Wall Of Shame: Another Day, Another 3 Million Dollars - TripAdvisor Riding The Backs Of The Little Guys ... Their Customers

TripAdvisor LLC
400 First Avenue
Needham, MA 02494 USA
Phone: +1 (781) 800-5000
Website: TripAdvisor.com

TripAdvisor is a greedy, ruthless company and if you believe their dribble, I have a bridge in Hayes, Kansas I would love to sell you.

I was a TripAdvisor "TOP CONTRIBUTOR" for years, submitting hundreds of complimentary reviews from all over the World and getting nothing in return except total disrespect, refusing to publish many of my reviews with no reasonable explanation.

TripAdvisor makes billions (approximately $1.5 Billion in 2015) off of merchants who pay for "premium" ad or review placement on their websites and review contributors like me who spend a great deal of time generating revenue for TripAdvisor by submitting reviews gratis. Take a look at their swanky new headquarters in Needham, Massachusetts paid for by you (who click on their ads), me (who foolishly submit reviews gratis to TripAdvisor), and merchants (who pay for ads and premium review placement).

I had numerous reviews "denied" for posting on TripAdvisor while given no explanation other than "your review does not meet our guidelines". The same exact reviews were submitted on such reputable sites as Yelp (where I am Elite '14/'15/'16'/'17), Zomato ("Verified Connoisseur"), Tabelog (Official "Silver" Judge), Booking.com (Genius), and others, including my popular blog CombatCritic's TravelValue, and published without delay. TripAdvisor, on the other hand, MUST APPROVE ALL REVIEWS before publishing, ensuring that they contribute to their bottom line ($$$$) and do not detract from paid advertisements or their own image.

I can guarantee you that the "pending" reviews listed in the above photo will never be published because of my valid criticisms of TripAdvisor's imperfect website and biased business practices. Here are the unfiltered reviews in question if you want to read them for yourself:

Valletta, Malta: Free Valletta Tour Well Worth Price Of Admission ... And More!

Valletta, Malta: "Sunk" My Teeth Into This "Submarine" And Boy Was I Glad I Did

The owner of The Submarine, for example, has been complaining to TripAdvisor for months about the incorrect map location of their business on TripAdvisor's website, to no avail. We had the same problem, searching for the "#1 of 280 Valletta Restaurants", The Submarine, on TripAdvisor's map function, missing the mark by several blocks and finally calling the business to get directions. I submitted a map correction to TripAdvisor, pinpointing the exact location of The Submarine, but like all other feedback customers give them, it will likely be ignored. The only reason we were using TripAdvisor, by the way, is because they are the only game in town (Malta - the same in India), likely paying-off local officials, in my opinion, in order to keep competition like Yelp and Zomato out of their markets.

All TripAdvisor cares about is making money, not telling the truth, in my opinion, so they only post reviews that support their goals, generating revenue from travel industry businesses that pay for premium placement and clicks on travel related ads. That is why I told them to "shove it" about a year-and-a-half ago after they refused to publish my perfectly benign review of the Villisca Ax Murder House in Villisca, Iowa, resubmitting the same review several times only to be denied publishing.

I documented my concern and protest of TripAdvisor's unprofessional behavior and misleading content in my June 24, 2016 post after complaining to TripAdvisor several times, with no response, then deleting my "Top Contributor" account entirely.

I refuse to do business with TripAdvisor and so should you. The only reason I posted the recent reviews was to test their business practices once again by posting my concerns and complaints publicly to see if they would be published ... they will not.

CombatCritic Gives TripAdvisor An Unprecedented 0 Bombs Out Of 10 And An Additional Spot On My "WALL OF SHAME" ... Shame On You TripAdvisor!

Zero Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over  1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

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Title: Wall Of Shame: Another Day, Another 3 Million Dollars - TripAdvisor Riding The Backs Of The Little Guys ... Their Customers

Key Words: TripAdvisor, trip, advisor, website, hotels, restaurants, things to do, reservations, TripAdvisor.com, unprofessional, biased, ruthless, Yelp, YouTube, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, Wall of Shame

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

"CombatCritic", "TravelValue" and "BOOAH" Are Protected Under U.S. Copyright Laws And Are Exclusive Property Of 3rd Wave Media Group, LLC and CombatCritic

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Adios TripAdvisor! Sketchy Business Practices And Zero Customer Support Led Me To Delete My Account

TripAdvisor Inc.
400 1st Avenue, Needham, MA 02494
Phone: 781-800-5000

I was, and the operative term is "WAS", a TripAdvisor "Top Contributor" until recently with hundreds of reviews and photos in many of the 41 countries I have visited. My reviews are honest and as objective as anybody's opinion can be and I received hundreds of "Helpful" votes for my reviews and photos.

TripAdvisor is very selective about the reviews it posts, unlike Yelp (where I have been "Elite" since 2014), refusing to post reviews willy-nilly based on criteria only they are aware of. I think the operative answer is, if a review does not conform to a "standard" which favors the business that is paying them for advertizing, then it does not conform and is not posted.

For example, I have written several reviews that TripAdvisor refused to post, claiming that the content was "too similar to that found on the internet". Basically, they were saying that I plagiarized my content from a website, something I have never done nor will I ever do. I may use information from a website or pamphlet as background for readers in a review or copy the ingredients for a recipe from their menu for simplicity's sake from time to time, but never word for word and I always edit the material into my own words and style. Sometimes they simply refuse to post a review with no reason given as was the case with my review of the Villisca Axe Murder House, having submitted the review numerous times without it being published and without explanation.

TripAdvisor would not exist without the reviews of travelers, so I find it extremely self-serving and deceiving to refuse to post reviews from Top Contributors that do not conform to their paying advertiser's demands. I put a lot of time and effort into my reviews as evidenced by the 40,000+ visitors to my blog each year and the 40,000+ views of my reviews and photos on Yelp each month. My content is original, honest, and objective as any reviewer can be, so when TripAdvisor recently refused to publish my review of Cataldo's Italian Restaurant in Brooklyn recently (because the content "was not original" ... BULLSHIT!) for the umpteenth time, I deleted my account.

The other reason I deleted my account is because TripAdvisor, as I found out, has zero integrity themselves, allowing people to post reviews whether they have been to a restaurant, hotel, destination, or attraction or not. There is no requirement to having been a customer (as Money Magazine reported in a recent issue - see excerpt from Money Magazine below) to write a review, so businesses can use robots and fake review websites to fluff their ratings, making them relatively useless. I have found during my travels to 41 countries that TripAdvisor may be good for general information about a business or location, but the ratings rarely accurately reflect the experience and now I know why.

Yelp on the other hand uses complex algorithms and your GPS location to ferret out fake reviews. They also have "Elite" members, reviewers like myself that are hand selected by the Community Manager (CM - each major metro has one, a paid Yelp employee) with several face-to-face and virtual interactions taking place between Elites and CMs each year. So if you really want to ensure you are getting a valid rating and honest review, use Yelp and sort reviews or pay attention to those only written by "Elites".

TripAdvisor does not appreciate the countless number of honest reviewers out there, refusing to interact one-on-one with even Top Contributors. Trying to get an explanation for a decision they make or get an question answered is impossible with TripAdvisor, unlike Yelp where you get an answer from a Yelp employee every time you have a concern or question.

My recommendation: Dump TripAdvisor and download the Yelp App on your phone or tablet. You will be glad you did!

CombatCritic Gives TripAdvisor 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On My "WALL OF SHAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Adios TripAdvisor! Sketchy Business Practices And Zero Customer Support Led Me To Delete My Account

Key Words: TripAdvisor, trip, advisor, trip advisor, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, hotel, attraction, destination, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato, integrity, reviews

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

Jaipur, India: Jammie's Is Jammin' In Jaipur ... It's "The Bomb"

Jammie's Kitchen

52, Green Park, Queens Road, Khatipura, Jaipur 302021, India

Phone: +911412358308

Website: http://www.jammieskitchen.com

Prices: $$$$

What happens when a five-star chef opens a restaurant in the suburbs of Jaipur, serving top quality food with outstanding service, in an upscale environment at extremely reasonable prices? You get one of the best values money can buy, so if you are in Jaipur, or anywhere close for that matter, you MUST go to Jammie’s!

We were recommended Jammie’s by our host at Rampura Kothi, our guesthouse just a few blocks away. We entered early by Indian standards, about 6:45, because we were leaving very early the next morning for Goa and needed to pack and hit the rack. The restaurant was deserted except for several well-dressed staff standing around as the door was held open for us and we were seated.

Tablecloths, cloth napkins, nice cutlery, and a candle adorned the table and the room was warmly decorated in an upscale, modern design. The service impeccable, we had one of the six or so waiters at our table even if we only looked like we might need something. Our order was quickly taken and our first courses (appetizers) arrived after 15-20 minutes, rather quickly considering what we had ordered.

My wife had the Mushroom Quiche (325 rupees/$5.20), a short crust pastry filled with mushrooms and cheese topped with beaten eggs and cream and baked in the oven. It was remarkably big, probably six to seven inches in diameter, perfectly baked, with a crisp, thin crust and a light, savory filling that was not moist and not dry … perfection!  I decided on the Croquettes de Pommes de Terre au Fromage (295 rupees/$4.75), potato croquettes stuffed with cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and fried, and served with a zesty house side salad. Again, they were perfectly cooked and delicious with six rather large croquettes and a salad that was small, but extremely tasty and spicy.

For our entrees, my wife had the Wild Mushroom Risotto (350 rupees/$5.65), fresh Shitake mushrooms and Arborio rice finished with dry white wine Parmesan cheese and I the Chicken Cordon Bleu (395 rupees/$6.40), marinated chicken breasts stuffed with ham and cheese, coated with bread crumbs, fried, and served with parsley potatoes and garden vegetables. The risotto was good with just the right consistency, but a tad on the bland side. Fortunately, it came with a small cup of grated parmigiano cheese, enhancing the flavor and experience. The cordon bleu came two on the plate and were, again, perfectly cooked with the outside crispy, not burnt, and the ham and cheese at the appropriate temperature on the inside. I would have preferred mashed potatoes, but the potatoes were well seasoned and delicious and the vegetables nicely steamed. I have to say I have not had a better chicken cordon bleu anywhere in the World, especially at that price.

Jammie stopped by the table after our meal to introduce himself and I complimented him on his fine restaurant, outstanding food, and amazing service, telling him that I would highly recommend Jammie’s to all of my readers, so …

CombatCritic Gives Jammie’s Kitchen A VERY RARE 10 Out Of 10 Bombs … BOMBS ARE GREAT!

Ten Bombs Equates To:

"Phonetic spelling of the acronym HUA, which stands for 'Heard Understood Acknowledged.' Originally used by the British in the late 1800's in Afghanistan. More recently adopted by the United States Army to indicate an affirmative or a pleased response." - Urban Dictionary

"The Department of Military Science and Leadership, University of Tennessee claim HOOAH 'refers to or means anything except no' ... Regardless of its meaning ... the term is an expression of high morale, confidence, motivation and spirit." - WarChronicle.com

"The U.S. Air Force stole 'HOOAH' from the Army because we were part of the Army until 1947 and rather than waste a bunch of time coming up with something new and unique, we said 'screw it, let's go with HOOAH' ... thanks Army ... HOOAH! - CombatCritic

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Title: Jammie's Is Jammin' In Jaipur ... It's "The Bomb"

Key Words: Jammie’s Kitchen, Jammie’s, kitchen, Jammie, continental, food, restaurant, menu, Jaipur, TripAdvisor, trip, advisor, travel, value, CombatCritic, India, review, menu

Clean, Safe, Fair Priced and Unlike Anthony Bourdain … Some Reservations

Hotel Heritage Home

1603/4 Main Bazar, Pahar Ganj

Near RK Ashram Metro Station

New Delhi 110055, India 

Phone: +91-987-352-9223

Web: Heritage Hotel Delhi

Prices: $$$$$

New Delhi (Paharganj), India: I found Hotel Heritage Home on TripAdvisor and made my reservation on Booking.com after reading numerous good reviews. The hotel is just a few blocks from the Ramakrishna Ashram Marg Metro station (opposite end from the train station) on Main Bazaar and just around the corner from Café Festa. It was easy to spot because of the good signage in front. It has a clean, open, rustic feel with a long entry through automatic glass doors, a small reception along with a travel office, an elevator and a rooftop restaurant. The area around the station is seedy to say the least, but vibrant, energetic, and colorful although filthy as is the case around much of Delhi.

Arriving at 1:30 AM after a 30-hour journey, I decided to defer to the hotel to pick me up at the airport. My driver spoke little English, but was right where I was told he would be with my name on a sign. The drive took about 25 minutes with little traffic due to the early hour. The trip was quoted at 900 Rupees ($14.65), not unfair by American standards but 500 Rupees more than the “standard” (400 Rupee - $6.50) fare from the airport to Delhi. In fact, when I inquired about my return trip to the airport, I was quoted 400 Rupees, so maybe there was a “late arrival surcharge”, an not totally unreasonable assumption.

I booked a “standard” room (1200 Rupees/night - $19.50), but found out the next say I was upgraded to a “deluxe” (normally 1800 Rupees - $29.25). The room was basic with marble floors, a large king bed, flat screen TV and cable, a small wardrobe, mini-sofa and table, and a bathroom that also serves as a shower due to the lack of a curtain or door. The room was fortunately in the back away from the street with no windows, which is not a bad thing considering I am sensitive to light and noise when I sleep and Main Bazaar is extremely loud due to the crowds below and the incessant honking of horns that Delhi drivers seem to thrive on.

The hotel’s travel office is convenient and helpful, but based on the prices I was quoted you may be better off booking your (train/bus/hotel/sightseeing) reservations online or directly with the provider as travel agents (and most other businesses) in this area are notorious for overcharging tourists. I will defer my opinion until I can compare quoted charges with online/counter prices through the respective purveyors.

Their rooftop restaurant is “relatively” quiet and inviting with plants, three parakeet cages, and local furnishings with several tables sitting below their own canopy for shade from the warm Delhi sun. The waiters speak barely passable English, but are attentive, efficient, and friendly. The menu has few beverage options, including bottled water, coffees (30-35 rupees – 55 - 60 cents), teas, shakes and other local drinks as well as vegetarian breakfasts, appetizers, pastas, sandwiches, and several options from India. There is no Diet Coke or other low calorie soft drinks and the coffee adequate, seemingly instant and likely Nescafe. The offerings are cheap by American standards, but not great. In two visits, I tried the egg and potato breakfast (80 Rupees - $1.30), accompanied by two pieces of toast (butter and jam), and a coffee with milk (35 rupees). It was adequate, but an excellent value. For dinner I went with the butter chicken (170 rupees - $2.75 – normally, one of my favorites) and an order of garlic cheese naan (60 Rupees - $1.00). The butter chicken came in a tomato-based sauce that tasted like sweet spaghetti sauce, not the creamy, savory variety I have come to love in restaurants in the U.S. and England, and the naan was slathered in butter/oil, a bit too much for my taste.

My biggest disappointments were the unexplained airport surcharge mentioned earlier, the horrible and nearly non-existent internet, and the phantom (500 Rupee) SIM card charge for my iPhone. The internet seemed to work OK upon my arrival and I was fortunately able to Skype with my wife and let he know I was alive, but it was “down” the next two days (the manager said it was their service provider’s fault) and accessible the next two, but so slow that my browsers gave up trying to load. Google also locked me out of all my email accounts because they thought someone was trying to hack me from India, but I could not access my ten accounts to resolve the issue due to lack of internet. What fun! When I told the manager that I wanted to get a local SIM card for my phone, he gallantly offered to have a colleague help me out. I was quoted 500 Rupees ($8.15 for a SIM card) and 495 Rupees for 2GB of 3G data. The data is an excellent value compared to American standards, but when I went to the Vodaphone store in Connaught Palace the next day because I could only get 1G data service throughout Delhi, I was told that “SIM cards are free, you should not have been charged for one”. Oh well, live and learn!

There are much cheaper (and more expensive) options available in Delhi, but if you are looking for a reasonably priced hotel, centrally located near the Metro in an area not abundant with clean, modern facilities, then Hotel Heritage Home is a good option, but be careful about add-on services as they are likely highly inflated.

CombatCritic Gives Hotel Heritage Home 6 Bombs Out of 10 

… Would Have Been 8 If Not For the Airport Surcharge, Internet Fiasco, and Extraneous SIM Card Charge .. MORE BOMBS ARE BETTER!

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic On Yelp And TripAdvisor ... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Clean, Safe, Fair Priced and Unlike Anthony Bourdain … Some Reservations

Key Words: Hotel Heritage Home. hotel, heritage, home, New Delhi, new, Delhi, metro, train, Main Bazaar, main, bazaar, budget, travel, value, TravelValue, CombatCritic, TripAdvisor, trip, advisor

Rishikesh, India: Good Cause, Bad Attitude, Above Average Value

Ramana's Garden

Village Tapovan, Laxman Jhula

Rishikesh 249192, India

Phone: +91 94 12 992907

Having studied psychology for over 30 years, I will never completely understand the territorial nature of humans, particularly when it involves a very worthwhile charity, but I have experienced this phenomena more times than I can count, including at Ramana's Garden in Rishikesh.

Entrance from Path

I decided to visit Ramana's Garden after reading about the charity and café on TripAdvisor and their website, but the compound was very difficult to find. There are no maps online and the only sign I found was on a gate I spotted while on a path leading toward the Ganga (Ganges) and just happened to come across.

I asked the man behind the counter at Ramana's if they needed any volunteers as I had about four more days in Rishikesh before heading to Delhi, but I was quickly dismissed without further inquiry. He told me that they only accept volunteers for three months or more because the children need consistency in their daily lives. I understand that the children need consistency, but when someone is kind enough to offer their time to your charity, maybe you should ask a couple questions before making them feel unneeded. I could have been CEO of a Fortune 500 company for all he knew, but he did not seem to care.

One of the Residents

In my case, being the author of two popular blogs, producer of a very successful YouTube channel (400,000+ views), a licensed professional counselor, and a retired military officer, I think I could have contributed something to their cause without being an unnecessary stress or burden on the children. I could have taught them how to make my World Famous Orecchiette with Broccoli Sauce recipe in less than an hour, but it was not meant to be.

Menu

In any case, even though I was more than a bit put off by the volunteer in question, I decided to stay for their "set menu" lunch and I am very glad I did. A tulsi (a local herbal tea-like drink), starter (soup or salad), entree, and dessert runs 400 rupees ($6.40), rather pricey by Indian standards, but a good value in this case.

The tulsi was warm, sweet, and tasty and the cup of soup of the day (a creamy kale consommé straight from the garden) flavorful and light, although rather small. Some bread, crackers, or croutons would have been a nice addition, but it was a  good start to a late lunch (they close at 4pm, so dinner was not an option) nonetheless.

Cup of Kale Soup

There were several entrées to chose from, including spinach gnocchi, pumpkin ravioli, enchiladas, and momos among others, but I went with the special of the day ... cannelloni. The cannelloni (2) were large and accompanied by a few greens. Unfortunately, the pasta was lukewarm, but flavorful nonetheless, particularly for a vegetarian dish (everything on the menu is vegetarian or vegan). 

Canneloni

The chocolate cake, although very small, was decadent and rich, making me wish there were more to go with my coffee and milk (hot from the cow in the barnyard).

In all, coming in at $8 including a small donation, I have to say that the meal was a very good value. The terrace overlooking the Ganges River below was quiet and a pleasant place to enjoy a mid-afternoon meal while helping a good cause, even if it was for just an hour. Ramana's probably would have garnered a 5 or 6 OUT OF 10 TravelValue rating if not for the kids they support and the natural, organic ingredients they use in their foods, so ...

CombatCritic Gives Ramana's Garden 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... Bombs Are Good!

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Cake and Coffee

Café Entrance 

Organic Garden

Garden

View of Ganges from Terrace

Key Words: review, Ramana's Garden, blog, CombatCritic, TravelValue, Ramana's, Ramana, Garden, restaurant, café, cafe, food, menu, lunch, Rishikesh, India, travel, value, TripAdvisor, trip, advisor

CombatCritic Q&A: "Hill Top Swiss Cottage, Rishikesh"

Hill top Swiss cottage, rishikesh

04 December 2014, 02:35

Has anyone stayed at Hill Top Swiss Cottage? We are staying there for the whole of March 2015. I am wondering what the access is like as it looks very high up.

Helen T. (Nottingham, England, UK)

----------------------------------

15 December 2014, 09:27

Re: Hill top Swiss cottage, rishikesh

I've been staying for 2 of 7 nights and the property seems a good value. Rooms are big and bright, internet fast by Indian standards. 

It is a bit isolated from the Ganges (Ganga) and town, but offers a quiet environment and a few shops, restaurants, yoga/meditation/massage options.  I have bad knees, but the walk to the river takes only about 15-20 minutes and is not a bad climb up or down.

There is a wonderful new Italian restaurant a short walk away, A Tavola con Te (atavolaconte on TripAdvisor) owned by an Italian couple from Milan that make wood-oven pizzas, pastas and desserts. 

Let me know if you have any questions.

Chris S.

aka CombatCritic

Follow Me To TravelValue!

Key Words: CombatCritic, question, answer, TripAdvisor, trip, advisor, TravelValue, travel, value, questions, and, answers, Rishikesh, Hilltop, hill, top, Swiss, cottage, hotel, guest, house, India