Do bad hotel reviews keep you from staying at a hotel?

[LeahA]

I was just on trip advisor reading numerous reviews of the Holiday Inn Nikki Bird. I find it so interesting the wide variety of reviews that this hotel has had. We have some people that had such horrible experiences and others who have stayed during the same time frame have such wonderful experiences.

So, I was thinking, do we look at the reviews and go to the resort looking for something wrong? Do we go with a bad attitude from the get go? I am booked through Priceline for 3 nights in March 2006. I know there has been alot of mixed reviews on this hotel, so I am going to keep an open mind.

I've heard of new paint, new carpet and new bedding, so I will hope for the best.

 

[kenneyjo]

Usually there should be a 75/25 mix of people who like the hotel (whichever hotel it is) versus people who dislike it for me to be okay with my choice.

I for one will give most hotels a chance. I look for keywords in the reviews on tripadvisor.com such as:

Safe area and cockroaches.

Any hint of obvious shady people, I will think twice.

Any hint of any bugs and I will not stay there.

Jonathan and Karen

 

[WaltD4Me]

I think it's interesting too. I've read great reviews and horrible reviews about the Best Western at DTD. I was thinking of staying there because I like the idea of a balcony and thought I'd give them a try. Some gave rave reviews, some say they'll never stay there again.

I think everyone has different expectations. To be honest, I don't except alot from Best Western. I want it to be clean, I want it to have a comfortable bed and friendly staff, but I'm not expecting the Grand Floridian. I know the meaning of the term "You get what you pay for" -- I think more than a few people expect (or hope for) a resort at a bargain price though.

Reviews do play a part in my decision. If I see alot of reviews about a hotel being dirty (mold in the showers, bugs, shabbiness) I take that into account and probably won't stay there, but if I read one review about an unfriendly desk clerk, I don't pay it much attention. If a hotel is really bad, it will show in the reviews. If a hotel is ok, just not a resort, you will see more of a mix
in the reviews.

 

[djkeenan]

I travel a lot for work and pay attention to reviews whenever I can. I especially look for the same complaint (or compliment) repeated by several sources.

We have stayed at the Nikki Bird and had a good time. It was a bit worn and the A/C was noisey, but the location is good and we liked the restaurants, including the seafood buffet and it gets terrible reviews. I used to cook at Fox's Lobster House at the Nubble in York, Maine, so I know what good lobster is and never expected to find it on a buffet in FL, and I didn't.

I agree, a lot of it is your expectations, and how willing you are to let little things ruin your stay. For us it was a bargain motel with a good location. We'd stay there again if I hadn't discovered pool homes.

 

[disneysteve]

In general, I ignore reviews unless they are written by travel professionals who know enough not to trash a place just because of one bad experience.

Over on Cruisecritic.com, I have read various reviews written by people who were on the very same cruises we took. Reading their reviews, I never would have known that we spent the same week on the same ship. They listed complaint after complaint and we didnt experience a single one of the problems they mentioned. Some people are just impossible to please and when everything doesn't go exactly their way, they complain to anyone willing to listen.

So read the reviews, but don't let them stop you from enjoying your own trip. Hey, we enjoyed our stay at Days Suites Old Town and I've referred several people there since we went and all were satisfied, but the place gets trashed here on DIS. To each his own.

 

[kilee]

For me it really depends on what the review says. It is biased or more factual. A fact is a fact, so it depends on if that fact would affect you and your comfort in a hotel. I don't really go w/ "I felt it was run down, or I felt it was dirty". I look more for specifics. Tell me- the sink fixtures were more than 50% rusted.

As for the Nikki Bird--- been there, done that, ended up getting my stay for free- won't go back.
As for facts-
The pool was warm- a huge plus
The pool had no less than 4 dozen 6-12 inch long branches floating in it daily. This would be the Mickey Head Pool.
The carpets in our room had 5-6 large thick, crusty, black stains that measured at least 1x1 ft each.
Every bedspread we had- had burn holes from cigarettes in it. Every One.
The AC unit dripped water and there was a constant damp spot on the rug under it.
Last- the window was in fact coated w/ so much nicotine (I wanted non-smoking and they didn't have it) that there was a definte film on the window. The window had a tint on it that was supposed to be there, however the film actually gave it a frosted look.
For me- these things made for an uncomfortable stay. They don't affect everyone in the same way.

I for one, have actually stayed at the Days Inn by Old Town twice now and had great rooms. That hotel has just as many bad reviews as the Nikki Bird.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Another thing to remember....people are alot more apt to complain than compliment.

Think about it, most people are quick to call over a manager in a restaurant if their order is wrong, taking too long, doesn't taste good, ect...but how often is the same manager called over because everything was good?

I work in customer service in management, we get a fair amount of complaints, some legit, some not, but even though I see and hear employees doing alot of good things, going out of their way to help, go above and beyond, but I don't get alot of people who take the time to call or write about something nice. I'd imagine it's the same with going on-line to write a good review.

 

[PhotobearSam]

They do influence me, but I try to keep them in perspective.

I was researching Sheraton Vistana and there was a bunch of bad reviews. These consisted mostly of people saying the site was too big or that you had to make your own beds, throw out your own trash and wipe their own butts.

Since I knew it was a timeshare resort and it was a CONDO where you don't get daily maid service, I think all those comments to be irrelevant.

If these people would have done research, they would have been aware of the things they had to do ahead of time. So if they did not look into it, too bad for them. Can you imagine how much more money these units would go for if they paid maids to clean a 2 or 3 bedroom condo EVERY DAY OF YOUR STAY?
$$$$$$$$

Bugs, bad neighbourhood and unclean rooms (really bad ones, not nit picky---there was a hair on the table so I left kind of review) would make me do a ton of research...

Interesting thread..

 

[LeahA]

I hope my room is better than the one you got Kilee!

It will be a quick 3 night stay and then off to the Hard Rock Hotel!

 

[spot28]

My Florida rule: If the word- roach, mold, or hookers are in the review I will not go. I look for interior entrances (don't open out to the parking lot) and would not book anything on Orange Blossom Trail (OBT), major nudie bar strip and all that goes with that.
Good luck.

 

[Brian Noble]

Yes, they do. There are so many properties to choose from that I mostly avoid booking things with significant numbers of (what appear to be legitimate) negative opinions.

My take on the properties with "mixed bag" reviews---some people have very high standards, others do not. I'm a frequent business traveler, and so have middling-to-high standards myself. The more "mixed" the reviews, the more likely I'm not going to be pleased.

As for the Nikki bird specifically---if I was on a very tight budget, it's one of the few bargain-priced places I'd consider, as it looks better than most in that class.

The huge number of potential priceline properties in Orlando is one reason I haven't ever seriously considering using PL there, though I have elsewhere. Too much pot luck for my tastes.

 

[mommaU4]

They do influence me, but I try to keep them in perspective.

I was researching Sheraton Vistana and there was a bunch of bad reviews. These consisted mostly of people saying the site was too big or that you had to make your own beds, throw out your own trash and wipe their own butts.

Since I knew it was a timeshare resort and it was a CONDO where you don't get daily maid service, I think all those comments to be irrelevant.

If these people would have done research, they would have been aware of the things they had to do ahead of time. So if they did not look into it, too bad for them. Can you imagine how much more money these units would go for if they paid maids to clean a 2 or 3 bedroom condo EVERY DAY OF YOUR STAY?
$$$$$$$$

Bugs, bad neighbourhood and unclean rooms (really bad ones, not nit picky---there was a hair on the table so I left kind of review) would make me do a ton of research...

Interesting thread..

Hee Hee Hee Your funny.

I am staying at the Sheraton Vistana Resort and have been thrown off by some surprisingly bad reviews so I guess we'll have to see. But I agree with an earlier post that people are more likely to complain than to complement, so I try to keep that in mind. Also any hotel can have a few negatives but doesn't mean it's a bad place. My DH and I once got to stay at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas which is a very nice place. When we got to our room and were looking around we found a dirty toothbrush on the floor next to the bed that the maid obviously overlooked. Did it ruin our stay? No. Did that make the hotel a crappy place because of one incident? Of course not.

I do have one question though. A couple of you mentioned roaches, which really creeps me out. But I had heard something about how they are so common in the area in FL. that they are almost impossible to keep them out even at the nicer places. True?

 

[LeahA]

I remember staying in a Holiday Inn on the border of Iowa and Nebraska. It was brand new, very pretty, very clean, a more upscale Holiday Inn. I went to bed and had a visitor in bed with me, it was some sort of water bug, the hotel being so close to the river, the bug came in the room.

So, it goes to show you that even if you stay somewhere that appears to be clean and nice, the occasional crazy critter could be lurking around the corner!

 

[disneysteve]

So, it goes to show you that even if you stay somewhere that appears to be clean and nice, the occasional crazy critter could be lurking around the corner!

We experienced significant bug problems on 3 different trips at 3 different onsite Disney places. It happens. It's Florida.

 

[WIcruizer]

I appreciate the efforts by everyone to post their best and worst hotels and restaurants. With that said, it really isn't all that helpful. We all have our own idea on what's acceptable. In the restaurant thread, some people have glowing comments about Ponderosa and Perkins. These chains are everwhere, and I would think most of us know what to expect. Half of the restaurant responses are for national chains.

Same thing for hotels. Take your average Holiday Inn and some people wouldn't think of staying there, others would see it as a step up from the road side "no name" motels.

So to answer the question, no I don't follow the recommendations in here for hotels. There IS some useful information, as far as what the rooms are like, etc. But some hotles are more run down since they were recommended, others have been updated, under new management, etc. since they got a bad review.

We try to spend a bit of time looking at hotels whenever we're at WDW. Sort of a mental note to consider certain hotels next time we come down.

 

[MrsNick]

Yes, they do. If I see the same complaint over and over and over again for a specific hotel, then I've got to believe there's some validity there. If I see the stray negative comment about something, but overall positive reviews, then I won't be swayed not to stay there. I'm looking for an overwhelming trend. Then, taking the trend into account, I base my decision on price and facilities.