Bad review Trip Advisor

[MRSJALINSKI]

I can definately read through the lines on this one but man couples should get on there and tell us what really happened! I felt bad for the employees and Couples resorts on this one and felt it was quite unfair. Sounds like they are hard to please!
Love Couples!

[ORV]

Got a link? We don't all keep up on the reviews for all 4 resorts.

[cabingirl]

Do you mean the one about the wedding at CSA that was just posted a few days ago? Yea, I would love to know what really happened too. It did sound like they were hard to please. I am not sure why they were sniping about the wedding being in the hot Jamaican sun like it was Couples' fault - the bride and groom chose to have the wedding there!

[BobandJudy]

Are you referring to the one at CSA where they arrived early and demanded to be checked in early? If so, I am almost certain that she is a nutcase, and that the CSA staff tried their best to communicate with her and she wasn't listening. Maybe there was a foul up on the room keys (hey, it happens), but I would think most of the problem was the high maintenance guest. And who arrives for a wedding in Jamaica on the day of the wedding? Stupid planning on their part.

[traveler99]

no kidding it was obvious they had issues and it wasn't even with couples. i always find the one or two bad reviews hilarious on TA---there are thousands of excellent 5* reviews then there are less than a handful over the past several years!!! It's pretty obvious that Couples is paradise and with anything you always have a person or two who can't be pleased---just as Ma use to say, take'em out for ice cream and they'll cry for candy

[Vickyj]

Most times, the bad reviews come from those who didn't do their research. Such as how can you not know that CSS is built into the cliffs and therefore has a lot of stairs or that the beach at CTI is small or that the AN beach CN has a public walkway or that CSA is very spread out. Do your research people!

[HerbS]

As a bed and breakfast owner and a first time Couples guest on January 21, I know from experience about "unreasonable" guests. Our bed and breakfast was rated one of the top 10 in the USA and Ohio's top rated bed and breakfast with 5 star reviews consistently. Every now and then you get a guest who is very high maintenance and expects all rules and procedures to be broken just for them! In the hospitality industry it is the nature of the beast and with the world of online reviews it is something we have to contend with and sometimes defend. In our experience, we find that the most "unreasonable" guests are arguing leading to their bad review and as "human beings" we are always drawn to the negative reviews. As innkeepers we tend to focus on the bad reviews instead of concentrating on all of the positive reviews and the happy guests that have graced your presence. We have learned that there are some people that are miserable and cannot be happy no matter what you try to do and help them.
We cannot wait to experience the Couples hospitality and see how we can improve our service to our customers.

[Musicalrose]

I saw this review (the CSA one) the other day as well and couldn't believe what I was reading. My now-hubby and I were there in 2009, got engaged there in 2010 and plan on returning in 2012. And BobandJudy, I was thinking the same thing: who arrives the same day as the wedding, an hour before it's slated to start?? Hello! lol This person was obviously VERY high maintenance - we have nothing but praise for the wonderful employees at CSA - why else would we be planning our 3rd trip there. It also seemed like a fake review to me, thrown in there by another resort or something because so much of it just seemed ludicrous. Anyhow, we all know the truth! Oh Jamaica (and CSA!), soon come!

[Johnh1995]

Most times, the bad reviews come from those who didn't do their research. Such as how can you not know that CSS is built into the cliffs and therefore has a lot of stairs or that the beach at CTI is small or that the AN beach CN has a public walkway or that CSA is very spread out. Do your research people!

I certainly was not aware that the beach at CTI is small. Just how small is small? Where in any research would I find this information?

[MRSJALINSKI]

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserRe...ECK_RATES_CONT

Opps! sorry about that! This will bring you to the page of the review "Not swept away-not safe"
Thanks all for your reply.

[Mona_and_rob]

I certainly was not aware that the beach at CTI is small. Just how small is small? Where in any research would I find this information?

Small as in it's a private beach that isn't long enough for a good jog. Clearly visible length in multiple pictures on both Tripadvisor, and here, and Facebook, Photobucket, Flickr, etc, etc, etc...

That information also is researchable by consulting almost every single review on tripadvisor as well. I find this ironic since this IS a tripadvisor review thread. made me chuckle.

[ORV]

Are you referring to the one at CSA where they arrived early and demanded to be checked in early? If so, I am almost certain that she is a nutcase, and that the CSA staff tried their best to communicate with her and she wasn't listening. Maybe there was a foul up on the room keys (hey, it happens), but I would think most of the problem was the high maintenance guest. And who arrives for a wedding in Jamaica on the day of the wedding? Stupid planning on their part.

When we were married at Couples we had to be in country 2 or 3 days before the ceremony. Has that rule changed?

[Vickyj]

I certainly was not aware that the beach at CTI is small. Just how small is small? Where in any research would I find this information?

In reviews and photos posted. Pretty much what you see of the beach is what is there. It is nice and it is private--in other words, there are not vendors or guests from other resorts walking the beach. There is not the constant hum of boats or jet skis. We like it like this and is one of the reasons we have not ventured to Negril.

[Vickyj]

I saw this review (the CSA one) the other day as well and couldn't believe what I was reading. My now-hubby and I were there in 2009, got engaged there in 2010 and plan on returning in 2012. And BobandJudy, I was thinking the same thing: who arrives the same day as the wedding, an hour before it's slated to start?? Hello! lol This person was obviously VERY high maintenance - we have nothing but praise for the wonderful employees at CSA - why else would we be planning our 3rd trip there. It also seemed like a fake review to me, thrown in there by another resort or something because so much of it just seemed ludicrous. Anyhow, we all know the truth! Oh Jamaica (and CSA!), soon come!

First clue that this may be a lopsided review is that you have to be in Jamaica at least 48 hours before you can marry there.

[busr25]

I certainly was not aware that the beach at CTI is small. Just how small is small? Where in any research would I find this information?

The best place to research anything you want to know about Couples is right here on this website & message board. Check out the overhead maps that show the resort properties. You get a pretty good idea of beach size. We booked our first trip to Couples based on the website and message board. Once we got to CSS, there weren't any surprises except that everything was BETTER than we had hoped!!

[LoriMatt]

As a bed and breakfast owner and a first time Couples guest on January 21, I know from experience about "unreasonable" guests. Our bed and breakfast was rated one of the top 10 in the USA and Ohio's top rated bed and breakfast with 5 star reviews consistently. Every now and then you get a guest who is very high maintenance and expects all rules and procedures to be broken just for them! In the hospitality industry it is the nature of the beast and with the world of online reviews it is something we have to contend with and sometimes defend. In our experience, we find that the most "unreasonable" guests are arguing leading to their bad review and as "human beings" we are always drawn to the negative reviews. As innkeepers we tend to focus on the bad reviews instead of concentrating on all of the positive reviews and the happy guests that have graced your presence. We have learned that there are some people that are miserable and cannot be happy no matter what you try to do and help them.
We cannot wait to experience the Couples hospitality and see how we can improve our service to our customers.

Well said, HerbS! And congrats to you for getting away yourselves and choosing Couples. Relax and enjoy a bit of paradise.

[Beergirl]

When we were married at Couples we had to be in country 2 or 3 days before the ceremony. Has that rule changed?

I read this review, and it sounds like these were GUESTS at the wedding that stupidly arrived the same day as the wedding, not the bride and groom themselves. Wow - talk about entitlement. These people just don't get it. Demand, demand, demand, that's all they did for the time they were there. Glad they're not coming back. I'd hate to be on the same resort.

Beergirl

[Vee]

First clue that this may be a lopsided review is that you have to be in Jamaica at least 48 hours before you can marry there.

They were attending a wedding, not getting married themselves. That being said... STILL -- who arrives an hour before the ceremony. You can be sure she'd be slamming the airline if their flight was delayed and they missed the wedding. And besides.... she's going to miss the wedding photos to take care of the room issues? Really? Wouldn't that wait until after the ceremony/photos/etc were over?

[dirtleg]

I gathered that they were at CSA to be guests at a wedding, that is why they arrived the same day and were only staying for two days. Sounds like they ran into some problems due to a number of timing issues: arrived before normal check in time, normal check in and the start of the wedding were nearly coincidental, some confusion on rooms, mix up in room keys. All this was exacerbated by the short window of time they were at CSA which made the time it took to resolve the issues seem longer.

I also think that these issues influenced their opinions on the other complaints that they listed. For as long as this review was on TA, it really had very little to say. I think if they had scheduled better, or had more time at CSA, things would have evened out for them. Perhaps part of the blame could be placed on Couples for not being able to accommodate their demands in a short period of time. But they would also have to shoulder some of the blame for scheduling their "vacation" at CSA like a business meeting rather than a relaxing stay in Jamaica.

This is one of those reviews I would toss out as not a truly legitimate review of the staff, food or anything else at CSA. Go on the next one and forget about it.

[beachsam]

The couple were attending the wedding, not getting married. That said, why would you arrive the same day? In this day and age of constant flight delays you are setting yourself up for disaster.

[jwrichte]

I have a feeling that she was just a guest at the wedding so the 48 hour rule wouldn't apply to her since she wasn't actually getting married.

Having said that she is clearly a spaz. I get the feeling by reading her post that she was embarrassed that she was running late. I know a lot of people who over compensate for their embarrassment by turning into rude over demanding nut cases. Her embarrassment and lack of reason is evident in the rash tone she used even in typing her review.

Once a person reaches that frenzied state very little can be done to calm them down or make them reasonable. Clearly poor planning on her part was the reason for such a poor review. It is unfortunate that she choose to stay at CN as this was clearly going to happen at any resort she stayed in! She is probably also the type of person who would have left no review at all if every request had been met. Some people can't be satisfied!

[Vickyj]

I certainly was not aware that the beach at CTI is small. Just how small is small? Where in any research would I find this information?

I just went over to tripadvisor to read reviews and pretty much every other or every few reviews of CTI mention that the beach is small as in no long walks, maybe some quick sprints?? But there is plenty of room for the guests that are at the resort.

[ORV]

First clue that this may be a lopsided review is that you have to be in Jamaica at least 48 hours before you can marry there.

I had the same question but then I read the reviews and realized this was a member of the wedding party, not the bride or groom.

I believe in order to get the best opinions you should read the 3 and 4 star reviews. The one star ones rarely ever are accurate and the 5 star ones are generally the glass totally full type of person, not that there's anything wrong with that. I find the ones in the middle are pretty much spot on to my experiences there.

[keki60]

I must put my two cents in.
As someone who has been to CSS and CN, and have traveled around. I can understand why some of these reviews are unfavorable. You see, Some people go on vacation to have glamor, glitz and overabundance of service with
extremely high end service. This is not what Couples is about. Low key ambiance, romance, and a smaller
boutique style hotel. With service that beats any place that comes with a staff.
My family vacations every year in Cancun.
They stay in a presidential suite with a huge staff on call and black bands that allow them to be waited on hand and foot. we are invited every year and we always politely turn them down, I have asked my sister and her husband to go with us and they politely turn us down. Why? she likes staying in her 4,000 people hotel, while we prefer our little slice of heaven. C'est le vie. We all see the glass differently.
PS We are heading home to CSS in May 2012, and that my friends is what makes the reviews(to us) redundant

[Brynn]

I believe they were guests at the wedding, not the ones getting married.