Grotesque is what Grotesque does

TRIPADVISOR MESSES UP KAMPALA’S NUMBER 1 RANKING – AND NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME

(Posted 13th July 2019)

Being TripAdvisor’s number one reviewer in Uganda, by far, and with over 550 hotel reviews under my belt, perhaps does give me the right to be critical of their Kampala rankings of hotels.
As seen this morning, when as every Saturday I habitually check out travel and hospitality related websites, I came across what is shown above.
Of course, TripAdvisor, and probably for a good reason, is very shy to provide even someone like me with direct email contacts of individuals to whose attention such mishaps should be reported – to remedy on the double – and the only way to raise and rouse them is by writing about it on my website. The regular web links they provide are clearly staffed by robots, as not once has a really sensible response come from them.
The Kampala Serena Hotel, arguably perhaps for others less apt to judge hotels along an entire catalogue of criteria but certainly not for myself, remains Kampala’s number one hotel, out of 676 places where one can stay.
However, in their infinite wisdom – defying logic is an entirely different thing of course – has TripAdvisor listed a hostel, yes a Hostel as Kampala’s number one lodging facility. The place goes by the name Fat Cat and is no doubt happy to have outranked not just the Serena but a range of other quality hotels across the city.
At a cost of 42 US Dollars, breakfast and WiFi included, does Fat Cat clearly beat the Humura, Lake Victoria Serena, Sheraton, Mestil, Athena, Golden Tulip and others but there is of course so much more why business travelers opt for proper hotels and not hostels, when it comes to placing their bookings.
TripAdvisor clearly needs to be advised themselves, that it is high time to delink hostels from hotels, as it is long overdue time that they add a sixth ranking column for their reviews.
At present one has a choice of Terrible, Poor, Average before jumping, inexplicably straight to Very Good and Excellent. Where one wonders does one jump from average directly to very good, leaving out the good in between? The answer is simple, on TripAdvisor and no where else but on TripAdvisor.
So my dear fellows at TA, this is a long overdue backhand, for the mistake shown above by bundling a five star hotel together with a hostel, and for ignoring many comments made, in public forae where TripAdvisor staff were present and heard but obviously not listened and of course via reviews, that Good is long overdue and ought to be given as another ranking option.

Kabiche? Right, so get on with it and fix it …

PS: I fully expect a snotty response but have little hope that the problems mentioned will be fixed anytime soon …