I'm just looking over the 2009 list and one thing that really stands out is that the Peninsula Tokyo appears nowhere on the list. Not even in the 100 best hotels in Asia. Pretty hard to believe...
d
All those lists are pretty hard to believe. The obscure properties (and locations) that kicked to the top of the heap have got to be some editor's stab at pleasing an ever-more-discriminating audience... but I think it just ends up looking ridiculous. I don't have the mag in front of me but the "friendliest place on earth" was some 8,000-pop Bhutanese city I've never heard of in my life... Bulu? Hulu? Whatever. There's a big difference between useful upscale travel journalism and ostentatious name-dropping wealth porn.
__________________
Owing to heightened security you must comply with any crazy fake "regulation" we make up. Thank you sir.
Programs: AA lifetime GOLD, thanks FT, AARP senior member
Posts: 13,861
I've felt for a long time that the C-N surveys were pushed hard in the directrion of their advertisers but sometimes it is more of a 'vote for us' situation.
For example some cruise lines strongly encourage their passengers to vote for them in the C-N voting to the point of making it a severe competition that the passengers might like to 'win'.
I agree. This list, as well as Institutional Investor and other magazine lists have no bearing on reality.
I agree too and I don't bother reading the awards section of CN traveller anymore. Actually I find myself flicking through it every month and finding very little new or interesting.
There are much better and well researched publications such as 'The Gallivanters Guide' with incredibly good detail and very personal observations.
Programs: QF WP (LT Gold), LH SEN, OZ Diamond, CO Nothing, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Avis PC
Posts: 6,902
I still enjoy those lists as they give me some hotel tips which I wouldn't have thought about myself. The Peninsulas/Amans/FS of this world are obvious so I don't mind if they are not on any of those lists at all.
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels and TravelBuzz!
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: DL
Posts: 15,487
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldpenny16
I've felt for a long time that the C-N surveys were pushed hard in the directrion of their advertisers but sometimes it is more of a 'vote for us' situation.
For example some cruise lines strongly encourage their passengers to vote for them in the C-N voting to the point of making it a severe competition that the passengers might like to 'win'.
In other words, I don't trust the results.
Exactly! I receive emails from restaurants asking me to weigh in to upcoming Zagat surveys. I recently wrote a very negative review on Trip Advisor re: my bad experience at Kona Village. This review is still "pending." I have to wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that Kona Village Resort has a lot of advertising on the Tripadvisor website? Positive reviews posted after mine were posted in a timely manner.
Though there's obvious advertising going on, I still enjoy reading the results.
But what really surprised me on that list is that they rated Ubud as the best Asia city, and Bangkok comes in second.
I mean...seriously? UBUD? It's not even a city, strictly speaking!
Exactly! I receive emails from restaurants asking me to weigh in to upcoming Zagat surveys. I recently wrote a very negative review on Trip Advisor re: my bad experience at Kona Village. This review is still "pending." I have to wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that Kona Village Resort has a lot of advertising on the Tripadvisor website? Positive reviews posted after mine were posted in a timely manner.
While I don't know about the advertising bias...I just had a look at the reviews of that "resort".
Most of them yet again are 1 review ponies...sometimes you see for example 8 contributions...
Contributions include photographs so a person headlined as having 8 contributions might have 7 photo's and just one review.
They also include restaurant reviews in the counter of reviewers reviews.
This is very misleading.
There is a HUGE difference between reviewing a restaurant and reviewing a resort/hotel.
When reading TA reviews,I'd advise clicking on the reviewers profile and looking at what else they have reviewd [if anything relevant] and apply weight to their views then.
Most of the reviews of kona on the front page are 1 review only people.
One person has 5 for example but 2 of these are restaurants and another is for a diving school.
Completely irrelevant to reviewing hotels.
I'm not saying their opinion is worthless but what I am saying is,it makes me think that they have no experience of proper luxury standards so their opinions I would discount in a lot of cases.
Totall agree re CN "survey" - I don't bother reading anymore. However I DO find Trip Advisor useful, by adopting a similar approach to the poster above PLUS disregarding those who can't spell (defiantly for definitely for example!) or use poor grammar. I have posted about 50 luxury hotel reviews on TA and have also picked up some very useful info from the site (including cancelling bookings as a result), so use with discretion I would say.
...what really surprised me on that list is that they rated Ubud as the best Asia city, and Bangkok comes in second.
I mean...seriously? UBUD? It's not even a city, strictly speaking!
THAT'S the place I was trying to recall -- not Hulu, Ubud. That's an absurd choice for the top of the list. The aim is not to be useful or relevant, but to give jaded arrivistes something they haven't seen before.
__________________
Owing to heightened security you must comply with any crazy fake "regulation" we make up. Thank you sir.
Programs: AC*E, SPG*P, Hyatt Diamond,HH*G, IC Plat AMB
Posts: 5,341
I actually find these rankings and lists quite amusing. CN Traveller, T&L, etc do allow me to disconnect when I want to "unplug" from the wired world and help me reflect about my past, and dream about my future, travels. The glossy photos helps.......
__________________ I am a poor man, I have nothing, therefore, I give from the heart
I used to follow the CN Top 100/Gold List until I actually voted in it.
After indicating where I had traveled the year prior, I was only allowed to review hotel properties from a pre-selected list. Example....I had just come from Java and could review Losari Coffee Plantation but not Amanjiwo (which had been open for at least 5 years).
I've looked up the top scoring properties the last few years and many of them looked....decidedly average.
I used to follow the CN Top 100/Gold List until I actually voted in it.
After indicating where I had traveled the year prior, I was only allowed to review hotel properties from a pre-selected list. Example....I had just come from Java and could review Losari Coffee Plantation but not Amanjiwo (which had been open for at least 5 years).
I've looked up the top scoring properties the last few years and many of them looked....decidedly average.
Same happened to me with Conde Nast. I also tried to vote for some other awards thing recently and was given the most extraordinary pre-selected list of hotels - none of which I would dream of voting for. No wonder we end up with such distorted awards...
I also tried to vote for some other awards thing recently and was given the most extraordinary pre-selected list of hotels...
Well, that explains a lot of things. It would be interesting to see what CN charges properties to be included on the list. Clearly devalues reader input to close to zilch. Like a Cuban election.
__________________
Owing to heightened security you must comply with any crazy fake "regulation" we make up. Thank you sir.
so a person headlined as having 8 contributions might have 7 photo's and just one review.
