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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: rastamojo7]
#84337
01/29/2016 08:53 AM
01/29/2016 08:53 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,094 Ohio
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I am not sure but since it is the Dutch side paper, The Daily Herald, that puts the survey out, I think it stands to reason you will see predominately Dutch side voting and places mentioned.
I would be curious to know the percentage of island residents that vote compared to any form of tourist.
J.D.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: MotownTim]
#84341
01/29/2016 09:12 AM
01/29/2016 09:12 AM
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Posts: 17,094 Ohio
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Kind of like some of the restaurant reviews and rankings on TripAdvisor, some have merit and others don't. When I see a chain (Dominoes/Applebee's, etc.) ranked ahead of what I feel to be very good independent restaurants, it raises a red flag of sorts.
Of the 631 TripAdvisor ranked restaurants near where I live, the top three are a local grocery store chain and a small local pizza chain and the 3rd ranked restaurant is closed. Not sure how a grocery got ranked with restaurants, unless you consider prepared carry-out food to be a restaurant. Three of what are normally considered (by locals) to be the top restaurants in the town barely crack the top 20.
Like any review or "best of", they are a tool but can also be very stacked one way or the other.
J.D.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: rastamojo7]
#84342
01/29/2016 10:41 AM
01/29/2016 10:41 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,042 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Other than the French side almost not being mentioned, most of the ratings I don't necessarily have a big problem with. I don't know how one gets nominated to be on the list, which would be interesting...
Carol Hill
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#84344
01/29/2016 10:49 AM
01/29/2016 10:49 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,237 North NJ, 1720 miles from Para...
Kathleen
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Like most "Best of..." lists here at home and on St. Maarten/Martin, it's done by "popular vote". The advertisers contact the businesses and tell them they have an opportunity to advertise in the Best of Magazine and the businesses ask patrons to vote for them. It's a great advertising piece and sometimes a good source of information for first time visitors, but as a long time visitor, I would not believe that any of the places were actually "Best" (since that's subjective at best). Otherwise, why would Dominoes be voted Best Pizza??!!
That's why I wander and follow La Vie Dansante, that's all I want, La Vie Dansante (JB)
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: Kathleen]
#84345
01/29/2016 10:53 AM
01/29/2016 10:53 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,042 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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I've had a big problem with the 'best pizza' myself for years, as I HATE Pizza Galley, which routinely wins best pizza. Many of the others, like Skipjacks for fish, Bajatzu for steak, Temptation for best upscale restaurant, I really don't have a problem with, as far as best on the DUTCH side, anyway.
Carol Hill
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#84347
01/29/2016 11:21 AM
01/29/2016 11:21 AM
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Posts: 837 Florida
wilsonck
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Carol_Hill said: I've had a big problem with the 'best pizza' myself for years, as I HATE Pizza Galley, which routinely wins best pizza. Many of the others, like Skipjacks for fish, Bajatzu for steak, Temptation for best upscale restaurant, I really don't have a problem with, as far as best on the DUTCH side, anyway. Personally, I feel the results are based on how much advertising revenue the business generated for The Daily Herald.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: wilsonck]
#84348
01/29/2016 11:29 AM
01/29/2016 11:29 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,042 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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The RESULTS are based on how many votes the various businesses received, from the online voting, which ANYONE can vote on that. I didn't actually vote this year, but last year, they did prevent the same person from voting more than once somehow, although I can't remember exactly how. How a business gets NOMINATED, I don't know.
Carol Hill
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#84349
01/29/2016 11:38 AM
01/29/2016 11:38 AM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,160 Greensboro, NC
charlieh
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ruralcarrier said: Kind of like some of the restaurant reviews and rankings on TripAdvisor, some have merit and others don't. When I see a chain (Dominoes/Applebee's, etc.) ranked ahead of what I feel to be very good independent restaurants, it raises a red flag of sorts. hmmmm - Here's a suggestion. Create a forum on TTOL similar to TripAdvisor to rate stuff like restaurants and bars. My suggestion would to keep it simple by giving the poster (only registered posters) the opportunity to rate a place from 1 to 10, but without discussion. Then the results could show the average rating as well as the number of people who have voted. I have looked at TripAdvisor many, many times on places we go and find this feature to be as helpful as I can find.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: madg1108]
#84355
01/29/2016 01:53 PM
01/29/2016 01:53 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Check your email and private message.
J.D.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: madg1108]
#84356
01/29/2016 02:13 PM
01/29/2016 02:13 PM
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,730 Portland, OR
jazzgal
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madg1108 said: How can I Email Best of 2015 link to someone? Click on the link in the first message of this thread. When the survey opens, put your cursor in the address bar to highlight the entire address. CTRL-C to copy the address. CTRL-V in an email to send the link.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: Dansc]
#84358
01/29/2016 02:23 PM
01/29/2016 02:23 PM
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My personal guess is probably a lot of local voting for those places. Some island residents like to try what they see on TV and things other than what they grew up with.
Our local friend from the island wanted Red Lobster when he was here in the states 16 year ago. I asked him why since he had all the seafood around him on the island. He said he liked their commercials and it just looked good and like something different he wanted to try. We went to Red Lobster then!
J.D.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: EdB]
#84361
01/29/2016 03:40 PM
01/29/2016 03:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,042 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Again, this was a POLL that people VOTED in, and YOU could have voted if you had wanted to.
Carol Hill
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: Dansc]
#84362
01/29/2016 04:55 PM
01/29/2016 04:55 PM
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Dansc said: and what did he think of red lobster! thats is very funny, it does make sense but i still find it funny. He actually liked Red Lobster. But he also liked any other dish he had here with the exception of wild morel mushrooms, and that shocked me!
J.D.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: january]
#84365
01/29/2016 08:38 PM
01/29/2016 08:38 PM
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Carol_Hill
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And the Pelican is in French, and thus most people here don't read it.
Carol Hill
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#84366
01/30/2016 01:48 AM
01/30/2016 01:48 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,222 Boynton Beach, FL
EdB
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Carol_Hill said: Again, this was a POLL that people VOTED in, and YOU could have voted if you had wanted to. Carol...i did vote....but surely not for Domino's....or some of the other crazy winners.
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Re: The "Best" Of St Maarten 2015 results
[Re: Dansc]
#84368
01/30/2016 08:43 AM
01/30/2016 08:43 AM
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Not really sure on the morels, perhaps the texture?? I worked my a$$ off hunting the morels prior to his visit and thought a local delicacy like that would be a hit.
I have not been to Red Lobster in many years but it is probably the same clientele here also.
J.D.
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