Reading Resort Reviews...Yay or Nay?

[kaki321]

So, Miles the boys and I will be back in June! I am so excited.

As soon as Miles gave me the thumbs up to "go ahead and book", I immediately contacted Shammy.

I already knew what I wanted (and didn't want) in our experience this year, and Shammy gave us several options to consider. In the end, we chose the NOW Jade Riviera Cancun in Puerto Morelos. This decision, folks, took me less than 24 hours. That is just how I roll. When I want something, I gotta have it right away!

A huge selling point for us was the room configuration which included a separate bedroom and separate living area (the 4 of us in the room last time was a bit too much and made us all a bit...shall I say..."stabby").

I also love the idea of being a little further north to (more) easily get to Isla Mujeres and also Crococun Zoo. Two things we have always wanted to do.

Anyway...lots of reasons I am happy with our final choice, a good fit for the family this time around, and even though I am coming to the area I love, I feel like we will be in a different place.

As a pre-vacation ritual, I love to read all of the forums, blogs, and yes...Trip Advisor reviews. I am amazed, however, at how polarizing some of the reviews can be. I try to read them with a "grain of salt" but sometimes I just don't get how bad some of these reviews are. I mean, if the rooms, food, service, etc...were as bad as some people say, how can these places stay in business?!

For the NOW Jade, there is probably one bad review for every 10, but it's bothersome nonetheless. I know my friend Shammy would never put us someplace she was worried about, so I am not personally worried about our choice, I am just wondering how everyone else "processes" some of the reviews out there...or do you just ignore them?

I believe there are some things that happen that can put a damper on a vacation, we have probably all been there, but I have tried to move past some of the annoyances (that might bother me, but not others) and focus on the priveledge of being on vacation.

So, what are your thoughts?

I am starting to feel like checking the TA reviews at this point is as pointless as checking the weather (which I haven't done since I joined this forum 6 years ago)

[kaki321]

Just to be clear, I am not looking for re-assurances on NOW Jade, not worried about it, but I also wouldn't turn down any reviews or info if you have been there!

Mainly just asking my fellow Peeps if you pay much attention to reviews, how you process them, etc...this goes for any resort, restaurant, etc...whatever.

[rainbow]

...we stayed at the now jade riviera cancun in july 2010...we had a very mixed stay, but i'm sure things have changed since then...they hadn't been open for long when we were there...still one of the prettiest pool areas i've ever seen...but be careful, the concrete is very slippery at places...and do yourself a favor, try the mayan rose frozen drink made at the lobby bar...we found the making of this drink inconsistent around the resort, with the lobby bar making the best one!...

[MChance]

I may read the trip reviews on TripAdvisor, but they don't deter me. I've stayed at several resorts in the Caribbean and Playa and have always provided a review (99% very positive). When I see people writing a review, for the same resort I stayed at, during the same week, and it's 180 degrees different from my review, then I just chaulk it up to those specific individuals had a bad experience and that shouldn't taint my decision on whether or not I go to a resort.

If you're reading 1 bad for every 10 reviews, odds are, the place you're wanting to go to is going to be fine. Like a lot of other people have said on the different forums, your trip is what you make it. Enjoy!

[liloleme]

TA is my travel bible, and it has saved me on multiple occasions from making bad choices, and choosing correctly based on the needs of my trip.

Too bad we don't have a Shammy for every part of the world...but alas, that's where TA comes in. Regardless of good or bad reviews, TA reviews offer information about the resort that helps you make a decision based on your factual needs at the time. I remember I needed a hotel around JFK for an early morning flight...and TA reviews told me which hotel to pick, which had the best shuttle that ran at the earliest time...

Have never been to NOW resorts so I can't offer a review, sorry, but I would trust Shammy if she recommended it.

[rainbow]

Originally Posted by MChance

I may read the trip reviews on TripAdvisor, but they don't deter me. I've stayed at several resorts in the Caribbean and Playa and have always provided a review (99% very positive). When I see people writing a review, for the same resort I stayed at, during the same week, and it's 180 degrees different from my review, then I just chaulk it up to those specific individuals had a bad experience and that shouldn't taint my decision on whether or not I go to a resort.

If you're reading 1 bad for every 10 reviews, odds are, the place you're wanting to go to is going to be fine. Like a lot of other people have said on the different forums, your trip is what you make it. Enjoy!

...i agree...odds are definitely in your favor if it's only 1 bad in 10...our group had a fabulous time while at the now jade riviera cancun...we didn't let some of the things that went poorly reflect on our stay...

[LB4Playa]

If someone complains about the weather, ignore their review.
If someone complains seeing a bug, ignore their review.
If someone complains the drinks are too small, ignore their review.
If someone complains the TV is all in Spanish, ignore their review.
If someone complains the bed is too hard, ignore their review.
9 out of 10 good reviews should be a good indication that the people complaining should be taken with a grain of salt.
Have a great vacation.

[gingele]

Originally Posted by LB4Playa

If someone complains about the weather, ignore their review.
If someone complains seeing a bug, ignore their review.
If someone complains the drinks are too small, ignore their review.
If someone complains the TV is all in Spanish, ignore their review.
If someone complains the bed is too hard, ignore their review.
9 out of 10 good reviews should be a good indication that the people complaining should be taken with a grain of salt.
Have a great vacation.

Excellent advice.
I'd add:
"If someone complains about having to use pesos, ignore their review" and
"If someone complains about staff/locals not speaking fluent English, ignore their review"

[rainbow]

Originally Posted by LB4Playa

If someone complains about the weather, ignore their review.
If someone complains seeing a bug, ignore their review.
If someone complains the drinks are too small, ignore their review.
If someone complains the TV is all in Spanish, ignore their review.
If someone complains the bed is too hard, ignore their review.
9 out of 10 good reviews should be a good indication that the people complaining should be taken with a grain of salt.
Have a great vacation.

......true, all true!...

[kaki321]

Originally Posted by LB4Playa

If someone complains about the weather, ignore their review.
If someone complains seeing a bug, ignore their review.
If someone complains the drinks are too small, ignore their review.
If someone complains the TV is all in Spanish, ignore their review.
If someone complains the bed is too hard, ignore their review.
9 out of 10 good reviews should be a good indication that the people complaining should be taken with a grain of salt.
Have a great vacation.

[kaki321]

Originally Posted by rainbow

...we stayed at the now jade riviera cancun in july 2010...we had a very mixed stay, but i'm sure things have changed since then...they hadn't been open for long when we were there...still one of the prettiest pool areas i've ever seen...but be careful, the concrete is very slippery at places...and do yourself a favor, try the mayan rose frozen drink made at the lobby bar...we found the making of this drink inconsistent around the resort, with the lobby bar making the best one!...

Hey, thanks for the tips. From what I understand, they are under new (?) management (amresorts) and it's the same management company as Zoetry, Secrets and Dreams.

I read about the slippery floors too. I am known to get hurt on vacation, so that is a big watch out for me!

[Rissask]

I find the reviews on TA and other similar sites to be very helpful, generally- assuming that there are lots of reviews for the hotel I am looking at of course.

I just toss out/disregard all of them that are obviously written by people who are either far too easily pleased, or impossible to please. The top ten percent and the bottom ten percent, say. Then take a balanced measure of the remaining. (I also tend to discount any reviews written by repeat visitors or friends of the owners.)

I find the overall percentages at the top to be somewhat helpful as well....if a hotel has 75% plus in the top two ratings category you are likely going to have a good stay there, for example.

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by kaki321

Hey, thanks for the tips. From what I understand, they are under new (?) management (amresorts) and it's the same management company as Zoetry, Secrets and Dreams.

They were owned/managed by NH Hotels, this hotel used to be the NH Riviera Cancun. AM Resorts is now running the show, and they do manage Dreams, Secrets and Zoetry as well. The redecorated the rooms, they are much nicer now. They added their own AM Resorts quality, to the food, service, spa. They are a well oiled machine, I rarely have clients disappointed with an AM Resorts property. Of course, there's always someone that has something bad to say...about something. Not every trip goes off without a hitch so some complaints are valid. But what one party experiences isn't necessarily what another party will experience - hence the varied reviews.

I recently saw someone slam Now Jade up the wazoo because they said they "booked" a room with a king bed and ended up with double beds. It was their honeymoon and now it was ruined. They posted on Facebook saying "Don't come to this hotel, they are liars" - or similar to that. Now Jade did not have any rooms with king beds when they arrived and moved them to a king room the next day. Fact is though, you don't book a hotel by bedding type, you book by room category and there can be two doubles OR one king. No guarantees as to what you'll get, it's based upon availability at the time of check in. They did the best they could by moving them the next day. So those are the facts yet these people had their entire honeymoon ruined because they had to spend one night in a room with double beds. If that's all it takes to ruin a honeymoon, there's little hope for you!

[kaki321]

Originally Posted by Shammy

They were owned/managed by NH Hotels, this hotel used to be the NH Riviera Cancun. AM Resorts is now running the show, and they do manage Dreams, Secrets and Zoetry as well. The redecorated the rooms, they are much nicer now. They added their own AM Resorts quality, to the food, service, spa. They are a well oiled machine, I rarely have clients disappointed with an AM Resorts property. Of course, there's always someone that has something bad to say...about something. Not every trip goes off without a hitch so some complaints are valid. But what one party experiences isn't necessarily what another party will experience - hence the varied reviews.

I recently saw someone slam Now Jade up the wazoo because they said they "booked" a room with a king bed and ended up with double beds. It was their honeymoon and now it was ruined. They posted on Facebook saying "Don't come to this hotel, they are liars" - or similar to that. Now Jade did not have any rooms with king beds when they arrived and moved them to a king room the next day. Fact is though, you don't book a hotel by bedding type, you book by room category and there can be two doubles OR one king. No guarantees as to what you'll get, it's based upon availability at the time of check in. They did the best they could by moving them the next day. So those are the facts yet these people had their entire honeymoon ruined because they had to spend one night in a room with double beds. If that's all it takes to ruin a honeymoon, there's little hope for you!

And then there are those of us...who have been married / together 20+ years and feel secretly overjoyed when they give you the two double beds INSTEAD of the King bed. Ahhhhh, all that extra room for me. And nobody kicking me.

[Shammy]

And those of us who just don't give a rat's ass because you can do whatever you want in a bed no matter how big it is!