Is Luna Blue Now Banned Too ?

[Mark05]

I guess the only comment is I hope both sides can work to repair this friendship

[sn0wman]

I thought this tread was closed ?
Hopefully all works out in the wash. and let friends be friends...

[Mindbender]

A faux pa-pa T, perhaps?

[JudyBluEyes]

Originally Posted by James

Our reaction to this issue also has to do with the history with Luna Blue and what happened after last PeepFest. As many of you may know, Tony and Cheri of Playa's Hotel Luna Blue are no strangers to drama. After PeepFest 2007, T&C posted a thread where they publicly scolded some of their guests for misuse of their premises. Though they may have been right when it comes to the fact of the matter, it was certainly bad form to publicly complain about your guests instead of dealing with the few 'offenders' in private, especially when those guests were people as supportive and loyal as Playa.info Peeps have been. The value of all the good things Peeps have said about Luna Blue here and other forums, can not be measured in money (or perhaps it can). When challenged whether the mere exposure in relation to the PeepFest perhaps outweighed the monetary value of some people taking showers in someone else's room, T&C, and others, stooped to profanity and name calling, as well as finally telling the world that Playa.info wasn't really all that important to them (on OUR forum). After commenting that they wished they'd never posted the thread, we took it out of public view. It still exists though, so if you're interested, here is a copy. The profanity and name calling have been edited, but it was bad. Other people also got out of hand, and all offenders were contacted. While the others apologized for their bad behavior, T&C chose a different route.

I am going to refrain from making any comment on this situation other than to say that this is a total ad hominem attack on Tony & Cheri and has nothing whatsoever to do with the current argument.

[Uno Mas]

I can see both sides here. I did find this thread on the Catamaya though. Perhaps a mediator is in order?
http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...-catamaya.html Not that it makes things any clearer.

[Bluespicker]

I will say I think it's bad form to promote and organize a tour on this site and not book it through playa.info. This is a commercial site and people make their living from this site.

[Anna]

Originally Posted by Minnesota2PDC

I know I am pretty much a NooB here, but I have to say this is pretty childish. I read through the "10 days" thread and I don't see anything in there where Tony and Cheri set anything up or even responded to a post. I see a post by Shammy on 10-23-2007 asking if anyone wanted to do the Catamaya trip, rather than the Fat Cat, because she had done it a few times before. Others concurred because of either frequency or a rougher ride that Catamaya. If Luna Blue set up a trip to respond to people's requests, then I see that as good business. If you don't want people who are tied to local businesses posting here or soliciting their own business, then don't allow them here. I guess I see this as a peep thing and not a Luna Blue thing.

We think this is pretty childish too. Believe me, there's a thousand things I'd rather do than stay up to 2am dealing with this unnecessary drama.

The point here isn't so much the whole catamaran trip, even if that was the start of this particular issue. We know it can be difficult for people to understand how a free forum also can be a business and that it can be a bit difficult to get a grasp of our rules. (which btw are common rules on any forum on the internet). That's why we have an announcement with said rules and that's why you are obliged to agree to them when you sign up. You can come after a fact and say you didn't know about our rules, but you can't then say that just because you weren't aware of them, they shouldn't apply.

In this case, we merely pointed out that this is fact was an event organized, planned and promoted on Playa.info and we were wondering why we weren't being asked if it was ok and what the deal was.

At NO point did we demand a commission, as claimed by the owners of Luna Blue in their hurtful email. Anyone can read this now.

If you don't want people who are tied to local businesses posting here or soliciting their own business, then don't allow them here.

We don't mind people tied to local businesses posting, but you do have to understand it has to be done with respect to OUR business and the fact that they're guests on OUR forum that reaches thousands of people every day. We are VERY clear about not allowing other businesses or private people soliciting business on our forum, so I don't see your point there.

Anyway, the reason we went public with this isn't so much to shine a light at the issue at hand, but rather to address the mass email Tony and Cheri sent out to so many people. It's a manipulating email which is sent out with intent to harm us and we just can't take that lying down. For example, they say in their mail "Next, he stated by the official Terms of Use of the forum, any event discussed on playa.info MUST be exclusively booked and arranged by playa.info. Finally, he told us that he wanted us to turn the reservation over to him and that he should receive the commission for the booking that we arranged." which is just a blatant lie, as you can see from our conversation with them that we have now made public. There are other lies in the email too, and that is why we had to react this way. I don't know why they would bother to lie about something like that when they must have known we have the conversation in writing, but I guess they never thought we would act on this.

In regards to JudyBlueEyes' comment: past performance is, in this case, relevant, and does have something to do with the current argument. And, again, I want to point out that this is NOT about a commission or a booking, at least not anymore. This is about someone broadcasting lies in mass emails and the fact that we need to address that.

Thing is, that after their last drama, which a LOT of people got involved in due their public thread and their emails to many people, we debated in length on how to proceed - should we explain our point of view, should we try to mend broken relationships etc. I can't tell you how many letters I wrote to them in my head explaining how they were just so off track, but in the end I advocated letting it go and just move on. Being the bigger person. Besides, they told us with much drama that they would not post on Playa.info anymore, so I figured it would just blow over. But now that they're out there sending out emails with lies about us, I just can't stay quiet. I hate confrontation, but if I'm painted into a corner like this, I say 'Bring it on'.

I would sooo much like to put this behind us now. We hope that this will not affect the catamaran event planned for the PeepFest and we hope you all will have a great time! We know some people will feel badly because this happened, but it's a thing between two businesses, and should have been kept that way. It should never have been brought to this public level and it wouldn't have been if we had had a chance to decide that. It's nobody's concern but ours. We are not asking anyone to take sides or cancel any plans they have for their Playa vacation.

[ReadyTRock]

After reading through all this gobldy-gook of emails and postings, I must say "James is right". And that's all I have to say about that.

[james]

Originally Posted by Uno Mas

I can see both sides here. I did find this thread on the Catamaya though. Perhaps a mediator is in order?
http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...-catamaya.html Not that it makes things any clearer.

it isn't about recognizing the existence of that tour offering, and this drama isn't about the commission.

Anyone can read what I wrote to the owners of Luna Blue, completely and unedited, and now everyone can read the email they sent out in response. A damaging email with some very obvious untruths.

The discussion we had with them just happened to be about how our site policy was ignored, in our opinion, and we probed for answers. Compare what we wrote with what was broadcast in that email. It doesn't really matter if you agree that we are entitled to request that our rules be followed. It is about spiteful, damaging and untruthful lashing out by the owners of Luna Blue Hotel against us, done, I guess, because we chose to enable their desires of not participating here anymore after the first big drama.

That's the point.


Anybody that's been around here long enough or has participated in a Peep Event knows the truth about us. We don't like having lies broadcast like that. Who would?

[ReadyTRock]

Originally Posted by ReadyTRock

After reading through all this gobldy-gook of emails and postings, I must say "James is right". And that's all I have to say about that.

Ooops...and Anna is right, too.

[Uno Mas]

Anna's post made that clearer. I now see what the bigger issue is and if the intent was to truly mask the truth, then that was wrong.

Edit: I agree with everything Riss says below, except split the comission. I think it's beyond that now.

Originally Posted by james

it isn't about recognizing the existence of that tour offering, and this drama isn't about the commission.

Anyone can read what I wrote to the owners of Luna Blue, completely and unedited, and now everyone can read the email they sent out in response. A damaging email with some very obvious untruths.

The discussion we had with them just happened to be about how our site policy was ignored, in our opinion, and we probed for answers. Compare what we wrote with what was broadcast in that email. It doesn't really matter if you agree that we are entitled to request that our rules be followed. It is about spiteful, damaging and untruthful lashing out by the owners of Luna Blue Hotel against us, done, I guess, because we chose to enable their desires of not participating here anymore after the first big drama.

That's the point.


Anybody that's been around here long enough or has participated in a Peep Event knows the truth about us. We don't like having lies broadcast like that. Who would?

[Rissask]

After reading everything pertaining, I have a few thoughts. Not that what I think matters but I am nominated for 'most opinonated' again.

Sure, this is airing dirty laundry in some regards- but I certainly understand James' desire to publicy set things straight.

And it seems he wasn't the first one to address it in a defensive manner in public so....I respect that it seemed unavoidable on his part; I would feel the same. It seemed like the latest was just the straw that broke the camels back; it seems like James has been more patient than I would have been, frankly, based on the rules he has for this forum.

T&C are very popular around here with some forum members, and that's great, but they are equally, ummm...unpopular for some reasons as well. 'Nuff said about that.
The exposure and publicity they got from this site has been good for their business; the whole 'hosting peep meets' aspect of it was entirely their choice and doing.

This is James and Anna's site, bottom line. It is their livelihood and they have a right to make whatever rules they want and expect people to abide by them. They can also adminster their rules as they see fit- we don't have to like it or approve. It's not our website. I am certainly not going to complain about my hosts, I like it here a lot!

The best thing I see being done? Split the commission. NOT because it's about the money- but as a good faith gesture. Put it in one of the PlayaInfo associated charities or something. That would be the mature thing for Tony and Cherie to do IMO, since both side made at least some good points.

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Rissask

Sure, this is airing dirty laundry in some regards- but I certainly understand James' desire to publicy set things straight.

brown noser.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by Ginger

brown noser.

I don't know either of them personally, so I prefer 'unbiased'.

But look at the history. if you read over past posts...who does the drama go with...mostly?

[mofi]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I don't know either of them personally, so I prefer 'unbiased'.

But look at the history. if you read over past posts...who does the drama go with...mostly?

And it's not just this forum...the tone of the email, is the same tone i've read in TA responses to unsatisfied clients. I really don't get it, it just doesn't make sense from a good business stand point.