Joe,
I read your recent review on the Mambo. You said that you did go into the nightclub, did you have to pay for drinks in there. They were free last year, but I have read on another review that you had to pay this year.
Thanks
Lorraine

The drinks in the disco were free.

I don't know how long it went on for, we lightweights didn't last long in there.
Getting too old I guess....

Joe.

Edit,
Just noticed we are younger that you, unless you are into boom boom boom, no tune to it type music I don't think you will last long either.....

Joe,
You are quite right about the music and age thing. We are in a group of 28 people. The youngest is about nine and the oldest 74. There are a few teenagers and early twenties, a few forty somethings, who wished they were in their early twenties and will endure the boom boom music just to be cool!! lol
If I want a late night drink, I will sit myself up the bar at the Bachata and chill out
Lorraine

Just got back this weekend after a week at this hotel. Abolutely fine place and we had no problems whatsoever. Food, drink and staff all great. Only downer was the evening entertainment which we thought to be very poor.
Been to many places in the Caribbean and paid loads more money than this but for value for money this cannot be beaten.

Terry

Anyone else out there as upset as we are due to the late cancellation of our holiday due to a virus outbreak at the Bachata in the Dom Rep.

We were due to fly at 10.00am today but got a call on Wed at 9.45 giving us the bad news. Theyu only offered the Mambo as an alternative which is on the same complex so a distinct possibility of the virus spreading. Plus it was a lower grade and with nol offer of compensation only a full refund.

There's not much out there now going anywhere in the next few days so theres a real chance we've lost our holiday this year. Thanks for informing us Thomson but you could have looked for alternatives for us but no.

what do we do now but trawl the internet and get on the phone looking for an alternative.

Hi Pudsey,
What are you going to do? Obviously you have decided not to go to the Mambo. We are off to the Merengue on 16th July and there are 29 of us, so there would be no possibility of us getting booked in elsewhere. It's very strange that I have not read of this yet on any other websites, as news like this usually travels very fast.
I am wondering if Thomsons are being overly cautious or very sensible. Did they say that they would not let you go under any circumstances, or were the advising you not to go. Sorry to ask so many questions, I do hope you find another holiday, that suits you.
Such a shame as the Bachata is really lovely.
Lorraine

I'm with Lorraine on this - it sounds very odd as they have been no reports of a virus on other websites such as tripadvisor and Debbies Dominican Travel. I wonder if Thompson have just made a balls up and overbooked but don't want to admitt it.

Take a full refund and book something with someone else.

Just to update on the situation. I have just checked the Bachata on the Portland/Thomson websites and it is still being sold for July. I have phoned their call centre and spoke to a sales person. She went away for about 5 minutes and when she came back, she said they had nothing at all on the system advising of illness and confirmed that they are still selling holidays, at the Bachata leaving soon. I quoted Pudseys flight number, which I found on a previous post, she still said they had heard nothing about cancellations or illness. All sounds a bit fishey, to me! I mean on fishey regarding Thomson, and not Pudsey!

My parents ar at the Bachata at the moment and I've had an email saying they have been very ill with Gastro Enteritsi(sorry spelling!) and have had the doctor out. They said its an airbourne virus that is spreading. I hope they are OK.

On another note, Im gettting married at the Mambo in Novemer and I'mreally worried now. I know it is ages away but my parents holiday was cancelled last year to this resort comple due to it being shut down because of a virus so it seems prone to these virus outbreaks. Not sure what to do really. Think i'll have to wait until next week when they come back and see what they say?

Hi Pudsey,
really sorry to hear about your situation. I know you were really looking forward to the holiday. We stayed in the complex the year before last and thought it was marvellous, but if there is some sort of outbreak your better off not going. Hope you find something suitable soon.

Thomsons originally said it was a minor outbreak and that we could move to the mambo and still use the Bachata facilities, this was Wednesday. On Thursday the story changes to there is a virus and the Bachata is closing including all facilities but they still offered the move to the Mambo.
No thank you not with a virus and we have 2 children we would not risk it so we cancelled and we are now travelling to Turkey for 2 weeks instead.
Yes it is a bit of a come down from the Dom Rep but at least we will have a holiday which up to lunch time today we did not think we were going to because we could not get anything suitable.

Good luck to all that are due at the Bachata/Mambo/Merengue in the near future I would be badgering the tour operator to see what is happening but I would not believe all they are telling you, we learnt this fro experience both this year and last.

Glad to hear you've sorted an alternative holiday out. We've been to Turkey and had a really good holiday there. I'm sure we'll go back before too long. One consolation is you no longer have to worry about hurricanes. Enjoy!

Its not looking good for RIU , thats the second time in the last 3 years theyve had to shut the place down...I am sorry to hear about your cancellation.....but beleive me its better than getting ill in DR ...some of the viruses over there can be really nasty.....best of luck finding at alternative....

pat

my family and i are due to fly out to the DR on 11th July to the RIU mambo. When i read a thread about an outbreak at the Bachata, i contacted teletext holidays who we booked through, immediately yesterday morning.

They were fantastic about getting information for us, from Thomson who our carrier is, and also from the RIU hotel direct. Apparently there was a virus last week, which was making some people ill, and aswell as the RIU company bringing in their own environmental health officers, Thomson also sent someone from the UK.

Both reports indicated that there was a "winter flu like bug" making its rounds at the Bachata, but both the Merengue and the Mambo were and are still unaffected. Also both reports state that the virus has nothing to do with the standards of hygiene at any of the 3 hotels, which are impeccable.

This took a load off our minds, as we dont want to take the family to somewhere that, potentially, might make us all ill !

Teletext holidays told us that Thomson were just being over cautious with their 2 flights that left late last week, and offered them a full refund, or a move to either of the 2 sister hotels whilst the problem was investigated.

As of Monday 26th, anyone travelling to the Bachata has also been reserved a room at the Mambo or the Merengue, so they can choose what suits them when they are given the up todate info on arrival in the resort.

I think you cant ask for much more from Thomson or the RIU chain. After much deliberation and poring over the thomson brochure, my family and i have decided to continue with our stay at the Mambo. All 3 are beautiful hotels, and we dont want to miss the chance of staying there because of something that might not even affect us in 2 weeks!!

I dont think its fair to slate all the RIU's when only one is having a problem with some sick guests.

I hope this info has helped anyone that was/is in the same situation as us, and wondering what to do for the best!

tallulahJ

Talluhah,
Thanks for the insight, it makes me feel a lot better. Being totally selfish, it would be great if they could make people stay at their own individual hotel for the next week or so. Obviously this would be impossible and not fair on guests already there. I feel I might stay in the vicinity of the Mambo end, of the resort for the first few days, just to be safe? Coward? Me? too right!
Lorraine

I'll probably see you there then!!!!!

Just a word of warning, Thomson's discription of the 'illness' changes to suit themselves. We have learnt from past experience that they never tell you the full story as to what is happening at resort (last year we went to a new build that was supposedly finished with only minor building work going on, only to arrive to find out that this was not the case at all). Once you are out there they've got your money and then you are fighting them to get some of it back as a form of compensation. Last year it was First Choice and this year it is Thomson. God help me next year.

I don't wish to scare anyone but it is better to know exactly what is happening in resort and I suggest you look to see amysunshines report when her parents get back from the Bachata.

If it is an airborn virus how can they put you 50m away from the source and say it is ok?

Fingers crossed for all of you that decide to go.

I'm sorry to hear about this illness again, we went to the Bachata after it had reopened last year and were really apprehensive about going.

Out of 7 of us 4 were ill, 1 had sickness and did'nt eat for 3 days, the other 3 had stomach cramps and diarrhoea, 2 visited the doctor and had tablets which I think were antibiotics with 1 having to have an injection because the tablets did'nt work. Other people we spoke to were also ill and when we reported it to management, they acted surprised.

With hindsight we wish we had moved resort but we did'nt, there is obviously a real problem there and I don't know if it has anything to do with the strong smell of sewage from time to time which we could smell in block1 and near the pool.

I wish everyone luck in whatever they decide to do, it's a shame because it is a lovely resort but I won't be staying in a RIU hotel again after staying with them for the last 3 years. We have switched to Iberostar this year and we go in 18 days time.

I'll definatly let you all know what my parents say when they get back on Thursday, havn't heard from them since so hope they are ok. They were so excited about going because the same thing happened last year and they had to move to the Marian Coral which they didnt like at all.

I'm really worried about the wedding though. We get married at the mambo in november and I know its months away and should be gone by then but what happens if they contact us days before we are due to go to cancel, dont really want to think about it. Im almost tempted to change it now but it will cost more and we have friends booked with a different tour operator so will be a nightmare if we do. sorry to ramble, panicing a bit!!!!