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Hotel threatening $500 'bad review fee' trolled with spoof complaints New York's Union Street Guest House said it would dock people's deposits if they criticised it. Now pranksters have posted a raft of joke reviews, sending its ratings plummeting Pete Cashmore Tuesday 5 August 2014 11.52 EDT The Guardian The Union Street Guest House has this week been labelled perhaps the meanest, mardiest, most criticism-resistant hotel in the US. The Hudson, New York establishment's website listed a charge of $500 (£296) for wedding couples if they or their guests left negative reviews on online customer review sites. Of course, such exercises in damage limitation only reap dividends, both in terms of limiting dissent or making a few extra bucks out of disgruntled guests, if the rest of the world doesn't know about them. Sadly for the Union Street Guest House, the rest of the world has found out about them -- prompting the hotel to issue a statement saying the whole thing was a joke. Unconvinced, pranksters have had great fun this week leaving humorous "guest reviews" of the hotel on online review site Yelp, safe in the knowledge that they have no three-figure deposit to be withheld. Indeed, more than 500 of said reviews appeared in one day, sending the guesthouse's average rating plummeting to one out of five, which is an achievement in itself given that many people still left ironic five-star ratings in among the slatings. Here are some of the best complaints: ▶ "Nice soothing screeching noises everywhere all the time at night." Mihai D, Beaconsfield, Canada ▶ "Went to sleep here with two testicles. Woke up. They gone." Joe C, Virginia ▶ "I stayed here on March 14th, woke up the next day, BOOM! Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Coincidence? I think not." Daniel, San Diego ▶ "The hall was double-booked for my wedding and a white supremacist rally, which added character." Steve W, Foster City ▶ "I sneezed once in the lobby and was charged a $250 cleaning fee." Scott L, Las Vegas ▶ "I had the feeling I was being watched the whole time during my stay, then the creep at the front desk stabbed me to death while I was in the shower." John B, California ▶ "I didn't read the fine print carefully. Apparently the Hotel Manager had the right of 'prima nocta' and was legally allowed to sleep with the bride on the first night." Joe D, New York ▶ "Had my wedding here, and they required a human sacrifice. I objected, but it was clearly printed in size 1 font in a lost dialect of Sumerian at the bottom of the agreement." Chris, Phoenix ▶ "The floors made my feet smell like feet." RB, Los Angeles http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2014/aug/05/union-street-guest-house-500-dollar-bad-reviews

I thought that was sneezing. Come to think of it, I do have a friend who had an inside joke with his GF where they both referred to sneezing or needing to sneeze when they meant sex. Best regards, RA1

and Daddy will get his resident Lunatic back.... I can live with that ! and if you need help Packing.....Call me !

Did you just call Suckrates a pretty boy? Grubbing around on your damned homework assignment now. Don't wait up.

No, not in the sense that I am asking anyone to like me It is a TV show that I saw advertised by that title. It is on a cable station that is not carried on my provider. I saw an advert for it and it caught my attention so I was wondering if anyone has seen it, can comment on it and/or can suggest a way to easily (and without paying) to watch it on line (assuming it is worth it). Here is the synopsis of the first two episodes: Written by and starring Australia’s favourite young comedian, Josh Thomas, the uniquely honest comedy/drama series PLEASE LIKE MEkicks off on ABC2 with a double episode. With his 21st birthday just around the corner, life finally seems to be coming together for Josh (Josh Thomas). He's sharing a house with his best (and only) friend, Tom (Tom Ward), his dog, John, and Tom's rabbit, $haniqua, and he’s doing adult things like cooking roast chickens and eating asparagus. But the events of one day throw his world into chaos. He’s dumped by his girlfriend, Claire (Caitlin Stasey), and introduced to a decidedly odd but very attractive man, Geoffrey (Wade Briggs). And when his divorced mum, Rose (Debra Lawrance), overdoses on pain killers, Josh is forced to move back into the family home to keep an eye on her. If that's not enough, he has to deal with his dad Alan’s (David Roberts) guilt over his ex-wife and clumsy attempts to hide his new, younger girlfriend, Mae (Renee Lim). It’s all a bit more than Josh had planned for – which was just to plate up a tasty dinner. All of a sudden it seems as though everyone’s lives are in disarray and Josh is at the centre of it all. For someone with an aversion to confrontation, drama and emotion in general, there are some big challenges ahead for Josh – challenges he can only deal with in his own awkward, self-centred, and always hilariously frank way. Based on the award-winning comedy of Josh Thomas, the six-part series PLEASE LIKE ME is about cavoodles, custard tarts, boyfriends and girlfriends. Mostly, though, it's about growing up quickly and realising that your parents are not heroes, but big dopes with no idea what’s going on – just like you. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pleaselikeme/

Thats just the "bottom" in you talking.

I find it more comfortable to be beneath it all.

I like you wayout. Never mind the other stuff. Best regards, RA1

I do realize that some may try to reek havoc in order to be sent to the sandbox, but that does not always work out for them. On this site, most of the time, we let people have their say and then when all has been said that needs to be said, we move a problem thread to the sandbox. But, when we think that someone is actually trying to cause this to happen, we piddly around for a bit and take own sweet little time. I am one slow ass dude even when I am rushing. So, just imagine how slow I am when I take my time.

One thread that was started today solely for antagonizing someone and getting a response has been moved to the best place on the site for a thread that is not needed or does not stay on topic. Can you guess where that thread now is? I have let this one go on. And on. And on. It will not be deleted. But, there is a time and a place for everything and the more I read it, the more I wonder why it is not in the:

I felt lucky Sunday and went to Tunica where I played a little black jack. Won a couple of bucks and that mostly paid for my trip to there. So, however Lucky feels today after I felt lucky on Sunday may or may not matter. No, I am not leaving. And, I am not wishing any others to do so. There is potentially a lot of good information to be shared and other "goodies" also. So, let's share. Does that sound like an advert for Cher? Best regards, RA1

Thanks for posting. It's always interesting to read a trip report written so contemporaneously. I'm sure you'll enjoy the rest of your time there once you're fully over the jet lag.