We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.
We support the following browsers: Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox. Mac: Safari.
Free Newsletter

Interested in Cancun?

We'll send you updates with the latest deals, reviews and articles for Cancun each week.

Cancun Forum: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Delran, New...
622 forum posts
 Le Blanc is about to get slammed 

Just returned from a 5 day stay at "all inclusive, adults-only" Le Blanc. Notice the quotes...

A group of 10 of us wanted to celebrate our 30th birthdays in style, so we booked Le Blanc way back in October. No long details yet, I'm about to go to bed.

But long story short, they cancelled reservations so that they could accomodate a group that booked the entire resort for the next 3 years during Passover/Pasach. The group, which includes hundreds of children, arrived on Sunday and apparently paid over $2.5 million to reserve the entire hotel. That cost included the price of new silverware, glasses, plates, cups, etc in order to transform Le Blanc into Kosher for Passover resort. It also included the cost of floating toys for kids, cotton candy makers, jugglers for lobby entertainment, and many other wonderful things.

Of course, this is wonderful if you're actually part of the group. I was not and neither were the other 9 of us. Upon checkin on Thursday, in order to get our room key, management insisted we accept a transfer to Sun Palace for Sunday, because they would be transforming Le Blanc into a Kosher, family resort without alcohol beginning on Monday. We quickly accepted because it was the only was to get our room keys. Negotiations on reduction of price, or spa credits, were fruitless. When the kids started pouring in on Sunday, we were screwed. We have kids ourselves, but there is a reason you book adults only. You pay $500+ per night so that you have premium alcohol available if you want it. You pay that much so that you have gourmet food available, which hopefully includes non-Kosher/Passover foods like bread, meat, seafood, and countless other items.

I'll post more details at a later date, but be forewarned that the negative reviews on TA are accurate regarding the management at Le Blanc. They are ruining a fabulous resort with their disgusting customer service. The real clincher for us was when we spoke with an on-site member of management, who I won't name at this point. We asked to be compensated for our inconvenience, similar to how HE COMPENSATED OTHER GUESTS. We had proof that he had done so..like a $600 spa credit for a couple. His reponse: "I have the power to do so, but I will not do anything for you". Can you be more of an arrogant, SOB than that?

The fact that they would boot couples from their hotel so that they take in a boatload of money from a group is bad enough. The fact that they offered to move us to a lesser hotel (Sun Palace) in order to call it even is even worse. Lastly, and unbelievably, that they would then lie to our faces about deals they struck with other groups is sickening.

Our group of ten has vowed to never attend another Palace Resort again. I would advise you and your friends and relatives to reconsider any future plans with them. And if you don't believe me for some reason, I am positive that you will find other reviews/posts in the coming days/weeks to substantiate what I've told you above.

Delran, New...
622 forum posts
21. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

I wish this were an April's Fools Joke. We were all very well aware that if our tempers got the better of us, we did not want to be stopped from leaving the country, or end up in a Mexican jail. Like I said, some of us have kids that stayed behind in the USA while we vacationed.

Three more pieces of info that I didn't post the first time.

- After an hour long session with the top guy at Le Blanc, he gave us a free 25 minute massage for each person. This comes out to about $55/person. At nearly $550/night, it basically comes to 20% one night's stay, $110 total. While this isn't nothing, it is certainly not near the $600 given to other couples, and felt like "nothing" at the time. I'm trying to be fair in my review/post, and I left out this detail last night.

- Our group of 10 wasn't the only ones affected. I overheard a gentleman ahead of me in line, while I was waiting to check out on Mon 4/2. He had paid for his stay through Tues 4/3, with a noon checkout (as usual). He explained to them that he would need to checkout late on Mon evening, as his flight was leaving that night. He specifically booked an extra night just so that he could have unlimited access to his room while getting ready for his late flight. The front desk had the audacity to ask him to get dressed for the airport in a bathroom, so that they could free up his room and give it to one of the members of the group. He was incredulous..."I'm doing you a favor checking out at 11pm...I paid for a room until 12 noon tommorrow". I'm not sure about the final outcome there, but it's another example of how these people bent over backwards to push their non-group guests out of the hotel.

- I want to be careful that I am not blaming the working staff at the hotel (the front desk people, the waiters, bellboys, etc). Our complaint is only with the upper management. They did not properly inform us, or the staff. In fact, once breakfast turned Kosher on Sunday, I had to tell the front desk that "it's started". She didn't know...she thought it was Monday. The working staff were by and large wonderful and very pleasant...but completely uninformed.

- And I'm also not blaming the group either, and I hope this thread doesn't turn into an attack on them. I'm not sure if they knew that their presence would mean that people like me would get screwed. I would like to hope that they were not aware of that.

Belle River...
371 forum posts
22. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Wow, there are so many flavors of wrong in this situation, it really is hard to believe this could happen. What a nightmare -- I'm sorry this happened to you folks.

Once you've tried the route to compensation suggested by a previous poster, you might want to think about writing to Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Ombudsman column. If they decide to take it up, they'll contact all the right inside people for a resolution and then print the results in the magazine.

I understand how things like this can happen, but I can't understand how a business like Palace Resorts would risk losing a lot of future business for a quick $2.5M. Very short sighted indeed.

US
27 forum posts
23. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

I am planning to go to Le Blanc for my honeymoon in July and this post is really getting me to re think my decision. Is there another resort in Cancun that is adults only that someone can recommend? I heard the Ritz is nice.

Delran, New...
622 forum posts
24. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Lori, you're right, it's incredibly short sighted. To keep us quiet, it would have taken five $600 credits. $3,000 to them...a pebble in their $2.5M jackpot. When planning on taking on an event like this, they have to figure in deal costs...like paying off the people they're inconvencing. But they're greedy and rude. I'm disgusted...thanks for the suggestion on where to report this. We'll do that.

ginao
134 forum posts
25. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Wow this is terrible and I'm disappointed in LeBlanc.

I just returned from a wonderful week stay and wrote a great review.

I would have been devastated.

How did you find out the dollar amount spent by this group?

You say you can't blame this group, but obviously they knew they would be pushing people out w/ their last min booking!

I don't blame you and your friends vowing to never stay at a Palace Resort again.

WOW

The O.C.
569 forum posts
26. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Now I'm REALLY glad we booked at the GP!!

Timbuktu...
6,916 forum posts
27. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Amen1986 - please take this further than just Trip Advisor - I think that the Conde Naste Traveler magazine is an excellent idea. It's read by quite a few travelers, and would get the attention of the management at the Le Blanc.

I think it's important that the management at Le Blanc realizes that what they did was very, very wrong. It's sad that the world revolves around money to that extent. But, oh so true.

Baton Rouge...
534 forum posts
28. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Paulmc

I've been to Le Blanc - enjoyed the stay but wanted something different this year. We are going to the Royal Cancun in July....new resort-adults only and it looks very nice. Le Blanc was nice but I was not blown away-we also had problems with upper management. I hate the fact that they cannot guarantee an oceanfront room. We finally got one after 5 hours of being shuffled around.

You should look at the Royal Cancun, the Royal Playa del Carmen and Secrets Excellence (not run by Secrets anymore so the name might be just "Excellence")

Happy Nuptials!

Delran, New...
622 forum posts
29. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

Sandinmypants - I just fired off an email to the general manager Patrick Smith. He's got 24 hours before I escalate things. I will certainly report back to TA what they offer, if anything at all.

We found out about the $600 credit from a couple who were in similar circumstances to us. They had been to the spa already, and had those charges wiped from their bill. In addition to that, they were given additional spa credit for a service to be used during the remainder of their stay. After speaking with this couple one eveneing and at their urging, we escalated our issues, which obviously didn't net us the same results, at least not yet.

Delran, New...
622 forum posts
30. Re: Le Blanc is about to get slammed

I've emailed two people at Conde Nast...hopefully something gets through over there.