How bad does a hotel have to be to write a bad review.

I just got back from a week in Negril, stayed at a hotel on the beach for the first time....usually stay in one across the road. We had a great time and wrote out a great review. I read one from someone who was there at the same time but wrote a crappy review. I can't imagine how two different couples can have completely different view when dealing with the same staff on the same property at the same time. Were there some flaws...of course...it's Jamaica. I guess we just know from experience what to expect. Or are some expecting Hilton for the price of Motel 6?

Some people get to the Island and never want to leave.....some want off the first night

Perception is everything

Here are some complaints:
Ants......every room in every hotel has them...duh...
Not enough towels.....that's why I bring my own
Worn sheets.......that's why I bring my own
No Blanket.......that's why I bring my own
No safe........did you ask before you booked
Warm beer..........go to the bar next door
Dirty pool........you're on the beach....swim in the ocean
Didn't like the food......don't eat there
Small beach.......hell it's seven miles long....Good God....
Water not hot enough.......who cares....
No iron......really? you iron your clothes in jamaica?

SMH.........

sounds almost like a hostel...... I dont know what you all pay a nite there but i would at least expect some decent sheets and a blanket of sort-unless you pay hostel type prices than i guess you can expect the above...

Except for the sheets and the blanket...I'm with you, Yesihunt2..I have read so many reviews that have dissed the hotel I am going to..and the things they bring up I have read about on message boards..No surprises...so you can plan accordingly.

Not knowing where you stayed in the end it's about what you pay....staying at a cheaper place with very high expectations won't work ever...

I agree with suzen. My expectations for a hotel are not enormous, but when I am putting down a few thousand dollars to stay somewhere, I expect decent or at minimum, ample linens. On topic however, I imagine a lot of a review has to do with ones expectations. Plus... There is no pleasing some people. My sister in law complains about every single place she goes, be it the dollar store or a 10 star resort on the moon... She would complain for the sake of complaining,

Few thousand $$......aahhh no...for that much money I'd expect gold toilet seats......I paid less than $500 for a whole week in high season at this hotel......

One of my best beach reviews was on a place that told me to go buy my own toilet paper when I ran out....if someone else stayed there that might of ruined their experience=bad review. Talking about Joyce at Jah B's and yes she did end up buying the toilet paper=excellent review.

This past trip the cottage I was staying in had 3 little puppies living at my door step, one or all of them ate my $100ish pair of 5 year old 5 finger shoes. I was PISSED at myself because I knew better to leave anything around puppies let alone JA dogs who love to eat/steal my clothing. I wrote it off as my mistake......maybe someone else would of wrote up a horrible review? Talking about Miss Norma's Cottages, my JA home away from home.

Here's a twisted one, we walk in Jimmy Buffet's place in Mobay and spend close to $20 for two drinks so we can go on the water slide a few times and play on the water jumpy things....the water slide has water pouring out of it but they say it's closed= F F F.....I hate that place and their over priced drinks.....but the guy who got there an hour before me and got to enjoy it prolly did a great review if he reviewed it.

I could go on and on....as soon as I get off my asss I'll write up 20-30 reviews of my past trip on one of my sites....only a few are negative but I can see how others could of seen each as a "bad" place or my negative ones as great places.

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Originally Posted by Yesihunt2

Few thousand $$......aahhh no...for that much money I'd expect gold toilet seats......I paid less than $500 for a whole week in high season at this hotel......

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Lol, I generally pay less than half of your 500 so my standards are much lower. Heck in the Dominican Republic and Haiti I don't think I once sat on a toilet seat....they were all missing.

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Originally Posted by Yesihunt2

Here are some complaints:
Ants......every room in every hotel has them...duh...
Not enough towels.....that's why I bring my own
Worn sheets.......that's why I bring my own
No Blanket.......that's why I bring my own
No safe........did you ask before you booked
Warm beer..........go to the bar next door
Dirty pool........you're on the beach....swim in the ocean
Didn't like the food......don't eat there
Small beach.......hell it's seven miles long....Good God....
Water not hot enough.......who cares....
No iron......really? you iron your clothes in jamaica?

SMH.........

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You clearly knew what you were getting into bringing extra blankets sheets etc

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Originally Posted by Hussyband

I agree with suzen. My expectations for a hotel are not enormous, but when I am putting down a few thousand dollars to stay somewhere, I expect decent or at minimum, ample linens. On topic however, I imagine a lot of a review has to do with ones expectations. Plus... There is no pleasing some people. My sister in law complains about every single place she goes, be it the dollar store or a 10 star resort on the moon... She would complain for the sake of complaining,

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Ha! We had a friend that was the same as your sister in law! There wouldn't be any pleasing him! We stayed at a brand new resort in Mexico some years back. Top notch everything,and wouldn't you know he would find things wrong with even that! I suppose if there wasn't water I would complain. And as to staying in the same place as someone else and having a different experience did happen. The couple in the room next to us didn't have enough water pressure to shower. No really! They invited us in to see! Soon come

You get what you pay for, towels, sheets and blankets should always be provided. If they were not, I would be more concerned with the state of the actual bed (ie bedbugs) and the cleanliness of the place like mold that has been left unattended to due to the humidity. Some watch their pennies very carefully others prefer to be comfortable and won't settle for less, just saying

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Originally Posted by Eco

One of my best beach reviews was on a place that told me to go buy my own toilet paper when I ran out....if someone else stayed there that might of ruined their experience=bad review. Talking about Joyce at Jah B's and yes she did end up buying the toilet paper=excellent review.

This past trip the cottage I was staying in had 3 little puppies living at my door step, one or all of them ate my $100ish pair of 5 year old 5 finger shoes. I was PISSED at myself because I knew better to leave anything around puppies let alone JA dogs who love to eat/steal my clothing. I wrote it off as my mistake......maybe someone else would of wrote up a horrible review? Talking about Miss Norma's Cottages, my JA home away from home.

Here's a twisted one, we walk in Jimmy Buffet's place in Mobay and spend close to $20 for two drinks so we can go on the water slide a few times and play on the water jumpy things....the water slide has water pouring out of it but they say it's closed= F F F.....I hate that place and their over priced drinks.....but the guy who got there an hour before me and got to enjoy it prolly did a great review if he reviewed it.

I could go on and on....as soon as I get off my asss I'll write up 20-30 reviews of my past trip on one of my sites....only a few are negative but I can see how others could of seen each as a "bad" place or my negative ones as great places.

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I've stayed at Jah B's a few times before and gave them excellent reviews......that being said.....that's why I always bring some comforts from home........so when I booked at a beach hotel....I felt compelled to bring extra towels and such since I knew it wouldn't be like Sandal's.........always best to be prepared...

On a side note, I visited Miss Joyce when I was there and just got a different vibe about the place, must just be the set up of cabins now, etc....

I'm pretty fussy. If I'm paying more than sixty a night, I expect it to be nice. Any less than that, you're taking your chances.

My room has to be clean, relatively insect-free, and relatively secure with a lock that works. Need at least a blanket, too.

It was around 2000 to 2001 when TripAdvisor came on line and I was staying at Couples Swept Away. Honest to God truth, a vistor posted a very negative trip report that said the sun was too hot and the sea was too salty! Unbelievable, but true....

Personally it takes a lot to rattle my cage, but clean sheets and a blanket are expected.

@VVHT just like those folks who complain about the tree frogs being too loud. :confused:

I should point out the reason I started bringing own bedding/towels was my husband's allergy to detergents........then I just found it easier to bring my own...everywhere....bonus is not worrying about quality of linens provided.

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Originally Posted by Yesihunt2

Here are some complaints:
Ants......every room in every hotel has them...duh...
Not enough towels.....that's why I bring my own
Worn sheets.......that's why I bring my own
No Blanket.......that's why I bring my own
No safe........did you ask before you booked
Warm beer..........go to the bar next door
Dirty pool........you're on the beach....swim in the ocean
Didn't like the food......don't eat there
Small beach.......hell it's seven miles long....Good God....
Water not hot enough.......who cares....
No iron......really? you iron your clothes in jamaica?

SMH.........

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Well said,I was a travel agent and #1 the chronic Bitc**ers are also looking for free stuff in the form of an upgrade,discount etc...

Some will just never be happy.I had clients send me a photo of a water bug in their room as if it's the apocalypse.

Newflash,you are in the Caribbean, that's where these bugs live.

Were here,were bugs,get used to it.

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Originally Posted by Fred Stripe

Well said,I was a travel agent and #1 the chronic Bitc**ers are also looking for free stuff in the form of an upgrade,discount etc...

Some will just never be happy.I had clients send me a photo of a water bug in their room as if it's the apocalypse.

Newflash,you are in the Caribbean, that's where these bugs live.

Were here,were bugs,get used to it.

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I've gotten more free nights when writing good reviews at hotels then I have with bad.....it's always good to follow up with an e-mail to point out an excellent review and BAM!...FREE NIGHTS!!

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Originally Posted by Yesihunt2

...it's always good to follow up with an e-mail to point out an excellent review and BAM!...FREE NIGHTS!!

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Really? I never thought of that. I guess I have a couple reviews that I need to cash-in on!

My last TA review bumped the hotel from a #24 ranking to #16.

Here's a classic complaint - " I never met the owner Gail" hmmm well I was out of town on business..lol

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Originally Posted by gailnegril

Here's a classic complaint - " I never met the owner Gail" hmmm well I was out of town on business..lol

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That is a classic! The two I remember the most from TA is someone complaining that there were no "domestic beers" in bars in Jamaica and the one about the chef keeping the lobster claws for himself....

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Originally Posted by Rob

That is a classic! The two I remember the most from TA is someone complaining that there were no "domestic beers" in bars in Jamaica and the one about the chef keeping the lobster claws for himself....

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Sad to say that I know some people like that.......

as the saying goes... You get more flies with honey than you do with s#!t.

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Originally Posted by Yesihunt2

On a side note, I visited Miss Joyce when I was there and just got a different vibe about the place, must just be the set up of cabins now, etc....

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I got the same vibe when I visited....

Some hotels in Negril do have their little quirks, but that is what makes it interesting. A couple years ago we stayed at a different hotel than previous, we got in at night, went to our room, not what I had planned, went to take a shower the next morning the faucet came right out of the wall, I stuck it back in and took my shower. When I went to leave the room, I pulled the door handle right out of the door, stuck it back in and went on my way. But I do have to stay the rooms and beds are always clean, and that is all I ask for. This is what Negril is all about.

We've been staying at SamSara since 1996. It's not the most popular place in Negril & has gotten MANY a bad review, but it's where we feel the most comfortable & happy each and every time we return. Even if we had loads of $$$$ ~ we'd still stick with SamSara ~~ they have been very good to us throughout the years!

Hot water, clean bed, good lock and in Negril. That's all we need.

when they show you 5 rooms and they are all coated with mold . . . yep my review is on TA --- got my money back too --- no way could I lay my head down in that place with my child

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That is a classic! The two I remember the most from TA is someone complaining that there were no "domestic beers" in bars in Jamaica and the one about the chef keeping the lobster claws for himself....

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Lobster claws for himself...I couldn't stop laughing!

I run into this a HUGE amount with staying mostly at AI's when traveling all over world. When some people see the term all inclusive they think that means marriot hyatt not a penny else spent. When we all know that how starish your place is, is relative to where you are staying. In Mexico and Caribbean what is 4 5 star means you have toilet paper,a towel,a bed, and hopefully central air. I think a lot of the travel agents mis represent these places when booking them. When I write a bad review I also emphasize any positive attributes as well so it doesn't just seem like a *****fest.