Vacation destination to AVOID...

[Robinrs]

If he really wants to get the word out put this on Trip Advisor so no-one has to suffer like that again. I check the site every single time I book a hotel and I take reports like this very seriously. Its easy to spot the uppity guest complaints from the genuine ones & this sounds genuine to me.

Did you see the Today show piece about how so many of the reviews are on Tripadvisor? They suggest that you ignore the GREAT and the LOUSY ones and concentrate on the ones in the middle.

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

We got to the Barcelo Palace Deluxe around 4:30pm. There was a huge throng of about 50 people all waiting to check in. After waiting in line for an hour, I got to the front desk and explained our situation (airport in Syracuse closed due to weather, not leaving until a day later, etc.). The guy looked for my reservation, and I asked if there was any chance he could get us a room for Wednesday so we could still have a four night stay. He said he would see what he could do, and told me it could take a half hour or so. I said, if he could do it, then no problem.

Did he call the hotel & tell them that the flight was delayed by a day? Because that's his #1 issue right there. Hotels usually cancel reservations if you don't show up. They did nothing wrong here. They were probably sold out since this is a huge travel week.

The next thing I know, we've been waiting for 2 and a half hours. Remember,
we still haven't checked it. Many other people are in the same boat, and people are getting angry, myself included.

This is why it took 2 1/2 hours. I assume most of these people were delayed as well. If there was that many others waiting, he can't expect it will be quick.

But I kept calm and waited. Finally, after being a perfect angel and having her diaper changed in a handicapped stall because we still don't a room, DD has had enough. She's hungry and starts crying. I grab a desk clerk who's running around, and tell her that we've waited long enough. (Keep in mind, there are still many people waiting 2 hours or more without getting a room.). She goes into the back room, and we wait some more. Meanwhile, I over hear a clerk tell 2 couples traveling together that they are going to have to share a room.

Finally, the first clerk comes by and says that there's a problem because "our
reservation isn't in their system yet.". At this point, DD was screaming,
so DW had taken her back to the public restroom to feed her, and I blow up.
I'm not proud, but I did. I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Don't give me
that!! You have my G-d damn reservation! I have a 6 month old child , we've
waited 3 hours just to check in, and we're not staying in the (*&^ lobby!
Get me a (*&^%% room!!!" The lobby was still filled without about 40 to 50
people still trying to get their rooms; a hush fell throughout the lobby; and
the desk clerk turned and went back into the back room. An elderly couple came over and offered their sympathies, another couple with 4 girls came over and also agreed that this wait was ridiculous.

Couple things…

1. the fact that he has a 6 month old baby traveling with him is really not the hotel or anyone else's problem. I just googled this resort and honestly, doesn't strike me as a place I'd want to go with an infact or a place where I'd want DH & I to be stuck in a room next to a screaming infant. It seems like an upscale adult oriented resort. So I'm not sure why he was traveling to a place like this, an adultish luxury beach resort in a 3rd world country, with a baby in the first place. But it certainly does not bump him ahead in line over anyone else.

2. He made a complete fool of himself flipping out and that is never going to make anyone want to help him any faster. The hush was probably from other patrons who had been sitting calmly waiting for their rooms thinking he was a crazy person, possibly even being worried for their own security.

3. Around where I live, in the Boston area, people change their babies in public restrooms all the time. That is where the changing tables are. As for feeding in the restroom, probably a wise move over whipping out a breast in a public open area in a country whose laws and customs you might not be familiar with. I'm not sure what their laws are. I'd err on the side of caution. It's not like the baby was licking the floor. Presumably she only made contact with mom's breast.

But it gets worse...
The clerk comes out and tells us that he got us a room at the Barcelo Premium Resort, which is part of this same complex. I again got ticked, because that's not what I paid for. He refuses to tell me that I'm going to get any money back, and even told me that there was NO manager on duty. A FIVE STAR RESORT WITH NO MANAGER ON DUTY?????!!! That actually appeared to be the case. I had no choice. It was now about 8pm. We needed a room.

And you got a room, at a high end looking resort, which is pretty good considering that it was 8 pm during the most busy travel week of the year there after showing up with no reservation. You forfeit your reservation when you don't show up.

So they take us and our luggage to a golf cart kind of vehicle, and drive us
for about 5 minutes to the Barcelo Premium. We check in there, and go up to our room. And it's a crap hole. It smells like mildew. The floor is gross, and the bathroom is disgusting. (Needless to say, there wasn't a jacuzzi on the balcony, either.). The bed is like plywood, and there's no crib. There's not even a clock.

I'm going to guess that it was not that bad and that people who actually booked that part of the hotel liked the rooms. At this point, he is just looking for things to complain about because he is angry that the hotel cancelled him for not showing up.

So, our story is still waiting for it's end. I've been on the phone with
Expedia, and have talked with the assistant manager at the Barcelo Premium, who actually was quite nice. As it now stands, we are SUPPOSED to be checking into the Palace Deluxe tomorrow. As I explained to the assistant manager, I'm not waiting at all tomorrow. I'm talking to the Premium manager, who will call the Palace Deluxe and make certain someone is waiting right there when I return. The kicker is that we won't be able to check in (and I'll believe it when it happens) until 3pm.

So he shows up with a cancelled reservation due to no show and is still going to be able to spend most of his vacation at the resort he wanted? He should consider himself very lucky.

We've already met 2 other older couples in the same boat, and are staying
tonight here at the Premium. They all heard my eruption, and agreed that it was warranted.

Or they just don't want to argue with a grown man who throws a temper tantrum in a crowded room full of people.

Never in my life have I witnessed such offensive, insensitive, unprofessional,
abysmal service. Barcelo resorts should be ashamed. I told Expedia that it
should immediately remove this resort from it's listings. The Expedia rep
agreed and has contacted it's corporate office. He has been trying for over an hour to speak with someone at the Palace Deluxe, and has been unsuccessful.

I've seen quite a few very good reviews of this place, and plenty of average ones. Also, I probably would not book a resort in a third world country through a 3rd party web site. Too much risk.

I also spoke with a man who was checking out. He came over right after my
blow up. He told me that the resort itself is beautiful, but the service
throughout was terrible. He said the restaurant service is a waste. He said
everyone he spoke with all said the same thing: Their stays were "one and done." No one he spoke with is ever coming back to Barcelo Palace Deluxe.

Quite frankly, it sounds like the man might have been trying to calm him down more than anything else. I also think that if (IF) all these people really actually hated the place, a lot of it has to do with being there during a very crowded time of year. If I went to WDW during Christmas week, I'd probably hate Disneyworld. KWIM?

I'm sorry your brother is having such problems but if he had just called the hotel and advised them he would be late, I'm going to guess that 99% of the problem would have been resolved before he even got there.

 

[IdesOmarch]

This is another issue, this is not happening in Cancun/Riviera Maya/Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas.

I am really sick of hearing all of this. The border towns that are close to the US border is where the majority of this is going on and Acapulco.

The media is causing major panic that does not need to happen and people are really missing out on great deals and beautiful vacation.

I have several families that are there this week and I got a few emails from them thanking me and saying what a great time they are having.

The police shaking people down? Granted I have heard of this before but nothing recently and unless you are doing something wrong, they leave you alone. If you are doing something wrong then that is your own fault.

Sorry but that is just incredibly naive. It may not be happening to people YOU know, but its happening all the time. I had a friend just recently come back from running a decent sized business there, he went over for this specific job, because he speaks spanish fluently. He said he had to carry around stacks of $1 dollar bills to give the cops 5-10 dollars, because practically everytime he went ANYWHERE, he would get pulled over for the usual routine shakedown. He said you give them a few bucks and they're on they're on their way.

THen there is the countless stories like the missionaries with the truck full of shoes they were taking to give to a bunch of orphans that needed shoes, getting pulled over by local corrupt police, being arrested thrown in jail (FOR NOTHING), having their entire truck load of shoes confiscated (stolen) then released after several days, to go on their way with no shoes. This thing is happening all over.

 

[mdsoccermom]

This is why Travel Agents are still around. It seems that you arrived a day later so that means that if you did not call the hotel the day before and you did not show up, guess what your reservation is going to be cancelled.

You are traveling during one of the busiest weeks of the year Presidents week and the resorts tend to sell out very early.

I am a Travel Agent (prefer Vacation Expert) because I could have told you weeks ago even months ago that this resort was sold out.

So if you would have called me and said my flight was delayed or cancelled until the next day I would have been on the phone with your hotel YESTERDAY and informed them of the situation, did Expedia do that? I am betting not because you are just a number to them, to me you are a person and I want you to come back and book more trips and tell your friends. Expedia doesn't care about that. I can't tell you how many times customers come back to us complaining because when they got there after booking online they had no reservation.

I am honest with my customers I have not been all over the world and don't know everything but I can tell you where I have been and what I have seen and I am honest about it. I qualify my customers. It just upsets me when I hear complaints like this because it could have been avoided and my customers who have stayed there since December when it first opened LOVED this resort.

I am sorry you had such a bad experience, but its not all the resorts fault. Maybe next time you will speak with a Vacation Expert when booking such an important vacation. Not just the interent, you can't always believe it as we have all come to see.

This is another issue, this is not happening in Cancun/Riviera Maya/Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas.

I am really sick of hearing all of this. The border towns that are close to the US border is where the majority of this is going on and Acapulco.

The media is causing major panic that does not need to happen and people are really missing out on great deals and beautiful vacation.

I have several families that are there this week and I got a few emails from them thanking me and saying what a great time they are having.

The police shaking people down? Granted I have heard of this before but nothing recently and unless you are doing something wrong, they leave you alone. If you are doing something wrong then that is your own fault.

As a fellow travel agent, AMEN. I remember a time a client was heading from DFW to Punta Cana. She called me from San Juan to say that her plane was diverted there because of a tropical storm (can't remember which), and that it was being sent back to Charlotte. I called the airline, had them rebooked first thing the next morning, called the hotel and tour operator to alert them and extend their trip a day, and booked a hotel in Charlotte for them - all before they left San Juan.

Mexico is also one of my best sellers for families.

 

[taitai]

I would actually be afraid to vacation anywhere in Mexico right now. I'm not really interested in a place where if you go outside your resort, local police will pull you over to shake you down. Let alone the kidnappings, murders, the gangs which basically run the country.

The resort is in the Dominican Republic so not sure how your fear of Mexico is relevant. Do you have any idea how big Mexico is? It is like saying I won't go to Disney as there is gang violence in St. Louis.


To the OP, if your brother had done some research, he would know that this resort is notorious for bad service. Also, like an airline, if he did not show up, his reservation was cancelled. Did he call and get it extended? Did Expedia?

I am not surprised they could not find it.

 

[IdesOmarch]

The resort is in the Dominican Republic so not sure how your fear of Mexico is relevant. Do you have any idea how big Mexico is? It is like saying I won't go to Disney as there is gang violence in St. Louis.


To the OP, if your brother had done some research, he would know that this resort is notorious for bad service. Also, like an airline, if he did not show up, his reservation was cancelled. Did he call and get it extended? Did Expedia?

I am not surprised they could not find it.

I realize that, but we temporarily got off topic about Mexico.

And about Mexico, I'm sure its just lovely there, that's why we have millions upon millions of illegals streaming into this country everyday, fleeing for their lives from this "paradise." I know quite a few immigrants, all the ones I've spoken to talk about this MAJOR problem with the police EVERYWHERE in Mexico, which about 90% are crooks that shake everyone down. So please stop with the "oh its just a myth, or its just in a few places, or that's like saying the price of tea in china has nothing to do with the price of tea in Thialand." Whatever.

 

[MsLeFever]

For what it is worth -

The moment that the airport was closed (due to weather) he called and told the resort that they would be arriving late.

Do you all really think that waiting HOURS to check in to a hotel is acceptable?

Jeepers - just trying to share a story and I get jumped on (shoot and some of the "jumpers" didn't even read closely enough to realize that it wasn't my first person story!)