Hotels.com rejected my negative hotel review.

Peck on 05/01/2014 - 09:53

I recently left a review on Hotels.com about my stay at Crown Regency Hotel and Towers Cebu. Whilst very negative, my review was very polite. Today they emailed me stating
"Unfortunately, we can't accept it because it goes against one or more of our submission guidelines. We can't post your review if it includes:

  • Specific prices
  • Personal insults or profanity
  • Any personal details
  • Commercial website addresses or phone numbers"

My review certainly did none of this. I was very specific about what was wrong with my stay. My impression now is that they rejected it because it was so negative. I am left with the impression that reviews on Hotels.com cannot be trusted because they reject negative reviews.

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Comments

  • hashtag7 on 05/01/2014 - 10:04
    +6

    I would post it on tripadvisor also stating that hotels.com rejected your review and reply them with a link to the review.

  • TheAviator on 05/01/2014 - 10:19
    +2

    Yep, post it on TripAdvisor. It'd probably get read by more people over at TA too.

  • neil on 05/01/2014 - 11:32
    +5

    Post it here.

    • tightarse on 05/01/2014 - 11:34

      You beat me to it neil. Yep, post it on OB!

  • Peck on 05/01/2014 - 13:03
    +4

    Yep. Posted TripAdvisor. I'm a bit slow - I just realised why they would not post my review. They do not want to upset their 'Hotel client'. Hotels etc complain about TripAdvisor reviews not necessarily being genuine. Well Hotels.com not publishing very negative feedback taints their feedback system too.

    • neil on 06/01/2014 - 09:41

      FYI, Your TripAdvisor review has been published. While you should be hesitant of online reviews, I don't think you should jump to the conclusion that TA is in cahoots with all the hotels.

      • Peck on 06/01/2014 - 14:32

        I think that the main complaint about tripadvisor is from Hotels, restaurants etc saying that their competitors are putting up bogus reviews (Reviewing their own properties as positive and reviewing their competitors as negatives). These complaintants say that at least with hotel search engine reviews the reviewer must have stayed there to be able to do a review. Well, now I realise that, even though this IS the case, it doesn't stop the hotel search engines from blocking negative reviews. I now recall that Agoda did not publish a review of mine some time back, but I just put it down to a conmputer glitch. I actually like tripadvisor.

  • binatang on 06/01/2014 - 09:18

    They decined to post my review of a Bali hotel as well. My review was very positive and like yours fell within their guidelines. I cannot fathom why. The hotel (still has) no reviews.

    • vipulrm on 06/01/2014 - 09:44

      Maybe the hotels need to pay a fee to enable the reviews feature and this one doesn't? Who knows…

  • Peck on 06/01/2014 - 09:24

    My Review for 4 star Crown Regency Hotel & Towers & Casino Cebu:-
    "Crown Regency was a real disappointment. The first room had a real noisy aircond. Changed rooms…..next room was very dirty and dusty…….reported it the next day and they cleaned it up well…….the next day, the entire floor except my room was being renovated……..dust and lacquer and paint fumes plus noisy, so they changed my room again. Reception staff were quick to change my room, but it was annoying having to pack up so many times. I suspect that they get lots of complaints. All 3 rooms looked a bit shabby, and windows were very dirty. Pool area was shabby. Security screening to enter and leave the building. Security do not let you leave until you show them proof that you have checked out, even if they are standng right there when you check out. Lifts are painfully slow. Reception area is at the back of the hotel, it is small and dark, and all chairs were always occupied (by locals I suspect)
    Room Tip: Stay elsewhere"

    • SolarEvents on 06/01/2014 - 16:14

      I like your room tip : maybe that tipped them over the edge……

  • Roney on 06/01/2014 - 13:18

    Sounds like the hotel website gets some kind of commission for positive comments? And vice versa??

  • perthwa on 06/01/2014 - 23:06

    i wrote a review on TripAdvisor on a 5star hotel in Bali and it's probably too obvious who wrote it because the next day i have a voicemail from the reception saying the General manager wants to meet me. I went along for it and he pretty much tell me to remove the review from Tripadvisor.
    I did consider not following what sounds like a warning but i didn't want to take the risk of having my trip mess up or get ask to leave the hotel so i just delete the review. You have to give a reason why you are deleting your review and I said "demanded by the hotel GM". I will never stay at that hotel again, what the GM has asked of me is low.
    so yes i believe Hotels do take steps to ensure their reviews are always look positive.

    • Geewhizz on 07/01/2014 - 08:10
      +1

      So why didn't you write the review AFTER you had left? After all, it could have gotten worse after you had posted.

      • perthwa on 08/01/2014 - 11:02

        :) True. I was just excited to start writing since it's still fresh in my memory. obviously mistake learned

        • Peck on 08/01/2014 - 12:12
          +1

          Which hotel? I would go back to tripadvisor and write it again!

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