Cristian Veneziani

Review of Viva resorts

The village is huge and well cared for in the comm...

The village is huge and well cared for in the common areas. Directly overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea.
The nodes, too many, come to a head when it comes to services.
Let's start from the arrival. After checking in, the front desk called the porter. Apart from the fact that in our case it was useless, since our bungalow was very close to the reception (but certainly useful for other accommodations), the porter loaded 2 10kg suitcases onto the trolley, walked a few meters and unloaded the 2 suitcases. Total work time 30-40 seconds. We gave the porter a tip of 2 ALREADY STAFFED FROM THE STRUCTURE (I repeat, 40 sec of work) and he took them as if they were excrements, with an expression that you can imagine. If I took 2 every time I work 40 seconds I would jump for joy.
The bungalow was large, but instead of finding a comfortable double bed we found 2 1/2 beds which, being on vacation with the girlfriend, are not the maximum of comfort. The furniture is old and broken. The dresser fits in every time you open it. Shower often without pressure and barely warm. In-room safe is charged ( 2 / day).
The room cleaning service wouldn't hurt either, if they remembered to leave the shower towels. On 7 days we had to request them 4 times because they were missing in the evening when they returned to their room. Ah yes, it happens that the cleaning ladies come in without knocking, once finding us completely naked.
The communal bathrooms inside the resort are indecent. You rarely find them clean, unobstructed and with the drain working; water is often missing even from taps. If you have to go to the bathroom you have to go back to your room.
The most painful points, however, if possible, are connected with the bar and restaurant service.

CATERING: the main restaurant, although large, is not adequate for the size of the structure and often creates overcrowding. the menu is repetitive, but it can be there. The real problem, however, are the waiters; they are listless, incompetent and unkind. Often it happened that tables freed by the patrons were not cleaned and reapplied (despite the crush). It happens every day that the customer should clean and set the table left free by previous users, while the waiters quietly talk and laugh among themselves. If you ask where you can find clean napkins and cutlery you have 2 possible answers: either they laugh in your face and resume their business, or they bring you the cutlery with an expression that seems to have insulted his mother. Clean buffet dishes are often lacking. The tablecloths do not exist.
The snack service during the day is on the same level, with waits for food and endless clean dishes, especially aperitif time ..
In the all inclusive package you have the right, IN THEORY, to 3 dinners in the many thematic restaurants of the structure (by reservation). I say "in theory" because when you try to book them you are almost always told that there is no room. Making the reservation the same day of my arrival I was lucky enough to find a table for the second and last night of my vacation. Other guys who tried to book the day after me didn't even find a free table and had to give up. It is a pity because in the thematic restaurants the service is excellent and the cuisine also.

BAR: the professionalism and courtesy of the baristas (with few exceptions) is comparable to that of waiters.
Used glasses are rinsed with hot water (not washed) and put back into use.
The only positive note, in addition to the beauty of the structure in the common gardens, are the excursions, carried out by extremely courteous, helpful and competent staff, even if the price is really high.
In conclusion: if I had to rely on general services I would give 1 star, but the beauty of the gardens and the excursions put a minimum on the judgment.