New York hotel fines you $500 for negative Yelp reviews

A Hudson, New York hotel is going to have to send out a lot of $500 fines to many who previously stayed there. The Union Street Guest House reportedly charges people who stayed there $500 if they write a negative review on Yelp about their experience.

The New York Post discovered that the hotel has an online police that warns couples who plan on hosting their wedding at the venue near the Catskills. It notes that if a guest writes a negative review, the couple would receive a $500 fine.

“Please know that despite the fact that wedding couples love Hudson and our inn, your friends and families may not,” the policy reads. “If you have booked the inn for a wedding or other type of event . . . and given us a deposit of any kind . . . there will be a $500 fine that will be deducted from your deposit for every negative review . . . placed on any internet site by anyone in your party.”

If a couple manages to convince a reviewer to take down their review, the $500 fine will be cancelled.

The Post, which did not get a comment from the hotel itself, notes that staff there often posts responses to negative Yelp reviews, calling poor reviews made up or “mean spirited nonsense.”

Since the Post’s story, people have got to Yelp to keep posting one-star reviews. Even people who had never been there are commenting with sarcasting negative reviews.

“I hope everyone in the world come here and gives this place one star,” one person wrote. “You'll be giving away 500 on the street to get anyone to stay with you.” Another added, “If you're THAT scared of getting negative reviews, how about you change your Guest House so that there's nothing to complain about?”

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