PSA for anyone considering a Mexican vacation

[COcheesehead]

I've read about some of the tainted alcohol stories happening in the resort areas of Mexico. Some deaths have occurred. It seems based on this article that it continues, even in high end resorts.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news...saults-blackouts-tourists-continue/733401002/

 

[bloom2708]

I would take my family/kids nowhere near those places.

I'm amazed how many continue to go despite all the issues happening.

Thanks for the current info.

 

[COcheesehead]

And it seems TripAdvisor is not your friend, deleting comments about the incidents.

 

[Dtail]

Would love to hear the opinion of some of the folks from this forum who live FT or PT in Mexico.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Drink "bottled beer" and you will have no problems. This goes on all over North America,Central America,South America!

 

[COcheesehead]

Drink "bottled beer" and you will have no problems. This goes on all over North America,Central America,South America!

That's probably good advice. They said in the article the tainted alcohol contained methanol which is common in windshield wiper fluid. Yum. Give me a beer please.

 

[audreyh1]

It’s not just the tainted alcohol at some of the all-inclusive resorts in the Yucatán area, quite a few rapes by hotel employees including security have been reported and local police do nothing while TripAdvisor had been deleting warning reviews mentioning “violence”. Just sounds like a mess. I’ve read enough news reports over the last two years. I don’t think this is a flash in the pan. Travel agencies have been sued for not warning customers.

We’re not likely all inclusive resort customers anyway, but I prefer to visit other areas where I don’t have to take precautions against tainted alcohol. What’s the point of going to a fancy all-inclusive resort if you can’t enjoy margaritas and piña coladas?

 

[kcowan]

If you see the "swill" that the resorts transfer to used tequila et al bottles, you would stick to beer too. Happens at AI resorts worldwide. Seems to be a local quality problem with the bulk suppliers.

Unreported rapes OTOH are criminal. TA is no longer our friend!

 

[cbo111]

We have a neighbor who lost their 27-year old son who went to Cabo a few years ago and drank a tainted mixed drink at his hotel bar. He died within a couple days from whatever was in the drink.

 

[audreyh1]

If you see the "swill" that the resorts transfer to used tequila et al bottles, you would stick to beer too. Happens at AI resorts worldwide. Seems to be a local quality problem with the bulk suppliers.

Unreported rapes OTOH are criminal. TA is no longer our friend!

But you don’t hear about AI Resort blackouts and deaths due to tainted alcohol worldwide.

On the Trip Advisor deleted warnings:
https://www.npr.org/sections/the-tw...g-of-rape-assault-users-tell-journal-sentinel
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/travel/trip-advisor-rape-mexico.html

Travel agencies have also been accused of ignoring complaints and not warning customers traveling to the Maya Riviera. Apparently at least one of them is owned by one of the big resort chains.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I've read about some of the tainted alcohol stories happening in the resort areas of Mexico. Some deaths have occurred. It seems based on this article that it continues, even in high end resorts.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news...saults-blackouts-tourists-continue/733401002/

Last November, I got a citation for a traffic infraction while in Cozumel and trying to take care of it was a huge, HUGE pain. None of the officers at the police station spoke English and it took 3 trips there to get the $5 fine paid. I only mention this since the article said that the government of Quinatana Roo was making translators available as of this January.

We have stayed at several Ibeostar resorts in Mexico (where many of these incidents occurred) but have decided that we will not be back because of their inability to control issues with the alcohol.

 

[Hopeful]

I have often wondered how much of this alcohol issue is employee related vs resort related. A couple of years ago were staying at a high end all inclusive, when early in the morning I witnessed a bartender pouring vodka from a bottle of Absolute into an empty water bottle. I suspected he was keeping it for himself, but maybe they are replacing it with cheap swill so they don't get caught.

We have put Mexico vacations on hold. Last year seeing armored military vehicles in the street was supposed to make you feel safe, but had the opposite effect.

 

[ivinsfan]

I'm torn, we love Mexico and the people in it. We have stayed many times at a locally owned family resort near Playa. The staff is all family and have made their entire career at the family business. They couldn't be nicer or more attentive.

The idea of not going again or enjoying the relaxing atmosphere me sad...I'm uncertain if we should go back in December as usual. Not so much about the boozed but because of how the tensions seem to be rising.

 

[Sunset]

I've heard the Mexico resort stories, and combined with the drug violence AND my in-ability to speak Spanish, has made me think I'll just go elsewhere to vacation.

When we were in Europe this Spring, I did think of the tainted booze idea, and if I was in some small dumpy looking area/store I only bought wine. Figuring that the price they sell wine at is too low to make tampering profitable and that even locals would buy wine often so it would be discouraged.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Would never go to a resort in Mexico. Not worth taking a chance and not really the alcohol but the violence.

 

[audreyh1]

When we were in Europe this Spring, I did think of the tainted booze idea, and if I was in some small dumpy looking area/store I only bought wine. Figuring that the price they sell wine at is too low to make tampering profitable and that even locals would buy wine often so it would be discouraged.

I never considered an issue with tainted booze in Europe. They are extremely proud of their beer and wine and other traditional alcoholic drinks. We drink mostly wine or occasionally fortified wines or Aperol. All of the places we had drinks were restaurants that served locals as well as tourists, and wine bought in grocery stores frequented by locals or in gourmet shops featuring certain specialties. Never ever heard of an issue - and locals consume a great deal of wine. Were you just thinking of this in general?

Boy I sure enjoyed my cava served at breakfast!

 

[Scuba]

We like the Caribbean a lot better than Mexico. No one trying to sell you stuff on the beach, water/beaches are more beautiful than most of the areas in Mexico, the primary language is English, and the whole experience just felt more relaxing to us.

Many of our friends love Cabo or PV, and from Southern CA it’s certainly an easier journey, but we stopped going to Mexico many years before the recent issues started to happen.

 

[Amethyst]

Wow, glad I dropped in on this thread. Had been thinking about an AI resort someplace warm this winter - instead of Florida, our usual haunt - and now I can at least cross MX off our list. Still a lot of choices, even limiting to the Caribbean.

 

[COcheesehead]

We like the Caribbean a lot better than Mexico. No one trying to sell you stuff on the beach, water/beaches are more beautiful than most of the areas in Mexico, the primary language is English, and the whole experience just felt more relaxing to us.

Many of our friends love Cabo or PV, and from Southern CA it’s certainly an easier journey, but we stopped going to Mexico many years before the recent issues started to happen.

I agree with this. We travel to Europe mostly, if we go “south” it would be the BVI.

 

[athena53]

I'm making my first trip to Mexico in March and this is a bit scary. It's a cruise off the Baja Peninsula and the Sea of Cortes with a cruise line I've used 3 times before and love (UnCruise). Because of the headlines, I'm flying in the day before to Cabo San Lucas and out after the cruise and not planning to leave the hotel. Alcohol in the hotel will be from whatever bottle I buy at Duty-Free in the US on the way there. (The cruise line doesn't mind if you bring the remainder on board; alcohol is included in the price of the cruise.) Plenty of opportunity for margaritas and other mixed drinks on board. I guess I should leave my Rolex at home, too. UnCruise is very laid-back so there's no need to bring bling for some "fancy dress night". My brother and his wife visit Cabo frequently and I plan to talk with them about any other precautions.

It's sad- you know there are people who depend on tourism for their living and this is hurting them.

And it seems TripAdvisor is not your friend, deleting comments about the incidents.

I've always hated this part of TA's rules. They prohibit any discussion of violence or criminal activity. WHY? If you were knocked down and robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of a hotel I'm considering I think that's relevant information.

 

[H2ODude]

It wasn't the typical resort areas but in March we went to Mexico City, San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato, Aguascaleinte, and Bucerias (north of Porta Vallarta) using drivers and Uber. We were mixed in with a lot of locals except in San Miguel which was too many expats for us, but had a great time and never were suspicious of food or drink. We were south of Cancun about 7 years ago and felt sorry for the help as they all expressed such gratitude for us to have come in light of safety concerns. At the time unsafe alcohol was not a thing we knew of.

Getting a bit old for the all inclusive resorts but would definitely do the traveling around for local color. Granted, that takes some research on safe areas which our travel buddies are good at (and speak Spanish which DW and I don't).

 

[joeea]

I've always hated this part of TA's rules. They prohibit any discussion of violence or criminal activity. WHY?

Because nobody knows if the violence/criminal activity was real, or just someone with a grudge?

 

[Amethyst]

Not to challenge you or pick apart your post, just curious: What is it about AI resorts that we can get "too old" for?

The whole concept seems perfect for older people - everything's taken care of, you just luxuriate and enjoy. What might I be missing?

I
Getting a bit old for the all inclusive resorts ).

 

[Bamaman]

We have been there many times. But we no longer wish to visit a country with blatant disregard of laws. Many parts of Mexico are just too risky for travel. I will just leave it at that.

 

[ncbill]

Let's be blunt, these are the places where people go to drink like they're teenagers raiding daddy's liquor cabinet for a blow-out weekender.

So much booze is flowing through there's always going to be a temptation to substitute adulterated product for genuine.

Going out to a local restaurant outside of Cancun/Cozumel/etc. and having a few beers won't get you poisoned with "boosters" like methanol or ethylene glycol (a scandal affecting some European wines not too long ago)