Hi Abbie

We go on Saturday so anxious for alot of questions to be answered, thank you for spending time doing this whilst on holiday.
What are the restaurants like? Are all the bars open? Apart from the splash pool are all other pools working? Are the actvities good for kids.
We heard today on another site that pump for Splash Pool has been delivered, do you know anything?
Are there still workmen there? Does it look more like a resort? Are the staff helpful.
Have the trees been delivered?

Sorry loads of questions.

Sorry to hear your counting days til you go.

Hi Abbie

I'm so sorry your holiday hasn't gone as you'd hoped

I'd be very grateful if you'd post a full review when you return! Many thanks.

Pippy

Abbey thats awful, any reason why you never changed hotel, was it due to the beach
Do you know what other hotels apart from the iberostar were offered, and have you spoken to anyone that has been to any of the other hotels,
I go on the 8th June and feel anxious so I cant even imagine how people going at the weekend feel
Are there any positives from this hotel

We go on the 24 from gatwick so hopefully there will be some reviews on here to say what it is like and weather it is going to plan and live up to thier reputation.

Information for all future guests.

We arrived 3rd May (2 families). Things you should know -

* The splash pool is shut and remains so. We were handed a letter on arrival which said it was closed due to a delayed part. Offerred a free trip as compensation. Also same letter said high ropes will not be installed.
* The Spash part is far from ready. FC saying it needs a pump, and then everything is away is not true. The builders were still assembling the structure, still concreting the floor and pipes still sticking out all over the pool area.
* Other pools. We used the activity pool but after 1 day, blue paint was put on the walls/floor. Result was kids and adults covered in it. Answer was to have it removed (from us not pool) with thinners by management. There then followed a flurry of activity to try and remove the paint from the pool by staff. This only resulted in thinners type chemicals floating in the pool. You could see it and smell it. An upshot from this was stained and bleached clothes - we are stil seeking replacement clothing now. And then they shut that area of the pool (by pool bar) which is still shut now, but chemicals dont get stopped by yellow tape strung across part of the pool !!!
As for the quiet pool, this has the floor breaking up in half the area. We were lifting it like gravel front the floor and the day we played water polo in it (because no-one would use the other pool), feet got cut to shreds.
Paving round activity pool sinking so potential for lots of stubbed toes. 2 inch drop around most of pool.
Generally, without splash park, not suitable for young children as no shallow area - ironically the only shallow area was around pool bar, which is now closed.
Pools overrall grubby, scum marks at water line and should have been renovated.
* Rooms - kids dens are 2 interconencting rooms, with a door on the other side, so not secure. Certainly not the dens found in other villages, we have experienced. Otherwise, rooms dark, damp and dated. Grubby bathrooms. Air con was good though !
* Restaurants - ok but not much choice. Only used the mexican al a carte (set-up in the pool/beach restaurant at night), but they did not cater for kids (no menu). Hardly an advert for a family holiday village.
* Kids club building not ready (missing a floor). Staff did their best in another room. We walked up yesterday and the club looking more near to completion. Also the golden club now looks to be open.
* Have to agree with other comments that place is much like a building site. Should have not been opened for at least another month, to fix pools plus snagging issues. Pot holes everywhere waiting plants.
* We stayed 4 days before we were offered a move. Only the kids entertainment staff kept us there until then. They are fantastic and worked under very ackward conditions. Super people.
* Rep moved us to Occ Grand after 4 days. Such a relief. Having stayed in Mexico before this is the proper deal, nice, clean rooms. Lush gardens, happy and polite staff. Pools clean, sparkling and open.

What else can I say. The WS Holiday village will be open someday and if it suits you, then you will have a fab time. But at the moment, I would recommend getting a move, enjoy your holiday. You wok hard for it, so dont waste it.

We are certainly seeking compensation for a lost week plus hours/days complaining, following up clothing etc. etc.

Sorry if this sounds so negative, but this is a review site and this has been our experience.

Not good... really appreciate you letting us know as we go on Saturday... Calling my agent now...

Please can anyone who's returned home from this hotel (no reviews from those still in Mexico please) post their review HERE in our reviews section.

Many thanks.

Pippy

Is there any way of contacting FC before you go out there for an update we go on the 24 may.

Andy can you tell me if this was what you saw in the first few days of being there or did you go back and notice it was still like this , as FC have advised a number of people including me that there were problems for the first intake of people but all work is now complete (bar the pump for splash pool) and there is no more structural work to be carried out.
However if you have seen this in the past few days this is obviously a lie

Thanks

I dont go until the 8th of June but still very worried

Did you enjoy the Grand would you recommend moving there if given the option, as FC have advised me if the splash pool is not ready for when I go they will offer me the option of a move

Dallo I would call them , I have called them every day for an update, have just been told that all will be ok when I go, but not much faith in what they say to be honest, on member of TA says he was called today by fc who told him pump had been deliverd to resort and will be getting fitted asap

Thank you to everyone who is putting their experiences with f.c and resort on this site.
Even though we do not go till 13th Sept. i am still worried. We payed for the upgrade to the royal jacuzzi suite and at present unsure whether to go ahead or not.It sounds like there is still a lot of work to do. Please keep reviews coming in. For those of you going soon i do wish you a happy holiday.

i don't go till july but am getting worried
just shown the wife this forum and she is looking at looking
at other destinations already going to agents tomoz to look
at getting a move. shame because was really looking forward
to going to the white sands aswell

Hi like Abbie we are still in Mexico went up to the white sands this morning to see if anything had changed and unfortunatly it is still a mess. I would imagine once its all done it will be very nice but unfortunatly for those people there at the moment its not much fun Oh and by the way have you ever heard of a bar with no whiskey or gin. The bars have very limited shorts and there was no intentions of getting any. We asked the rep and all he said was we know theres not many shorts. He made no attempt to get any it was treated with deep contempt. We asked if we could look at the room we were ment to have before we were moved to another hotel seeing as they were now finished we were told they were now occuppied even thought we were ment to be in one of them . No one really gave a dam. This holiday was ment to be so special as it was the first time we were on holiday without the children I guess we should be grateful the children were at home. That was the only reason we up graded everything so we could make it special. even our flight over we booked first class and the cabin crew were so rude and stuck up it didnt make for a good start they are after all just trolly dollies. The way we have been treated over this I will be hard pushed to go with First Choice again. I have been told Air tours are very good I think we will give them a go next time. Same as Abbie if anyone has any questions I would be pleased to help. The Occidental Grand where we are now are very good they have looked after us well ashame First choice hasnt. They have not contacted us since the first day not very good after service. Good news travels fast bad news travels faster.
Wendy

fatherboyle et al. All I can say is, trust me. It isnt ready. We walked back up yesterday (to seek compensation for damaged swimwear) and still no change.

Can post possibly try and post some pics that I have taken as evidence for complaint to FC on return to UK. Will attempt later tonight.

Have to be careful what you say on these forums but as Mulder said to Scully, Trust No One !!!!

Oc Grand is top notch. If you get the choice, I would recommend it.

A

P.S. After the rep here at the Occ Grand had rather a strong conversation with rep (Simon) at White Sands this lunchtime, we were promised a reply by 4pm today about our swimwear. Got back to room tonight and guess what - nothing. The service from FC at Whitesands is just a broken promise after another. We are up there tomorrow for a head to head. Enough is enough. Wasting more and more time on this.

Final sign off (if not already obvious) - DONT GO and dont let FC in UK fob you off. We are here and are in the thick of it.

THanks for the info, been in touch with First Choice still sticking by thier story and said we can not change unless we pay the only time we can change is if a faclility was advertised is not available

Let me know if you have managed to post any pics

Hi people

I have just this minute gotten off the phone with FC and they are saying everything is fine and up and running except for the splash pool and ropes. I told them about the reviews from people that are there at the moment and they are still sticking to the same story.
Afraid we will have to wait and see, we are out there from saturday for our 10th wedding anniversary not so sure I am looking forward to it anymore.

Hi

Me and my boyfreind are going to the holiday village on saturday, up to now iv been really really excited, my boyfriend got a call today (2 days before we go!) to say that the hotel was experiencing 'Teething Problems' which apparently would not affect us... I am very doubtful of this however after reading all the comments.

I am absoloutly livid with First Choice as the exact same thing happend to us last summer when we went to stay in the holiday village in Egypt.

I am going to phone First Choice back and was going to ask about moving hotels but from the posts on here understand they are not moving people? I can see myself spending alot of time in the reps office.

I feel completely let down and am definantly going to make a complaint and will not be travelling with first choice anymore after it has happend twice to us! It has really ruined the run up to the holiday which should be full of excitment.

I must admit though, when this happend last year we felt exactly as we do now and read some equally bad reviews but turned up to find everything was fine and none of the building work did affect us.

I have all my fingers crossed that this will be the same but i just feel so dissapointed and I will be letting FC know!!

:-(

Emily if you are not traveling with kids it probably wont affect you as as far as a lot have people have been advised it is just the kids splash pool and high ropes that are no operational.
Im sure everything will be fine, however if you are not happy im sure you will be able to move hotel as the majority of people have moved to either the iberostar or the occidental grande
Have a good one
Tracy

We have just returned from the Holiday Villiage and fully agree with the comments made about the state of the place. Wehave complained to First Choice Head Office who have basicly told us they are sorry but if we want compensation for the holiday get a Lawyer!!!!!!