You boys like Mexico?
So I’m back from Riviera Maya [relatively] unscathed. I’ll get some shots up in the gallery soon, but take my word for it, the place was frickin’ beautiful! Whoever designed the layout and grounds of this place is a true artisan. That said, it’s a shame it seems to be run by a bunch of fucking morons!
Just one example of many: American cell phones don’t work there, and they love it. So what do they do? They sell phone cards — great. 22 minute phone cards, that’s it. So when you need to call American Airlines to switch your flight, you’ll barely be able to navigate their menus and make it to eternal hold before you get cut off. Well, you could always use your room phone, right? Oh, that’s $5/minute. Yes, that’s right! So an hour on the phone with the airline would cost more than the flight itself.
If they were going for that tourist trap feel, they really nailed it. When someone drops a small fortune for a high-end, all-inclusive package, why nickel and dime them on the silly little extras? Why does that bottle of spring water in your room cost $15 on a cruise ship? Why would Caesar’s Palace bother going through the hassle of charging guests $12/day for internet (and of course, sans wifi)? It just doesn’t make any damn sense to me — why is it I find the experience at the lower Holiday Inn end of the spectrum much more satisfying? Even the $22/night hostel in Waikiki left me with a better impression than the expensive Outrigger Hotel where my friends stayed and I couldn’t get a room.
Why waste so much effort pinching your clientèle on the incidentals?