You know how it is…your first visit to a place (resort, restaurant, spa) is so incredible that you brag about it to your family and friends and can’t wait to go back. That’s the way it was for us after our first visit to Le Blanc. Unfortunately, our return trip left a little to be desired. I realize some of these issues are petty, but when you’re spending this much money on vacation, things should be perfect. It began when we needed to extend our stay and our original reservation could not be modified so we were given an additional reservation. In fairness, they were linked together and we did not have to move rooms, though we did have to sign the second reservation on its beginning date and our keys were not changed and did not work that afternoon. When our flight to Cancun was cancelled and we would arrive a day late, I called the 800 number on the Le Blanc website, only to be shuffled around to 4 different people. All of them assured me everything was fine and not to worry. Le Blanc was not notified of our issue and check-in took longer than it should have because we had been placed in the “no show” pile. We arrived after 3:00 pm, were told our room was not ready and were given a pager, which never rang. After meeting with the staff to discuss credits, etc., (another one of my pet peeves, could we at least change clothes and breathe first) we went back to the front desk and were given our room keys. The reservation issues really need to be taken care of.
The room was amazing and our view was fabulous. Francisco and Efrain were the best butlers always making sure we had everything we needed. They were always available to make reservations for dinner, golf, transportation, etc. Francisco even put up with my bad Spanish!
Javier at the Third Floor Terrace worked so hard for us. I felt bad that he was the only one there during most of our stay. His habanero “special sauce” made our breakfasts! One morning there was a film crew who needed his assistance to “serve” a bottle of champagne. Why there wasn’t another employee to help, well, I can’t say. The restaurants were better than we remembered and the service was great. It was nice to see Gerardo still there as the sommelier.
The spa, as always, was fantastic. As the resort was less crowded during our last stay, I did not realize the relaxation area was co-ed. Found that out the hard way when I was sitting in a chair, naked under a robe. Didn’t make that mistake twice! One day there were many people in the spa, due to windy/rainy weather, and the relaxation area was really loud. I don’t mind people whispering, but having a full conversation across the room is unacceptable. On another day I actually had to ask 2 men to quiet down. Staff should be taking care of this, there are enough of them walking through the area. This is not my idea of relaxing before a service. Also, cameras (cell phones, smart phones, tablets) should ABSOLUTELY be prohibited in this area. Before one service, a young man sitting across from me took a photo in my direction. Can’t say it was of me, but come on…we’re all in that room with very little on. If you NEED a photo that badly, ask a staff member, or take it where no one is sitting.
Pool service seemed off this time. One day we waited over an hour for an ice bucket and were never asked if we wanted a drink, even though there was a server in the area…she didn’t stop to see if we needed anything. There were a few who worked really hard, they were off that day.
The evening entertainment is always first rate and so much fun. Le Blanc is the best because there’s something different every night.
When did smoking become permitted at Le Blanc? This totally shocked me, especially when a man lit a cigar near me. If smoking is to be allowed, could you at least prohibit cigars? And make dedicated non-smoking areas for those of us who are allergic and have asthma.
Overall, we had a nice vacation. Would I spend that much money to go back? I’m not sure.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
December 10, 2012
Thank you very much for sharing your review, which contributes greatly to our improvement. Please allow me to offer you my sincere apologize for the inconveniences you faced during your stay with us. I will definitely pass your comments to our staff, so they can make improvements in their services. Your feedback is very valuable for us as it is our most reliable source to locate areas we have to work at, in order to meet our guests expectations. Let me assure you that all the points you have mentioned in your review are taken into consideration and will be used to bring our services to the level where we can exceed every expectation of our highly appreciated guests. We are looking forward to your future vacations at Le Blanc!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.