Talking about COVID-19 and the travel industry is one thing, but let me acknowledge just how extensive its attack has been on all facets of life. Airline routes have been suspended, jets have been retired, businesses have been shuttered, and...millions have died. Budgets have run dry, hospitals have overflowed, and heartbeats have accelerated to uncomfortable levels among people of all race, gender, creed, income. Nobody can pretend to be unaffected from this virus.
So then, an essential question arises: Can optimism survive in the COVID-19 era? What I feel helps me sustain a sense of optimism is to type up a review or two on the popular travel planning site TripAdvisor (TA). Half the readers of this article probably read or write TA reviews, and over half have probably recognized the name. As I attempt to argue here, TA is both a boon to collective optimism and a bane, depending on the style in which reviews are written. And as you might be able to guess, I do my best to contribute to the boon of the service; I do this by adhering to specific moral guidelines:
Some of the most effective—and fun!—ways to demonstrate these guidelines in action (or the lack thereof) is to gather some real TA reviews to paste here and analyze together. Ready? It’ll be a blast. Here’s the first review (not from me): Where: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Overall Ranking: 3.5/5; #17 of 38 hotels in Detroit Review by “Disappointed” (2 stars; titled “Nothing special”) “I booked a room at the RenCen Marriott because I wanted to surprise my husband for our 20th wedding anniversary. I booked this room months in advance, requesting a high floor and city view. I mentioned to staff three times (via BonVoy app and telephone) that we were celebrating our anniversary and wanted to make our stay special. I asked if we could have anything delivered to the room (champagne, chocolate covered strawberries etc.) and was told no (not sure of the reason but if it was because of covid, that is pretty ridiculous that nothing could be done at all six months into the pandemic). When we arrived, there was no mention of our anniversary (would have been nice to have at least acknowledged at check in) and we were given a low room on the 11th floor with no skyline view of the city (just an obstructed view of the other RenCen tower). I was informed that there were no high floor rooms available which is pretty absurd considering the low occupancy and SEVENTY floors. In addition to not being accommodated with these requests, the internet was not working for our entire stay which meant that streaming services were also not available. We were extremely disappointed in the lack of customer service for what should have been a special occasion. Definitely not what we expected from the Marriott brand.” *any thoughts that are positive? Hmm…* Poor experiences are unavoidable, right? Exactly. However, I want to argue a stronger, more powerful way to detail them. First, let’s skip to the fourth bullet of my list of guidelines and see if the writer could have added more details. I know when I check into a hotel, I examine the atmosphere: the feel of the lobby, the facility location compared to attractions, and the facility upkeep. How was the atmosphere, according to this writer? I don’t know, other than his/her meager placement on the 11th floor. How was, hmm...the WiFi? Or the cleanliness during COVID? Was there breakfast? How truly was the service, besides the lack of acknowledgement of their anniversary? Many questions must still be answered, and many of the answers may be quite positive. Moving to the second bullet, let’s see—there’s plenty of subjectivity, but what about objectivity? Personally, I don’t enjoy it when people gang up on me, and I doubt anyone else (that includes managers!) feels otherwise. I believe it’s essential to promote objectivity and assume the very best intentions of people—tour operators, waiters, hotel clerks, valet drivers, concessions staff, whomever else—during these unprecedented times. I bet if I asked the managers and front desk staff of the RenCen Marriott about why the couple’s anniversary wasn’t brought up, I would receive reactions showing sorrow and error. Why might I doubt the staff actually intended to disregard their anniversary? Because, well, times are tough right now. COVID puts a dent on normal hotel practices. Jobs are on the line. Miscommunication is more frequent. Care for health trumps other priorities. Etcetera. So yes, I genuinely doubt the staff had negative intentions. Now did the writer mention all that? Nope. Because it’s a skill so desperately needed in life, but so commonly absent. Thus, I commend the writer for sharing their voice through TA, but for anyone anywhere, there is always space for improvement in the language you use. Now the next review is my own, after I spent the night at the brand-new AC Hotel (part of Marriott) in the nation’s capital: Where: AC Hotel Washington DC Downtown Overall Ranking: 4.5/5, #127 of 154 hotels in DC Review by “bornthatway_traveler” (4 stars; titled “Will Return (to a Room Away from Other Guests)”) “I chose the AC DC Downtown as the base for my travels within the nation’s capital back in July 2020. The location is absolutely unbeatable, as everything you’d need for a fulfilling DC adventure is no further than a few blocks. I appreciated my stay at this AC property and consider it to be worthy of four stars, but I hope to see improvements on just a few small aspects of my experience for next time. *positive, beginning the “sandwich”* I should begin with the highest compliments to the staff; they were kind and attentive to all my needs. They worked to ensure I had a room facing the interior courtyard space, rather than the street, which is always a preference for me. A few guests in an adjacent room to mine were hard at work partying or goofing off or whatever, blasting loud music at around one in the morning (when I arrived after my late-night flight), and the night auditor quickly phoned that room to make them aware of their excessive noise. It stopped within minutes. And when I had to check-out early the next morning instead of stay one more night, my reservation was edited professionally and without hassle. Bravo to the staff! *positive* (Moreover, I also wish to shout-out managers Donald LeCompte and Leroy Turnquest for personally following up via email on my stay—I could tell they cared about guests’ experiences and how to best serve them again in the future. Much appreciated to receive these messages!) *positive* Now I wanna sort of sway into the aspects of my time at the AC I would’ve enjoyed better had just a few tiny improvements been made—and much of this can stem from my proactivity next visit. The rooms were COVID-clean, comfy, and very quiet from the outside air/sky/atmosphere, but their functionality was a bit questionable. I realize ACs are geared toward shorter, urban-focused stays during which the idea of a hotel isn’t as paramount, but I would’ve loved to utilize larger bedside tables/stands and more spacious walkways. If I remember correctly, I was specifically given a mobility-accessible room, which is basically false advertising for wheelchair-bound folks. For me, I managed since I can walk just fine inside my room and park my chair elsewhere, but I always try to be a voice for the disability community—please reconsider the choice to label this room as accessible if the space can’t be expanded to ADA standards. In general, I wasn’t too impressed with functionality, but I managed fine when I spent the night. *uses “I” and not “you”; polite language; mixes negative aspects with encouragement* Additionally, the noise from adjoining rooms is incredibly amplified. Next time I come, I will ask to sleep in a room around which no other guests are staying. I know how tough it is to fix the mechanics and structure of a big building, and I know nothing can ever be perfect, but I still desire to do my part by asking to avoid others to ensure my stay is more private and relaxed in the future. *cue the fifth bullet!* It is true I’ve dedicated a significant portion of this review to describing negatives, but please please trust me that my rating of four stars still stands. I recognize that the majority of these issues can be easily rectified by being proactive during check-in and making sure I’m in the room that will fit me best. However, that’s not to say I won’t highlight them here to let other travelers know in advance. COVID-19 continues to be detrimental to the hospitality industry, and I don’t wish to put someone down during this unsteady period in the world—so I encourage everyone to stay at this AC hotel for their travels to Washington, DC, be it leisure, business, or bleisure. That is, if you agree to wear a mask and take COVID-19 precautions. Otherwise you can stay home :). Thanks for hosting me in DC!” *promoting objectivity; finishing the sandwich* Notice this review isn’t five stars—none of the featured reviews in this article describe perfect experiences. Clearly there were aspects of my stay I disliked. How did I describe them? Let’s focus on the third and fifth bullets for this one. I made sure to balance the positives and negatives of my experience as best as possible, and I mostly placed the positives in front of the negatives. A key word of advice for effective expression of dissatisfaction: positive-negative sandwich. In the middle of the review, I highlighted some negatives, namely issues with noise and room functionality. I have every right to do that, as firmly as I want or as gently. But what really seals the deal is the finish. I explicitly write my point: “It is true I’ve dedicated a significant portion of this review to describing negatives….I recognize that the majority of these issues can be easily rectified by being proactive during check-in….” I am careful to not let my intentions escape those who read my work; I wasn’t fully satisfied, but I still valued my stay and wish to keep returning. Now we see the implementation of the fifth bullet, regarding targeted solutions to areas of weakness. I acknowledged that it is difficult to soundproof a building, and that I must be more proactive when choosing a room (away from others). That’s a valid solution! I specifically used the word COVID-19, displaying my understanding of how detrimental its effects are on the industry. I promoted compassion, commendation, and humility. I could’ve omitted that entire paragraph, in fact—but doing so would neglect the “human” side of the men and women running the world’s hospitality businesses. Finally, let’s examine a review in which I express considerable disappointment, while still maintaining a civil, open-minded attitude: Where: Tom’s Urban (restaurant), Denver, CO Overall Ranking: 3/5, #1486 of 3174 restaurants in Denver Review by “bornthatway_traveler” (2 stars; titled “Lax COVID-19 Precautions”) “Tom’s Urban is (as of June) the only restaurant open at the Westin Denver Airport, so...not much choice in where I ate. However, regardless of where you’re staying, I personally would recommend skipping this place until there is a COVID-19 vaccine or until staff become more strict with health measures. Plus, I was not thoroughly impressed with my meal. Read on for informational bullet points in order to best inform your decision. *key objective language* - Location is convenient, as it’s in the Westin hotel and across from the airport terminal. A nice, open-air plaza area allows for outside seating on summer days. *positive* - The atmosphere is lively, enthusiastic, and inviting. There is a standard bar with ample seating, in addition to adequate table service. I enjoyed the feel of the dining room. *positive* - My waitress did not wear a mask at the beginning of my dining experience, and the hosts were spotty with their mask wearing—they had masks, but they rarely covered their nose and mouth completely. Simply unacceptable for a restaurant, let alone any public establishment, to not uphold basic health/safety measures against COVID-19. People get killed by this disease, and it can stem from negligent, absent, or subpar standards. I am a shy person who often has to work up mental effort to verbally call someone out, but eventually, before my food arrived, I requested that my waitress put on a mask AT LEAST when she visits my table; that request was thankfully fulfilled. I should not have to request that in the first place. Moreover, I want to mention that other servers wore their masks properly at all times, from what I saw—except my server. So that’s a flaw in the restaurant training, I’d say. I firmly encourage the hosts and that waitress to fully wear masks from now on, unless you’d like to turn away customers that could support your business. I’d also encourage better promotion of masks and social distancing for customers, because that was also spotty—even if masks can’t be mandated, at least be a bit more firm with guests, please. Things like these will go a loooong way, trust me. *polite, encouraging language; using “I” instead of “you”* - My food was quite overpriced and disproportionate for the price paid. 25 or so dollars for a basic, flavor-lacking chicken dish and a tip (reduced from my generous usual 30% to 15% due to server not wearing a mask at first...). I should’ve paid a total of 18 or 20 bucks at MOST. I found my menu options to also be limited, and not many items were appetizing to me at that time. So to recap, I personally won’t return to Tom’s Urban in the foreseeable future due to the negatives explained above. I also recommend others to avoid as well. It’s a shame, because there is potential—just not safe, healthy potential right now. If management wants to notify me of improved health precautions in place, perhaps I’d be willing to try again...but I don’t want to risk getting COVID-19. I wish the restaurant the best, and I hope changes are made.” *positive language at the end* When I write reviews of poor experiences, I feel it’s most necessary to follow the moral guidelines seen thus far. Anyone can tell I was dissatisfied at Tom’s Urban. I may not be back there till the virus ends. But did I ever tell anyone not or never to go? I can’t find a sentence where I used that language. I only recommended it. I kept it objective, despite detailing my subjective thoughts. I employed vocabulary like “wish the best” and “hope changes are made,” rather than completely shutting down their mission to serve food. I truly, most genuinely believe that if everyone followed the guidelines I set forth in my reviews, TA could be seen more as a respectful community of travelers helping others and the tourism industry at large. So let me conclude: albeit influenced by my overwhelming love of travel, I feel TripAdvisor reviews can boost the collective optimism of a global audience when written in the most effective way. It is critical for people to learn this style. When we read TA reviews, we can examine them as a case study for positive communication, kindness, respect, and togetherness, especially in the COVID-19 era. Give the travel industry a break, and support folks when they deserve to be supported!
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Hey, my fellow travelers! I have (fairly) recently started a YouTube channel to highlight certain aspects of traveling with both TAR Syndrome and autism. My YouTube name is “The Autistic Traveler.” Pleeease check it out!! As you can tell with how infrequently I post on this blog, I may not be the fastest to post videos—but do subscribe to me on YT; I’d so so so appreciate it. Here’s the link to subscribe:
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