Fodor's - Bring Back Dr. Abate!
Apr 27th, 1999, 02:00 PM
#1
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Fodor's - Bring Back Dr. Abate!
Don't get me wrong -- I love Fodor's, including the free-for-alls that occasionally erupt. The thread on Terrible Apartment Service was an outstanding example of this. Just when it was getting really interesting, with Neal Sanders play-by-play and color commentary, the thread magically diminishes from 60 replies, to 47, to 40, and 39 the last time I checked. The original complaint is gone, along with some of the early responses. The ones that remain lack context. I would be interested in hearing why Fodor's chose to do an edit job, rather thna simply removing the whole thread, and what led to their intervention. Anybody?
Apr 27th, 1999, 02:16 PM
#2
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I guess, Helen, that a poster has the right to cancel his posts (say, after some reflection ...). IMO, besides some none very friendly remarks from side to side (and outsiders), the only statement in the thread that could possibly leed to a law suit was the hotel in Rome disclosing unauthorized data of a client ... if it informs what a client has paid, it may inform whatever ... If you can afford it, would you deal with that hotel? <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR> <BR>
Actually I apologize for fanning the flames. <BR>
Apr 28th, 1999, 04:14 AM
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Helen, Paulo and Sally, I suspect what you saw was the editors at Fodors exercising their right to delete what was, in effect, advertising. Helen, I'm glad you saw my "play by play" (I posted it about 5:15 p.m., the thread started to be deleted shortly thereafter) and if anyone else wants a copy, I'll gladly email it to them. <BR> <BR>In hindsight, the Abate episode was a chilling experience. I have praised hotels, restaurants, and services; I have also knocked them when I felt they deserved to be knocked. Some time ago, a poster gave a poor review to a hotel in London. The hotel owner wrote to defend her establishment and I and several other readers who had stayed there chimed in with our recollections. The process took two weeks to unfold. <BR> <BR>This was an entirely different matter: an exercise in "crisis management" orchestrated by a PR firm that, in the end, was indistinguishable from advertising. The chilling part was the tactics employed. What if you had a bad experience with an establishment, said so in this forum and, as a result, found youself with your travel records laid bare for all to inspect? <BR> <BR>Fodors exercised good judgement in pulling the thread when it became apparent that the site was being used to advance a commercial purpose. My great hope is that the email addresses of those involved have been noted so that the next time this happens, it will be nipped in the bud. <BR>
Apr 28th, 1999, 05:04 AM
#5
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Our experience renting an apartment thru Dr. Abate--Roman Homes--cld not have been better. My family and I found the apartment precisely as promised. Furthermore, Dr. Abate went out of his way to be helpful. Every aspect of our business relationship was appropriate and cordial. We recommend his service.
Feb 11th, 2000, 07:52 PM
#11
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My first experience with Dr Abate at romanhomes.com began innocuously enough with an inquiry into availability of apartments. I mentioned that his web site was a little difficult to understand and this guy came unleashed. My first reply was to inform him that I had no intention of using his service as his unprofessional manner far exceeded the failings of the website and kindly requested that he not email me any further. He persisted in replying on multiple occasions suggesting that he would commit all his resources to making it impossible for me to stay in Rome. He even went so far as to suggest that I might be safer staying at home since he knew a great many people in Rome. I have posted the same story at frommers and requested if anyone knew an agency in Italy that he can be reported to. I am actually quite terrified of traveling there as a result of this man. Is this the way people in Rome are?
Feb 13th, 2000, 07:23 PM
#12
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I wish I'd been here earlier. Looks like I missed a good deal of discussion about the good Dr. Abate. My brother and I rented the large roman home a couple of blocks from the colosseum in November 1998. The villa itself was fantastic -- great location and very nice amenities in the apartment itself. But the heat DID NOT WORK. It was usually in the 50's in the daytime, but got much cooler at night.WE were NEVER warm. We would naturally have called Dr. Abate -- but since he showed up EVERY day, unannounced ( and usually when he thought we weren't there), we were able to convey the problem to him directly. Every day he was in the villa - usually with a workman -- they were never able to track down the problem with the lack of heat. However, upon our departure, he tried to charge us an extra (bear with me here, but I believe the amount was $200 )This was because of ALL THE EXTRA HEAT we had used!!!!!!!There was no arguing with the man - although, I do remember handing him less than that amount and walking out. He also assured us that we were the ONLY residents this had ever happened to. He was a creepy man - we set traps everyday to see if he'd been in the apartment - and he always had been there by the time we arrived in the evening. None of our personal items were ever moved, however.The villa was perfect(except for the lack of heat) -- and so was the trip.Just something you don't often come upon in the states.
Feb 28th, 2000, 03:51 PM
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Yeah, be careful what you wish for! I had no idea this thread had come back from the crypt in recent weeks, but the recent report of Abate sightings reminded me of this one. I decided to send it back up to provide a context (a mere shadow of the fun we had with the original thread that Fodor's deleted) for the current Abate brouhaha. Without a bit of background the Salon-inspired thread reads like it's directed to an "exclusive clique" (remember them?) of familiar Fodorites -- not the intention of the poster, I'm sure. <BR>PS I just want to say that as a travel writer/humorist, Michael Lewis could take a lesson from many of the posters on this Forum. Not to mention as a travel planner!
Jun 29th, 2000, 09:30 AM
#16
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The short answer to your question is "all of the above." <BR> <BR>While the original, demented thread is no longer available, I think a search of this board will give enough references to "Roman Homes" and "Abate" for you to decide for yourself whether he's man or myth. There was also a travel diary article in Salon.com back in February, as you may have gathered in reading this thread. <BR> <BR>Speaking of the new format, - What? we weren't speaking of it? Well we are now - I kind of like the fact that Fodor's e-mailed me to tell me there had been a response to my message (weirdly, it said I'd received my "first" response - better late than never?) I've been frequenting the U.S. board mostly, I would not have known this was back on top otherwise.
