Royal Hideaway Review on TA?

[actran]

There was a review of the Royal Hideaway on TripAdvisor - just posted today- and it had some incredible/troubling allegations.
One was that the reviewers drink from the bar was spiked with some kind drug and the hospital in Cancun was unable to run a tox screen because the lab was closed and the woman was seizingand quit breathing and the doctor wouldn't treat her until her husband gave him $100 (which he had to get from a stranger). Those of you that live down in Mexico - would you care to comment on the credibility of these claims?

[Karen in NYC]

I went to Tripadvisor.com and read the report. It sounds a bit strange......She never did say what the result of the tox screen was.
I find it incredible that someone working at the hotel would have done that, or that anyone would have done it.

The report on RH is a bit suspect, because so many RH reports are so good,and this one is ALL negative.

I am not saying this didnt happen (I might have expected that at a Bar in PDC or Cancun), but take the report "with a grain of salt".

I am truly sorry if this happened to her.

Part of the moral of the story: Dont EVER Leave your drink alone at the bar, even if you know who's sitting next to you. Either take your drink with you, or get a new one when you get back.

[babs31]

[

Part of the moral of the story: Dont EVER Leave your drink alone at the bar, even if you know who's sitting next to you. Either take your drink with you, or get a new one when you get back.[/quote]

absolutely!

[actran]

She makes it sound like it came from the bar with something in it. The beach bar does not have a place to sit with your drink on a counter. You either go up and order it (in which case you would see something unusual being put in) or a waiter gets your order and brings it to you. I cannot imagine a waiter putting soemthing in someone's drink.
I have been to the RH, twice, and I am having a really hard time believing this.
And I have to comment, when I went in May 2004 it was AMAZING, when I went back this last May, there was a noticeable decline, but it was just slightly less amazing, it was still pretty much better than anywhere else I have been.
I have noticed more negative reviews on TA for RH in recent months. I wonder if there IS a decline or if it has been built up so much it's hard to meet people's expectations?

[Mermaidgirl]

ACTRAN - What was the decline (even slightly)? I am going to Royal Hideaway for the first time in January and I'd love to hear what you have to say. I heard rave reviews from people who went there when it first opened. . . what was the difference you saw from year 1 to year 2?

Angela

[actran]

Originally Posted by Mermaidgirl

ACTRAN - What was the decline (even slightly)? I am going to Royal Hideaway for the first time in January and I'd love to hear what you have to say. I heard rave reviews from people who went there when it first opened. . . what was the difference you saw from year 1 to year 2?

Angela

Angela-
The first year we were there the service was amazing, consistently. An example is when I would order a cup of tea someone would be by within minutes to pick up the "trash" (tea bag, sugar packet). They never left anything on the table that looked messy. They still did this at Ventana's, but not at the other restaurants. A year ago one night they left a swan/heart towel sculpture on our bed and a banner wishing us happy anniversary and they mentioned our anniversary in their daily bulletin, this year it was never acknowledged in any way, and we didn't get turn down service one night (we left our room a little before 8 pm and were back by 9 - so that may have been why) and the other nights it was very basic. We ordered a continental breakfast and they didn't send any breads, we had to call and ask (they had forgotten them apparently because they sounded amazed nothing had come with the original tray). One day on the beach someone came by about every 30 min to ask about drink orders, but the other 2 days the drink service was almost nonexistant. Last year when we would order wine at dinner they woould bring a whole bottle, this year they would just pour it by the glass.

It was all "little things", but it was all those little things that blew us away with how good it was the first time. My husband thought they seemed to be training a lot of new people, and I felt like the waiters seemed much busier than last year, like they didn't have as much staff.

It is still an incredible place, and it could be the first time was exceptionally a good time for them.

We got bumped to another hotel the first half of our week because they were overbooked and they gave us a free week to use in the next 2 years, so we'll be going back for sure.

I'd still love to hear from any locals any comments about that ladies experieince I originally wrote about.

And have a great trip Angela.

[nfahey]

I love the RH and I find it hard to believe this report (which I saw for the first time last night). My husband and I own with Occidental and we have never had an issue at any of their resorts.

My hubby and I are returning for a second visit to RH in October and we are bringing another couple with us (we traded our week in Aruba since they are closed for a major remodel). I am hoping that I am not disappointed by the decline in service everyone is talking about, especially since it is such an expense to stay there.

I'll have to post a report when we return.

[BigNDfan]

Originally Posted by actran

There was a review of the Royal Hideaway on TripAdvisor - just posted today- and it had some incredible/troubling allegations.
One was that the reviewers drink from the bar was spiked with some kind drug and the hospital in Cancun was unable to run a tox screen because the lab was closed and the woman was seizingand quit breathing and the doctor wouldn't treat her until her husband gave him $100 (which he had to get from a stranger). Those of you that live down in Mexico - would you care to comment on the credibility of these claims?

The claims seem ridiculous. I just got back from the Royal Hideaway on Aug. 8th. I can't see any of the waiters putting anything in your drink. I guess anything is possible in this day and age. I just can't see anyone doing it.

Also in the report, they say you can't drink the water from the beach bar because even though "they say it's filtered, it's not". I drank the water from the bar every single day of my honeymoon, so did my wife, we never got sick once. The water is perfectly fine at the Royal Hideaway. We never used bottled water once.

Sometimes I wonder if other hotels don't have employees post on Trip Advisor to attempt to lower resort ratings.

[babs31]

when I read the review I didnt have a picture of the staff doing this but a stranger kind of thing was what I thought..( but who knows)

and I agree the person writing may or may not be legitate.

In any case it is no different than being in the states... as I tell my daughter...be safe, make smart choices....

[Heather]

The review really sounds like a lot of crap to me. Lots of people get sick on vacation, most of the time because they eat/drink differently from the way they do at home. She offers no concrete evidence that RH is responsible in anyway.

My "favorite" part of the whole thing was this lovely quote: "The beach is ok. Water is beautful! But ... it is a public beach, so you get locals. "

God forbid, not locals!! Not actual Mexicans in Mexico daring to be doing anything but waiting on you hand and foot!! Egads!

**edit**just read over some of the other reviews on TA. Some people are such high maintenance, full of crap whiners it makes my stomach hurt. If that's the way they are on vacation, can't imagine what they are like in "normal" life. Sheesh.**end edit**

[btodd]

Heather, I couldn't agree with you more!!! Different people, different culture, different ways of life all make the world go around. Are things the same as home??? Maybe, maybe not but that is what the beauty of travel is all about........If you don't want to experience change........STAY HOME!!!

[BigNDfan]

Originally Posted by Heather

The review really sounds like a lot of crap to me. Lots of people get sick on vacation, most of the time because they eat/drink differently from the way they do at home. She offers no concrete evidence that RH is responsible in anyway.

My "favorite" part of the whole thing was this lovely quote: "The beach is ok. Water is beautful! But ... it is a public beach, so you get locals. "

God forbid, not locals!! Not actual Mexicans in Mexico daring to be doing anything but waiting on you hand and foot!! Egads!

**edit**just read over some of the other reviews on TA. Some people are such high maintenance, full of crap whiners it makes my stomach hurt. If that's the way they are on vacation, can't imagine what they are like in "normal" life. Sheesh.**end edit**

Heather,
I read some recent reviews as well. Everything that people complain about are very petty. Maybe it's because I don't come from a very rich family, but it seems like these people demand the world.

[playabum17]

What a bunch of whiners. The locals are 1/2 the reason I like to go. My guy is Mexican, most of my friends that I visit are Mexican....maybe because they are in Mexico? If they don't want to have to deal with 'locals' don't go to Mexico. I hear Antartica is nice this time of year.

[actran]

Originally Posted by Heather

The review really sounds like a lot of crap to me. Lots of people get sick on vacation, most of the time because they eat/drink differently from the way they do at home. She offers no concrete evidence that RH is responsible in anyway.

My "favorite" part of the whole thing was this lovely quote: "The beach is ok. Water is beautful! But ... it is a public beach, so you get locals. "

God forbid, not locals!! Not actual Mexicans in Mexico daring to be doing anything but waiting on you hand and foot!! Egads!

**edit**just read over some of the other reviews on TA. Some people are such high maintenance, full of crap whiners it makes my stomach hurt. If that's the way they are on vacation, can't imagine what they are like in "normal" life. Sheesh.**end edit**

Heather,
I think my "favorite" two complaints, oops, I mean "comments", were the lady who complained about most of the TV being in Spanish (can you imagine?) and then there was the lady who said about the shopping on 5th Ave. being okay, "if you're in to Mexican stuff" - now why on earth would they have a bunch of Mexican stuff in Mexico? They should have a bunch of stuff from China liike we do in the US.

As far as getting sick, it's as if nobody ever gets sick on vacation anywhere else, so it must be the water or poor food handling (like that could never happpen in the US). My first trip to Mexico I had some stomache upset (very mild) and I attributed it to the ENORMOUS amount of alcohol and rich food I was consuming. The second trip I had a little more intense tummy trouble. But, you know what, I got horribly ill on a trip to New Mexico, and at home and moderately ill several times at home in the months before I went to Mexico. So, I'm bettin' I just had something going on that had absolutely nothing to do with Mexico.

Certainly, if you go on vacation, most pepple want to be removed to some extent from "the real world", but I guess I think if you go to a foreign country if you can't appreciate the culture of that country, including "locals", WHY GO TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY? (Gee, do ya think this is where the reputation of the ugly American originated from?)

Okay, I've ranted enough.

Do you think her hospital experience was totally fabricated?

[playabum17]

Originally Posted by actran

Heather,
I think my "favorite" two complaints, oops, I mean "comments", were the lady who complained about most of the TV being in Spanish (can you imagine?) and then there was the lady who said about the shopping on 5th Ave. being okay, "if you're in to Mexican stuff" - now why on earth would they have a bunch of Mexican stuff in Mexico? They should have a bunch of stuff from China liike we do in the US.

As far as getting sick, it's as if nobody ever gets sick on vacation anywhere else, so it must be the water or poor food handling (like that could never happpen in the US). My first trip to Mexico I had some stomache upset (very mild) and I attributed it to the ENORMOUS amount of alcohol and rich food I was consuming. The second trip I had a little more intense tummy trouble. But, you know what, I got horribly ill on a trip to New Mexico, and at home and moderately ill several times at home in the months before I went to Mexico. So, I'm bettin' I just had something going on that had absolutely nothing to do with Mexico.

Certainly, if you go on vacation, most pepple want to be removed to some extent from "the real world", but I guess I think if you go to a foreign country if you can't appreciate the culture of that country, including "locals", WHY GO TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY? (Gee, do ya think this is where the reputation of the ugly American originated from?)

Okay, I've ranted enough.

Do you think her hospital experience was totally fabricated?

Does a bear sh*t in the woods?