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I salute you. Since the pandemic started, my review policy (for example, with Uber Eats) has been to give a five star rating if I'm happy or no rating at all if Im not. It's a time to be supportive of businesses that deserve our praise and not to petulantly lash out at those that don't.I decided to become a serial 5-star reviewer to offset the pettiness. I have no idea if it will help, but I guess it's my way of saying "thank you" to some of the more delightful places where I've spent the night.
I salute you. Since the pandemic started, my review policy (for example, with Uber Eats) has been to give a five star rating if I'm happy or no rating at all if Im not. It's a time to be supportive of businesses that deserve our praise and not to petulantly lash out at those that don't.
I remember reading a column by François Simon (a professional food critic and author of a book about how to be a critic) about how to review restaurants during a recession. I wish I could find it now ... Essentially, I recall that he wrote that it's not right to punch people when they're down.
I often choose to stay at B & B's for the very things your farmhouse represents. They are far more unique and give lasting memories for me over cookie cutter generic hotel chains, although I have had a few exceptions where my hotel memories have been special.After running a b & b in rural France for 20+ years I could write a dissertation on good/bad reviews. Most clients judged fairly accepting that our's was a simple restored/repurposed farmhouse but once in a while we were judged poorly since we lacked the glitz of the Ritz!!
They are all subjective of course but I will try to be as objective subjective as I can.
I totally agree. I only stayed in a couple of albergues, but for the money what do you expect? In most cases, you are fed dinner/breakfast and you have a place to lay your weary body for the night. All for 10 euro or free if you are staying in a donativo and too cheap to leave a few coin.I have started to write reviews on Gronze as I walk. I am very careful when I read a review especially of places that I have stayed at. I remember I posted here once about reviews and got some negative feedback. I had said that just because someone did not like the reception that they received at an albergue that they gave the albergue a negative review. Even though they may have written or many others wrote that the albergue was well maintained, clean and generally had everything that one would look for to spend a night. I love it when people complain that the water pressure wasn't good, or the shower wasn't that hot or it was cold at night. Maybe that hospitalero had just checked in some rude pilgrims or was just having a bad day. Some, and by no means it alot of Pilgrims except a donative or 10 E albergue to give them the comforts of the Ritz. Yes you can point out something that may have really been annoying. We should most certainly point out unhealthy, unsanitary or the willingness of ownership to allow very loud and unruly pilgrims to continue without intervening. But taking an albergue down because someone didn't smile long enough or engage you the way you want doesn't make alot of sense to me. But I think if you read the reviews in Gronze you can really see what I am talking about. I would say, for me at least, that half if not more of the negative comments have no effect on whether or not I am going to lay my head down in that bed tonight. I will continue to write reviews. They are all subjective of course but I will try to be as objective subjective as I can.
It's not Pilgrim like to write this.or free if you are staying in a donativo
Some people have expressed the view that it's unhelpful to review only places that we're happy with. I guess that's a fair point to make. Regardless of your opinion about that, however, this thread is not the place to denounce specific businesses.Here's another. We made reservations at a private albergue in Viloria de Rioja. When I made the reservation, I asked if they served us dinner. Yes, and the cost was very high (25 euros per person). I asked about this and the owner said that meals are specially prepared with special ingredients, so that is why the cost was high. This town is very small so we really didn't have other options. When we arrived, we discovered that the owner was having an engagement party on the main level of the house. We checked into our rooms, but did not have access to the main level with the party going on. We didn't have access to the back patio until 4 pm. Then we learned that the expensive dinner was not specially prepared - we were served the leftovers from the engagement party for 25 euros per person, then she charged us extra for cheap wine! You bet I left a negative review - in multiple websites !
You took this out of context. I said "free if they don't pay" not that they shouldn't pay. I absolutely think that they should pay/donate whatever they would if they were staying in a paying establishment.It's not Pilgrim like to write this.
Donativo doesn't mean free.