Re: Sol Cayo Santa Maria Preferred Treatment of VentaClub Gr

[raybo]

We have just returned from the Sol Santa Maria. (7th trip to Cuba)
 Before you read any further, let me point out that this complaint is aimed at preferential treatment of any group or tour operation and poor management, not an attack on  any particular nationality.
 The first thing that we heard as we waited to check in was an englishman complaining at the desk that he was "fed up of being treated as a second class customer by the barstaff"
 We just thought "OK another whiner" and did not think anything of it.  However we discovered that his complaints were valid and common.  My own experiences with this kind of thing would fill a page or two, so I will not list them all.
 I will say thay when you have ordered a drink and the barman has the glasses in his hand, you do not expect him to tell you that you will have to wait, put your glasses back in the fridge and then start to pour drinks for someone who has not yet walked all the way up to the bar.
 A complaint about this incident lead to a bottle of rum being sent to our room from Guest Relations but NO apology.
 We soon found out that just about every non Italian guest we talked to (Canadian, English, Scotish and Serbs,) had witnessed preferential treatment of the Italians at almost every bar and restaurant, the only exception was that we heard not complaints about the main beach bar.
 The excuse given to us by one of the bartenders was that the staff were intimidated by the Italians who have their own Miniclub (VentaClub) on site.
 I am sorry but this did not ring true as we had just driven up from Playa Costa Verde where there is also an Italian Miniclub (also VentaClub) at the resort and where we did not find any sign of preferential treatment for any group.
 VentaClub also seemed to be allowed to take over one of the snack bars, the one to the east of the reasort, as a club house and the whole east end of the beach was constantly throbbling with the VentaClub games over a VERY loud P.A system.
 Since we arrived back in Canada we have received an e-mail from the hotel chains quality manager saying that they will look into the comments that we wrote on the hotel's quality questionnaire.
 They claim that they have taken steps to see that such "incidents" will not happen again.
 If anyone is going there soon please let me know about your experiences.
 It's a nice looking resort with a gorgeous beach and its would be a shame if it is to be spoilt by this sort of thing.

[flopnfly]

Hey Raybo, thanks for sharing that with us.  It's not the first time that I've heard about this.  In fact I've been turned off a few resorts because of reviews that state the same thing that you just said.
 
 It's too bad that it happens, but I suppose the resort management really don't care.  That's the impression I'm getting from all the comments.