Astonished

[EinWI]

I have been visiting a few sites (which will remain nameless)reading reviews about CSA as we are aoing back for round two and I have to say I am astonished at what I am reading. People stating rooms are run down one woman requested her lamp shades be replaced (I just had to laugh at that one). Are people just too damn picky and looking for something like the Ritz or is this really a problem? Just curious.

[WandA]

It's " really a problem " FOR THEM in their little world,
but certainly not for us....

We just returned from another visit to CSA and to be perfectly honest with you, the ONLY thing I could even comment negatively on was some of the loud drunken guests at meals and in the Jacuzzi, as well as some guests who were rude and disrepectful to Staff ( at the Front Desk and in the Spa- yikes !! where do you come from ??? )...

But none of this is the fault of the Resort at all. It's a beautiful Jamaican resort in every aspect.

[wileeandrr]

no problem mon

[jon1963]

The other Major couples only resorts in Jamaica have in the past posted bad reviews about Couples Resorts on sites to increase their ratings. At one of the resorts the management staffs bonuses are linked to the ratings. This has been going on for years, not right, but they do keep doing it. Couples tries to get them removed if they are all linked to the same IP address or will reply to them if they can. If you noticed, most bad reviewers it is their the first and only review or they give lots of bad reviews. Some of the reviews even tell you what resort is better, but have never gave a review on the other place.

Some people want to pay a average price, but expect the red flag service of the Ritz. Couples resorts has great service, but it is not on the level of having your own personal attendant to do everything for you. Couples is also not charging it guests for personal attendant level of service.

Couples resorts are not run down and you have no worries. Come and enjoy.

[mstravelbug]

I read that review also and the lamp shade thing was ridiculous. HOWEVER the review about the money stolen from the room safe was disturbing to me. Who wants to have to worry about having their things stolen while trying to enjoy there vacation. I really hope this is an isolated case and this type of thing doesn't happen at CSA.

[Chris]

My opinion.... (emphasis on "my")... is that many or most of these folks have an ax to grind. I really think that it goes beyond expectations. These folks are upset about something, either out of ignorance or simply to be a pain in the butt. Picky? Perhaps.

I've met folks like this, who think their dollars are worth so very much more than anyone else's. They tend to be boorish and I know I prefer not to be around them.

Oh, and one of those website you're probably talking about... I don't go there. It tends to attract people I describe above. Again... "my".

[Mark Lehman]

People are just too picky!!!! Lampshades? really? Your in flippin paradise!

[RDYJMJM]

EinWI

I would be willing to bet that you are reading reviews off Trip Advisor.

It has been a LONG known fact that Trip Advisor post many reviews that are to say the least questionable and are rather biased.

Couples Resorts has IMHO taken a positive approach when it comes to upgrades and improvements to their resorts. CTI recently was closed for some major renovations and some big $$$cash spent. CSA has since 2006 expanded and added to it's resources of rooms, bars, swimup bar and more. CN has undertaken building upgrades and has done so in a manner as to not to disrupt the other guests.

I think what you are reading....

people just too damn picky and looking for something like the Ritz

Even the Ritz needs to get upgrades now and then.

If they don't like it they don't have to return. Just gives us Coupleholics more room to invite those who will love Couples.

[EinWI]

Yes I was reading trip advisor! I have been to couples and wel LOVE LOVE LOVE IT we are going back to CSA again in April I just think it's ridiculous what some people are posting about money being stolen out of a safe (which is next to impossible since the only ones with the codes are you and your partner) to dirty lampshades. I stated the Ritz comment, it's just crazy. I haven't been to CSA in 2.5 years but I find it hard to believe it would go down the tubes since then. Thanks for the responses all, only 98 days till be are back "home"!

[acranger]

HOWEVER the review about the money stolen from the room safe was disturbing to me. Who wants to have to worry about having their things stolen while trying to enjoy there vacation. I really hope this is an isolated case and this type of thing doesn't happen at CSA.

....Had no worries about any thing being stolen. The safe uses your own number to lock. On an off hand; My daughter thought she had lost her camera. We reported it LOST, probably at a restaurant, but they sent security to look for it. Turned out she had placed it in a purse and forgot about it. Regardless, the staff treated it as possibly stolen, and were quite upset. Told her it WOULD be found.

[Caznsi]

Frankly I don't believe the stolen money story. If it did happen anybody with a bit of a brain would call the police.
CSA has never claimed to be massively plush, it's not that sort of place - it is wonderfully comfortable & if people don't like it so be it...WE LOVE IT!

[recmac]

After three stays at CSA I'm looking forward to my fourth! Everything about the resort in my opinion is first rate. All the staff members work so hard to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.

The only issue I ran into was when our hammock broke. The landing hurt but it didn't dampen our spirits. I've been in touch with management about why the hammock failed and they said their staff would check all of the hammocks and make repairs as needed.

As far as I'm concerned the hammock issue is in the past. I can hardly wait for my next arrival at CSA!

Wish I was there,
Bob

[Trimada]

A more logical explanation is very simple. People have different tastes and there is no one place that is for everyone.

Do “fake reviews” get posted? I am sure they do but Trip Advisor does do their best to weed these out… as someone else said, I don’t pay as much attention to the posters with only one review either. However I do like to read the “negative reviews” more than the positive ones simply as it is a heads up for what to look out for…

Regarding the more recent reviews, I think one small minor detail will often escalate to beyond what the real problem is and cause a very negative review… The one thing you have to keep in mind is it is almost impossible to get the true picture from a bunch of words. Did the lamp have a small smudge that would not have bothered most people or was it truly an unbearable mess, who knows?

I think you have to read between the lines. Take the missing money for example… Gary Stephens has responded in a very professional manner and what I personally take from that review… Did the reviewer truly believe they had money stolen? Yes I think they did BUT as Gary himself said, maybe there is a more logical explanation… Maybe they spent it and didn’t remember, maybe they left the money in a different location, who knows, maybe their spouse took the money and doesn’t want to fess up… there could be 100 different scenarios that we will never know. But couples can hardly respond to the poster by directly saying “No your either lying or mistaken” .

Could the money actually have been stolen? Yes that is a possibility BUT as it seems to be a very isolated incident, I find it hard to believe… if saw 5-10 reviews similar to this then, it would conclude they did have some questionable staff but I am confident couples would also be on top of that.

Bottom line, you have to put reviews in perspective how many reviews does a place have and what are the majority of people saying… More importantly are there trends of one problem or is it isolated? I personally would never have found out about Couples if it weren’t for Trip Advisor and websites like that…

[WandA]

Trimada, I agree with you.

Just ignoring or denouncing Trip Advisor while only reading positive and/or edited reviews on this site is not the best way to do research. It's been said here recently that some people's pre-vacation expectations were so high from ONLY reading the "Amazing" ( LOL ) reviews posted here. That's not realistic.

Also, for those of us who like to experience Jamaica - as a country , not just a resort, there are some very knowledgable posters on T/A who share useful info.

As for the people with the "theft" at CSA, I wrote to them to ask for more details and their reponse was less than convincing.

[Craig&Karen]

When we were staying at CSS we had problems with the safe.
There is an over-ride code that can be used to get in the safes.

Craig&Karen

[Trimada]

Yes there is an over-ride, every hotel has one HOWEVER not all staff members have the code only say for example the head of security… or something like that.

My point still stands, while I will never accuse anyone of anything without any facts it is as simple as this…. As this appears to be a very isolated incident it is unlikely any money was actually stolen. If we start seeing 4-5 customers with similar claims I would start to wonder if maybe a dishonest worker gained access to the codes… As this is only one complaint I am not concerned at all.

Just an FYI I deal with this all the time, we send people into customers homes all the time… Very good people who I trust implicitly have been “accused” of stealing things. In MOST cases when I follow up with the customer stating that it would be unlikely there accusation could be true for “XYZ” reason but will be sending the insurance company to investigate (and I very subtly include a fraud investigation also)… they usually mysteriously find the stole item down the back of the couch etc…
Again not accusing this particular poster of anything but you would be very surprised how low some people can go in an attempt to gain something….