mabona2025
Google
I wanted to love this place. It was supposed to be the highlight of our travels through the Copper Canyon. We felt like a cash-grab from the moment we arrived, until we finally escaped. To pay such an exorbitant amount of money meant this was a big-time treat to ourselves, thinking it would be a luxurious anniversary experience. It was everything but.||||1). The room was $320 USD a night. We booked it almost one year in advance, and requested a KING size bed. When we arrived, we were given a room with two doubles, and told there were no kings available and that it was "first come first serve." Unacceptable, especially considering our confirmation stated we had a KING size bed. We are big people, and a double is simply not what we have been used to for the past 30+ years. To pay $320 US per night, to sleep in separate beds wasn't what we anticipated for our anniversary. ||||2). The "First come First Serve" issue felt inflammatory considering we booked so far in advance and then arrived from the train with dozens upon dozens of other people, including tour groups. We were all herded into the restaurant and deck area where we had to wait until we were called. We weren't offered refreshments. Just left to wait for more than 45 mins. I guess it's a lottery, and not luxury guest service.||||3). When we asked for the WIFI password, we were told we had to pay $50 pesos per device, per day. This on TOP of paying $320 USD per night for 2 double beds. We paid to connect our devices, went to our room and the WIFI didn't work. Walked all the way back to the front desk to be told that the WIFI only works in the restaurant. So $50 pesos per device per day for a service that doesn't even work in your room.||||For fun - let's do some math. I asked what the capacity was, out of interest sake, and was told 72. Let's say they have 50 people. If each of them connected one device per day, that would be an average of $2500 pesos per day or $912,500 pesos per year. For internet. ||||4). Breakfast was well organized and FANTASTIC. The lunch and dinner was not good, came cold, had no options and cost $600 pesos regardless of whether it was lunch or dinner - so you will pay $1200 pesos a day for 2 of your meals. I wouldn't mind paying that if the food came hot and was interesting.||||5). The hotel room was tired and had no coffee pot or mini fridge. I mean - $320 US, $50 pesos to connect the wifi, $1200 pesos for 2 meals - and I think you get my drift. Waking up at 5:30 AM for sunrise meant no coffee, because they don't offer that until 6 AM - and there's no ability to make it in your room. Most decent hotels offer coffee pots and mini fridges, and don't charge $320 US a night.||||6). The staff were LOVELY, and the view at sunrise truly is something worth writing home about. But honestly, I'm not sure that the experience was worth how irritated we felt every time we had to pay for something else that felt like a rip-off. We both felt irritated from arrival until departure. This was NOT a luxury or boutique service or experience. It was one of being nickel-and-dimed to death and then spat out.||||||MY ADVICE FOR THE OWNERS: The "first come first serve" basis should be based on when the reservation is confirmed and paid for, not on when the staff processes the train guests in the lobby. Add the wifi to the room price and get a service that actually works. Include a refreshment beverage to be served when your train guests arrive. You always have a list of how many people are coming, and you know what time they are arriving. There's no reason why you cannot offer this. Get rid of your dozens of double bed rooms, and install at least a few more king size beds. Get coffee pots and mini fridges. Make your rooms worth the price of staying here. Of course, you don't have to because you depend on the fact that your guests only come once in a lifetime, and will never be back.||||MY ADVICE FOR THE GUESTS: Go stay in one of the other tired hotels nearby, as many of them also have views. They may not be quite as fancy as this place, but I bet they have better service and value for the money spent. Maybe if you request a King and pay for a King, you'll get to actually sleep in the same bed as your spouse...||||No matter what - if you can have peace of mind and not feel taken for a ride, at least you won't feel irritated from start to finish.