Reviews of Resorts...good or bad?

Before we book we read the reviews. If the majority of reviews are negative, we won’t go to that particular resort. And that could possibly be one of our problems. The question comes up: How true are those reviews?

I write reviews and I try to be as truthful as I possible can. Of course, I will write from my own experience. Other travelers may have had a different experience on the same resort. Usually, I dismiss comments about how friendly or unfriendly the people working at the resort are. Travelers who encounter unfriendly maids or servers may possibly have themselves to blame. I’ve seen guests behaving rudely toward the staff, expecting they come running when they wave to them or call them over with, “Hey you. I need another drink.” No wonder they get the cold shoulder. The people working on these resorts are on the whole working hard for little compensation. Don’t always expect a smile on their faces.

I also dismiss people complaining about having no internet. You can live without that for a week or two. I go on holidays to relax and to get away from my computer for a couple of weeks. Also sand fleas on the beach or mosquitoes on the resort don’t bother me. We have lots of mosquitoes in the summer where we live. We are used to them.

Most vital for us is the beach. As long as there are no rocks or corral. Also, there should be no problems with the beach chairs.

Accommodations are also important, mostly the bed. To be able to get a good sleep is essential.

Food. I think most people, including us, sometimes lose perspective when it comes to food. For instance, at home for breakfast I have a bun with honey, yogurt, grapefruit in the winter, and a cup of tea. I only eat ham and eggs with hash browns on Saturday. Why would I suddenly expect to eat omelettes, sausages, and all kinds of other foods every day on a holiday?

For lunch I eat a sandwich at home. Do I really need a full course dinner at the resort? Same goes for supper. I’m happy with a bowl of lettuce, a steak and a baked potato and one beer, or sometimes just a can of beans with a sausage, or a chicken breast with mashed potatoes and boiled broccoli. Sometimes I have desert, perhaps a pudding.

Why would I need a five course dinner when I’m on holiday?  People expect choices of potatoes, pastas, different hot vegetables, different kinds of meat etc. For desert cakes, puddings, cookies and more.

We shouldn’t expect lobster and steak every day. We don’t need to drink beer and wine until we can’t walk anymore just because it is included, but it seems that what vacationers expect.

So when it comes to food, we are not that fussy, as long as it doesn’t come from a can and is served warm and handled in a clean environment. The last thing anyone wants is to get sick. One lobster dinner would be nice. And some shrimp once in a while. We had all that when we were in Varadero a couple of years ago. The rest of the food wasn’t great, but it was okay.

Most people complain about the food, but the food seems to be the one thing that is a problem in most resorts. In Cuba, for instance, it doesn’t matter if the resort is rated a five star or a one star, food is one of the items vacationers complain most about.

Reading all the reviews from different resorts in different countries, be it Cuba, Mexico, or Dominican Republic, I found I can read the reviews for one resorts and then just change the name, the review would fit.

You wonder when you read one review that is headlined: Best Vacation ever. Paradise on Earth. The next review of the same resort says: Worst Vacation ever. It’s not even a one star.

Were these people at the same resort? Why is one so positive and the other one so negative? Who do I believe?

And that is my dilemma right now. I missed good deals because I couldn’t make up my mind after reading the reviews.

There is something else I ponder. Is it to my advantage to even write a positive review? What if I get a terrific deal on a resort and I just love it. It write a raving review. So will a few other reviewers. Next thing I know the 3 star resort is considered a 4 star resort because of the reviews and the price goes up. Did I do myself a favor?

This morning I went on the internet again and checked out prices and read reviews again. We finally decided to book with one resort. The reviews were a mixed bag of bad and good, but we figured it was the best for our budget, even though the tax was now $35.00 higher per person since last week and $20.00 up from the base price. A hike of $55.00 per person. When I went back to the site to book, guess what: The price had changed since I looked at it (15 minutes before). They added another $30.00 per person to the base price. I can’t believe this! Are they playing games? Not with me. Suddenly the price is not attractive anymore for what the resort offers.

The hunt is still on.