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Original poster

Help! My paid for holiday has awful reviews what do I do??

40 replies

Inbedbynine · 14/05/2019 09:12

Booked all inclusive in July after a lot of research. Some bad reviews some fine, like anywhere. It’s due a revamp this month so we thought great! However yesterday was in the daily mail (yes I know!!) people complaining of undercooked meat, huge queues waiting for food, supposedly rats etc.... what do I do? It’s been paid in full!! In 2 months it will be full season... do I wing it and hope it will be ok? I can’t afford to lose the money and pay for another one Sad

OP posts:
BarberellaWife · 14/05/2019 10:30

I wouldn't stay there personally. I would phone First Choice and see if I could transfer my booking to a different hotel.
Maybe look at their website and see if there are any available for your dates and check them out so at least you can suggest alternatives if they let you.

ISpeakJive · 14/05/2019 10:47

Many people only go to the trouble of posting a bad review as opposed to a good one. If you’ve read 30 bad reviews, chances are there are 300 good ones.

Don’t worry and enjoy.

StCharlotte · 14/05/2019 10:55

I panicked once after reading a very negative tripadvisor review of a place we'd booked. It was probably one of the most amazing places I've ever stayed in and I've stayed in a LOT. To this day, I can't work out what the reviewer was on about.

Also, I went on an excursion which had warnings that it was not suitable if you had any mobility issues. Another couple - both of whom had mobility issues - went on the same excursion and moaned about it the whole time and said they would be reviewing it on Tripadvisor. I told them if they did, I would go straight on after them and poo-poo them because it was a very lovely trip and all the things they were complaining about were the very things that most people went on the trip for (and which were lovely.).

So if I were you OP, I wouldn't worry too much, although if the restaurant is very busy, you might have to find workaround for your child. Perhaps you could speak to the people on the door of the restaurant and explain your situation - ask what the quietest time usually is or, if perhaps they could arrange for your to skip the line.

I hope you have a lovely time Smile.

SauvingnonBlanketyBlanc · 14/05/2019 10:56

OP I've been to marina parc it was great. dont listen to the reviews

SauvingnonBlanketyBlanc · 14/05/2019 10:58

Pressed to soon! The food was decent they have a microwave which I presume is for bottles etc but I used it the odd time my food wasn't as hot as odd have liked.The water park is fab and the beach (10 mins walk away) is beautiful

StarlightLady · 14/05/2019 11:32

I would suggest you write/email First Choice, tell them of your concerns and include a link to the Mail article. Make it clear you expect a full response.

Hopefully, all will be well, but if not, you will have something robust to mount any complaint on when you return.

I hope you enjoy your holiday and it’s all a lot of nonsence (the reviews, not the holiday!).

If it is awful, do you have the budget, to take a hit and book something else, at least for part of it, while you are there?

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 14/05/2019 11:34

Thanks everyone. My mum is still not concerned, she travels a lot around Spain and she isn’t worried about the reviews so she’s not concerned about finding anything else! I will email first choice for sure. I am hoping it will be fine. Worse case we can eat out in the evenings if push comes to shove....... I will take some snack foods in my suitcase just in case. Grin

OP posts:
AnchorDownDeepBreath · 14/05/2019 11:42

I wouldn't worry about food queues out of season. They won't be making as much food and people will be rocking up at all times and fighting over the really popular thing that is almost gone.

Deadringer · 14/05/2019 11:45

If I was put off by bad reviews I would never go anywhere! The most recent was a very luxurious house that was described by many as basic, presumably the reviewers are members of the Royal family.

NannyRed · 14/05/2019 11:57

A holiday to s what you make it!

NannyRed · 14/05/2019 11:57

A holiday is what you make it!

FlyingMonkeys · 14/05/2019 12:20

Some people do seem to spend their entire holiday wandering around the hotel looking for dirty marks on tables and cracks in tiles to demonstrate what a shit time they're having. Always seems bizarre to me but I guess it's what they enjoy 😂

runoutofnamechanges · 14/05/2019 13:09

Actually, I wouldn't be happy to stay there looking at the number of "sad face" stories in the papers about the place over the past couple of years. Smoke and fire alarms not working during a forest fire; staff untrained in what to do in the event of a fire; repeatedly serving almost raw meat; a poorly handled outbreak of a sickness bug... It seems more a case of ongoing lack of regard for health and safety than CFs looking for problems in the hope of some compensation and their picture in the paper.

RogueV · 14/05/2019 15:34

Yikes I’ve just seen some of the pics online of the uncooked chicken Shock

To those suggesting op should eat out - why would you when you’ve paid for all inclusive?!

donna365 · 25/07/2019 22:52

Hi @Inbedbynine
I am booked to go to this hotel in October and am also worried slightly by some of the negative reviews. Can you let me know how your holiday was? Was hotel ok?

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