richardab

I see that Fodors has merged the Rants and Raves so the rating are now included with the hotel listings. I have one question.... Why don't more people add their Rants and Raves to this section? It's a great way to talk about a hotel you have stayed in or reference a hotel you are interested in. I recommend that all you Fodorites add a few ratings ASAP to start the trend! I have already posted Rant for all the hotels i have stayed in in NYC, I deal with Europe tomorrow!

Rex

Yes, Richard, I agree this is a (small) improvement.<BR><BR>Still no good way to add in our finds, right?<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

elaine

Like others I wish we could add "write in" restaurants and hotels.It might help the Fodor's people with their listings and research, especially at the economy level.<BR>Fodors, are you reading?

Tina

I am very surprised that Fodor's hasn't figured out a way to use this travel talk forum as a resource in their rants & raves. We know they periodically read the board. They've figured out how to censor & delete 'troublesome threads'; why not take advantage of the opinions freely given & create or even extract the commentary re: hotels/restaurants for any write-in candidates?<BR><BR>

ttt

to the top<BR>

Larry

I just returned from Italy and Veinna and I used Rants and Raves as a valuble source. I've had guide books go on about a place, but when you get there...Ugh!!! This time I chose three hotels based on multiple positive raves and all three were wonderful.

Vita

I also wish there was a place to right in hotels and restaurants. It would be a better resource than trying to use the search tool. I tried searching on London restaurants and got posts like = '...Went to London.... Had a great lunch at this restaurant in Edinburgh....'

MaryC

Vita, I completely agree in your frustration! Arrgghh.<BR><BR>richardab, the reason (I think) that more people don't add to the Rants and Rave section is because only those hotels and restaurants that are listed in Fodor's guidebooks are listed there. There are many, many favorites discussed on this board that doesn't even make the Rants and Raves section. Thus, that lovely, charming Parisian hotel (with a view of Notre Dame) that I stayed in last year (and that I loved) but which isn't listed in a Fodor's guidebook (although it's highly recommended in other guidebooks/hotel guides) will not be in the Rants and Raves section. Otherwise, I would have listed my lovely rave a year ago. Same holds true for the hotel I plan to stay in this year. : )

Rex

All it would take would be someone with the intitiative, to start a (series of) threads.<BR><BR>Rants and Raves: Hotels - - Ghent (or Lubeck or Vaduz - - just to give a few examples not available there).<BR><BR>Of course, the key is that many of us don't glean the necessary details like a travel writer night. "Loved it" is a little lacking, you know.<BR>

Tom

I see that someone started this idea for Rome this morning.<BR>

jw

OK

Robin

Some very good ideas here. I have tried to post there when I can, but, as MaryC said, the limited choices are frustrating.<BR><BR>Maybe Fodors could add a "Other Favorites" section, with a disclaimer (which I'm sure they would need) stating that some of these places haven't been reviewed by their own staff. We could then post comments, or cut-and-paste from here.

jw

But if we would all use the same heading prefix, sort of 'Rants and Raves --', at this forum, then it would be possible to do a search for the same phrase 'Rants and Raves' and have all of them come up. Yes? No? Obviously I'm a novice, here, but it would be fun if it worked.

MaryC

jw, that's a very good suggestion; the only problem would be that the newbies wouldn't know what to look for. But then again, some of the more experienced posters could always just top it (long live Topper!). : )

Newbie

Where ARE Ghent or Lubeck or Vaduz? Were these serious suggestions?<BR><BR>

jw

yes

top

to the top<BR>

Howard

Ghent is in Belgium<BR>Lubeck is in Germany<BR>Vaduz is in Liechtenstein.<BR><BR>Are there any decent hotels there?<BR><BR>

Rex

In Ghent - - the Hotel Erasmus - - I can NOT believe that I have never posted a detailed report about this wonderful hotel. Brian in Atlnata has though - - in fact, a great report on all of Ghent.<BR><BR>http://www.hotels-belgium.com/gent/erasmus-gent.htm<BR><BR>Poel 25<BR>9000 Gent<BR>Phone : 32 (0) 9 224 21 95 - 225 75 91 <BR>Fax : 32 (0) 9 233 42 41<BR><BR>=====================================<BR ><BR>and excerpted from an old post here:<BR><BR>Author: Rex ([email protected])<BR>Date: 05/12/2000, 10:43 am<BR><BR>Message: But having said that, I can tell you that I was in Luebeck for less than 24 hours in 1997, and I would have loved to stay longer - - not for any particular reason - - just a great "walking around" town - - churches, marzipan specialities in every other shop, street artists - - I didn't find anything NOT to like. <BR><BR>I was returning from a quick trip into Denmark, through Ribe and Odense (started in Germany and returned to Germany via ferry). If I had it to do over, I would not have bothered with Denmark at all - - preferring all parts of the "far north" of Germany much, much more. <BR><BR>But I am having trouble finding the hotel I used when I stayed there. It was quite a few years ago. 96?<BR><BR>===================================<BR> <BR>And for Vaduz:<BR><BR>www.relaischateaux.ch/real<BR><BR>Das Haus f&uuml;r Gourmets<BR>St&auml;dtle 21, FL-9490 Vaduz<BR>Felix Real<BR>Tel. +423 / 232 22 22<BR>Fax +423 / 232 08 91<BR>e-mail [email protected]<BR><BR>This was a terrific place - - and they are not kidding when they say Das Haus f&uuml;r Gourmets!<BR>