We would like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge our employees for doing an outstanding job during hurricane Wilma. It is a great privilege to work with dedicated and committed individuals whose invaluable support and courage will always be remembered. Thank you for being part of the Palace Resorts family - we couldn't have done it without your help!
We would also like to thank our guests for their support and understanding during these difficult times. We hope to see you again very soon!
Below are some testimonials from our guests during hurricane Wilma:
Hotel: Aventura Spa Palace after Wilma
Message: We are here, at the Aventura/Spa Palace after its reopening on Saturday, November 5. The resort looks beautiful. This is our fifth year at the Aventura/Spa Palace and our fourth year with other couples joining us. After Wilma, we were anxious and a little hesitant about our planned trip. What didn't know what to expect. But, we did know that we wanted to help support the wonderful workers at this resort in anyway we could. They have always been so gracious and kind, their livelihood depends on tourists. So, we decided we'd come and make the best of it.
Upon arrival, the staff was waiting outside and stood in line and clapped as we exited the car. The women were given flowers. And we all received our welcome champagne. The staff said "welcome" and it was the most heartfelt welcome I had ever heard.
I am writing this message for anyone who may be contemplating whether or not to come here after Wilma. Please do! Please help support these wonderful people. The pool is sparkling, the restaurants are wonderful, the view . . . stunning beyond description. The golfers in our group described the course as "beautiful, as usual". You will be welcomed with such sincerity and you will be made to feel as if you are the only guest at the resort. They are that attentive!
It's time to give back. These are not rich people. These are good, decent people, with families and they look to the tourists as their livelihood for their families.
So, pack your bags and come. I promise you will not regret it! The Aventura/Spa Palace continues to be a truly fine resort.
Anthony and Lisa Molinaro
Hotel: Cozumel Palace
Dear Palace Resorts Management,
I apologize that this commendation is not more timely.
My wife, Linda and I are members of the Palace Resorts and were staying at the Cozumel Palace prior to being evacuated to the Aventura Spa Palace to ride out hurricane Wilma. Although there was a degree of confusion around the decision and notification of evacuation from Cozumel, this is the only negative aspect of this adventure. Linda and I were constantly amazed at the continuous high-levels of service the Palace Resorts staff members afforded all of us through this interruption of our vacation.
The attention to detail started with the chartering of private ferries from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen. Upon arriving on the mainland, there were buses lined up to shuttle us to the locations where we would bunker down during hurricane Wilma. Some of the staff from the Cozumel Palace accompanied us to make sure the transfer went well. Our destination was the Aventura Spa Palace. Once the bus arrived at the hotel, staff members were on hand with cold drinks and ice-cold damp towels to wipe our faces. We were processed through the check-in process in record time. This was Wednesday October 19th. On Thursday we were moved to the convention center after checking out and having our luggage loaded into refrigerator trucks to be stored during the storm. Although there were long lines, this whole process was very organized.
Hundreds of staff members worked feverishly to prepare the convention center for our stay there. I am sure that more logistics were involved in this than we observed, but they loaded every beach lounge chair they could find for us to use as beds, along with providing clean blankets, sheets and pillows. In the background, I suspect a small army was moving food, beverage, water and other supplies from other locations into the convention center, enough for three days of supplies for over 1400 people.
Once we were locked down (hurricane shutters drawn), around 250 Palace Resorts staff members stayed to serve our every need, even though their families were on the outside and would be out of contact with each other through this event. I'm sure that this was traumatic for them and their families. We never heard a complaint. Just the opposite. They always had a smile and were always attentive to any need of the guests. The meals were always prepared with care and presented as if this was a normal buffet service, complete with shining covered serving trays with steaming entrees. There were always plenty of drinks and for most of our stay, there was ice to add to the cold drinks. Thank goodness that the hotel and convention center had generators. This supplied lights and power to the kitchen for meal preparation. Once we lost main power on Friday morning, the generators kicked in. The only thing we lacked was air conditioning. It got very hot and muggy, but we were safe.
Activities were coordinated throughout our stay that included bingo games, towel folding demonstrations and training, massages provided by staff members to guests and other things to help wile away the hours. Movies were shown in one corner of the large ballroom/community bedroom.
One of the little things that impressed me immensely was the constant maintenance of the bathrooms. There was always one of the staff in each of the restrooms keeping them pristine. One morning I walked into the men's room to find smiley faces and the words 'Have a Beautiful Day' made with flower petals laid out on the countertops in English and Spanish. Linda said the women's sinks were lined with carnations. Another major contribution to uplifting our spirits were the arrangements made to take showers starting Saturday night. Even though the rain was coming down in horizontal gusts that stung bare flesh, the Palace Resorts staff braved the elements and prepared 50 rooms so that we could all take showers (I guess they detected that we were all getting a little gamey ;-) ). This was a heroic effort that we all appreciated as being well above and beyond expectations.
The Palace Resorts management and personnel manning the information and PR desk were great. There were a few guests who were not taking the experience well, yet they handled them with more patience and dignity than I could have ever mustered. They also provided us with periodic updates as they acquired new information. It was understandable that these updates dwindled as we lost communication with the outside world.
As guests of the Palace Resorts, we were all in the best of care throughout this ordeal. As members of the Palace Resorts, Linda and I have never been so happy that we made the decision to become members. Thank you all for the “Five Star Hurricane Bunker Experience”. We hope to never repeat this experience, but you should all be proud of how well you performed under adverse conditions. Every morning and evening as your staff left their 12 hour shifts, they would walk out through a sea of people, all clapping for them in appreciation and you could see the pride and the smiles on their faces. They were our heroes. Your guests were so moved by the staff that we collected over $5500.00 for the staff members who attended to us. Although it seemed to be a large contribution then, now that I do the math, it doesn't provide the compensation that I believe each person should have received. I hope that upper management of palace Resorts will acknowledge the incredible contribution of these individuals and provide a matching contribution or more.
We look forward to visiting the Yucatan and the Palace Resorts in the near future.
Thank you,
Dennis & Linda Dooley
Moon Palace Resort
Thank You so much to the staff at the shelter at the Moon Palace who rode out the hurricane with us and did anything possible to accommodate us, even during the hurricane when any of your employees would walk past us working they would still smile with a greeting.
You need to compliment them on a job well done, you have many hard workers on your staff and you are very blessed.
Thank you also to our upstairs entertainer who broke out his guitar one evening and began to sing very popular songs, this really changed the mode for alot of people and it was very much appreciated....I wish I would of found out his name.
MOST IMPORTANT, Thank You to the female staff member who worked the hardest job during the Hurricane and that was the girl on bathroom duty, this was a very disgusting job and she worked so hard, if I only seen her the last day at the shelter I would of not hesitated to hand her at least $20.00 & I'm sure everyone else there would of done the same.............THANK YOU
Job Well Done
Hats OFF TO YOUR STAFF
Sincerely,
The Maschinot Family
Hotel: Cancun Palace
Message: To Palace Resorts Management,
We praise the management and staff of the Palace Resorts for their efforts during Hurricane Wilma to take care of all guests from all of the Palace resorts in Cancun. We were guests at Cancun Palace. We appreciate all that was done to keep us safe and comfortable at the Aventura Spa Palace Expo Center. The staff did an outstanding job of providing meals, water and sanitary conditions under very difficult circumstances. They did so many extra things, while suffering losses themselves that we can only imagine. We were extremely grateful and impressed with everyone that we encountered on your staff.
Obtaining medicine for us was above the call of duty. The meals were outstanding. The attendants in the restrooms went out of their way to keep the environment clean and pleasant.
Transporting us to the Moon Palace shelter then to the city for boarding passes was so kind and appreciated by everyone.
We are so sad that your resorts and beautiful area has suffered so much loss. We pray that the wonderful people of the Yucatan rebuild and recover swiftly.
Sincerely,
Beverly and John Crochet
Kennesaw, GA
Hotel: Cancun Palace
Message: November 8, 2005 - My husband and I were in Cancun with two friends of ours. We were to leave Cancun on the 20th of Oct. The four of us were evacuated to the Aventura Spa & Resort Convention Center. I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep thanks and gratitude to all of the employees who took care of the evacuees in the center.
I was very touched by the sincerity and concern shown to all of us during a very stressful time. Your staff was gracious and kind to all of us.
For instance, the women cleaning the ladies restrooms placed flower blossoms around the sinks and used some blossoms to spell 'hola'. We were frequently greeted with a warm smile or a comforting touch. The staff went above and beyond what I could expect during a time when I am sure they were experiencing their own personal crisis.
Words will never be able to express how thankful I am to all of you. Thank you doesn't seem enough but we do thank you from the bottom of our hearts. May God bless you and provide comfort to you during this time.
Sincerely,
Alison & Dan Geer, Gr. Jct., CO
Hotel: Moon Palace
Message: We had only been at the Moon Palace for 3 days when Wilma arrived. We had already decided that we had to write on our return to tell you how fantastic the staff are there. However, the hurricane just upped fantastic to outstanding. Truly the Moon Palace team are amazing, we were looked after so well. We hope you value them as your greatest asset. During our stay in the shelter we were told that if we made an official contribution to a fund to restore staff houses then Palace Resorts management would equal that donation, could you please let us know if this is the case, and if so how we go about making a donation. Would you please pass our heartfelt thanks to those wonderful people.
Yours Sincerely,
Haydn, Jane, Thomas, Hannah and Gerald Green
Hotel: Moon Palace
Message: First I would like to say THANK YOU for the 5 Star Shelter that was provided for my husband and I during our stay. We have no complaints for the resort. Actually we are so very greatful that we were taken care of during the hurricane. We would LOVE to return and are wondering if you are offering any type of discount for those impacted by hurricane Wilma?
Thank you again.
Karissa Livingston
Hotel: Moon Palace
Message: I am writing on behalf of my entire family and friends. My son and his wife were guests at Moon Palace the week of Oct 15, 2005. Thus, they were there during Hurricane Wilma. They have stated over and over how well taken care of they were at this hotel. They said the staff never stopped working even though the conditions were not good. My son and his wife are Michael and Laura Moody. They both had wonderful things to say about the staff at Moon Palace and if they ever go to Mexico again - they will most certainly stay there.
Thank you for taking such good care of them. There were two young men in particular that they were very grateful to -- I fail to remember their names. I hope this finds all of your staff well and I pray that you all will come through this natural disaster alright.
Thank you,
Rosie Moody
Hotel: Moon Palace
Message: I would like to pass on the following comment regarding my recent stay at the Moon Palace.
Although my wife and I selected the Moon Palace to enjoy our honeymoon, this was cut short due to the hurricane and we unfortunately did not have the time to enjoy what the hotel had to offer.
Please pass on our sincere thanks to all the members of the hotel who helped us evacuate to the convention center and who looked after us for the 6/7 days we remained there. We were well fed and watered and the staff never once had a sad look on their face given that they more than likely had lost many of their own possessions and homes.
Hopefully sometime we can return to enjoy our honeymoon and see why the hotel was so favorably recommended on the web reference sites we looked at before booking.
Many thanks
Mr R Hanna
Hotel: Aventura Spa Palace
Message: My husband and I along with another couple were at Cozumel palace when were evacuated to Aventura Spa palace because of "Wilma". The staff there while we were in the convention center worked tirelessly with smiles on their faces to make a bad situation very comfortable for all 2,000 of us. Many of them did not know how there families and homes were doing. Your staff should be commended for a fabulous job!
Thank you again.
John and Lisa Maas
