Renovated hotels get chance to amend TripAdvisor
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Hotels that go through renovations will be able to start fresh with no negative reviews of its old look on their TripAdvisor pages.
The website’s policy was updated in July to mean that hotels can now get rid of the bad reviews posted before the hotel went through structural changes such as new rooms, bathrooms or complete overhauls. Negative reviews will also be removed if a hotel switches hotel flag.
However interior changes or a new general manager do not warrant a clean slate despite having the potential to turn a hotel around.
According to Skift, hotels will have to prove there has been structural change with building permits, material invoices and press releases.
Health and safety auditors Check Safety First commended the policy review but argued that renovations may not change the service and hygiene standards of a hotel.
“Hotel groups may spend millions on renovations to a property or brands may change, but this doesn’t necessarily remove underlying problems at each property. Poor guest experience and negative reviews are usually the result of human error. Dirty rooms, unhelpful staff, poor food and dangerous pools are all the result of poor management which can’t be forgotten about when a renovation is made,” said Steve Tate, chairman of Check Safety First.
“When TripAdvisor analyse hotel alterations to decide whether old reviews can be deleted, transparency is vital to ensure that a guest is still receiving an accurate picture of where they are looking to stay. Guest experience and wellbeing must be the priority, so TripAdvisor must work hotels hard to prove that renovations are worthy of having old reviews removed,” he added.
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