Roberto's Ad in the Guad Reporter Re: Mean People

Has anyone seen an advert' for Roberto's place that states cooking facilities?

There are nice photos from 2012, and priced now @ $5000 pesos for 10 people for a weekend, private bathrooms ETC' but no cooking.

But an "OPEN" restaurant maybe?

I'm looking at the brochure. States that there's complimentary breakfast and cocktail hour but doesn't offer cooking facilities. States there are "beach puesto" restaurants nearby.

I'm sorry he's shutting it down. Sounded like a nice getaway, far from the madding crowd.

http://www.quintacuyutlan.com/home

http://www.quintacuyutlan.com/accomodations

Whole House Special
Bring your group of friends, up to 10..
Your own Beach House
$2,500 MN Per Night, 2 night min.
$5.000 A Weekend
Or $12,000. pesos
per week (6 nites)
Resevations Only

I also suspect the reviewer may have seen well-used Melmac-type plates and considered them dirty. Friends who have rentals say anything better gets broken or stolen. Same with the towels - were they actually dirty or just old or well washed but stained with something like wine that didn't come out? Hard to tell.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:I am wondering what the state of her ovaries and uterus have to do with her opinion about a hotel. If she was still ovulating and menstruating every month would she have liked it better?

Thank you. I don't understand why some people can't just disagree with someone without getting personal like this.

And frankly, I don't understand why one lousy review merits so much attention and upset from Roberto and some others. When you're running a business, you're going to encounter stuff like this. Most people would look at the reviews, realize that this is one bad one, and move on.

Any worse that the discussion about the broken bottle of booze at Soriana?

You are right that any time one deals with the public in the service industry, you take your chances with a disgruntled customer. Many years in both retail and wholesale businesses teaches one that a ticked off customer has a tendency to mouth off and do more damage than the satisfied customers who receive what they had expected in the first place and rarely say anything. One should also keep in mind that there are "pros" who go on the offense hoping to get a better rate or price or better accommodation.

Here's another that started out total BS and became more realistic. On a desert of a beach in the middle of nowhere fronting an ocean you can't swim in. No appeal at all unless you are into a 'survivors' type of environment

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g153292-d584601-r7199237-CocoCabanas-Barra_de_Navidad_Costalegre.html

Mainecoons wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:I am wondering what the state of her ovaries and uterus have to do with her opinion about a hotel. If she was still ovulating and menstruating every month would she have liked it better?

Thank you.  I don't understand why some people can't just disagree with someone without getting personal like this.

And frankly, I don't understand why one lousy review merits so much attention and upset from Roberto and some others.  When you're running a business, you're going to encounter stuff like this.  Most people would look at the reviews, realize that this is one bad one, and move on.

Gotta agree. Roberto seems far too sensitive to be in this type of business. I wonder what his reaction is to a posted complaint about the restaurant. Taking an ad out in the GR "to vent" was way over the top IMO. In fact, it was counter productive as it drew more attention to the Trip advisor post and where there is smoke there is generally fire.

Maybe he has something to hide? There are bad reviews on TA all the time. So what? There is a section where the owners can reply.

It maybe that it was the last review in a year or so that was posted and some people listen to the last sound of the bell as it could mean the place took a turn for the worst.
I am not in town so I have no access to the GR but to fight this kind of review you have to answer it right where it was posted rather than on some small town paper.
The post was totally out of sink with the other posts and people who read reviews know how to weed out the etermallyy malcontent people. Maybe the woman was expecting a lot and the place did not come up to what she had imagined from reading the reviews, maybe she had a bad experience who knows but you cannot take one review that is out of whack, personalllt.

Bobby should have answered the review in TA when it appeared; refuting what was said. For him to highlight it in a newspaper ad only calls attention to it for many more people who would have seen it on TA and that includes potential customers for his restaurant here.

Frankly, Roberto's has been on a downhill slide for awhile. Sometimes Bobby is hands on; sometimes he's hungover and/or too tired. He's been talking about closing off/on for at least 10 years, even back when he was on the lakefront.

When he's at the restaurant and on top of his game, it's still a great bargain. When he's not there (or there but not up to the task), it can be awful in both food prep and wait service. The food quality has steadily gone down as he tries to keep his prices low.

I'd rather pay more elsewhere for better and consistent food and reliable service.

My favorite trip advisor post is this one because the target was a bad tempered, spoiled brat, who has now declared bankruptcy and lives in Brazil. This post cost him a lot of money. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150793-d1032181-r138940393-El_Dorado_on_the_Beach-Puerto_Vallarta.html#REVIEWS

Since Quinta Cuyatlan is closed......why not quit
  
Bobby's got troubles enough, already.

From CNN Travel: "5 ways to decode a TripAdvisor review":

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/09/travel/tripadvisor-decoded/index.html?hpt=hp_t5

CHILLIN wrote:My favorite trip advisor post is this one because the target was a bad tempered, spoiled brat, who has now declared bankruptcy and lives in Brazil. This post cost him a lot of money. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150793-d1032181-r138940393-El_Dorado_on_the_Beach-Puerto_Vallarta.html#REVIEWS

I'm skeptical given that the review right under his was worse.

The "decoder" article was interesting--and helpful. Thanks, Cheena.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:The "decoder" article was interesting--and helpful. Thanks, Cheena.

I like the one about "commandments", which also happens on these boards.

Who really takes this twit seriously? To call herself an 'adventurous traveller' but complain of beachfront restaurants with tables on the beach...??!! HELLO!!! That is a huge part of the charm of countries like Mexico. I have had some of my best & most memorable meals on 'tables on the sand'. There is nothing more romantic! And that is not to imply that table needs fine linens and crystal. Part of the adventure of travelling to foreign lands is to experience how REAL people live, and this is closer to a beachfront meal in Mexico than the fine dining experiences of rich folks in Miami or L.A. If she can't appreciate what was offered, she really should stay home. And I mean back in the U.S. of A.

I think her complaint about the seafood stands was that it was the only option. She was unable to cook in the disorganized kitchen and there were no restaurants other than the seafood stands. After a few days I imagine it would become an issue.

Axixic wrote:I think her complaint about the seafood stands was that it was the only option. She was unable to cook in the disorganized kitchen and there were no restaurants other than the seafood stands. After a few days I imagine it would become an issue.

she did give good reviews to a restaurant there - while all stayed in a hotel - maybe they moved from Bobby's place to the hotel - http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g153983-d3622764-Reviews-Corazon_Contento-Colima_Pacific_Coast.html

I see people are adding new reviews to Bobby's place - and Connie H is traveling:)

Don't you think his ad in the Guad. Reporter exacerbated the problem more than helped...a very thin skin.

Over-reaction, for sure.

It's easy to criticize when you're not standing in the other fella's shoes.

Anyone who has had to deal with the public constantly generally learns to roll with the punches......up to a point.......and then, there's the one that's just one thing too much, and the fuse blows.  

I wouldn't be surprised if Bobby wished he hadn't published that piece, but maybe he really has had it with being an innkeeper on the beach and a restaurant owner hours away.  A real juggling act, even for a much younger person.

I've seen some customer behavior in his restaurant that is truly amazing in its lack of courtesy to both him and his staff.  (Everyone else's restaurant, too.  People can be pigs.)  Being an innkeeper or restaurant owner is not an easy path. I'm cutting him slack on whether he should/should not have put in that ad and whether or not things were running perfectly at either location.

I have to agree 100% with Gringal. I also realize that those who do not understand this progression from tolerance to final straw have never been in a business where you face customers all day, day in and day out. The 20% of customers who are absolutely impossible jerks is enough to turn you into a misanthrope for life.

We kept our promise and went to brunch at Roberto's on Sunday. I was impressed. It is probably the best brunch lakeside. We were seated by the owner, then perused a menu that was very creative and tantalizing - hard to make a choice.

After we ordered, we got a basket of warm bread, the famous carrot fritters, juice, coffee, a fruit plate with a very delicious seafood spread. (would love the recipe)

Then, the main dishes arrived. I had a piece of praline French toast, eggs, bacon, ham, and hash browns. Mi esposo had a frittata, chocked full of spinach, chorizo, mushrooms, peppers. We were so full, then the waiter brought out a dense bite of cheesecake - muy rico! The whole meal came to about $15. Try getting that in the states, or Canada.  

Those of you who stated that the food is not up to your standards must be channeling the same (post menopausal) spirit as Connie H. (who I think operates under various pseudonyms - from young and adventuresome to 65+ retiree).

The food and the service was impeccable. We updated our restaurant review to include our impression of Sunday brunch. If you do not like great service and creative, delicious food, then you must use different qualifiers to judge a restaurant - like, how much food for how cheap.

We have visited Roberto's a number of times since living here, for lunch and dinner and now brunch and found the service and food consistently good.

  Sound like a trifecta!

It's a good brunch.  

The posters who have been in business for themselves could share anecdotes about the "last straw" that caused them to lose it with a customer.  For instance, the irate customer who calls you at home at four thirty in the morning to express his dissatisfaction with the last delivery.  The owner of the dog who pees on your merchandise at a trade show.  The ladies who gets twofer dinners and leave NO tip.

And so on.  Some are real winners.