**UPDATE in State Dept Warnings***Mexico All-Inclusives Whaaaaaat??????

[Cackyschmackers]

Reading this reminded me of the extremely scary drug Scopolamine.

That drug makes the target do whatever you tell them to do which is normally go to an ATM and withdraw all your money. And the bonus is they won't remember anything.

Don't people use that for motion sickness?

 

[jlemieu1]

I'll just walk to MEGA and then Internacional Cerveceria. Local groceries and beer with bottle caps on it. Works for me.

If you want high end tequila I would recommend Europea just one block to the south of Mega. I HIGHLY recommend to not buy any of the tequila on the main strip because it's not high quality and VERY over priced.

 

[phinz]

If you want high end tequila I would recommend Europea just one block to the south of Mega. I HIGHLY recommend to not buy any of the tequila on the main strip because it's not high quality and VERY over priced.

Europea is the place just across from Margaritaville, correct? I plan on hitting it in October.

 

[phinz]

Don't people use that for motion sickness?

Yes.

 

[Msmit002]

Don't people use that for motion sickness?

Yes. I do. In trans-dermal form.

Now, if one was to wear multiple patches or get a hold of tablet dose, then yes. The adverse affects include hallucinations, confusion, and other neurological issues. It's not often we see scopolamine in tablet form. GHB is more easily obtained for those with nefarious intents.

 

[jlemieu1]

Europea is the place just across from Margaritaville, correct? I plan on hitting it in October.

Yup. That is the place.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/A...e23bf00b1fc3e9!8m2!3d20.5168547!4d-86.9454983

 

[Dug720]

Once I spent a day on site of a WDW hotel and used their restaurants and bars and they refused my review because I did not stay for the night.

Recently, I mentionned that I inspected my room for bed bugs and found none (it was a pretty bad hotel). They sent me a "warning" asking if I was sure that I wanted to talk about "bed bugs" and gave me a certain delay if I wanted to cancel my review.

I think they are trying to avoid being sued.

Were you on the restaurant and/or bar page(s)? Because those should have counted.

I agree with them that if you did not actually stay in a room at the resort then you should not be reviewing the resort. The restaurants usually have their own pages to leave reviews.

Think about it. If you are looking for reviews of a place to stay, do you really want to read through reviews by people who just hung out in the public spaces for a day? I know I want reviews from people who used the rooms and are legit commenting on those.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Once I spent a day on site of a WDW hotel and used their restaurants and bars and they refused my review because I did not stay for the night.

Recently, I mentionned that I inspected my room for bed bugs and found none (it was a pretty bad hotel). They sent me a "warning" asking if I was sure that I wanted to talk about "bed bugs" and gave me a certain delay if I wanted to cancel my review.

I think they are trying to avoid being sued.

On the hotel part was the restaurant you ate at and bars you at at available to review separately on TripAdvisor? J/W.

I didn't do a review but when we went to Hawaii we decided to check out Aulani and had lunch at AMA' AMA. I could see doing a review for AMA' AMA rather than Aulani itself because we were just day guests. We didn't have a room there for the night.

Same for when we went to eat breakfast at Marriott. I would have done a review for the place we ate at rather than Marriott itself.

*Just random thoughts here*

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I am a college librarian with an MLS in library science. If a college student came to my reference desk and asked if this source was authoritative enough to be used in a research paper I would say yes. I would encourage them to not solely rely on this source though.

I've tried searching for more info regarding this. Surely there's got to be more information out there. Not turning up much. But, it also seems from this article that people aren't really encouraged to do anything about the occurances. No help in filing reports. Not allowed to post negative reviews. I really do want to find more info if it's out there.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I'll just walk to MEGA and then Internacional Cerveceria. Local groceries and beer with bottle caps on it. Works for me.

Oh I love Mega. Really saved me in 2013 when we needed cold meds. I'd go back to just to wander around and look at stuff. Unfortunately, in October when I visit Cozumel we'll be coming in on Harmony of the Seas at the International pier. I don't think that's walking distance.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Yes. I do. In trans-dermal form.

Now, if one was to wear multiple patches or get a hold of tablet dose, then yes. The adverse affects include hallucinations, confusion, and other neurological issues. It's not often we see scopolamine in tablet form. GHB is more easily obtained for those with nefarious intents.

I'm wondering if the travelers in this article were wearing the patch, even transdermal (it's still in your bloodstream); alcohol's affects could be intensified; or other prescriptions as well for sleep or anxiety. I have a good number of friends who take meds just for travel. Add that to dehydration, fatigue, etc.... I can't even use that patch, and I don't drink. Side affects are unbearable for me. Just a thought.

 

[mevelandry]

Were you on the restaurant and/or bar page(s)? Because those should have counted.

I agree with them that if you did not actually stay in a room at the resort then you should not be reviewing the resort. The restaurants usually have their own pages to leave reviews.

Think about it. If you are looking for reviews of a place to stay, do you really want to read through reviews by people who just hung out in the public spaces for a day? I know I want reviews from people who used the rooms and are legit commenting on those.

I wish I could answer that question... It's been so long that I can't remember (It was more than 6 years ago).

My point was: they have very strict rules regarding reviews.

 

[mevelandry]

On the hotel part was the restaurant you ate at and bars you at at available to review separately on TripAdvisor? J/W.

I didn't do a review but when we went to Hawaii we decided to check out Aulani and had lunch at AMA' AMA. I could see doing a review for AMA' AMA rather than Aulani itself because we were just day guests. We didn't have a room there for the night.

Same for when we went to eat breakfast at Marriott. I would have done a review for the place we ate at rather than Marriott itself.

*Just random thoughts here*

I don't disagree with you. My point was just that they have strict rules regarding reviews. p.s.: I see people with day passes reviewing all the time. That does not make much of a difference in my opinion. But maybe they are more flexible now? Who knows.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

this is not the first time I've heard of Mexican resorts charging guests astronomical amounts to see a doctor or go to a hospital, where the onset of illness was suspicious at least.

As for the travel sites not allowing commentary regarding such incidents, I'm not that surprised, since posting accusations of a crime where nobody was charged could be actionable under libel or slander laws.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

this is not the first time I've heard of Mexican resorts charging guests astronomical amounts to see a doctor or go to a hospital, where the onset of illness was suspicious at least.

I think I've heard this too and why it's keeping me away from the "Riviera Maya" area. Wasn't it mostly rainforest a decade or so ago? Years ago, we'd always wanted to go to Playa del Carmen bc we used to dive, but I hear that's different now too. I think you're just so far away from anything and i bet there could be some monopoly on health care, I wouldn't doubt that. Oh, well, plenty of other places to visit in the world I would still do a day trip to Cozumel and stay in Isla Mujeres though as OP was asking.

 

[DLgal]

There was just another story in the news about an American mother who gave birth prematurely in a hospital in Mexico and the hospital basically held the baby ransom until the parents "paid up" for the hospital bill. Seriously...Mexico is messed up. This was in Cancun.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/...y-born-mexican-hospital-come-riley/496128001/

 

[JoieNsk]

Um, no. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is the largest, most widely distributed newspaper in Wisconsin and is owned by Gannett Company.

Agree.
I live in Milwaukee.

Journal Sentinel is quite respectable news media.

 

[Msmit002]

I'm wondering if the travelers in this article were wearing the patch, even transdermal (it's still in your bloodstream); alcohol's affects could be intensified; or other prescriptions as well for sleep or anxiety. I have a good number of friends who take meds just for travel. Add that to dehydration, fatigue, etc.... I can't even use that patch, and I don't drink. Side affects are unbearable for me. Just a thought.

Here's the problem. I could understand that if a lot of these folks were visiting from a cruise stop but the vast majority were there specifically for a land vacation. It's unlikely they were on scopolamine for motion sickness. Not impossible, just unlikely that many people were.

No, I think it is more likely these folks displayed something these perpetrators found valuable (inadvertently or not) making them a target for theft, robbery, etc. And think about it... almost all of the victims (who didn't die) had to shell out exorbitant amounts of cash just to LEAVE Mexico.

Seems the bartenders target the victims, drugs them, and the hospital fleeces them.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Here's the problem. I could understand that if a lot of these folks were visiting from a cruise stop but the vast majority were there specifically for a land vacation. It's unlikely they were on scopolamine for motion sickness. Not impossible, just unlikely that many people were.

No, I think it is more likely these folks displayed something these perpetrators found valuable (inadvertently or not) making them a target for theft, robbery, etc. And think about it... almost all of the victims (who didn't die) had to shell out exorbitant amounts of cash just to LEAVE Mexico.

Seems the bartenders target the victims, drugs them, and the hospital fleeces them.

Scary!

 

[MaleficentRN]

There was just another story in the news about an American mother who gave birth prematurely in a hospital in Mexico and the hospital basically held the baby ransom until the parents "paid up" for the hospital bill. Seriously...Mexico is messed up. This was in Cancun.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/...y-born-mexican-hospital-come-riley/496128001/

This happens all over the world. Actually, some hospitals won't let you in the door until you give them a "deposit".