Getting Removed From Trip Advisor

[Don Draper]

Have an innkeeper friend who wants to just have her establishment removed from TA. Anyone know if this is possible? Is it a matter of just contacting them and asking?

 

[wendydk]

They won't do it unless the property closes.

 

[Morticia]

According to the TA website, the only way to do this is to close. They won't take you off if you are open. I'll see if I can find the paragraph. This is from the mgmt FAQ page:
"Because we want to be a complete source of travel information for our members, we will not remove a listing at the management's request. If your property is permanently closed and you'd like to remove your listing, click here."

 

[Iris]

How about lying about the inn? Like - we're closed, - for good. good bye TA

 

[Don Draper]

Well, this might prove to be interesting and I will keep you all posted. My friend also happens to be an attorney so we'll see if she pursues it.
Long story short, they had a few doozies and their place is really NOT one that people choose because of TA (it is its own destination and they do very well). She feels they'd be better off just not listed at all and doesn't want the TA site to be able to use their business name if she doesn't want it on there. Hmmm...

 

[MTLLodge]

Yes please let us know. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[Morticia]

Well, this might prove to be interesting and I will keep you all posted. My friend also happens to be an attorney so we'll see if she pursues it.
Long story short, they had a few doozies and their place is really NOT one that people choose because of TA (it is its own destination and they do very well). She feels they'd be better off just not listed at all and doesn't want the TA site to be able to use their business name if she doesn't want it on there. Hmmm....

Well, that's been a big discussion on PAII, I think. She's probably not the only one pursuing having their place removed for just that reason...she's not there for TA's benefit.

 

[user 26]

i don't see how they can be removed. let's say i post an opinion about a place ... good or bad ... it's my opinion. and can't i give it? it's not being paid for by the place i stayed, it's mine. let's say they are removed. what would stop a new guest from posting a review about the place? is ta going to say 'sorry, we aren't accepting reviews about that location'?
opinion sites are everywhere. i've mentioned before, i shop a lot online and am always getting emails ... please rate your last purchase. endless.
this is so ironic to me. for ages it seems we weren't on ta and it was as though we didn't exist because of it. so i was waiting and waiting for a review!

 

[Don Draper]

It's interesting...she's saying from a legal perspective, she feels it's in the realm of "cease and desist" to TA, because they are using her business name without her permission on their website.
She also told me that two of the recent reviews are completely false and she fears written by a competitor. I'm not savvy on the intricacies of libel/slander law, but essentially you are not allowed to write false information about a business that could hurt its reputation and therefore its bottom line. I don't know where the line is: Yes, everyone should be entitled to share their opinion. But there has to be some way to verify that the opinion is true or at least absent of blatant misinformation. It goes back to the whole issue of TA not mandating that you prove your stay.
Case in point:
A local innkeeper recently had a bad review stating a group of people were treated badly by the innkeeper for no reason, they were asked to leave and they were shocked. The innkeeper wrote a Management Response stating that yes, the group was asked to leave after they had disturbed other guest's sleep and damaged furniture and dishes.
If that innkeeper had chosen to ask TA to remove the review because it was false rather than just writing the response, I think they would have to remove it. TA does not ask you to verify that you stayed anywhere, anyone can get on there and write anything.
A business owner should have the option to not have their business name associated with another business (TA in this case, but you could say the same for a AAA guide or an Entertainment Book, etc.).
I just have a feeling based on recent TA activity in my area (bad reviews begin taken down very quickly) that there's a shift coming...all it would take is one lawsuit to set a precedent.

 

[user 26]

i understand that part about the slander. and i have not idea how they'd verify this supposedly unbiased review.
but it works both ways. no good reviews would be there either.
i wonder if ta could have a notice that says 'this business has elected to opt out of our review process' ... something like that. potential guests could read as much or as little into that as they choose. it's disgraceful the way some people like to slam a place for who knows why.
as i said, i was looking for validity when i first opened. people would say 'we can't find a review of your place anywhere ... ' wellll ... it was because i was brand new.
i think i've posted maybe one review of one place somewhere and i could have made up a name if i chose to. there was no verification process other than emailing me to confirm the registration. that's not verfication of who i was and whether or not i stayed there .. just that i responded to the email.

 

[Morticia]

i don't see how they can be removed. let's say i post an opinion about a place ... good or bad ... it's my opinion. and can't i give it? it's not being paid for by the place i stayed, it's mine. let's say they are removed. what would stop a new guest from posting a review about the place? is ta going to say 'sorry, we aren't accepting reviews about that location'?
opinion sites are everywhere. i've mentioned before, i shop a lot online and am always getting emails ... please rate your last purchase. endless.
this is so ironic to me. for ages it seems we weren't on ta and it was as though we didn't exist because of it. so i was waiting and waiting for a review!.

That was a bit of the discussion on PAII...someone not wanting their place EVER to be reviewed. They actively ask guests to NOT review them and have thus far been successful at staying off TA. But all it will take is one bad review...

 

[JBloggs]

This is the internet - there is no way to control it. This isn't China.

 

[muirford]

This is the internet - there is no way to control it. This isn't China..

This isn't China.

它不是？

 

[JBloggs]

This is the internet - there is no way to control it. This isn't China..

This isn't China.

它不是？
.

This isn't China.

它不是？

Did you get that from your shirt label? I bought a new sweater yesterday - made in China.
Funny story - when our kids were very young they came running to me at a clothing store yelling "Mom! Mom! This shirt was made in CHINA!!!!"

 

[muirford]

This is the internet - there is no way to control it. This isn't China..

This isn't China.

它不是？
.

This isn't China.

它不是？

Did you get that from your shirt label? I bought a new sweater yesterday - made in China.
Funny story - when our kids were very young they came running to me at a clothing store yelling "Mom! Mom! This shirt was made in CHINA!!!!"

.

Babelfish. It means 'It isn't?' Sorry, just a bad attempt at humor.
We have our first day off tomorrow since Sept. 17 - I am running on empty with my humor at the moment. Then a whole two days next week - meaning one whole day, breakfast to dinner, without guests. We are going to Baltimore to see Jackson Browne at the Lyric Opera House. One night in the Inner Harbor with a priceline deal and Little Italy for dinner, I think. Yay!

 

[JBloggs]

This is the internet - there is no way to control it. This isn't China..

This isn't China.

它不是？
.

This isn't China.

它不是？

Did you get that from your shirt label? I bought a new sweater yesterday - made in China.
Funny story - when our kids were very young they came running to me at a clothing store yelling "Mom! Mom! This shirt was made in CHINA!!!!"

.

Babelfish. It means 'It isn't?' Sorry, just a bad attempt at humor.
We have our first day off tomorrow since Sept. 17 - I am running on empty with my humor at the moment. Then a whole two days next week - meaning one whole day, breakfast to dinner, without guests. We are going to Baltimore to see Jackson Browne at the Lyric Opera House. One night in the Inner Harbor with a priceline deal and Little Italy for dinner, I think. Yay!
.

Babelfish. It means 'It isn't?' Sorry, just a bad attempt at humor.
We have our first day off tomorrow since Sept. 17 - I am running on empty with my humor at the moment. Then a whole two days next week - meaning one whole day, breakfast to dinner, without guests. We are going to Baltimore to see Jackson Browne at the Lyric Opera House. One night in the Inner Harbor with a priceline deal and Little Italy for dinner, I think. Yay!

Hey so do we! My guest who had the entire house gluten free yesterday yet did not show for breakfast...San Diego CA what a shocker!!! Just asked to stay one more night and I told her I am sorry we are closed tomorrow. Did she apologize for not showing? Not on your life.
Jackson Browne!! Have a great time! and Little Italy - I am jealous!!!

 

[Morticia]

This is the internet - there is no way to control it. This isn't China..

This isn't China.

它不是？
.

This isn't China.

它不是？

Did you get that from your shirt label? I bought a new sweater yesterday - made in China.
Funny story - when our kids were very young they came running to me at a clothing store yelling "Mom! Mom! This shirt was made in CHINA!!!!"

.

Babelfish. It means 'It isn't?' Sorry, just a bad attempt at humor.
We have our first day off tomorrow since Sept. 17 - I am running on empty with my humor at the moment. Then a whole two days next week - meaning one whole day, breakfast to dinner, without guests. We are going to Baltimore to see Jackson Browne at the Lyric Opera House. One night in the Inner Harbor with a priceline deal and Little Italy for dinner, I think. Yay!
.

Light a candle for me!

 

[EmptyNest]

NOPE! The only way they will remove a listing is if your inn has actually closed. That is what they told me when I talked to them about removing our inn when we retired.

 

[Dee C.]

I just finished reading the responses froma a few months regarding trying to get off Trip Advisor. We purchased our inn on Nov. 20th and the previous owners had 35 reviews on TA; all but one was positive. We've only gotten 1 review (positive), but I feel like I'm lying to prospective guests. Those reviews are not mine. Of course on our website it says we are the new owners and the date of purchase, etc., but I know prospective guests are not checking the dates. I cannot get TA to take them off. I would rather have none than have 35 great reviews that are not mine. Your thoughts?

 

[swirt]

I just finished reading the responses froma a few months regarding trying to get off Trip Advisor. We purchased our inn on Nov. 20th and the previous owners had 35 reviews on TA; all but one was positive. We've only gotten 1 review (positive), but I feel like I'm lying to prospective guests. Those reviews are not mine. Of course on our website it says we are the new owners and the date of purchase, etc., but I know prospective guests are not checking the dates. I cannot get TA to take them off. I would rather have none than have 35 great reviews that are not mine. Your thoughts?.

I just finished reading the responses froma a few months regarding trying to get off Trip Advisor. We purchased our inn on Nov. 20th and ... I cannot get TA to take them off.

You should be able to get the old reviews wiped out. You just have to provide evidence of new ownership and the date that the change of ownership took place. I've had several clients do that without a problem.
I guess the issue I would consider regarding feeling like you are lying / misrepresenting your inn is to look at the reviews and decide whether they are more about the old innkeepers, or more about the inn itself. Are there services being discussed in old reviews that you no longer offer, or an approach that is fundementally different than what you offer now?