Aussie hotelier calls in the media after "malicious" posts on Agoda and Trip Advisor

[David Walden]

I always leave a review of any hotel I stay in...some OK most give you what you pay for, some are just not what they claim to be.  I have bagged some if it's below what their promo says.  I stay mostly mostly 3 star if they give you what they say they will give you for the price my review will reflect that, if it's rubbish they will soon know about it.

Edited November 7, 2017 by David Walden

[davidst01]

the owners must have pissed the guy off somehow. Its part of the game that you have to be jai dee to all customers. 

 

How does one sue an anonymous author in trip advisor. What evidence do they have to link the guy

[Media1]

15 hours ago, chickenrunCM said:

Yes, we have a restaurant & bar, and we got from 1 person 2 negative reviews within 10 month, and we made also a police report to indentify this person. Because for on Tripadviser you do not have any chance to let delete a clear negative comment. You get only automatic emails response if you claim something. Positive comment will not be published. Even if you not register your bussines on Tripadviser, everybody can register it and post pictures of it.

In any European countr you can go to court and force Tripadviser to delete your busssines or the fake comments, if not they will be punished, but in Thailand this way not work. So we have to go after the person who wrote it. On Tripadviser you can write reviews even you never visit the place. This is not possible on agoda or booking.com, what makes a big different. 

And by the lastest study more than 40% of all reviews online are fake. It´s a big industry and and especially Tripadviser earns a lot, they offer you for 40 USD/month a special customer service and you can be sure no bad comments to be published. 

Extortion via the RTP would be the deal here

[BradWilkins]

I had to wait over an hour to be able to check Inn coz the owner wasn't there. Lunatic. Safety box wasn't working. None can help but the owner who the only one who have the key which was not there. I woke up at 4 am room smells so bad I complain to receptionist she said first time must be from the floor of cr. 
Nothing nearby. Far from center
Fell like in army camp but all about money. If charge ur phone outside the room 20 baht for 20 minutes. If even u move items from ref is considered consumed. A sign in room pay 500 if smoke. I ront smoke but u feel threatened by to much (IFs) If bring food from outside will be charged . They took deposit 1000 . I got it back after waiting again over an hour coz the receptionist been checking and looking what she can charge me for. I left early did not even want for breakfast. 
Breakfast from 9 till 11. Should be as most hotels from 6 or 6.30 am.
Bed and pillow not comfortable
I don't see any pros in this hotel
NEVER AGAIN

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Stayed: October 2017, travelled solo

Ask sollowy about Pattaya Holiday Lodge

 

7  Thank sollowy

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

PattayaHoliday, General Manager at Pattaya Holiday Lodge, responded to this reviewResponded 1 week ago

Thank you for your fake review.Seeing as its the only review you ever made and joined 2 days ago also happens to be when you stayed with us, makes it even more so a fake review. Its truly amazing what CCTV with Audio recording can prove this days.
To start with what does the owner have to do with checking you in? Absolutely nothing, and not only owner did not check you in, but you did not see the owner at all. You booked our 400 baht room through Agoda while eating a 50 baht meal in our restaurant. You had to wait for 10 mins for Agoda to notify the hotel of your booking. You also failed to mention that you are "friends" with one of the reception girls, i am guessing were hoping to get to know her more intimately, but she was not interested. Secondly safety box was working just fine, but you failed to read basic 3 step instruction provided and locked it. Yes for guest security only the manager has the override key. You did not wake up at 4 am, but 7:00 am and room had a smell because you were in it, no other reason for room to have a smell, tiled floors do not start to smell in the middle of the night.You did not check out at 6:30 am but 7:30 am and did not wait for an hour but 5 mins for staff to check the room. Not sure how you saw what was outside, as you did not leave the room from the time you checked in at 16:00pm till 7:30 am. Breakfast is from 9-11 however you demanded to have your breakfast at 7 am, and after being told it starts at 9, you were hysterically screaming you would cook yourself and to open the kitchen for you. Bed and pillow were not comfortable? were you expecting Posturepedic mattresses in a 400 baht room? Nevertheless we do provide 4 pillows, surely you could have made yourself comfortable with 4 pillow, no? You were threatened by a sign which says no smoking?
Very sorry about that, hope you did not suffer too much as this kind of signs are very common pretty much anywhere you go. So fairly safe to assume your raging either because you did not get breakfast in 400 baht room or that our reception girl did not spend the night with you or possibly both. Funny enough, hotel has a huge sign in reception clearly stating breakfast times. 400 baht rooms always attract certain type of clientele who always seem to think because they pay 400 baht they entitled to it all.Oh and just for your information only airport hotels start breakfast at 6 am, and MOST importantly MOST hotels do not provide breakfast for 400 baht rooms.

[sikishrory]

His tripadvisor reviews/replies are quite entertaining.

Charges 20 baht for "showing how to open window" or other things like that.

27% of his reviews are negative.

All he has done here is bring light to the fact that his hotel sucks.

[Grumpy Duck]

After all I have read in TVF I have no interest in visiting Pattaya. I usually book through Air BnB. Had good luck when visiting Chang Rai 

this place sounds like it is in the "No Tell Motel" price range. (Dump)

Edited November 7, 2017 by Grumpy Duck

[Nemises]

The hotel also has some really good reviews. This one from a lady who has posted 99 reviews. (Unlike the 1 only reviewer mentioned in the OP)...



Stayed here a few nights, and i liked it. Its a bit far from the beach/city but i didn't mind walking there. (1,5 - 2 km depends on the roads you're taking) Good exercise and there is a lot of food and coffee shops on your way.

The hotel serves breakfast - included. Easy meal but to my satisfaction. The omelette was yummie.

They charge you a 1000 bath upon your arrival, but its only coverage for the minibar or if you damage anything in the room. If everything is good - you get your money back when departure/checking out.
This is common a lot of places around the world. Also it was written through my booking with hotels.com

The beds where perfect! Usually its to soft or to hard for my liking, but this was perfect. It was perfect to get good sleep, and the room is clean and the bathroom was big. The shower was good.

I also had the luxury of getting my own balcony. Not much looking at, but i love sitting there having a smoke, read my book and drink my coke or coffee.
There is also free wifi, not 100% stable, but it depends on how many on wifi at same time. It was good enough for me.

7-11 is almost on every corner.
The 5 star vegetarian restaurant just a few steps away is worth checking out, even though you might not be a vegetarian yourself. Good food there!

There is also a australian bar at the street - didn't try it though, but always a lot of people there at night.

I tried several of the food stalls on my way to beach centre /walking street, and could highly recommend them. Also worth trying out gafae coffee shops. The best coffee so far in Thailand.

Anyway, back to Pattaya Hotel Lodge - i loved my stay there and the price is quite reasonable if you for example is travelling alone or with a friend/boy/girlfriend. So even though its a bit of walking - i didn't mind. There is always easy to access taxis around as well.

I travel alone, and nobody bothers me at evenings/nights for example and i like that.

Thank you guys for making me welcome, and i just loved that you guys taking care of the animals as well.

Love from Norway.

[Scouse123]

Just another point regards Trip Advisor as they are basically using all of us as unpaid reps for their company and obtaining reviews this way which only benefits themselves as a company. We are supposed to benefit by checking other traveler reviews but if such a large amount are indeed fake, the reviews themselves become unreliable. As I said before, you must look and check if the reviewers are seasoned travellers or if they just joined and only have a couple of reviews. Those types of reviews can be used against the hotels in fake reviews to their detriment but also by them to court good publicity in equally fake reviews.

 

Another cross check, is to look at BOTH Trip advisor and the variety of hotel booking engines such as, Bookings.com, Agoda, Hostelworld, where nearly all ensure that you have booked, checked out and paid before allowing you to post a review.

 

Regards the hotels, if everyone was to put a five star review, it would only lead to the hotel in question to become extremely busy and as a result to increase prices, working in reverse for the end user who it is supposed to benefit, i.e. the reviewer.

[Rimmer]

A libelous post has been removed

[hawker9000]

On ‎11‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 10:04 PM, sikishrory said:

His tripadvisor reviews/replies are quite entertaining.

Charges 20 baht for "showing how to open window" or other things like that.

27% of his reviews are negative.

All he has done here is bring light to the fact that his hotel sucks.

Just looked at the reviews on TripAdvisor.   Fully one-third of the 81 reviews currently posted there are either "Poor" or "Terrible".   There are lots of good reviews and lots of bad reviews.  While I realize it's possible for someone to "buy" bulk reviews, good and bad, the bad reviews include specific gripes which the owner takes the time to specifically rebut (perhaps a little too defensively, IMO), so I don't think that's what's going on with the bad reviews here.   So it boils down to sort of a he-said she-said thing.  I'd be much too risk averse to make a pre-travel reservation at this place.  It I were at all interested, I'd start my stay somewhere else and then stop by in person to check the place out.  But undertaking to "sue" reviewers just doesn't sound like good business practice for a hotelier:  prospects will write the place off just based on that without even wanting to know anything further.

 

 

[spidermike007]

On 11/6/2017 at 10:37 AM, Peterw42 said:

Interesting to look at trip advisor , a fair share of negative reviews and the manager arguing with (even abusing the reviewers) the reviews. 81 reviews, and 18 say poor or terrible, and the manager arguing the point. Manager is saying the reviews are fake, they are not fake if someone stayed there and its their review.

Basil Fawlty would be proud.

 

 

Anyone familiar with the cyber world knows that 18 out of 81 reviews, that are negative, is a devastating percentage of unhappy customers. If this is true, they are better off just closing the hotel, and moving on. Maybe try house painting, or something that requires less diplomatic skills. 

 

As far as their complaints go, what on earth is the crime called malicious posting? Can one actually be charged for that? In Thailand? Good luck.

[Myran]

On 11/6/2017 at 11:59 AM, mercman24 said:

an *EXECUTIVE* staying in a cheap hotel, ? yeah right. peed myself, had my own company. from now on i am a COMPANY DIRECTOR he he

What? The "executive" mentioned in the article is the owner of the hotel.

[jenny2017]

13 minutes ago, Myran said:

What? The "executive" mentioned in the article is the owner of the hotel.

Maybe the "Executor" would be more accurately. 

[tubby johnson]

If the hotel owner spent less time badmouthing those who dislike his hotel, and spent more time improving his manners and hotel quality, then he wouldn't have so many problems.

[wakeupplease]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 

 

Anyone familiar with the cyber world knows that 18 out of 81 reviews, that are negative, is a devastating percentage of unhappy customers. If this is true, they are better off just closing the hotel, and moving on. Maybe try house painting, or something that requires less diplomatic skills. 

 

As far as their complaints go, what on earth is the crime called malicious posting? Can one actually be charged for that? In Thailand? Good luck.

The CCA makes it possible to take a tourist to court in this neck of the woods if you can prove it, but the bib here just lie and even say they have your IP address which they cannot get. Go else where is the answer where your treated like a human being and not like an ATM, so lucky the Chinese are here but that will not last long.

[Nemesis7]

Well reviews are reviews of the individual what he or she experienced.

[Acemaker]

On 11/6/2017 at 7:50 AM, Rc2702 said:

I'm just flabbergasted by his choice of attire for his photoshoot.  

Well, hes an Aussie, what do you expect.    

Edited November 12, 2017 by Acemaker

[mommysboy]

People can write very harsh reviews that leave a hotel at a considerable disadvantage, and I think feedback systems can cause a great deal of concern.  Sometimes they book in to budget rooms to later judge the establishment as if it were a five star hotel.  If a member of staff reasonably or politely declines a request, they risk being branded unfriendly or incompetent.

 

 

 

 

[mommysboy]

I recently browsed a few sites before a visit to Bangkok.  All the hotels had some really lousy reviews.  The one I stayed at was really good value for money, but still had disgrunts leaving poor reviews,

[observer90210]

Well in that case each and every post on Trip Advisor can be subject to public whine and grime by the defaced hotels or restaurants....

 

Wake up fellows, this is the 21st century and if you want a spotless comment on TripAdvisor, you just need to be spotless in all aspects....if not assume the game as today, it's the public and the people who have the power and no longer as in the past,  the small mafia style hotel restaurant critic clans or printed guide editors....

[mommysboy]

14 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Well in that case each and every post on Trip Advisor can be subject to public whine and grime by the defaced hotels or restaurants....

 

Wake up fellows, this is the 21st century and if you want a spotless comment on TripAdvisor, you just need to be spotless in all aspects....if not assume the game as today, it's the public and the people who have the power and no longer as in the past,  the small mafia style hotel restaurant critic clans or printed guide editors....

Balance in all things.

 

I certainly agree you have to provide good service and that means no arguing with customers.

 

Part of the problem with internet bookings is that in order to compete a hotelier will have to upload pictures that present the establishment in pristene condition.  The reality might be acceptable to most, but will fall short of the pictures.

 

Let's just say a small but troublesome minority want everything for nothing.  Still worse are the ones that go there with a blackmailer's mentality.

 

The excellence you suggest costs money that would be reflected in prices, and most visitors cant or won't pay.

Edited November 13, 2017 by mommysboy

[observer90210]

1 hour ago, mommysboy said:

Balance in all things.

 

I certainly agree you have to provide good service and that means no arguing with customers.

 

Part of the problem with internet bookings is that in order to compete a hotelier will have to upload pictures that present the establishment in pristene condition.  The reality might be acceptable to most, but will fall short of the pictures.

 

Let's just say a small but troublesome minority want everything for nothing.  Still worse are the ones that go there with a blackmailer's mentality.

 

The excellence you suggest costs money that would be reflected in prices, and most visitors cant or won't pay.

Very true my friend.

 

As you very pertinently suggest, an equilibrium is obviously the fairest outcome.

 

Between the clients who want it all for free and the hoteliers/restaurants who make a fool of their clients and take customers for granted there is a gap.

 

Excellence does not need to cost or display lavish frills. It is plainly an issue of respecting the customer, providing clean well maintained lodging (if a hotel), or clean, fresh and food with taste, if a restaurant.  I may assume that this is not asking for a miracle and can be acheived without making a hole in the owners pockets.

Edited November 13, 2017 by observer90210

[hawker9000]

On ‎11‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 11:08 PM, spidermike007 said:

 

 

Anyone familiar with the cyber world knows that 18 out of 81 reviews, that are negative, is a devastating percentage of unhappy customers. If this is true, they are better off just closing the hotel, and moving on. Maybe try house painting, or something that requires less diplomatic skills. 

 

As far as their complaints go, what on earth is the crime called malicious posting? Can one actually be charged for that? In Thailand? Good luck.

Well, in Thailand it's called "defamation" and you certainly can be charged for it if they can identify and get their hands on you, although I expect it hardly ever happens in cases of foreigner-on-foreigner.  The owner is probably taking a wrong turn with all this ITO his public relations, but in his hotel bracket I'm guessing it won't matter that much...

 

 

[Spaniel]

I just checked Trip Advisor.      Many good and bad reviews for this place going back to August 2011.     Whenever we travel to a new city I always check TA for some basic info on hotels that I would consider booking.    If I was looking for a hotel in Pattaya and after reading reviews for this place  I think I would not book here.