BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor

Subject: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 04:13 AM

It's not just Trip Advisor, of course, but any computer-driven social ad and marketing system. I was doing a search on TA for places to eat or stay in and around the north Norfolk village of Edgefield - which is a very small village indeed, but happens to be where my mother's family originated from in the 17th century.

That was some days ago. This morning I got a message in the mail from Trip Advisor: "Edgefield is selling out fast!"

Tee hee - computerised bollocks!

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: DMcG
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 04:23 AM

I was looking for a train with a sleeper carriage a little while ago, and needed a specific style of compartment. As it happens, on this train there are exactly six of that style. It is all there is, and won't increase any more than a hotel will suddenly grow more rooms.

Anyway, every few days thereafter I got panicky emails : only six rooms left!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 04:36 AM

Hahahaha Will! Edgefield selling out fast!!! Well I never!!

I know it well, sleepy and pretty little place. There's a pub there called The Pigs.

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 05:04 AM

About once a month I get an email from TA which goes something like "Congratulations, Steve, you're in the top 10% of reviewers in Berkhamsted!" Never been to Berkhamsted, not even sure where it is, but, try as I might to tell 'em, TA simply won't be told that I live in Bude.

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: DMcG
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 05:14 AM

Off topic, but I was at a stream railway at the weekend and one of the station posters was to visit Bude. Don't think the service was running, though.

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 05:15 AM

Cheers to Dr Beeching, the biggest vandal ever to be appointed by politicians in this country, for that.

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: DMcG
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 05:16 AM

What?? Steam, of course. I don't think cold-water-powered engines work too well as a means of transport.

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 05:19 AM

Online reviews are impossible to verify. There was a 'thing' about daft reviews on Amazon recently. They were extremely funny, and it was obvious Amazon didn't monitor them (or even bother to read them) I don't know if it's still going on.

Steve, maybe you have an alter ego somewhere who has indeed stayed in Berkhamsted (it's in Herts I believe) Perhaps he too loves that red wine you adore? A doppleganger...

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 05:23 AM

doppelganger not doppleganger. (I can't believe I got A Level German, and I don't seem to have an umlaut on my keyboard!)

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 05:59 AM

I went to Edgefield many years ago, and to Binham, Corpusty, Holt, Langham, Little Walsingham, and other places in that area where ancestors lived. Interesting places, with one of the most interesting being a disused church on a mound above Corpusty.

Obviously sold out fast!

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Jack Campin
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 11:41 AM

Google can be equally silly. From a few years ago: "Don't miss today's special buys on Tsunami Disaster".

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: robomatic
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 04:05 PM

I participate in local 'yelp' reviews and my reviews are straightforward, if not downright honest. But the system is not perfect, viz.:

I Made My Shed The Top-Rated Restaurant on TripAdviser

I also read online reviews and use them to check out new restaurants. My experience has been iffy with online reviews, about as iffy with personal recommendations from real humans that I meet and know.

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Jun 18 - 04:55 AM

What really pisses me off is that sometimes I need to directly approach a hotel and see if their facilities will be suitable for me and my wife, who has disabilities.

how ever you search on Google for the hotel you get the listing on these comparison sites, and they don't have the hotel's phone number.

Subject: RE: BS: The stupidities of Trip Advisor
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 Jun 18 - 07:21 PM

Not Trip Advisor, but a company from which I bought a product: gave it a bad review in polite enough terminology, which I thought was fair: they emailed me back to say they could not publish my review! Apparently only good ones allowed!