|
and I’m going to echo Canadian64’s size up of the situation. What we had planned through Allegro/Vargas Tours went off without a hitch, great time. Villas Sol on the other hand, not only got a very filled out complaint card, a double barrelled blasting at reception, but a few plates shoved back at the buffet. (Whether in spanish or english, entrails is still entrails, literally!)We’ll get into Sunquest as well, and the poor Skyservice crew. (Did I say that?)Stories to follow. |
|
|
|
You have peaked my interest for sure… will be watching for updates
|
|
|
|
RCI is making their presence very well known on this property, trying to sell time shares, or points, or whatever they do. We got offered a tour of the place, but refused of course, as this was our third time there. But later that day there was a bottle of champagne and a note in our villa explaining why they wanted to give the tour. Very annoying.The buffet food for the first couple days was not to bad. Typical buffet breakfast. As the week progressed everything was getting more geared up to the locals. The two pools were over run. On Sunday, the dinner buffet choices were: from the cook station; beef,ham,tomato,onion,and pepper fried and then a dollup of spaghetti and soya sauce thown in. In the hot tray room: rice and beans, fried plantian, some sort of sweet potato, pork chops in some kind of cream sauce, fish in some kind of sauce, and ENTRAIL stew. Having eaten typical Costa Rican food many times before, this was way below any standard I can imagine.This is how I formed my opinion that this resort will not be North American friendly for much longer. Mostly gearing up to locals with money for time shares. The poor wait staff tries their hardest, but management will not give them anything to work with. It’s really a shame, as we really did like this place.On Monday morning, our luggage and us were at the roadside at 6 AM by villa 57, halfway up the hill. At 6:30 AM we took our luggage on foot to reception, as no truck was to be seen. After filling out the complaint card, we boarded the bus for the Fiesta, Giardini, and the airport. Typical Liberia airport check in, but the plane was late from de-icing in Toronto. Then off to Aruba, where we got off, walked to the opposite end of the airport, went through security again, went to departure, and back onto the same plane, a total waste of time.Now we are an hour behind schedule, but hey, it’s the last leg, right? Yeah right. We got put in a holding pattern between Toronto and Buffalo because our runway needed maintenance from a blown tire. An hour later, after getting landing clearance, tha Captain informed us we were #37 in the landing line up, about another hour in time, but we don’t have enough fuel.So off to Hamilton Airport we go, but it’s closed. I guess they had to get a controller in there for us to land, and then we had to wait for someone to come with the fuel truck before we could take off again to Toronto. Overall, another 2 hours. We left the villa at 6 AM Monday, and unlocked the front door in Stoney Creek 1:30 AM Tuesday. Never again: Villas Sol, Sunquest, or Skyservice. We will travel to Playa Hermosa again, but I will book a regular flight without charter, and get a private hotel on the beach.That being said, Allegro/Vargas Tours are up to their usual standards. The Tanquilimar boat was arranged for us for two full days, and we murdered them, or they murdered us, take your pick. Over 2 days, we caught 3 – 60 lb Roosters (2 on a double header), 2 – 70 lb Roosters, 1 big Jack Crevalle, 6 very good sized Bonito (a triple header this time), a Moby Dick that got away after a 40 minute battle (we’ll be baack!), and 2 Mahi Mahi that ended up on the El Velero BBQ with the company of allegro and his most gracious and ever charming significant other. By the way, thanks for the Lizano salsa, it rates up there with Ricardo’s secret black bean recipe.A trip back to Llano de Cortez, with a lunch in Liberia of coarse was in order. I can’t remember the name of the second story restaurant, but it has some of the best typical food around.The local ATV tour has a new route than I remember, and it’s a good one, quite demanding. We had to stop mid trail and let a 6 foot Diamondback cross. We don’t want to mess with this puppy, he messes back, big time.
Good job guys, keep it up.
|
|
|
|
I am really upset to here this and the remarks in the other thread… I quite enjoyed the Sol when we were there in 2006..But it is great to hear that the service is as great as ever with Allegro/Vargas Tours… of course I never thought that it would not be.We had hoped to be going back to DR this winter but it just did not work out…On the good side I will be spending 2 weeks in cuba the end of March, one week touring orphanages, retirement homes and hospitals with a group I am involved with then a week at a resort…Maybe next year for CR, but does not sound like we will go to the Sol.. |
|
|