November 2nd, 2007
“Travel Advisor’s” Ratings Good and Bad
Hotel Ratings Good and Bad
The other day Hawaii Aloha Travel did a podcast on "trip advisor" and hotel ratings or comments plus other issues. I wanted to add my comments to it.
Customer’s will use "trip advisor’s" (anyone you choose) to see how the hotel I quoted them rates (good or bad) and only the negative comments will stand out and be remembered and counted vs. the good comments. I will always advise my client to look at the link to the hotel that I send them so that they can see what the hotel offers and to see if the hotel meets their travel preference and needs vs. what someone may have posted on a website.
For example we had a customer who booked a trip with a 5 star deluxe hotel property as requested and confirmed by the purchase of the package. Well the customer checks in and after a couple of days into his reservation he calls to complain that the hotel did not have free internet service and that he had to pay…apparently he was on vacation and on business too and needed to use his notebook computer to do work. He neglected to tell us this was important in his type of accommodations. He was not happy and of course made a complain about us and the hotel. These kind of customer’s will take the negative of their trip and post it on "trip advisor" website that allows for comments and ratings. What this customer forgets is that he was booked in a beautiful deluxe ocean view room in a hotel on the beach…he also had free daily buffet breakfast. He also never complained about the staff service at the hotel because there was nothing to complain about. So this guy could have wrote something nice about the hotel, because to me, paying for internet service is only a small negative vs. he had a lot of good things to write about. This could also be because those travel advisor websites only allow you so many words to each posting.
So what I am trying to convey is that use "trip advisor’s" (anyone you which to visit) and take from it the good comments..because the bad comments will normally be from a customer who neglected to inform their travel agent of what they needed in a way of accommodations…(internet, restaurants, refrigerator..etc)….or want a cheap vacation and request the least inexpensive hotel, forgetting their travel preference and needs.
You as the consumer you save money for a trip to Hawaii, you wait years before you can take a long vacation,…Dream of coming to Hawaii since you were little,…choose Hawaii as your honeymoon vacation spot,….what ever the reason for coming to Hawaii, don’t use "trip advisor’s" to totally decide on the hotel you will stay in. View the hotel’s own websites and look at the amenity section to see if the property meets your travel preference needs. Or most important ask me….."your travel agent" what you need in way’s of accommodation. I am not in this business to make a quick buck, but I am in this business to help make your dreams and/or vacation experience a most memorable one.
Call me when you are ready to book a vacation to Hawaii. I have stayed in almost every hotel and if I didn’t stay in it, I as a travel professional do my homework and I do hotel site inspections frequently.
Lisa Zablan
Hawaii Aloha Travel
6800 Kalanianaole Hwy #127
Honolulu, Hawaii 96825
lisa@hawaii-aloha.com