restaurant? Why did she ask the front desk staff for help but not the restaurant staff? Because they are in the same building? The mall in my town has a Payless and a 9 West but I would never criticize 9 West for receiving bad shoes from Payless, even though they are in the same building. Yes, the front desk staff could have been more helpful. But, they are paid to be there to help the hotel guests not the restaurant customers. Just because you aren't working at a business doesn't automatically make you a customer. To be a customer you must spend money. The restaurant staff should have been the ones handling this event, calling 9-1-1 when the lady ran off to chase the thief. Yet, no one has even mentioned the server or manager. Why is that? Why is she giving the hotel a bad review and not the restaurant? Why did she ask the front desk staff for help but not the restaurant staff? Because they are in the same building? The mall in my town has a Payless and a 9 West but I would never criticize 9 West for receiving bad shoes from Payless, even though they are in the same building.
Yes, the front desk staff could have been more helpful. But, they are paid to be there to help the hotel guests not the restaurant customers. Just because you aren’t working at a business doesn’t automatically make you a customer. To be a customer you must spend money. The restaurant staff should have been the ones handling this event, calling 9-1-1 when the lady ran off to chase the thief. Yet, no one has even mentioned the server or manager. Why is that?

]]> By: Michelle Bruce http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-27069 Michelle Bruce Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:15:27 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-27069 barbi- Great statement, but here is my problem with it. Yes, Tripadvisor is a free service....but it is a free service that depends on advertising dollars to function. What industies advertise with Tripadvisor? The very industries that are being reviewed. They don't charge you to search reviews or to post reviews but they do in fact charge companies to advertise and for the search engine provided to find discounted deals. Now if Brand X hotel is paying $$ for advertising with Tripadvisor and one of their management team members searches the reviews and finds a few that are damaging to Brand X.......don't you think Brand X is going to use their Trump card and tell Tripadvisor to get rid of it. If the economy is bad for the travel industry I am sure it isn't spectacular for travel review companies either and keeping their bread buttered is logical. barbi- Great statement, but here is my problem with it. Yes, Tripadvisor is a free service….but it is a free service that depends on advertising dollars to function. What industies advertise with Tripadvisor? The very industries that are being reviewed. They don’t charge you to search reviews or to post reviews but they do in fact charge companies to advertise and for the search engine provided to find discounted deals.

Now if Brand X hotel is paying $$ for advertising with Tripadvisor and one of their management team members searches the reviews and finds a few that are damaging to Brand X…….don’t you think Brand X is going to use their Trump card and tell Tripadvisor to get rid of it. If the economy is bad for the travel industry I am sure it isn’t spectacular for travel review companies either and keeping their bread buttered is logical.

]]> By: ajaynejr http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-26857 ajaynejr Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:47:38 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-26857 If reviews are being deleted by a web site's management then the word needs to get out via other web sites that reviews are being deleted. If reviews are being deleted by a web site’s management then the word needs to get out via other web sites that reviews are being deleted.

]]> By: barbie45 http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-26815 barbie45 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:59:04 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-26815 Trip Advisor is a free service; Nowhere do I see a promise they will post your comment. Nor do I see any policy about deleting a post. If they charge for the service that is different; Until I find a better one , I will continue to refer to it. Trip Advisor is a free service; Nowhere do I see a promise they will post your comment. Nor do I see any policy about deleting a post. If they charge for the service that is different; Until I find a better one , I will continue to refer to it.

]]> By: Mike http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-i-delete-my-tripadvisor-review-of-the-grand-hotel-minneapolis/comment-page-2/#comment-26811 Mike Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:01:54 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=9326#comment-26811 I would not delete the comment and if it was deleted I would then re-post with the update. One looks to these reviews to get the good and the bad for a property. When I see Something bad, i also look to see if the resolution was handled correctly. if it was then I have more faith in the property. if the resolution was not handled correctly or within a timely manner then they drop down a notch on my scale of properties to drop my $ at.. I would not delete the comment and if it was deleted I would then re-post with the update. One looks to these reviews to get the good and the bad for a property. When I see Something bad, i also look to see if the resolution was handled correctly. if it was then I have more faith in the property. if the resolution was not handled correctly or within a timely manner then they drop down a notch on my scale of properties to drop my $ at..

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