It’s a matter of opinion

October 23rd, 2012

A few years ago some friends were planning a trip to the South of France. Some other friends offered a suggestion of a restaurant that was in their words “the best meal we have ever had!” Unfortunately for my friends it was “the worst meal they ever had!” A lot had changed in the three years since their friends had eaten at this restaurant.

These days that is a lot less likely to happen. A person can check the reviews on any hotel, restaurant or attraction anywhere in the world. While this is an amazing tool, it is also important that we keep it in perspective. After all, an online review is simply a matter of opinion. The secret, when reading these reviews is to determine which opinions are valid and reflect your own expectations.

I like to read at least 10 reviews of any hotel that I am planning to visit. I know full well that there will be at least one review among those 10 that is quite negative. After all, of every 10 people I meet, there is always at least one who can find fault with just about anything. Remember when you see the TV ads for toothpaste; it’s always 9 out of 10 dentists that recommend a certain product!

I also like to take a rational view of the negatives. Did they complain about the weather, the other guests in the hotel or about things that may reasonably expected to be a certain way i.e. clean rooms and friendly helpful staff?

I have to admit, I also like to read reviews, just for the fun of it. I once read reviews from 2 different guests that stayed in the same room. The first one complained that the refrigerator was too noisy. The second complained that the room didn’t have a refrigerator.

I’ve read separate reviews that stated that the same bed was too soft, too hard and just right – remind you of a certain family of bears?

The city of Seattle has a tourist attraction that is a wall of chewing gum. Some people think this is the most disgusting thing they have ever heard of, while others go out of their way to get their photos taken in front of this colourful display. After all, we are all different and consequently we all have different opinions of the same thing.

One thing you can be sure of when reading online reviews – Accent Inns always has way more positive reviews than negative. In fact, Trip Advisor issued Awards of Excellence to all 5 Accent Inn locations last year.

So definitely keep reading those reviews but keep in mind that they are simply “A matter of Opinion.” Better yet, ask our hotel staff about restaurants and attractions. They are the local experts.

Karen England

Regional Sales Manager, Accent Inns