Marriott, delicious food but beware of the crocodile: a story with absurdity
The tourism industry is full of news that is nothing short of incredible. Anyone who has worked in this field [...]
Marriott
The tourism industry is, to say the least, full of news stories that are unbelievable. Anyone who has worked in this field for quite a long time could write several short stories with accumulated experiences. From customer behaviors to problems to be faced and solved in a matter of minutes, from intriguing curiosities to the most unthinkable and unpleasant experiences.
In this article:
It will certainly have some to tell a client about a Marriott resorts in Mexico, who was confronted with an atrocious scene: A crocodile dragged another host into the ocean.. It is all told in his review, which, in the absence of lower alternatives, obviously boasts a single star.
CROCODILE ATTACK: A Bay Area teenager vacationing in Puerto Vallarta was attacked and dragged into the ocean by a 12ft crocodile. This happened at the Marriott resort.
Thankfully, Kiana Hummel survived. She is currently undergoing surgery at Marin General. pic.twitter.com/jtEMHncaxY
- Liz Kreutz (@ABCLiz) July 27, 2021
An atrocious encounter
The customer wanted to congratulate the staff of the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, also extolling the food that came to his table. A decidedly positive opening preamble, which stands in stark contrast to the one star out of five awarded. The heart of the story comes soon after, describing the traumatic experience he had. Friends of hers literally had to rescue another Marriott resort guest from the jaws of a crocodile. The woman was, moreover, furious at the facility's response after the attack.
What had attracted everyone's attention was a do, 18-year-old girl who fortunately escaped a potentially lethal crocodile attack. The witness stated in her review, "The room was clean, although there was a bit of a musty smell. Food and staff, on the other hand, excellent. Based solely on these elements, I would highly recommend the facility. The only huge factor that prevents me from recommending this resort to others is the fact that my group of friends had to rescue a young woman from a nearly four-foot crocodile."
More details
Part of the harsh criticism revolved around the lack of adequate signage: "I know you have signs, but you should have more. There needs to be a rope or a gate to prevent access to the beach at night. It is not safe at all. A single attendant walking around the area with a flashlight cannot be enough. This is unacceptable."
Kiana Hummel later explained the incident, recounting a midnight swim with some friends at the facility's private beach. Suddenly she felt something grab her leg. Once she looked down: horror. A crocodile had bitten deeply into her shin: "I started hitting it everywhere I could."
The animal initially let go after the blows it suffered and then bit the ankle of the other leg. Rounding out the story is the other guest, who offers incredible details in her own review, "If my group of friends and I had not been on the patio near the beach, the poor girl would have died. She was dragged into the water and then rescued, literally, by us."
It has the unbelievable that there was no quick response from Marriott, with the group of guests called to intervene to stop the bleeding and demanding an ambulance: "I can understand you not wanting to scare the guests, but the next day you should have placed huge yellow warning signs. Plus they wouldn't call an ambulance, which is absurd. Do something now before that croc kills someone."
Marriott's response
It is impossible not to draw attention to Marriott's behavior, assuming that the events occurred exactly as recounted in the review. The "Daily Beast" contacted the resort in Mexico, asking for comment on the affair, especially in relation to not wanting to call an ambulance, perhaps to avoid a resounding scandal.
The first response, however, came on TripAdvisor. The speaker was Fred Ruiz, who actually thanked for the nice initial words in the review and then apologized for the "unpleasant experience."
Marriott later issued an official statement to ABC News, confirming the presence of the appropriate signage, control officers and red flags at the site: "We encourage our customers to remain vigilant for their safety."
As of now, there is no comment on the alleged failure to call the ambulance, while Hummel's friends have started a "GoFundMe" campaign to help her pay for the cost of the surgery she will have to undergo.
