It’s the last day of my stay in Cat Ba Island Resort and Spa (which really is a misnomer; more about that later). The day was moody and rainy for most part, but ended which a romantically hued sunset. I thought it a suitable time to think and comment on my experience with the resort and its hospitality.It’s not very often that the Fabulista dismisses a hotel that one stays in. After all, one knows one should be a gracious guest and should always try to find the silver lining. Unfortunately, after lodging for eight days (with no chance of checking out, since it was pre-booked), there is none for one to find and speak of here. The saving grace for oneself, however, is that one did not choose it. Rather, one was checked into the resort through one’s friends. Those friends in turn, were fooled into making reservations through false advertising. A look at their website and you’d understand what I mean.
While there are promises of a SPA, restaurants and various other facilities, one did not see a complete array of the amenities. One was told, “the SPA under instruction” [sic] (one could only assume they meant ‘under construction’) but room massage service is available. One of my fabulous friends tried it and promptly decides that I wasn’t missing much.
Further, there is only ONE restaurant, as oppose to the much advertised three (ahem, arithmetic, perhaps?). In addition, its kitchen closes at 9 p.m. thereby limiting its supply hours as well. Hello, 24-hour room service? Heard much? Which brings to mind the fact that its breakfast hours begins at 6 and end 9(!?). Excuse me? I am on H-O-L-I-D-A-Y! When do you expect me to wake up for breakfast again?
The breakfast schedules raised the issue of the chambermaids. While being efficient at making up the beds and providing fresh towels; they cannot and do not perform any further duties. As a result, cups are left unwashed, dirt on the floors unswept – and I, the paying guest, had to do it myself. Hello, where does the money go?
On the topic of the paying guest, one assumes that one’s comfort level should be paramount, to be efficiently and overwhelmingly provided for and thus catered to. However, it had been one’s experience on several occasions where public spaces had their air-conditioning kept at a minimal, if not completely turned off. One is aware of the global-warming issue, however, one is also aware that it is more about being energy efficient rather than cutting off energy consumption altogether. Imagine a room built for 30 with even the fans turned off? Can you even breathe?
The penultimate straw came when it was found out (the hard and painful way) that the Beach Resort’s beach is not exactly human friendly. Its waters are scattered with sharp, hidden rocks that are precision-blade sharpened by the crashing surf. This did not help enhance the popularity of its pool. Unfortunately (again), my fabulous self had to find that out the not so, ermh, tactile and visual way. I had tried to take a dip in the waters, only to find out that despite being a pool, I could hardly see anything in the water after my chest level (wreugh…). To make things worse, I actually saw (and felt) dead insects and other assortments of, well… flotillas on the surface. That was when I found out the truth – the water filtration and pump system was either not turned on or non-existent, despite the appearance of gullies and traps.
But what really broke the proverbial camel’s back was when I found out that the place is supposed to be a 4-5* hotel. Hello? Such an establishment and all your staff speak only a minute smattering of English? That is completely UNACCEPTABLE by ANY tourism standards and more so in the hospitality industry.
I guess, in a way, this resort’s level hospitality in terms of welcoming its guest is best represented by its keycards. On two occasions, (which, really is two occasions too many) where we were locked out of our own rooms after a day of exhausting activities. This meant that on two wearing episodes, one has had to clamber all the way back to the reception to have one’s keycards checked. The cause of the failing keycards? They were programmed to expire, thus effectively checking us out, before we were.
My final verdict? This beach resort is way below sea-level. One might give it miss for the next couple of years. That when they might finally get their act together and just begin to re-establish themselves.
Rating: * (1 tiny starlet – out of compassion).
View from balcony.
It was cloudy most of the days when I was there (despite the locals' claims of "Cat Ba more sun than rain" [sic].
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