“Hi dogbreath”: The motelier savaging guests over bad reviews
A NSW motel owner fired up over bad reviews has hit back at his TripAdvisor detractors, addressing former guests as “stupid idiot”, “fatlips” and “dogbreath”.
The Huskisson Beach Motel in the beautiful Jervis Bay on NSW’s picturesque south coast had some 419 reviews as of late last week, 67 of which rate the property as “poor” or “terrible”.
Its owner, John Nixon, began responding to unflattering reviews in 2015 and has turned the practice into a blood sport.
In February, a guest left a one-star review saying: “We were disappointed in the fact that the room cost us $305 per night an we were not even allocated biscuits in the room. The manager was so rude and unhelpful that I was truly disappointed and upset with the stay.”
In a response that has now been removed by TripAdvisor, Nixon wrote: “My staff are highly trained in managing f***tards like yourself! Please don’t come back again!”
And he added: “PS. We hope you changed that same shirt you were wearing for three days as it was a big job to deodorise the room once you had left!”
Another reviewer, named as Sue A, said she was “very disappointed” about the stay, lamenting missing basic items such as a bottle opener and reporting there was “mould everywhere”.
Mr Nixon began his response with “Hi dogbreath”, adding: “It’s the fact that you were not happy when I spotted the dog you attempted bring(ing) into the motel! NO PETS ALLOWED!”
“I love it,” he told Channel Nine’s A Current Affair of his guest responses.“Can’t wait for the next one.”
Nixon said his insults to reviewers, which include “stinky guest”, “fruitloop”, “stupid idiot”, and “pest”, are justified given the issues he faces daily, including dirty rooms.
“I’ll charge them an excess cleaning fee, and then again they’ll put a one-star review on Google, TripAdvisor,” he said.
After staying with family at the property last month, one guest described it as “an awful place” with blinds too small for the window and having a toaster but no knife to butter bread.
“Sorry that your stomach blocked you from using the blinds, kettle and toaster!” Mr Nixon replied.
“Glad you and your family never return as you have been banned from all properties in the area :)”
Another guest who stayed at the motel in July 2019 complained about not being allocated a balcony room.
Nixon responded: “The reason you have given this one-star review is due to your stupidity of NOT checking the exact description online!”
There are plenty more examples of the motelier’s responses, and it seems not everyone is offended by them.
One commenter on TripAdvisor said that Mr Nixon’s replies were a breath of fresh air.
“Finally great to see someone not putting up with cr*p!” they said. “Reviews can be great but unfortunately give too many uneducated and unrealistic people a platform to voice ridiculous whingers.”
The contributor said they had never been to Huskisson Beach Motel but after the “latest publicity of the owner … it just made my bucket list!”
Mr Nixon replied: “Make sure you ask the staff to call on me when your here. I will shout you a craft beer in the new restaurant I’m opening”.
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Keep waiting for the day that Property Owners get to “review the guest” This guy has responded in a way I would love to respond to some of our reviews. At the moment I am putting it back on the guest saying you made the reservation did you read what was available did you read the description of the property and the room? In our confirmation we always say, please check the details of your reservation and ensure you have made the right choice. But we have also had our fair share of people who have a total lack of respect and disregard to other peoples property. Breakages of our BBQ and items in our rooms you know the ones who pack up and run to their car as fast as they can and don’t bother to come in to reception and check out. Those that try to sneak out, you check those rooms straight up cause you know your going to be in for one hell of a days cleaning. Oh and the ones that write a review and are not even anywhere to be found in the guest registration! Had at 3 reviews so far by people who have never stayed. One after weeks of sending information to the OTA finally took down a fake review.
Waiting for the day when its all fair in love and war where property owners can respond and review the guest on their conduct and the way they have left the room upon departure…………waiting…………
This exists @Cynd, it’s called Air BNB