bfsr9

My husband and I booked a hotel based on recommendations on a website. All the reviews were glowing. When we arrived at the hotel, it was nothing like the reviews. The staff was not helpful and a renovation was going on which made it difficult to go through the lobby. Are we naive to believe website reviews are genuine? The hotel in question was the Inn at Union Sqaure in San Francisco.

vjpblovesitaly

Depends on the website. I think tripadvisor is considered a good source. Or are you talking about the reviews on a hotel's own website?

Don

Very strange. TripAdvisor shows it as the #1-rated hotel in San Francisco on its site. (88 5* reviews, 35 4*, and a combined total of 9 ratings in the 1* - 3* range)

I'd believe that a hotel with this number of reviews, and most of them very positive, would be a great hotel. So I don't know what to tell you in this case.

I tend to avoid places that have small numbers of reviews, or reviews that are obviously planted, but if TripAdvisor was the site you were referring to, I don't know how you would've expected to have the experience you did.

yk

But I would assume that 100% of all these 5* reviews are from travelers who were NOT there during renovations.

Is that the only issue (plus the unhelpful staff)?

If you were truly unhappy about your stay because of the renovation (assuming that it wasn't obvious to you when you booked this hotel), I'd suggest you write to the hotel manager and let him/her know your disappointment with your stay.

bfsr9

We did complain since we were never told about the renovation before we booked. The manager was good enough to refund our money. However, I think we should have been informed about the work prior to booking. I am referring to trip advisor. We did have other complaints. Without going into all the details, I was just so surprised to have read so many glowing reports.

BarbaraS

I discount a bad review such as yours when it just sounds like whining. Without the details it's impossible to judge whether or not you really had something to complain about or were just being a prima donna. If they gave you your money back, I don't see what you have to be upset about. Perhaps you want to provide more details.

Trekker5211

1. Most (or all) of the reports were, as stated above, made about times NOT during renovations.
2. The staff was most likely stressed by the renovations.
3. Don't blame tripadvisor. It is only a peer-advice-sharing site. I'm curious as to what booking engine you used. They would've probably been most responsible for notifying you as to the renovations. Also, did you ever visit the hotel website prior to visiting? Most hotels would usually have info about renovations in their 'news' page, or possibly right on the home page.

I'm so sorry you had a bad experience at the Inn at Union Sq. Its my favorite hotel/inn to stay at in SF.

suze

Trip Advisor is not responsible for the content of the reviews. Read their various disclaimers. Plus there have been issues with businesses promoting themselves with fake reviews.

If I want up-to-date information about a specific place I make a new post & ask here on Fodor's and also over on the destination forum (not the reviews section) at Trip Advisor.

bfsr9

I booked directly through the hotel after looking at their website. If you really want to know more about my complaints: 1) the receptionist was wearing a face mask to protect herself from the pollutants due to the renovation. 2) We were told that the doors to the lobby would be closed after a certain hour and to be sure to have our electronic key to open the door. In fact, the door was closed much earlier and no one was attending to the lobby 3) several times when I called the desk, there was no answer and there was no way to contact any one 4)the list goes on. My point is that I was disastisfied and I consider myself a typical traveler and I still do not understand the great reviews. Maybe we just hit a bad time.

nytraveler

It sounds like all of your problems were related to the renovations. And when you complained you got a refund.

Frankly, I don;t now what else the hotel could have done once you were there.

Yes - they should have warned about the renovations - and then you could have gone somewhere else.

But - if the hotel was truly that awful - why didn't you switch to another?

NeoPatrick

Staff members being helpful or not is strictly a matter of interpretation (and how they were approached). The matter of renovation may not have played into any other reviews. I don't quite understand how either problem would be subject to scrutiny on different reviews.

And you're complaining about the "unhelpful" staff even though the manager actually refunded your money? You're kidding right?

I agree that it sounds like the renovations caused problems for you and you should have been warned, but with a free stay, what more can you ask for? And how would different reviews by people not there the same day you were have added any help at all in this situation?

"We were told that the doors to the lobby would be closed after a certain hour and to be sure to have our electronic key to open the door. In fact, the door was closed much earlier and no one was attending to the lobby."

And this bothered your stay, how? You actually had to use your key to get in earlier than you were told? Horrors! You should have called the police!

bfsr9

We did switch hotels. I was not interested in staying in a hotel where the people working there felt there health was harmed by the renovation. Since I had not been on a trip for awhile, the inconvenience of moving out and into another hotel was not what I had in mind for a vacation. Yes, the manager was good enough to refund our stay for one night. I have never had that happen before (nor have I ever asked for a refund) and it confirms my belief that our stay was not what it should have been when traveling.

NeoPatrick

"Yes, the manager was good enough to refund our stay for one night. I have never had that happen before (nor have I ever asked for a refund) and it confirms my belief that our stay was not what it should have been when traveling."

Absolutely! Which is why the manager refunded your money. He clearly agreed. I'm sorry it was a problem, but honestly what more are you looking for?

LSky

Maybe it's in the way you read the review. I just went to TA and yes, seems like lots of people liked it.
They found it a good value for their money and liked the free breakfast and the wine and snacks in the evening.

When I'm reading a review on TA there are a few things I take into consideration.

Some hotels get very good reviews on TA because the guests got very good prices on Priceline. That's an important consideration. Like the Inn's freebies.

Were the amenities nice and worth whatever extra money was paid?

Were the rooms clean and comfortable?

If someone isn't happy because of a renovation, that's not a consideration except if the renovation happened so long ago that it will be a benefit to me.

Whether the staff is happy and friendly will have as much to do with me as it will with them.

dusty56438

I looked at the reviews for this hotel on TripAdvisor (TA). Most of the reviews are by one or two posters who have not contributed in any other way to TA (no forum posts, etc.)

Though the reviews may be honest from the members, I think they are somewhat solicited.

Many hotels are starting to ask occupants if they were happy with the hotel. If they say yes, management gives them a card and asks them to make a review on TA or other travel sites. If they were not happy, management doesn't give them a card & says nothing about making a review.

I would not trust reviews when they are reviews by a one time poster.

yk

Regardless of whether those 5* reviews on TA are "real" or not, in the OP's situation here, it appears that all their complaints WERE RELATED to the renovations.

They stayed for 1 night and moved elsewhere.

I don't know how any reviews on Tripadvisor could have warned our OP in advance, unless theose reviewers happend to stay in the hotel DURING THE RENOVATION!

LSky

I never think about if the person is a one time reviewer. I have submitted a number of reviews on trip advisor but forgot my password, changed emails and all was lost so I had to start with a new name.

Many people who like to travel know about TA. I would think that if someone isn't happy with the hotel writing a review on TA might be one of the first things they do.

OO

You know, a while back I looked at the TA #1 ranked hotels in cities we have lived in, and in which we are very familiar with the hotels and they are absolutely laughable.

Tampa #1 Wingate Wyndham Tampa North. Little better than a motel and out in Timbuktu.

#2 Quorum...sort of OK, but a former Holiday Inn and about the same tier still.

#3 Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Airport Westshore.

That these are the top hotels, the best of anything in Tampa is ludicrous!!

Savannah:

#1 Holiday Inn Express

#2 Cambria Suites Savannah Airport (oh yeah...that's where I'd want to stay...out at the airport!!)

San Antonio:

The 3 Drury Inn hotels...two downtown are nice enough mid priced hotels. The 3rd is off I-10 near nothing.

I don't know how these rankings develop. Most all are on the budget end. Take a look at the numbers 1,2, and 3 ranked hotels in your own cities. I think you'll be real surprised at what you find. Then--keep that in mind next time you go to TA to find a great hotel for your vacation!!

OO

Patrick...I just looked at Naples and both Ritzs are there, and Bellasera...not familiar with that, but am with one of the Ritz hotels and assume the other is equally good. #4 is something out on 41, but otherwise, Naples may break my mold.

happytrailstoyou

Aside from the construction project, you don't say exactly how the hotel was not as described on the web.

I refer to Trip Advisor paying careful attention to mentions of noise, surliness, clogged toilets, noisy AC, small rooms, uncomfortable mattress, inconvenient location, etc.

I read reviews suspicious that a glowing one was written by somebody who knows hotel management or who booked a room at half the rate I am being asked.