‘That’s on you do better research’: Iowa tourists pay for ‘luxury’ resort in Punta Cana. Then they check in
A woman has gone viral after her girls’ trip quickly turned into the holiday from hell. In the 10-minute video, which has amassed 488,100 views, Jessica (@jessicaa202020) sat in the hotel lobby waiting to leave after her “luxury” holiday was anything but.
From the moment they arrived, there were issues. Right away, Jessica and her friends could smell mold. However, hoping to make the best of the situation, they decided to swim in the pool for a bit before going to Punta Cana beaches. But the beach failed to meet the expectations of the group, with Jessica noting a strong presence of seaweed that “smells like [expletive].”
After their failed beach trip, they rinsed off their feet in the pool and arrived for their dinner reservation. Despite their reservation, staff insisted that they sat down to have a drink; all the while staring at them intently, even when one of the women “hated” her drink.
Finally, they sat down at a table. Despite a “limited” menu, Jessica says that she and her friends tried to eat a selection of food. They ordered the full works: from appetizer to dessert, but she and her friends were left unimpressed that they had to reorder dessert, which, among other things, included a “disgusting” key lime pie.
Things got worse
Cutting their losses, Jessica says that she and her friends decided to retire to their hotel room, sitting on the balcony overlooking their pool. The pool was shared by neighbouring hotel guests, who, in full view, decided to have sexual intercourse in it.
To make matters worse, a giant roach appeared from under the women’s chairs and jumped into the pool, which was swiftly followed by a stray cat who, after getting splashed, also fell into the pool.
Unsurprisingly, it was at that moment that Jessica and co. decided to find another place to stay. After finding one, they had a closer look at their hotel room, which had mold in cracks, non-working outlets, and was generally “filthy.”
She also reflected on her arduous journey to the hotel, claiming that Enterprise charged her over $500 for a rental car that was only meant to be $86. To make matters worse, it took two hours to get to the accommodation.
For their first and final night, the fan near their beds was going “crazy” and the curtains didn’t shut properly, meaning that Jessica had to use a hair tie. The next morning, they woke up to screaming and cussing in the hallway, and as a final goodbye, Jessica shared pictures showing the dirt, mold, and stained linen in their hotel.
As a parting note, Jessica shared the hotel’s name: the Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana. According to its website, it’s a five-star hotel.
@jessicaa202020 Our girls trip nightmare. This was a snap I was sending to my friends back home. I touch my face a lot because….. bugs, humidity and lack of sleep. I also was nervous of my surroundings. I never got a video of the people next to us but I wouldn’t post it here anyway. I only tried to take the video for our complaint. We NEVER got a refund and this place was EXPENSIVE!!!!! We would have never stayed due to safety and health reasons. This isn’t all of the photos but you get the point. Never stay at @Bahia Principe Hotels&Resorts in Punta Cana! The ONE staff member was great. The rest, awful!!! I never got my own photo of the beach but I promise you, NASTY!!!!! #BahiaPrincipeLuxuryAmbar #puntacana #neveragain #thejessmess ♬ original sound – Jess A
What is dirty sock syndrome?
In the clip, Jessica also notes that her friend is paranoid about experiencing ‘dirty sock syndrome’ in the hotel they stayed at.
Dirty sock syndrome refers to a musty, mouldy odour which, for many, is akin to dirty socks. However, this smell is usually produced by mold and bacteria growing in an A/C.
According to Academy Air, dirty sock syndrome can trigger issues in people with allergies, respiratory conditions like asthma, and weak immune systems.
Commenters all agreed on the same thing
In the comments, users all agreed on one thing: Punta Cana is a terrible vacation spot.
“Punta Cana was my worst vacation,” one wrote. “I have zero desire to go ever again.”
“First mistake was Punta Cana,” another added. “I went once, never again. Live and learn.”
While a third remarked, “Not even locals go to Punta Cana yo.”
“Went once,” a fourth continued. “Never again!!!!! Worst vacation ever!”
While a fifth noted, “This is like the 6th video I’ve seen about bad experiences in Punta Cana.”
Fortunately, things later looked up for Jessica and her group. In a follow-up video, she revealed that the second resort they stayed at was “phenomenal.” However, she made it clear that she wouldn’t return to Punta Cana.
The hotel and Enterprise Mobility didn’t immediately respond to The Mary Sue’s request for comment via email.
Jessica didn’t immediately respond to The Mary Sue’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
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