Issues surrounding the tainted alcohol in Mexico
I am writing today to discuss the concerns I have with the issues surrounding the alcohol served at the many resorts and restaurants at one of Mexico's most famous destinations for both the tourist and meetings market. The disgusting and dangerous situation which are alleged to be happening in both Cancun and Playa del Carmen; the 10,000 gallons of tainted alcohol at places like establishments in Playa del Carmen were the Hotel Iberostar Paraíso Lindo, Hotel Iberostar Grand Paraíso, La Chopería, Los forgotten, McCarthy's Coco Bongo, Mexico Loco and Guy Fieri's. Those cited for the same reasons in Cancun include: Iberostar Hotel, Hooters, La Vaquita, Blue Gecko, Dady'O, Mr. Frogs, Crab House, Fred's House, Porfirio's Cancun, The Distillery, La Casa del Habano, and Carlos'n Charlie's. Although only one hotel chain has been brought into the discussion, Iberostar, the concerns that this is causing with meeting clients and the tourist industry could be distructive to all of Mexico by default.
The question that comes to mind is why? Why would a hotel company allow these issues to happen... this taints the entire chain by the actions of these three hotels for what purpose? Extra profit? Disgusting! When you read the accounts of many of the people who have been affected by all of this is that they have blacked out and when they wake up, they have been robbed, beaten, etc. The alcohol must have been brought in by the hotel you would think, but how, after serving the alcohol, did these people know to take advantage of the situation.
As for the restaurants and the bars, some names that certainly stand out are Mr. Frogs, Carlos'n Charlies and Guy Fieri's, these are names that, as american travelers, you would think you would feel safe as a patron in a foreign land. No one would think that again, we are dealing with some very unscrupulus people who are serving this swill for the extra profits that abound. We are not surprised when we hear that the drinks are watered down in some of the all inclusive facilities, but when these drinks, just one, can kill you or at the very least, make you very sick, you have to take this into account.
Other establishments in Playa del Carmen were cited for lack of maintenance, cleanliness, order and documentation, including the Hotel Iberostar Paraíso Lindo, Hotel Iberostar Grand Paraíso, La Chopería, Los forgotten, McCarthy's Coco Bongo, Mexico Loco and Guy Fieri's.
Those cited for the same reasons in Cancun include: Iberostar Hotel, Hooters, La Vaquita, Blue Gecko, Dady'O, Mr. Frogs, Crab House, Fred's House, Porfirio's Cancun, The Distillery, La Casa del Habano, and Carlos'n Charlie's.
As a top meeting management firm, we must instruct our clients that the danger exists and until the Mexican Government has a handle on the facilities that have used this product, it is another black eye to an area that is so beautiful with some extremely high quality hotels and resorts in our hemisphere. Of course you can't blame the entire area for the dozen or so hotels, restaurants and bars that have faltered, it does make you think what the liability is for a firm instructing their employees to join them at one of these locations, at one of these hotels, restaurants or bars as an event; and then something happens. Certainly the sadness of all would be a concern if someone was found in the hospital, robbed or worse yet, dead. The legal ramifications that this causes must be taken into account.
I am sure the Mexican tourism market is taking swift action to clean this up and by all rights they should.... It must be stopped and stopped now