IHG Censoring Negative Reviews
Aug 10, 16, 3:51 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 16,252
When the argument, "Well, there's no documentation of this in the past" is used as a reason to avoid creating documentation in the present, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. There never will be documentation, and the organization will perpetually duck responsibility.
Aug 11, 16, 3:34 am
#32
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cannock, UK
Posts: 273
Why assume that because someone posts a negative review that they are also looking for some sort compensation? That seems quite cynical. I write negative comments about a hotel in order to inform my fellow travelers what to expect. Moreover, many times I do not have the time to voice concerns while I am at the hotel but will find the time several days or weeks later in the form of a selfless post on TA.
I paid the bill in full on both occasions, even when offered a drinks discount from hilton sheffield and free breakfast from the holiday inn Birmingham, I refused both as I had had the drinks and drank them and also didnt want breakfast respectively.
If I am looking for any compensation I just go straight to customer care and clearly state the points if any that are below the expected service or value of what I paid and ask for the delta to be compensated.
A shambles of a place and you have only paid $39.99 for a room that provides $39.99 worth of value, should be put down to the fact that I chose the wrong place. but i will still leave a negative review with the valid points. I think its down to perspective on what you pay to what you get or are informed you are getting. Any difference should be compensated.
A negative review that is factual should not always acutomatically trigger compensation or be used to get compensation.
Aug 11, 16, 4:34 am
#33
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 112
I've knowingly softened some of my most critical reviews because I didn't raise the issue(s) with the hotel directly at the time or afterwards, and to me it seems unfair to give them a very negative score without having given them some opportunity to rectify it first.
Aug 11, 16, 7:33 am
#35
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cannock, UK
Posts: 273
I don't think it does with IHG? I doubt anyone would implement a system that did because it encourages people to go straight to publicly discussing issues for compensation rather than approaching the hotel privately first.
I've knowingly softened some of my most critical reviews because I didn't raise the issue(s) with the hotel directly at the time or afterwards, and to me it seems unfair to give them a very negative score without having given them some opportunity to rectify it first.
I've knowingly softened some of my most critical reviews because I didn't raise the issue(s) with the hotel directly at the time or afterwards, and to me it seems unfair to give them a very negative score without having given them some opportunity to rectify it first.
If things are already broken, alternatives already in place that are of low grade then a negative review would still be valid.
Aug 11, 16, 7:46 am
#36
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,250
Honestly, that review would be boarderline for myself too.
Way too much negative things, rather than describing the hotel itself.
For me, the only negative points would be: A bit tired, some stains.
I can't read anything about service (presumably good?), breakfast, lounge, size of room, whatever the bathroom offered, if there was turndown service, how comfy the bed is, if the pool has silly bathcap rules or not, etc. etc. etc.
For me, this reads more like a "bad, bad, bad" review that - if posted on TA with a 1* rating - I would simply ignore.
To get around DCC is China, just use your Amex when doing the reservation. You can later pay with Visa/MC if you like, DCC will not be active (or at least not auto-active) - NEVER been hit with it that way.
Other than that, for a hotel stay that was "kinda OK" but had some minor issues (like this seems for you) I'd rate it 3/5. For a hotel stay that was "less than OK" and had quite some issues, 2/5. And even then I try to write about both positive as well as negative things.
1/5, I don't know how many I've given yet (ok, I just checked Tripadvisor, totally 2..) - this is for properties that totally and completely failed. I've had those cases, but they're fairly rare. Your experience in PEK really doesn't sound like it was worth a 1/5.
Way too much negative things, rather than describing the hotel itself.
For me, the only negative points would be: A bit tired, some stains.
I can't read anything about service (presumably good?), breakfast, lounge, size of room, whatever the bathroom offered, if there was turndown service, how comfy the bed is, if the pool has silly bathcap rules or not, etc. etc. etc.
For me, this reads more like a "bad, bad, bad" review that - if posted on TA with a 1* rating - I would simply ignore.
To get around DCC is China, just use your Amex when doing the reservation. You can later pay with Visa/MC if you like, DCC will not be active (or at least not auto-active) - NEVER been hit with it that way.
Other than that, for a hotel stay that was "kinda OK" but had some minor issues (like this seems for you) I'd rate it 3/5. For a hotel stay that was "less than OK" and had quite some issues, 2/5. And even then I try to write about both positive as well as negative things.
1/5, I don't know how many I've given yet (ok, I just checked Tripadvisor, totally 2..) - this is for properties that totally and completely failed. I've had those cases, but they're fairly rare. Your experience in PEK really doesn't sound like it was worth a 1/5.
Aug 11, 16, 8:38 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cannock, UK
Posts: 273
Update on review process I am submitting.
1. Holiday inn - Birmingham - 1 star Review (IMO) - Still Pending 2 days.
2. Staybridge Suites Birmingham - 5 Star Review Submitted 10:45 - Approved and Live 14:00
Both Submitted to IHG
1. Holiday inn - Birmingham - 1 star Review (IMO) - Still Pending 2 days.
2. Staybridge Suites Birmingham - 5 Star Review Submitted 10:45 - Approved and Live 14:00
Both Submitted to IHG
Aug 11, 16, 4:40 pm
#38
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,470
Why submit a review to IHG?
I am just curious - if you are going to write a review at all, why submit it to IHG (who does not reward you in the slightest for that effort, on the contrary censors your contribution) at all, and not to some site like TripAdvisor directly? Never quite understood that.
Aug 12, 16, 4:29 am
#39
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cannock, UK
Posts: 273
My Review of the Holiday Inn was approved today and is live on the website with no censorship and a 1 star rating.
Apr 8, 17, 8:46 am
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
I have just had a scathing, but entirely factual, review of the Holiday Inn Salzburg City rejected twice, both times for very vacuous reasons.
The first time, I had included the room number (personal information), which I then removed. They then rejected the review again, due to:
1. Specific mention of other hotel brands (there was none, other than noting that "many hotels provide free parking"). Anyway, I have rephrased this to "parking should be provided free".
2. Specific dollar amounts or rates (the only thing I can think of is I mentioned the number of points I was credited with as compensation). I have now removed the specific points amount.
I am determined to get this review posted, despite IHG's best efforts. Let's see what vacuous excuse they come up with to reject it this time.
The first time, I had included the room number (personal information), which I then removed. They then rejected the review again, due to:
1. Specific mention of other hotel brands (there was none, other than noting that "many hotels provide free parking"). Anyway, I have rephrased this to "parking should be provided free".
2. Specific dollar amounts or rates (the only thing I can think of is I mentioned the number of points I was credited with as compensation). I have now removed the specific points amount.
I am determined to get this review posted, despite IHG's best efforts. Let's see what vacuous excuse they come up with to reject it this time.
Apr 8, 17, 12:16 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,250
I can understand a review getting rejected if you complain about things that are clear from the start (like, parking that does cost money - this is very normal in most hotels in Europe in city locations.. - and usually this information can be found online as well)
First hit on Google on "Salzburg Holiday Inn Parking" is: (Google review itself says already: "Salzburg Airport is a 15-minute drive away via the A1 motorway, and the hotel offers parking for a daily fee."
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotel...hi/hoteldetail
Car Parking Available
Self-Parking Fee: 14 EUR
EUR 14,00 per night/car. It is the road traffic regulations §1 - §106 of the country Austria.
Probably, publishing a comment that says something like "Parking fee sucks", when it's the law to actually charge parking fees don't bode well
?
First hit on Google on "Salzburg Holiday Inn Parking" is: (Google review itself says already: "Salzburg Airport is a 15-minute drive away via the A1 motorway, and the hotel offers parking for a daily fee."
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotel...hi/hoteldetail
Car Parking Available
Self-Parking Fee: 14 EUR
EUR 14,00 per night/car. It is the road traffic regulations §1 - §106 of the country Austria.
Probably, publishing a comment that says something like "Parking fee sucks", when it's the law to actually charge parking fees don't bode well
?
Apr 8, 17, 2:51 pm
#42
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Ironically, the parking fee was in fact the least annoying thing about the stay there. I really didn't mind the charge for parking.
The other things I criticised were far more substantive, such as my mother's room being entered by an unknown person in the middle of the night.
I only mentioned the parking charge because the hotel seemed to think they were giving us the world by waiving the fee as "compensation".
The other things I criticised were far more substantive, such as my mother's room being entered by an unknown person in the middle of the night.
I only mentioned the parking charge because the hotel seemed to think they were giving us the world by waiving the fee as "compensation".
Apr 8, 17, 3:19 pm
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Here is the initial review, which was rejected:
A total disgrace
A string of errors and cynical misinformation.
1. My mother's room was entered by an unknown person, late at night whilst she was asleep. Management later attempted to deny that the room intrusion had occurred, by providing the keylock records. Unfortunately they did this for the wrong room. My request for the records of my mother's room has been ignored.
2. On arrival, we were misinformed about the closure of the restaurant, meaning we had to go out to buy food. We later learned (too late), that there was in fact a limited bar meal service, which would have been sufficient.
3. The air-conditioning system in one of the rooms was not working, and switched itself on in the middle of the night, randomly blowing out hot air to heat an already stifling room. We were fobbed off with the excuse that this is in response to the outside temperature. This is clearly untrue, as the air-conditioning in our other room (202) functioned perfectly.
4. Breakfast was completely inedible. The "hot" items were stone cold and semi-congealed, and the cheese was stale. The food had clearly been sitting in the open air for an extended period of time.
On departure, I outlined my concerns to a member of the front desk staff (I was informed that the manager was "in a meeting"), and was credited with the cost of the inedible breakfast, as well as the cost of parking (which most basic hotels provide free anyway).
After the General Manager had failed for 9 days to respond to my e-mail, I escalated the matter to IHG Guest Relations, who credited me with 25,000 rewards points (enough for one night in the most basic room of this badly managed and sub-standard hotel).
The manager later responded with an e-mail full of empty platitudes, but nothing of substance, other than the keylock records for the wrong room.
After 3 weeks, he has still failed to acknowledge the safety and security issue.
This hotel is a total disgrace.
This was rejected for containing personal information, so I removed the room number.
Then it was rejected for containing dollar amounts or rates, and for containing specific references to other hotel brands.
I removed the specific points amount, but the "reference to other hotels" had to be the bit about most hotels offering free parking, so I reworded that.
I don't care about the parking charge. I was happy to pay it. My point was that waiving this is not the massive gesture the staff seemed to think it was.
I'm not even bothered about the compensation. It's the security issue I am most concerned about. They have not acknowledged this, and are being obtuse by providing the records for the wrong room.
A total disgrace
A string of errors and cynical misinformation.
1. My mother's room was entered by an unknown person, late at night whilst she was asleep. Management later attempted to deny that the room intrusion had occurred, by providing the keylock records. Unfortunately they did this for the wrong room. My request for the records of my mother's room has been ignored.
2. On arrival, we were misinformed about the closure of the restaurant, meaning we had to go out to buy food. We later learned (too late), that there was in fact a limited bar meal service, which would have been sufficient.
3. The air-conditioning system in one of the rooms was not working, and switched itself on in the middle of the night, randomly blowing out hot air to heat an already stifling room. We were fobbed off with the excuse that this is in response to the outside temperature. This is clearly untrue, as the air-conditioning in our other room (202) functioned perfectly.
4. Breakfast was completely inedible. The "hot" items were stone cold and semi-congealed, and the cheese was stale. The food had clearly been sitting in the open air for an extended period of time.
On departure, I outlined my concerns to a member of the front desk staff (I was informed that the manager was "in a meeting"), and was credited with the cost of the inedible breakfast, as well as the cost of parking (which most basic hotels provide free anyway).
After the General Manager had failed for 9 days to respond to my e-mail, I escalated the matter to IHG Guest Relations, who credited me with 25,000 rewards points (enough for one night in the most basic room of this badly managed and sub-standard hotel).
The manager later responded with an e-mail full of empty platitudes, but nothing of substance, other than the keylock records for the wrong room.
After 3 weeks, he has still failed to acknowledge the safety and security issue.
This hotel is a total disgrace.
This was rejected for containing personal information, so I removed the room number.
Then it was rejected for containing dollar amounts or rates, and for containing specific references to other hotel brands.
I removed the specific points amount, but the "reference to other hotels" had to be the bit about most hotels offering free parking, so I reworded that.
I don't care about the parking charge. I was happy to pay it. My point was that waiving this is not the massive gesture the staff seemed to think it was.
I'm not even bothered about the compensation. It's the security issue I am most concerned about. They have not acknowledged this, and are being obtuse by providing the records for the wrong room.
Apr 8, 17, 4:37 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 16,252
Here is the initial review, which was rejected:
A total disgrace
A string of errors and cynical misinformation.
1. My mother's room was entered by an unknown person, late at night whilst she was asleep. Management later attempted to deny that the room intrusion had occurred, by providing the keylock records. Unfortunately they did this for the wrong room. My request for the records of my mother's room has been ignored.
2. On arrival, we were misinformed about the closure of the restaurant, meaning we had to go out to buy food. We later learned (too late), that there was in fact a limited bar meal service, which would have been sufficient.
3. The air-conditioning system in one of the rooms was not working, and switched itself on in the middle of the night, randomly blowing out hot air to heat an already stifling room. We were fobbed off with the excuse that this is in response to the outside temperature. This is clearly untrue, as the air-conditioning in our other room (202) functioned perfectly.
4. Breakfast was completely inedible. The "hot" items were stone cold and semi-congealed, and the cheese was stale. The food had clearly been sitting in the open air for an extended period of time.
On departure, I outlined my concerns to a member of the front desk staff (I was informed that the manager was "in a meeting"), and was credited with the cost of the inedible breakfast, as well as the cost of parking (which most basic hotels provide free anyway).
After the General Manager had failed for 9 days to respond to my e-mail, I escalated the matter to IHG Guest Relations, who credited me with 25,000 rewards points (enough for one night in the most basic room of this badly managed and sub-standard hotel).
The manager later responded with an e-mail full of empty platitudes, but nothing of substance, other than the keylock records for the wrong room.
After 3 weeks, he has still failed to acknowledge the safety and security issue.
This hotel is a total disgrace.
This was rejected for containing personal information, so I removed the room number.
Then it was rejected for containing dollar amounts or rates, and for containing specific references to other hotel brands.
I removed the specific points amount, but the "reference to other hotels" had to be the bit about most hotels offering free parking, so I reworded that.
I don't care about the parking charge. I was happy to pay it. My point was that waiving this is not the massive gesture the staff seemed to think it was.
I'm not even bothered about the compensation. It's the security issue I am most concerned about. They have not acknowledged this, and are being obtuse by providing the records for the wrong room.
A total disgrace
A string of errors and cynical misinformation.
1. My mother's room was entered by an unknown person, late at night whilst she was asleep. Management later attempted to deny that the room intrusion had occurred, by providing the keylock records. Unfortunately they did this for the wrong room. My request for the records of my mother's room has been ignored.
2. On arrival, we were misinformed about the closure of the restaurant, meaning we had to go out to buy food. We later learned (too late), that there was in fact a limited bar meal service, which would have been sufficient.
3. The air-conditioning system in one of the rooms was not working, and switched itself on in the middle of the night, randomly blowing out hot air to heat an already stifling room. We were fobbed off with the excuse that this is in response to the outside temperature. This is clearly untrue, as the air-conditioning in our other room (202) functioned perfectly.
4. Breakfast was completely inedible. The "hot" items were stone cold and semi-congealed, and the cheese was stale. The food had clearly been sitting in the open air for an extended period of time.
On departure, I outlined my concerns to a member of the front desk staff (I was informed that the manager was "in a meeting"), and was credited with the cost of the inedible breakfast, as well as the cost of parking (which most basic hotels provide free anyway).
After the General Manager had failed for 9 days to respond to my e-mail, I escalated the matter to IHG Guest Relations, who credited me with 25,000 rewards points (enough for one night in the most basic room of this badly managed and sub-standard hotel).
The manager later responded with an e-mail full of empty platitudes, but nothing of substance, other than the keylock records for the wrong room.
After 3 weeks, he has still failed to acknowledge the safety and security issue.
This hotel is a total disgrace.
This was rejected for containing personal information, so I removed the room number.
Then it was rejected for containing dollar amounts or rates, and for containing specific references to other hotel brands.
I removed the specific points amount, but the "reference to other hotels" had to be the bit about most hotels offering free parking, so I reworded that.
I don't care about the parking charge. I was happy to pay it. My point was that waiving this is not the massive gesture the staff seemed to think it was.
I'm not even bothered about the compensation. It's the security issue I am most concerned about. They have not acknowledged this, and are being obtuse by providing the records for the wrong room.
Conflating that with some nonsense about parking charges, air-conditioning and "inedible" food devalues the serious nature of your central issue.
You've now got a
- a refund of parking charges
- a refund of the cost of your breakfasts
- 25000 points
having obfuscated the central issue, you've got well compensated for the ancillary smoke-screen you kicked up, yet you want more ....
Apr 8, 17, 8:01 pm
#45
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 6,486
I've stayed at HI Salzburg City. I can understand the parking fee because it's a relatively dense urban zone and they've got a very limited amount of space for it, even with the underground area. What was freaky was there being no parking space after we'd added parking to our bill and being told to park at the lot for the kitchen design place next door, even though there were signs saying that lot was for that business only and that violators would be towed.
