Surfside Hotel Resort - Waste of Time

Wilfred · Post by **Wilfred** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 5:20 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 07 March 2003

This was the far more worst hotel we have ever stayed at. They never attend to you unless you are white. You have to ask for everything such as towels, to clean the swimming pool etc. and wait hours after you can get it. To do your laundry is a waste of time because the machine aren't even working properly. The owners are not very friendly neither respectful. They don't even watch you in your face unless you are white. The gates are locked every night after 6 and thinking that the security guard would at least have the courtesy to get up and open the gate, he sleeps in the booth or watches television. The maids are very nice and pleasant to talk with and even they and all think that the owners are a waste of time to ask for anything. The bedrooms are very huge but the rest of the apartment is small. There in not even enough cutlery nor glasses in the kitchen to provide for a family. They are suppose to change your towels everyday or every other day ...that's a waste of time... If you want to be treated like a HOG stay at this hotel otherwise if you want to get your moneys worth stay in a village...you have a better chance of enjoying yourself. p.s. this is very true because we recently stayed here this year...

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 5:22 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 07 March 2003

Wilfred I am sorry that you had a disappointing stay at the Surf Side Hotel. Fortunately, Tobago seems to have far fewer 'bad' establishments than most places - being such a small island, bad reputations spread quickly. It’s no help now, but its a pity that you didn't check our hotel listings before staying at the Surf Side. This is the second accusation I’ve seen of racism at this hotel. A previous complaint, by a German gentleman, also alleged racism by the Trinidadian owner and staff of the hotel. I would be very interested to hear of any other cases ([email protected]). Behaviour like this must obviously be condemned.

Glyn Kirpalani · Post by **Glyn Kirpalani** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 5:26 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 07 March 2003

Steve (and Wilfred) - I think it would be helpful to spell out what folk should do if they have suffered experiences as Wilfred and do not have a UK/other country based tour operator (or ABTA) to complain to. My advice would be :

1) Complain orally to managers;

2) If no joy, note the date and time of that complaint and the incidents, collecting evidence etc incl pictures, videotape etc;

3) Complain orally to a local accomm broker if that is how the accomm was booked;

4) If still no joy, after the holiday write a formal letter to the hotelier seeking answers/apology/compensation;

5) If no satisfactory response, check on the official tourist site to see if that place is listed by the government (think it is visittnt.com?), if it is write a formal letter of complaint for investigation (they have to approve the acc prior to listing it so I am assuming (naiively?) there is an element of quality control?);

6) If payment was by UK credit card and over £100, you are covered by the CCA1974 and should then produce all evidence of the dispute and your attempts to remedy it to the credit card dispute section, who MUST seek redress on your behalf and ultimately are jointly liable to compensate you. I think that the CCA1974 is unique legislation in Europe, but EU cc companies might offer their own purchase satisfaction policies?

7) If still no joy, instruct a UK or T&T solicitor to write a letter threatening court action/advise on the case, but prior to this check your home insurance policy to see if you have legal fees cover (a lot of people do and do not know it). Clearly those covered by CC payments are best protected here since the CC company lawyers do all this for you.

I hope this helps - I am not a lawyer but have sued/threatened to sue and won against many organisations including travel agents, and, would you "credit" it, a cc company that tried to wriggle out of its legal responsibility to refund me! This post is at your own risk! Steve - are you able to comment on the complaints procedure as far as tourist board registered properties go? Apologies if there is already something on your site that I did not see.

Regards

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 5:32 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 07 March 2003

Hi Glyn.

Thanks for all that. No, I am not able to comment on local complaints procedures. I would offer to write to the Department of Tourism of the THA (Tobago House of Assembly) and ask, but we have no official links. During our recent visit, a contact kindly arranged a meeting for us with the Secretary for Tourism of the THA, who was very courteous and promised his support. Sadly, however, he has not replied to any of my subsequent emails.

Anyway, I somehow suspect that there is no official complaints procedure of any kind. I’ve even been unable to get a list of officially licensed tour guides on Tobago. The Trinidad government is still not giving Tobago the resources to take tourism seriously. Only today the Trinidad Guardian published an article saying that the £141 million promised for Tobago tourism development this year had still not been disbursed. Anyway, I drift – so back to the subject.

From the sound of it, Wilfred would have a hard job proving anything. How do you complain simply because someone “is not very friendly” or you had to wait a long time for towels? We have all experienced these things in different ways and know exactly what Wilfred is talking about, but what can you really complain about? After all, the Surf Side is an unclassified budget hotel. What can one realistically expect of this type of establishment? Being treated like a respected and welcome guest is obvious. We all know that price has absolutely nothing to do treatment. The very most hospitable, friendly treatment will invariably come more from the smaller establishments, but how do you quantify and rank that essential ingredient?

All we can do is publicise those establishments that treat you like a hog, as Wilfred says – after all, that’s exactly what myTobago.info is here to do – to help steer visitors to the best places and away from the worst.

Alana R · Post by **Alana R** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 4:15 pm

I stayed at Surfside Holiday Resort a few years ago and I have to agree that the service was without a doubt, absolutely terrible.
At that time, the management team was a husband and wife (I'm not sure if this has changed). They were rude, unfriendly, unhelpful and once or twice shouted at me and my friends when we had queries.
Our room was on the ground floor and unfortunately located close to the management's quarters. In the morning we were criticised for our noise the night before. No, we were not unruly or unnaturally loud.
The rooms were unsightly, the sheets old and dingy and I can't begin to describe the state of the bathrooms.
I'm sorry to say this but there is more.....
We were typical Trinidadians and as such we waited until the last minute to pack our things away before leaving for the airport. To our surprise, one of my skirts was missing and a pair of my friend's shoes was also gone !
We confroted the wife and her only comment was to complain to her husband. Her husband was conveniently not there.
We had no choice but to leave without our things and without any compensation or apology.
Here's a common Trini expresssion......probably universal by now......'Cheap things no good, good things no cheap'.

Carole W · Post by **Carole W** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:05 pm

After having read previous posts about this hotel I was a bit dubious about going there, even though I have friends staying since January and they are STILL there.

HOWEVER.......
I've just returned from a three week stay and it was wonderful, I can only surmise that since the previous posts (all over three years old) were made the management has changed. Madhourie & Mohammed (sp?) and all of their staff were very friendly and curteous.
Granted, the apartments are quite basic (If you want 5* it's not for you) but they were cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis and were equipped to a very good standard. I didn't have occasion to have to ask for anything, but i'm sure if I had it would have been provided at once.

A previous post said you had to ask for the pool to be cleaned, This is nonsense, there are two pools and both were cleaned every morning without fail.
There was also mention of noise from the Golden Star next door, I have to say I did hear it (but only on Wednesday evenings when they have some sort of talent contest!) and it really wasn't that bad, the rain storm at 2 in the morning was FAR noisier.

SO, all in all I had a fabulous holiday, hopefully will be going back next year and Surfside was great, unless as I said earlier you want 5*s

Camillad · Post by **Camillad** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:07 pm

Carole W wrote:After having read previous posts about this hotel I was a bit dubious about going there, even though I have friends staying since January and they are STILL there.

HOWEVER.......
I've just returned from a three week stay and it was wonderful, I can only surmise that since the previous posts (all over three years old) were made the management has changed. Madhourie & Mohammed (sp?) and all of their staff were very friendly and curteous.
Granted, the apartments are quite basic (If you want 5* it's not for you) but they were cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis and were equipped to a very good standard. I didn't have occasion to have to ask for anything, but i'm sure if I had it would have been provided at once.

A previous post said you had to ask for the pool to be cleaned, This is nonsense, there are two pools and both were cleaned every morning without fail.
There was also mention of noise from the Golden Star next door, I have to say I did hear it (but only on Wednesday evenings when they have some sort of talent contest!) and it really wasn't that bad, the rain storm at 2 in the morning was FAR noisier.

SO, all in all I had a fabulous holiday, hopefully will be going back next year and Surfside was great, unless as I said earlier you want 5*s

Hi

I am so happy to read what you have written

me and my husband are leaving for Tobago in marsch and are going to stay at Surfside Hotel. We become nervous when we read what the others had write aout it

/Camilla

CaroleW · Post by **CaroleW** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:49 pm

Hi Camilla, Hope you have a great time in March - please let us know how you get on.

Carole

Camillad · Post by **Camillad** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:52 pm

Soon soon soon we are leaving

at Tuesday 13 th

I hope that everything will be nice and that the hotel will be good.
I wonder one thing, do you get towels to use in the shower at the hotel or do we have to take that with us? I guess we just have yo take towels we need at the beach with us
Hugs Camilla

Carolew wrote:Hi Camilla, Hope you have a great time in March - please let us know how you get on.
Carole

Thank you, Thank you

No it is not many days left

I will let you know how it has been after
Hugs Camilla

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