March 26, 2010

  • Mandala Spa's biggest blunder

    Travel

    (NOTE: Before reading further, please check the update by clicking this link. March 30, 2010.

    Some corrections, as per clarification from our host:

    1. Mandala did not insist that we visit their place, its just that since the owner was expecting us, our host thought it right to push through with the ocular visit.
    2. It was the marketing manager of the spa that offered the yoga class and not the resort manager. My apologies to the resort manager if some of my readers believed it was him who made the offer. It was never my intention that he be the one to get blamed for the unfortunate event, thus no names were mentioned in my blogs, because as I admitted, I am not privy to the information that led to the spa's representative making the offer.

    Thanks to our host for clarifying the issue. March 31, 2010, 12 p.m.)

    I recently went on a 6-day trip to the Philippine's summer beach capital, Boracay, by invitation from two properties in the island - Crown Regency and Gran Prix.

    On the last leg of my trip we were given an unsolicited invitation from Mandala Spa and Villas, one of the country's most internationally recognized spa and wellness center. (Take note: unsolicited)

    But when we were about to take advantage of the offer, Mandala suddenly backed out, which frustrated me so much to the point of me trashing the invitation in front of him. What's the use of the offer when we can't use it, anyway? And he made sure that we still would be able to take a tour of their place, in fact we were told that he was insistent that we go to this place of his. Perhaps he really wanted us to write about his place.

    There would have been no problem on that and honestly, he does not even have to offer us all these freebies because for me, a visit to the facility itself is a privilege. Why did he even have to make the offer? Is it supposed to bribe us to write about their place? Such insult!

    They may have impressive facilities, but they sure have bad service. Simply, no word of honor. I won't be surprised because the manager is fairly new, perhaps he is the one who has no word of honor. Something should be done about this.

    This is an embarrassment and an insult to Filipino hospitality. One, which Mandala Spa's owner was so proud to point out as an asset of the Filipinos, the reason why it is but natural for the spa industry to flourish in the country.

    ***

    Want to know more on what happened?

    Check my travbuddy entry by clicking here.

    ***

    If it were you, would you feel the same way as I did, or am I simply being over sensitive?

    Photo grabbed from mandalaspa.com

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