This thread started life in the "Biggest complaints . . ." posting but, as it is an important matter for many hostels, I thought I would start a new thread.
On 22nd November Marianne posted:
"My biggest complaint is that they delete reviews that are more than 6 months old. I run an entirely seasonal business and we just don't get visitors in the winter months. So I work my socks off in the summer - get great reviews and then lose them all just when I need them the most - at the start of the new season. Maddening!!!!
I've written to Hostelworld 3 times explaining that this policy is having a detrimental affect on my business and they keep promising to review it, but so far nothing. It would be really helpful if other seasonal/smaller hostel owners would join me in applying some pressure. The reviews are still available to view in my owners inbox - so I just don't understand why customers can't see them too."
I too have taken the matter up with HW many times. On 28th April this year in a mail from Clara Grimes of HW:
"I was informed in a meeting this morning that a change in policy regarding reviews for seasonal properties is planned. This means that you would keep your ratings from the previous summer until the first few new reviews have been made. There will be a note next to your rating to draw attention to the fact that this rating is based on last year’s reviews. This change is planned for this summer, but I am afraid that I do not have any more information on when it will be completed. It is not yet in place, but I will let you know once it is."
Two days ago I reminded HW of their previous mail and received this reply today:
"Hello Chris,
Hope you are well.
This is Nicole here – Clara has left Hostelworld.
Unfortunately, the schedule for the ‘reviews for seasonal properties’ functionality had to be postponed to next year.
So we hope to have this in place for 2012.
Apologies that this has been delayed, however it should be in place for the next season.
Kind regards,
Nicole Krabiell
Account Executive
Hostelworld.com Ltd."
When I get any further news about this subject I will add it below.
13 years
This is one area that Hostelbookers wins hands down.
I like that potential guest can look beyond the current 25 that are used their to get your average, Unlike HW that only allows the last 6 months of reviews to be shown. I have reviews listed as far back as June 2006 that can be seen on HB and I like that.
Now If we can get hostelbookers to allow a "owners reply" of more than 500 characters I'd give it 100%.
.
13 years
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you a little. HW's argument has always been that hostels can change in quality quite rapidly, both up and down, especially if there is a new owner or manager. They say that by restricting reviews to 6 months reflects the current status of the hostel. I do not disagree with them but have asked for an 8 or 9 month cut off point for the reasons stated above.
HB' system of 'reviews last for ever' is fatally flawed. If they want a longer view, fine. But surely 1 year should be tops.
13 years
I agree with this, we're a seasonal hostel, and I'm quite happy to have the old reviews drop off from last year, start each year with a clean slate as it were. Most places around us are in the same boat, so it's even for all. I'd much prefer this to a system that had reviews on in perpetuity like tripadvisor. That way you get some crank who can tar your name forever. And while he might be a minority, some customers will search for negative reviews, and even believe them.
12 years
Bad reviews are just part of the hostel biz. Nobody wants them, But hopefully a majority of the reviews are positive.
I don't know the intricacies of a seasonal hostel, But thought that by having yrs of reviews to reference by potential guest, would solve the problem mentioned.
I myself don't mind, and like, having all reviews (good or bad) listed. True things change and older reviews might not be applicable to the current situation and over time there Will be those "crank' reviewers, but I believe by being able to access all reviews (As HB allows) would give potential guest more information to base their decision on and that is what a review system should provide. You would hope that over a few years of reviews listed that the summary of them would be positive.
(4+ yrs together here Scotch and only the second time our views have differed. ;)
12 years
Certainly the vast majority of reviews are usually positive. If they are not then the hostel certainly has a problem. I'd imagine that most potential bookers only read the first page of reviews. The problem is that the reviews can always be sorted by worst first, as I think a fair few people do. If I have say 100 reviews in a season then the 2 "cranks" come first, and then the 5 worst other reviews come next. Which is a reasonable amount. If however it goes back for 5 years, then the 1st page is full of the 10 "crank" reviews, and the next 4 pages are full of negative reviews, before you get to the hundreds of pages of positive reviews.
I guess I just like the "clean slate" idea. If we modernise our bathrooms then the reviews will reflect that, not have ones lingering from the past about "tired" bathrooms. The main issue is that although it may give the guest more information, if that info is five or more years old, it will quite possibly be meaningless. Management, facilities and even ownership could have changed completely in that time. Sites like tripadvisor don't delete old reviews from well into the past because it makes them look better by having more reviews, not because they are giving any helpful advice to the guests.
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