Originally Posted by
alanh
The misplaced expectations are really the only thing that annoys me. This can be a complaint about the lack of bathrobes at a Motel 6, or the complaint that a rustic historic property is, well, rustic. Likewise complaints about things outside the hotel's control, like noisy wildlife.
I've written a few reviews (all but 1 under the name BamaVol) on TA. One property I visited and reviewed in FL has an unhappy review from someone who selected a room on a low floor and complained that a truck blocked her view of the ocean during her stay. The truck was in no way associated with the property. I'd have been unhappy too, but not taken it out on the hotel in my review.
I look for a couple things when reading reviews.
#1 is cleanliness & condition. I'm not that squeamish, but Mrs BamaVol is a clean freak. We found a nice (chain) hotel in Paris that had a mix of reviews. But, every guest praised the cleanliness of the property, even when they found the desk clerks rude or the elevator small.
#2 is relevance. I stayed at a (chain) hotel in BsAs that had mixed reviews. One complaint was lack of spa facilities. In fairness, the word "Spa" appears in the name of the hotel. But, I was there for tango, steak and malbec. I worked the extra pounds off after I got home.
#3 is surroundings. No hotel is going to show the blighted empty lot next door or the street gangs and prostitutes you have to shoulder by on your way to the convenient metro stop. I count on the reviewers to tell or show me and I like to think I've avoided a few mistakes as a result.
Like others, I throw out the best and the worst and look for the things that matter to me in the rest. For those with an anti-American bias, you might look into venere.com for more Euro-centric reviews.