lsquare

Can you write an objective review? If not, you'll get what's coming.

Raffles

You seem to have a huge misunderstanding of what people want from a review.

99% of people seem happy to accept any potential conflicts and still appreciate the ability to get an overall feel for a property, especially via the photos.

Gallivanters Guide is €650 per year. This is what you need to pay if you want someone to spend $10,000 per month - plus travel costs - reviewing luxury hotels for you on an anonymous basis.

If you’re too tight to pay for that then live with the consequences.

DoctorORD

Happy to be in the 1% here, although your numbers are obviously made up. Easy to find photos on google reviews and other such sites. It used to be so easy to contrast OMAAT's reviews with points dude's "I got this free flight from starlux! I got this free flight from united!" (with thinly veiled "objectivity").

To take an analogy from a related industry, the best restaurant reviews have been historically anonymous -- food critics for major publications have historically hidden their identities etc to maintain objectivity. The Michelin guide is notorious for maintaining secrecy about its reviewers and not getting comped meals.

Who's to say that the service wasn't excellent just because the Four Seasons tipped off the local staff? Not sure I'll be able to trust a Four Seasons review from him again

Astrophsx

This is the one thing that I've never understood about premium travel bloggers. Many reach out directly to the airline to request early access to the plane and start their photo shoot of the cabin. They attend events with the airline and schmooze with those in the industry. When it comes to hotel reviews I recall Ben interacting with the properties via Twitter DURING stays. One other criticism I haven't seen much is the number of vacations Ben has taken and seems only to write about them in order to obtain tax write off (my assumption). I think he reviewed Emirates first 20+ times as he took family members on "celebration" trips. I personally believe that the miles and points bloggers are airline fanatics and as long as their website traffic doesn't drop they greatly enjoy this type of special treatment and access. The more popular they get they seem to really get off on being treated as some sort of travel celebrity (E.g., Sam Chui). They really should have to provide more of a disclaimer at the top of each review, especially when they are using the reviews to get folks to sign up for credit cards or to purchase points/miles for a commission. There is a lot that isn't being disclosed.

Raffles

Oddly, disclosing more would simply fool you into believing that things were being disclosed.

Perhaps we've pitched a five figure ad campaign to a certain brand. Is that going to impact what we say about their properties whilst they are thinking about it?

Perhaps we're angling for an invite to a press trip.Is that going to impact what we write?

There are NEVER no conflicts of interest.

PES_B1

Especially Sam Chui, seems like he got so many connections with relevant industry executives that even the Russians would give him an exclusive visit. He got a Youtube on the SSJ-100 AuRUS and MC-21 in Dubai airshow a few years back.

bitterproffit

To be fair, this is one of the most inventive way of justifying old Holiday Inn style outside entrances to hotel rooms.

"The guest rooms are located in roughly a dozen different cottages, each of which is two stories. It gives the resort a great outdoor and residential feel, since there aren’t any interior hallways to walk through."

PES_B1

Conflict of interest is a nuanced and omnipresent concern. Many times, the narrative conveyed through photos or videos only scratches the surface; only those present can truly grasp the entire context. As an example, I once stayed at an Intercontinental in China. I was initially served an iced latte where the coffee and milk were blended together. However, after mentioning to the duty manager my plan to share this on social media, she promptly had a better drink prepared for me. This version resembled what you might find at McDonald's, with clear layers of syrup, milk, and coffee. Now, had I been a sponsored blogger, there might have been a temptation to gloss over the first drink and showcase only the improved version. This could potentially provide a misleading representation to my audience, with none being any the wiser. Similarly, when planning visits, I could email the hotels beforehand to secure the maximum possible upgrades based on my status. Some establishments offer free upgrades to rooms that are seldom available to the average visitor. Yet, by hinting at an impending review, I might unintentionally sway the hotel's upgrade decisions in my favor. It's in these subtle realms that the shadow of conflict of interest looms large.

PES_B1

It's amusing to think about, but I'm aware of several companies that have developed fully automated hotel booking systems using their licenses from the Virtuoso and Marriott STARS & Luminous programs. These systems are entirely online. One notable example is Eight Continent. Given the 8% commission and minimal variable costs, it seems like one of the easiest revenue streams out there!

PWMTrav

Sure, once you figure out sales and marketing to get would-be travelers there in the first place. I work in tech, so I have a touch of bias here - a good technical solution/product rarely sells itself, and a lot of companies die before they figure that out. In the travel space, a lot of players are fighting for that 8% commission and the indirect variable costs can eat that commission up quickly!

HadesNL

TPG has used till death
: "But / However my opnions are my own"
" the opnions expressed herein are my own"

Interesting to see OMAAT just copy & paste above stale tagline,

Rather Putting a bit of effort:
"although Ford got this stay comped,
which can/might/could effect the service encountered and software,
i'll try to pure factual describe the hardware + amenities on facts
and focus on the implications about staying with an infant at this type / class hotel"


i am serious thinking of putting such disclaimer if i post on FT about IC AMS (as i'm furniture there)


i do had to snicker as Muttley at this comment:

Ben:
First let me say that in the interest of full disclosure,
Ford (and a few other travel advisors) were invited by the Four Seasons for this stay,
so our room was complimentary (though we paid for incidentals).
We were invited during the annual Sea Turtle Week at the property, which is a cool effort that the hotel participates in.

Opinions expressed are my own, and of course you’re welcome to skip this review if these kinds of hotels aren’t up your alley.
The two major trip reports I’m writing before and after this exclusively have points hotels that I booked at standard rates.

Commenter Mark:

Mark Guest
August 14, 2023, 8:52 pm Excuse me Lucky, where is the turtle content?

lsquare

🤣😂😆

HadesNL

As you are reading this now,

[Psychic mode on ]
We know team OMAAT is looking at FT for interesting bits,

Expect a "Turtle related at Four Seasons Nevis post" to come soon....

[Pschycic mode off but cynic mode on]

Expect a new post soon:
" Which Four Season hotels have "cute" animal protection & conservation programmes worth visiting for those of us dedicated to premium hotels"
" And how can a preferred partner like Ford help you with your booking and access participation in such said schemes"

CarringtonEvent

I can't believe Lucky continues to push Ford’s "business" so hard and uncritically. He has to know his husband is just not very good at what he does...right? I hate nepotism.

HadesNL

Ford must be good with his TA-skills,
aka brand cross exposure Four Seasons X FordBtravel
as mentioned before on OMAAT:

Ford's TA business has happy customers at FS = so happy it is noticed by FS

Invitation to free FS Nevis trip as TA = by Four Seasons
Won a TA contest = by Four Seasons
Access to preferential discounted TA rates for personal stay at FS = by Four Seasons
Won an incentive stay = by Four Seasons
Won a award for best FS preferred partner thus received a free stay at FS = by Four Seasons
Won a award for best selling TA for FS bookings thus may stay at 2 FS of choice = by Four Seasons

Asked to review certain aspirational FS by readers = by his public
"The primary reason we booked this hotel is because Ford is a Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel advisor
(he books clients at Four Seasons more than any other brand).
He has had a lot of his clients stay here, and it always helps to experience a hotel firsthand"


If you keep a scorecard of bingo which of above are mentioned
while reading his FS collection reviews and deals
published JUN 2023 :


Read Four Seasons reviews: Athens, Boston, Cap-Ferrat, Denver, Desroches Island, Florence, Fort Lauderdale, Hualalai, Lanai, Los Cabos, Madrid, Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Maui, Megeve, Miami, Napa Valley, Naviva, Oahu at Ko Olina, Paris, Punta Mita, San Francisco at Embarcadero, Scottsdale, Seychelles, and Surfside

still many more to come, me thinks :
just search for [FS.. opening] & [now open FS.....]


Learn about Four Seasons deals & offers: Anguilla, Athens, Atlanta, Austin, Bahamas, Bora Bora, Boston, Cap-Ferrat, Costa Rica, Dubai, Fort Lauderdale, Hawaii, Jackson Hole, London, Los Cabos, Maldives, Minneapolis, Nashville, Naviva, New York, Napa Valley, New Orleans, Orlando, Palm Beach, Paris, Philadelphia, Punta Mita, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, Sicily, Tamarindo, and Vail

Learn about Four Seasons basics: Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Four Seasons Private Retreats, Four Seasons Private Jet, Four Seasons travel agents, Four Seasons loyalty program, and maximizing value at Four Seasons






BONUS points :
if you spot the FS Lucky Lingo Bingo words

- new favorite
- one of my favorites
- awesome
- looking forward to
- exceptional
- incredible
- cute
- impressive
- was appreciated
- a nice touch
- spectacular
- ridicously cool
- epic
- gorgeous
- excellent
- phenomenal
- stunning
- massive
- ....... is something Four Seasons consistently does best
- Four Seasons has the most comfortable beds of any hotel group
- ............. was a lovely welcome amenity, consisting of..........
- ............ were incredibly friendly
- it was probably one of my favorite meals ever
- ........ as expected by Four Seasons
- Four Seasons ....... impressed me
- Four Seasons consistently does a great job with..........
- Four Seasons has a consistent emphasis on ........... and this property is no exception
- .......... how cool is that ?! If only more hotels did that....
- Four Seasons ...<location> ... is one of the most ......... i've ever stayed at

Extra bonus : lightning round :
find the following Luckyisme in all possible variations at
his reviews of FS resorts or FS in tropical weather destinations with beach & pool : See post#4876
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34979402-post4876.html
As is standard at Four Seasons,
there was plenty of complimentary sunscreen available,
I appreciate how Four Seasons doesn’t nickel-and-dime for that, unlike so many other hotels.



§ advocado toast & cappucinno doesn't count,
i am quite forgiving as that usually is a photo and not a written mention

Feel free to add more Luckyisms = superlatives


Disclaimer:
all above is just in good fun by standard observation & reading skills while i'm having breakfast at the HIX Kettering
i have stayed at FS Lisbon & FS Seattle,
i tried applying Lucky Lingo Bingo words and well i didn't find the jackpot that superlative superlaxative