Stinky situation at BelMar Resort, Bonaire (Hotels in Bonaire)

Member Name: jtoles

Product:	Hotels in Bonaire
Date:	27/07/01 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: shore diving

Disadvantages: poor management

We checked in on a Saturday afternoon. The manager, Wilma, showed us to our room and pointed out extensive water damage. She explained that a leak had caused damage to both the kitchen and bedroom cabinets and walls. Further, she told us that we would be doing them a big favor if we agreed to change rooms on the following Monday, so they could repair the room. Wilma pointed out that the resort was full until Monday. So, we couldn't have a different room until then. Because she assured us that the problem had been corrected, we agreed to stay and switch rooms on Monday.

We started noticing a strange smell right away, but we opened the windows and doors to air the room out. On Sunday, the smell of sewer gas was unbearable. When we returned from diving, late that afternoon, we could not stomach being in our room any longer. Around 5 pm we complained to the managers, Wilma and Jan. They told us that their plumber had been trying to fix it only the day before we arrived.

They made no offer to help us in this situation, other than to assure us that we would be moved to another room the next day. We had a discussion with them about whether they should have ever checked us into Room 17, knowing its condition and plumbing problems. We asked why they hadn't helped us to find a room at another hotel prior to our checking in? They were enraged that we would even suggest they shouldn't have put us in that room.

We were given little choice but to agree to be moved to another room the next day. Almost a whole day later, late the next afternoon, we were given the keys to another room. There was absolutely no offer to help us. We even had to move all of our gear ourselves.

Until our check out, there was no further contact with the management of Bel Mar. At that time, we returned the keys and headed to the airport.

Our vacation was booked and recommended by SQUBA Holidays in Ontario (http://www.scubaholidays.com/). They purchas
ed the package from ICON Marketing in Florida (iconmarketing@prodigy.net).

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