Smedmore House Site Reviews
I am thinking of going here so decided to look at the site reviews. The last one, just 7 days ago, produced a complaint by the reviewer. That complaint was enough to put me off going so I considered it a useful review.
What did puzzle me however is that within 18 minutes of the review being posted there was the start of eighteen replies from five seasoned members of the forum. My question is how in such a short space of time had this review escalated into a full blooded discussion. How do these things come to light? I can understand maybe one reply but where do the others come in.
Am I missing something?
Incidentally the ‘from’ price in the directory states £18.50 for 2, the web site states from £13.50 and the price guide supplement states £13 yet the sites own pricing details state that a booking of one night will be charged at £21 before reverting to the nightly cost
No wonder I’ve decided not to go
Comments
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I don’t blame you, Harry. It certainly doesn’t seem to get a site where you can enjoy peace and quiet.
'Seasoned members' - I’ll take that as a compliment.
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+1 I quite like the term, but then I counted 6 different posters, who is the un-seasoned one?
At the moment replies are allowed so while some do not want any replies people will reply, some with helful suggestions as to how to take their concerns/issues further, while others with take any chance to have a go at the club and/or stir things up sadly.
Post edit: sorry Harry are you asking how new reviews are found in the first place?
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Did you see that the club had responded to the reviewer?
Smedmore House does have it's own web site where it states they hold weddings and events, a phone call would establish what could affect a break there.
The club mentions the Lulworth firing ranges in the details but when all is quiet it's a lovely area to visit.
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That will go some way to explaining, however when clicking on latest reviews nothing happens (like a lot of things on this web site I suppose)
So to those 'seasoned' forum members
is this how these replies about the Smedmore review came aboutI only counted 5 Cornersteady because I missed you out
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I often check Latest Activity to see what's going on, Harry. It saves ploughing through all the subject headings on the front page.
Who can say what others do or what happened in the case in point.
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M
When I load the home page and take my cursor over to Club Together it automatically opens up a drop down box with 6 sub divisions I then just click on Discussion to take me into the forum.
However I have tried what Freddie55 said and this takes me to the picture you describe and from there I can see latest reviews. You learn something new everyday.
By the way, Are you sure that's a man looking over the lake. Wish I had a waist like that
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Seems so, JV.
It's unfortunate that others seemed to think we were attempting to report the actual reviewer whereas it was the problems and inaccuracies highlighted by him that were the subject of the report.🙁
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There's a review on UKCampsite saying "It was lovely to watch the wedding party and the bride was stunning". Someone enjoyed it !
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See, one man's meat… etc
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I just wish those that write the reviews put the site name first and their review title second, and then you need only look at the ones that you're interested in and not have to search through the whole list..
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Harry
I have raised the issue of people commenting on the reviews of others here https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/how-to-use-club-together/what-are-reviews-for/
The review you mention was a good example of why the ability to comment on a review should be stopped. As you say it turned into a discussion which is patently not what the comment facility is for. All the comments have now been Deleted User. A reviewer is entitled to give a review of their stay on that site and if that happens to be about a bad experience so be. It is not up to others to question that review. If it was felt that a review is in bad taste or uses language that bad mouths Club staff by all means report the review to the Community Manager.
David
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nah, I’m wasting my time.
Content Deleted User.
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It is not up to others to question that review
Can I ask is that official club policy or your own interpretation that you have unilaterally made?
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Well put, Corners. It’s what I was attempting to get across last night before I decided to delete.
It would be good to know just what the mandate is.
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I would have thought it was common sense and good manners. A member is entitled to construct a review using his own words, or do we not agree with this? Quite clearly some other members take umbrage from what has written. As I have mentioned before the correct procedure is the use the report button if you are unhappy with a review. Rowena does look at reviews and I am sure she would find it useful to have any flagged up that may need attention. However her job is not made easy by a whole load of, often, pointless comments being added to the review. The other issue is that by commenting on a review there is the danger that it sets off a discussion in the review section as was the case in the Smedmore House review.
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But good manners and common sense are open to so many interpretations so basically when you wrote
It is not up to others to question that review
I am glad to know that this is your thought alone and not the club's official policy (no question mark) and we can carry on posting replies. Thank you for clarifying that.
However her job is not made easy by a whole load of, often, pointless comments being added to the review. The other issue is that by commenting on a review there is the danger that it sets off a discussion in the review section as was the case in the Smedmore House review.
Her job being easy or hard is totally irrelevant, if that is her job then that is her job I am sure Ro is more than capable of reading what is pointless and what isn't for herself without your help.
And my goodness danger that it sets off a discussion really? on a forum?
Then really why have a reply button?
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David, if we’re talking about the Smedmore House review in particular, I don’t recall anyone ‘taking umbrage’. The issue of noise was discussed as was reporting the review and that subsequent report alerted head office. Apart from a few posts which were worthy of deletion, the other posts, in my view, added to the review by way of alerting potential visitors to the likelihood of noise. To delete them all was unnecessary.
Like Corners, I’m pleased to learn “It is not up to others to question that review” is only your personal opinion and the same must go for “the ability to comment on a review should be stopped“. I’m afraid, at times, you put these points across as if they are official policy.
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I wouldn't be unsympathetic to the idea of it not being possible to comment on a review if the club made the guidelines clearer and insisted they were adhered to. This is simply not the case at present, probably due to the very large number of reviews received (I think Ro said thousands recently).
So we end up with the ridiculous situation of club members of staff, such as Caravan Han writing:
"In the meantime, I'd like to remind you of the etiquette we expect within your forum;
We ask that at all times posts are constructive and are not offensive towards members of staff, owners of CLs or Affiliated Sites or other members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club."
followed almost immediately by a review complaining about the wardens at a club site (written, as often seems to happen, by a member who had arrived "just a bit" early!)
or Ro asking for complaints about dogs to be referred to the wardens at the time or to the club alongside reviews consisting almost solely of complaints about dogs barking, peeing etc.
So if it's not possible for the club to have a dedicated "review reviewer" it seems to me inevitable that folk will comment on reviews whilst that remains possible.
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A ‘must read’ link to the review section of the guidelines would go some way towards helping.
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Just to add that there seem recently to have been a vary large number of first time reviewers who may, understandably, not be aware of the guidelines.
Indeed, I've just read one such first time review referring to one of the wardens as "a woman behind the counter who seemed to be in charge". Not the worst such description maybe but hardly respectful to club staff.
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or uses language that bad mouths Club staff by all means report the review to the Community Manager.
I have taken your advice on a new review that has the following words about club staff:
...fish-wifey ..... And you can certainly employ staff that are not aggressive, rude and threatening!
This clearly against club policy on reviews (see below) yet it has not been removed by you or a mod?
Caravan Han writing:
"In the meantime, I'd like to remind you of the etiquette we expect within your forum;
We ask that at all times posts are constructive and are not offensive towards members of staff, owners of CLs or Affiliated Sites or other members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club."
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