I made a reservation on Tuesday via the Banyan Tree company website. I was immediately contacted via email by the resort to confirm the reservation and to inquire about transportation needs.
Now they are asking for me to sign a credit card authorization for a one night deposit and to send them copies of my identification and the front and back of my credit card. They say this is a requirment of the mexican bank. I provided my credit card information with the original reservation request and am now feeling a little uncomfortable about the additional requests for information. Am I being paranoid? Is this standard procedure?
I made a reservation on Tuesday via the Banyan Tree company website. I was immediately contacted via email by the resort to confirm the reservation and to inquire about transportation needs.
Now they are asking for me to sign a credit card authorization for a one night deposit and to send them copies of my identification and the front and back of my credit card. They say this is a requirment of the mexican bank. I provided my credit card information with the original reservation request and am now feeling a little uncomfortable about the additional requests for information. Am I being paranoid? Is this standard procedure?
They asked me for the same thing. It's a pretty generic looking form, but I signed it and gave them what they requested. IIRC, I had to do something similar when I stayed in Phuket at the BT last summer.
Programs: United 1K, *A Gold, Hyatt GP, *W Gold, Leader's Club (?worthless)
Posts: 131
Quote:
Originally Posted by peter11
I made a reservation on Tuesday via the Banyan Tree company website. I was immediately contacted via email by the resort to confirm the reservation and to inquire about transportation needs.
Now they are asking for me to sign a credit card authorization for a one night deposit and to send them copies of my identification and the front and back of my credit card. They say this is a requirment of the mexican bank. I provided my credit card information with the original reservation request and am now feeling a little uncomfortable about the additional requests for information. Am I being paranoid? Is this standard procedure?
I had my Travel Agent DavidO do the booking for me and I did not have to provide the ID or copies of my credit card. You may wish to contact DavidO here on flyertalk. He is a truly exceptional TA and I do highly recommend him (as others on this board have done).
When I questioned it the manager wrote back and said they could get by with simply my signature on the form. They did not need copies of my ID and Credit Card. It does seem like a awkward way to handle reservations. I am surprised they do not simply have a US bank that can accept credit card payments. Their explanation was that their bank (Deutsche Bank of Mexico) required the extra step.
I am sure they will smooth things out as the resort gets up to speed. I am taking advantage of the opening rates (which are available through the end of March), so I am not terribly surprised that things might not be perfect yet.
I am writing this email from inside my Spa Pool Villa at the BT Mayakoba. They are still very new and there are some physical aspects of the resort that are still being completed, but so far the service has been top notch.
I'll post a review when I get back, but for now, it's back out to the 'plunge' pool (which is really a large lap pool).
Programs: United 1K, *A Gold, Hyatt GP, *W Gold, Leader's Club (?worthless)
Posts: 131
Quote:
Originally Posted by xracer
I am writing this email from inside my Spa Pool Villa at the BT Mayakoba. They are still very new and there are some physical aspects of the resort that are still being completed, but so far the service has been top notch.
I'll post a review when I get back, but for now, it's back out to the 'plunge' pool (which is really a large lap pool).
I'm headed out to BT Mayakoba on Tuesday. I booked a spa pool villa as well. I can't wait. Would love some details when you have a chance. How's the food? Did you do the private transfer through the hotel?
how does it compare to your experience at the rosewood?
I've been thinking about that while I am here and I'll expand on it when I return. The resorts are very comparable. There are certainly things that I like about the Rosewood more and things that I like about the BT more. The individual outdoor space is quite superior at the BT, however. Heck, the private jetted hot tub here is larger than the plunge pool at the Rosewood.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ether
I'm headed out to BT Mayakoba on Tuesday. I booked a spa pool villa as well. I can't wait. Would love some details when you have a chance. How's the food? Did you do the private transfer through the hotel?
We did use the transfer offered by the resort. I'm not sure that it is worth the money that they charge, but it was worth it to avoid the hassle at the Cancun airport, which can be a crazy place. The transfer was executed perfectly (nice car, cold towels, chilled water) - you have to clear customs and then walk outside where all of the other transportation folks are. Look for the BT sign.
The food so far has been above average, but not great. Last night we ate at Tamarind where the food was very well prepared, but the portions were small. Tonight we had room service dinner and it was just average. The breakfast is very good - with an excellent cold buffet and choice of a hot item from the (small) menu. The Thai restaurant does not open until Tuesday (I guess the chef does not arrive from Thailand until Monday). Tomorrow we'll try the beach front restaurant. Prepare though - the food is expensive. Up until now, I think the two tropical places I've been to with the most expensive food have been the Maldives and Bora Bora and this place is as (if not more) expensive than either of those.
The Spa Villa is very nice - you've made a good choice. All of the villas in categories lower than the Spa Villa actually face other villas, looking out over the lagoon. In the Spa Villa, you only see the lagoon and the mangrove beyond, so privacy is better.
We'll try the spa tomorrow. The 'Rainforest' portion of the spa is not yet done (and will not be until May), but the individual spa treatments rooms are done. All of the therapists are from Thailand, so I am expecting good things.
Other than that, both pools are done, but the pool bar at the main pool is not yet open. Pool service is excellent. Both pools are lovely. They are still doing some interior finishing work on some of the villas, but all of those that are not yet done seemed to be grouped in one area (and it is far from where the Spa Villas are). We're not talking exterior construction here - all that is done.
All in all, considering the resort has been officially open only seven days, I am impressed with how they are operating. Service has been somewhat tentative (which isn't surprising considering how new they are), but excellent all around. Management is very much in evidence.
The opening rates for Banyan Tree Mayakoba have just been extended till April 30th 2009. Garden Villas start at $495 plus tax and service which is a nice savings as it used to be $655 ++ from April 1st 2009. Does this fall under crisis discounts or are people really put off by the state department travel warnings on Mexico?
Just a quick update. I spoke to several people who are in the Playa area somewhat frequently for leisure, and they all said that renting a car at the airport is not a bad idea. I have gone ahead and reserved a car for our 5 day stay, and the total price, with taxes was slightly more than half of the RT cost of the resort transfer. I'm not typically too price sensitive with things like this, but it did seem a bit high, even for a high end resort.
I will endeavor to let everyone know how whether I've made a good choice or not as our trips starts later this month.
Just a quick update. I spoke to several people who are in the Playa area somewhat frequently for leisure, and they all said that renting a car at the airport is not a bad idea. I have gone ahead and reserved a car for our 5 day stay, and the total price, with taxes was slightly more than half of the RT cost of the resort transfer. I'm not typically too price sensitive with things like this, but it did seem a bit high, even for a high end resort.
I will endeavor to let everyone know how whether I've made a good choice or not as our trips starts later this month.
I am thinking about doing the same thing. I looked up rates to pick up at CUN but could not tell which company might be the msot convenient to the airport. Did any of the people you spoke to recommend a particular car rental agency?
I am thinking about doing the same thing. I looked up rates to pick up at CUN but could not tell which company might be the msot convenient to the airport. Did any of the people you spoke to recommend a particular car rental agency?
Nobody I spoke with recommended a particular company, but I chose Hertz, as I have a business relationship with them here in the US, and they basically got me set up with a much nicer car for the cheapest economy rate available. I can't imagine anything is going to be too inconvenient relative to the terminal.
