We had a lovely time

Sometimes it’s not what we say but how we say it. Negativity can appear even if a negative word is not used:

➤ Absolutely lovely service. We had the restaurant to ourselves and the owner was very kind and provided us with everything we needed. He was very grateful after we showed up and everyone else had cancelled due to the ongoing situation. Food and drinks were lovely and service was very prompt.

Saying you 'had the restaurant to ourselves’ gives the impression it is unpopular, despite the enthusiastic review. While the writer explains the reason for the empty restaurant, this is only a snapshot in time: no mention is made about being the only diners for their meal, or whether it was for the entire day.

Focus on the positive and the experience highlights:

➤ Absolutely lovely service. The owner was very kind and provided us with everything we needed. He was very grateful after we showed up especially with the ongoing situation. Food and drinks were lovely and service was very prompt.

The review now has a positive tone and how the ‘on going situation’ was not going to spoil their time!

Would you rephrase this differently?

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