A negative reviews

[JBloggs]

It was NOT a bad rating.

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  Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes

 

[Morticia]

It was NOT a bad rating.

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  Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes

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The number was low (3 out of 5) which drags the overall placement down.

 

[The Tipsy Butler]

My heart goes out to you. I live in dread of the bad review. No one can please all the people all the time, although we try so hard .....

 

[domsmom]

I use to get VERY sad anytime I had any kind of negative comment and then realized, "how do I know what each individual expects?" Impossible! I often remind guests that every b&b in the world in different, hope they enjoy mine, but the next one will be unique. You may serve a very different breakfast than I do, heck I don't necessarily serve the same type of breakfast every day. There are so many variables: season (what fresh fruit is in season or seasonally appropriate), time (time they are eating and the time on a particular day that I have to prepare them breakfast), the number of guests may also determine what I serve.
Even when it comes to ammenities, policies, we each operate on our own provisions. There are those who could dine at the finest restaurant in town and say they had to wait too long for a table-sometimes people just look for something negative to say.
Try to remember everytime you have a happy guest to send them a little email to write a short, positive review and that will help your overall scheme look very positive.

 

[ginocat]

And my opinion ... ignore it. Don't sink to replying. It will keep the comment surfaced if you reply and try to fix it. It's not broken anyway. Breakfast is subjective - you can't please everybody.

 

[Samster]

This is an "average" rating, not a poor one and the reviewer explains their thinking. Seems to me that they had higher expectations for breakfast for their stay and were disappointed with their 2 breakfasts. I would definitely post a management response and address this guest's disappointment without pointing any fingers. Maybe whatever was served just wasn't to their taste. It happens.
We all take these reviews very seriously and probably way too much to heart. You have lots of reviews and over 3/4 of them are excellent. Other folks will see this as a fluke. {{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}

 

[nkeeprs]

Thanks everyone for the advice and kind words of support.

 

[muirford]

My gut tells me that if the complaint has only to do with food - and complaints about your food are rare or if this is the only one - then readers of the review might easily chalk it up to this guy being a fluke...or that he just has different tastes than most. I think consistent bad reviews or comments about food is one thing ... the one-in-a-hundred that comes through the doors and doesn't care for the food is easily forgivable. One person having one meal on one morning doesn't cause for review readers to paint your inn with a broad brush. I would not be so worried about it, even though I know it can be emotional.
If the complaint was about the house not being clean overall, peeling paint, clutter everywhere, etc, then I think reviewers might not see the comment as anomalous.
I agree with the comment about writing a management response saying something like, "Most guests love our (enter guests' favoriate breakfasts here)..." Show appreciation for what they liked, and even show appreciation for their criticism.
Or consider using a touch of humor. Read this blog entry for one of my favorite management responses to a fairly innocuous review about a B&B's food:
http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2010/01/two-great-examples-of-humor-for-innkeepers-to-use/.

I'll take exception...I still think that mgmt response in your blog post is too much. Funny to the innkeepers and maybe a few guests, but for many it shows a dogged beating-over-the-head of the guest who dared complain. I also don't think it's a good idea to say 'most of our guests like...' in response to someone who didn't. You are again tarring the guest who didn't like whatever it was for whatever the reason, maybe no reason.
Both of those types of mgmt response show the innkeepers' feelings have been hurt and that the innkeeper has a thin skin. And potentially a too acerbic wit, but that might be something to know in advance.
If this innkeeper wants to post a reply, I would stick to the positives (like you say to do) and then maybe something along the likes of, 'We consistently work toward improving the experiences of our guests and hope we can really 'wow' you on your next visit.' (Or something a little less 'mgmt-y' sounding!)
Meanwhile throwing darts at the guest's reservation paperwork if not an actual photo!
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I'll take exception...I still think that mgmt response in your blog post is too much.

I hate to say, it reminds me a bit of a forum poster we had for a while.