my husband and I arrived at the Barcelo Hotel in Puerto Plata on June 12, 2011, my birthday. Flight was good
Room Number:
103
Room Block:
14
Arrival:
My husband and I arrived at the Barcelo Hotel in Puerto Plata on June 12, 2011, my birthday. Flight was good. Service at Reception was disgusting. The front desk was very busy. The gentleman working the desk went to the backroom to get help. A gal came out and said, "Are you being helped?" I answered no and she walked away. I got the attention of the gentleman and he apologized and went to the "back room" again and came out with another young lady and she asked if we were being helped, I said no and she walked away to help some of her countrymen. I said, "Excuse me Miss, you were waiting on us." Her reply was, they were here first. We had been standing there for over a half hour and the guys had just walked up as she came out of the backroom. I raised my voice (something I don’t usually do) and we were finally taken care of. We were asked to pay $15.00 for a safe key. Have traveled the world and never been charged to use the safe. We were sent off to our room with no "orientation" as to the amenties of the resort.
Rooms:
We were put into Room 103, Bldg 14. The room was large but in need of a face lift. TV very old. Minibar had only one bottle of water and one Coca Cola. very quickly things went downhill. On night one, we woke up sweltering-the AC had pooped out. We called and it was fixed, pretty promptly, by Maintenance. It died on the last day we were there, but by this time I was near hysterical so it didn’t matter. Then, one fine day, the toilet overflowed like a tsunami-quickly called front desk and twenty minutes later the flood continued with no response. Called again, another 20 minutes passed with no assistance so my husband ran out into the courtyard and was able to find someone who helped-but not until the room was flooded with contaminated water from who knows where. Rooms were made up each day-after awhile enough towels and washcloths were left. I was bitten adt 100 times by (I hope) mosquitoes and had to buy Benadryl to stop the itching.
Restaurants and Bars: Did not use the restaurants, only the buffet and the Grille on the beach. The buffet was either too salty or the food had no taste at all. Some of it was unrecognizable. Many of the meat offerrings could not be swallowed as you couldn’t chew them up enough to get them down. One thing tho-the Staff were super and very attentive. The Grille had the same food everyday-dried out hot dogs and hamburgers. And a lovely board who flew around from table to table crapping whenever he felt the urge. Staff at the grill were very nice in spite of all this. We found it safe to eat the same thing everyday: scarambled eggs and a roll and juice for breakfast, beans and dried out white rice for lunch and cold cuts and salad for dinner. I was amazed at how tasteless the fruit was? My husband and I do not drink as a general rule but once in awhile I like to have a pina colada. it was terrible-not made with crushed ice-just coconut mix poured over ice cubes. Yuck!!
The free drinks made for some dangerous situations. While we were there there was a domestic violence episode fueled by fire water. Drunken people and pools are also not a good combination.
Beach/Pools/Grounds: The grounds are absolutely beautiful, lush, verdant and simply beautiful. The upkeep was always in progress. The pools were great-water always nice and warm.
Beach was also very nice but the Vendors were a pain. You feel very sorry for them, but they can become a nuisance.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Were not able to participate in any activities; see other Comments
Other Comments: On June 14th, I miss stepped leaving the Reception area and fell down the stairs and injured my left foot. Being a Nurse of 38 yrs, I knew that it probably was broken. Security were very good and very kind with getting me to the Hotel MD. I was then sent to Gregorio Hernadez Clinic Puerto Plata proper. They were waiting for me on my arrival via ambulance and I was whisked through the ER and Xray. Diagnosis: fractured left foot. I was medicated, given antithrombosis injection (for the flight home) and a half cast was applied. I was really impressed with the service. I wasn’t impressed when I returned to the hotel. No one seemed the least bit concerned that I had fallen and sustained a medium serious injury on their property. Nor did they know if they were laible (they weren’t, I tripped). My husband asked about bringing me food from the buffet. He was told food could not be removed from the area. Hmm, now what was I supposed to eat for the next four days? Finally after a lot of screaming and yelling my husband was granted permission to "feed me" with the proviso that he eat his meal in the dining area!!! No one ever called to ask how I was or if I needed anything. The only staff who were very attentive were security and housekeeping. We could not get out of there fast enough. The Barcelo chain should not be represented by this property. Also, their practice of letting the locals in to pay reduced rates while the guests pay full price is ridiculous.
Horrible, horrible-that front desk needs a course in Customer Satisfaction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!