Expensive Journey TROUBLESHOOTER: I a short while ago booked a room at the Barcelo, an all-inclusive resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. When I created the reservation, it stated breakfast, lunch and evening meal as included in the price. But when I read the confirmation, it claimed only breakfast was bundled.
I booked an all-inclusive hotel stay, and I’m involved that I may have to shell out for lunch and meal. I’ve tried out to speak to Priceline, but it has not answered the meal dilemma. Can you help?
— Michael O’Connor, Toronto
Response: You booked an all-inclusive vacation resort, so your stay must be all-inclusive — breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I tried using to make a reservation at the Barcelo, much too. Priceline lists it as all-inclusive and advertises all a few foods as currently being component of the place level. But when you look at the booking situations on the site, only breakfast is involved.
Your circumstance is a reminder to always check the phrases and disorders in advance of you make a reservation. If you see any difficulties, you must get an reply before you pay out for your hotel. If you’d performed that, you might have skipped the Barcelo and headed to another hotel where the terms have been clearer.
I reviewed the Barcelo web site and was also bewildered. The property describes alone as an “all-inclusive” resort, which indicates all meals really should be included. But your confirmation plainly states only breakfast is included.
This may be a superior time to ask: What’s the major offer about a vacation resort remaining all-inclusive? It is not just the money you will save on foods in some of these resort regions, there are minimal dining choices, so you have to try to eat each individual meal at the hotel. And that could simply double your resort bill, relying on the size of your social gathering. So at times all-inclusive is the finest way to go.
But the issue is, Barcelo promised you an all-inclusive experience, which then disappeared. I consider you could have attained out to an executive at Priceline for clarification. I listing the names, numbers and email addresses of the Priceline executives on my shopper advocacy web site at www.elliott.org/organization-contacts/priceline/.
I contacted Priceline on your behalf. The company arrived at out to your hotel, which confirmed that your fee was all-inclusive. “Breakfast, lunch and meal are no cost,” the agent additional.
Ok, “free” is almost certainly the completely wrong word listed here. But they’re certainly included.
Christopher Elliott is the main advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit business that helps buyers solve their complications. Elliott’s most recent e-book is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler” (Nationwide Geographic). Call him at elliott.org/assist or [email protected].