I came across this article the other day and thought I would share it with you.

What do you think about this practice?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/03/15/hotel.reviews/index.html?hpt=C2

Rebecca, I read the article and ask you to be more specific about what you want commments on.

What do you think of the practice of establishments soliciting their guests to write reviews in travel blogs or forums?

Asking someone to write a review is one thing, especially if you have zero input into what they say. Suggesting someone write a review which includes particular things is a bit shady. Giving something to someone (even a free glass of rum punch)--meaning paying them to write a favorable review--is plain unethical.

I think it is a good idea that establishments ask their guests to write reviews. Word of mouth is the best advertisment. I would never write a review without staying somewhere first though. If the guest has an issue with the place, I'd first make it known to the owner or management before bashing them online.

At least it's better than the hotels writing the good reviews themselves. I used to work in the industry and knew of one sales manager who made her staff write positive reviews on various sites weekly. Not honest at all.

There are people who get paid to blog about products and they don't say their "recommendations" aren't voluntary. The also fail to mention they get compensated for saying favorable things. It seems like honest reviews are getting more and more suspect.

I believe if someone provides a review on TB.net they should put their real email address and they should state if they have some sort of an affiliation with the owner or manager of the property. They absolutely should have stayed somewhere as a paying guest or have paid for a meal if it is a restaurant.

I have never been asked to give a guest house a plug. No one has ever offered to me for one either.

By JD on Saturday, April 03, 2010 - 07:53 pm: Edit Post
I have never been asked to give a guest house a plug. No one has ever offered to me for one either.

Oops!

That was supposed to say no one has ever offered me $$$ (or for that matter anything) for a plug.

I recommend places that I have stayed in and enjoyed.

Agree with Fairness. We have a place and if a prospective guest asks for a reference, we give a list of names and telephone numbers and let the prospect call as many people as they want and ask whatever they want. Most of the time this ends up with us getting a rental but not always.