In Reply to: TRIP ADVISOR posted by Perthguy on Thursday, 26. January 2012 at 11:28 Bali Time:
the whole picture into account. View the number and % of bad reviews in comparison to the good ones, check for the same "problems" in the bad reviews, and compare the travellers photographs to the professional ones. Often as others have said it's a 'cultural' difference or expectation that is not met. I've seen photo's recently on TA that were pictures of a bathroom...there was nothing wrong with them and actually were very very clean for bathrooms in Bali...but the reviewer described it as disgusting and filthy! You can usually pick the whingers from realistic reviews. Keep your mind open to your standards vs others. Someone else mentioned that people base their reviews on wether they had a bad holiday on things that have nothing to do with the hotel! I find if use the above and a grain of salt, a picture emerges that is probably closer to the truth.
Good luck, don't let it put you off doing what you want, not everyones happy with everything all the time, just not possible.