Casa Marina closing for a while 5th. April

[CFA123]

There are those who appear to seek out a negative spin no matter where they are. They simply seem to have that knack and apparently thrive on it.

and some who have a knack for continuously trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

i think the full time sosua defenders & the full time sosua detractors are equally off the mark. the truth lies somewhere in between. it depends on what you're seeking and what you decide to overlook... good or bad.

regardless, let's hope casa marina is open again soon & fully booked :classic:

 

[Keiser777]

well, just don't forget teh real reason why DR and particularly Sosua area soon will ebcome a damp lke Haiti. It's crime and corruption. Unfortunately, as soon as somebody post ehre a post about the crime ridden Sosua, moderators deleate those posts in a second.

 

[catcherintherye]

This thread is about the reported temporary closing of Casa Marina. I think I see both sides of Sosua (or any other place for that matter), but what is an issue here is the transformation of a seemingly neutral thread into a forum of negativity.

CFA, before you start painting everyone with your strictly black and white brushes, you would do well to recall your thread on the "sewer line" break several months ago. It turned out that it was a water line that had been broken, yet you continued to bash Sosua Bay without reason.

I think most clear thinking people understand that there are many facets to be considered in any environment. Sosua and the DR are no different.

 

[Lambada]

Sunwing, Signature, and Nolitours are still listing packages to Casa Marina. :classic:

Sunwing is having a fuel tax sale and the total taxes now are $220, not including the tourist card and departure tax.
Signature is $321 and Nolitours is $329 including the tourist card and departure tax.

Did you let them know? I just emailed expedia.co.uk Press Office with a link to this thread.

 

[Agpilot]

Over 1800 posts, I hope that I never lead a boring live like that.

 

[jrhartley]

you already do with just 5 you managed it

 

[whirleybird]

Oooooooooooh, I think that was me and I feel so honoured as so many others have far more posts than me!

Are we going back to being 'on topic' now?

 

[Agpilot]

I wonder why he kept coming back ! arent people stra nge ?

You can,t bash something like this the first couple of times you see it,it takes some time, whats so strange about that,but just keep on yacking.

 

[waytogo]

You can,t bash something like this the first couple of times you see it,it takes some time, whats so strange about that,but just keep on yacking.

"Yakety yak, Don't talk back."

 

[Malibook]

Did you let them know? I just emailed expedia.co.uk Press Office with a link to this thread.

I sent an email to Sunwing to ask about this.

 

[Lambada]

I sent an email to Sunwing to ask about this.

Thank you. I have just notified Thomas Cook as well (although their reps here should be doing this).

We seem to have got the thread back to the subject at hand. Hopefully voices of clarity and action decimate the ignorant baying of inanity which is, IMHO, about as much use as a colourblind electrician...:cheeky:

 

[iangillis]

am ****ing disgusted with what I've had to read on this thread in the vain hope that some more concrete details, maybe even an english translation of the spanish language article from the first post, might be tucked away somewhere... some very bitter people out there... haven't seen the Sosua I visited described here... definately don't recall hearing any dogs at night...

has anyone got the gist of that article, any from/to dates or anything?

 

[dougiej]

Unrated

The Casa Marina Beach hotel in Sosua, with 378 rooms and 210 employees, will close its doors on April 5, according to local sources.

The company, Marina Amhsa, led by businessman Luis Lopez, also operates the neighboring hotel Casa Marina Reef, with 299 rooms and a payroll of 146 people.

It was reported that staff working at the Casa Marina Beach Hotel were notified that the company will close for several months. Some staff will be transferred to work at Hotel Grand Paradise Beach Resort, in Playa Dorada, another Amhsa property, others will move to similar companies in the Eastern region, while the remaining will be granted “indefinite” holidays.

Despite it’s popularity with British, Canadian and many European tourists, local sources are saying that Casa Marina has been trading at a loss for several months, suffering from the dramatic downturn in tourist numbers everywhere on the North coast.

The same sources are saying that management of Amhsa Marina in Samana has been in negotiations with the executives of the company Bahia Principe.

The Hotels Casa Marina Beach and Reef operate with shared staff and facilities, including restaurants, pools, clubs, children's entertainment areas and gyms.

The management of both hotels is under the control of Mercedes Cecilio, a professional of long experience in this field, who is also on the board of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Sosua-Cabarete.


1 related news articles

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Let's hope that Casa Marina can recover and everyone can get over it if it doesn't.

I agree.

When a business of this size closes, everyone is the loser, the tourists, the ex-pats who are business owners, the locals in the community, and the employees. Eventually, there is fallout on everyone.

Too bad that, instead of voicing concern, many members here choose to sit on a high horse and throw the spear. Especially too bad, since those very people will also, in some direct or indirect way, be affected somewhere down the line.

Lindsey

 

[Afgan]

I agree.

When a business of this size closes, everyone is the loser, the tourists, the ex-pats who are business owners, the locals in the community, and the employees. Eventually, there is fallout on everyone.

Too bad that, instead of voicing concern, many members here choose to sit on a high horse and throw the spear. Especially too bad, since those very people will also, in some direct or indirect way, be affected somewhere down the line.

Lindsey

Disagree!

For normal regular expats (not business owners) - retirees, fixed income people etc - this is a very good thing. Less tourists for them means less crime in the street, less garbage on the beach and in the water, nice drop in prices for everything. In other words- a much cheaper, safer and quiter life than with huge crowds of tourists, beggars, vendors, drug dealers and other stuff like this everywhere.

A peaceful nice country style living.

So, I disagree strongly. Not everyone is concerned about money, money and money only, trust me.

 

[iangillis]

is this really news though? when starting to look at booking our wedding there back in December 09, we looked at prices from March through to December with Thomas Cook and found they didn't have any flights out there between mid-March through to first week of May.... and that's still the case now, having quickly just checked on their booking site.. although there's plenty of choice if wanting Punta Cana.

 

[Black Dog]

These renovations have been planned for a long time and a low point in occupancy is the perfect opportunity to carry them out.
Afgan, I understand the point that you are making but there is a huge number of people who, either directly or indirectly, rely on the revenue that the tourism industry produces and an area like Sosua could be devastated by the closing of such a large hotel. It could in fact lead to far higher crime when people become desparate!

 

[iangillis]

the hotel is still taking bookings for all dates in April/May...

 

[tflea]

The hotel is not closing, per top management of the hotel. Every low season they reduce staff. They will do some remodeling after Easter break, but it will not affect operations. The same was done 2 years ago. They do not want guests walking among remodeling works. They will honor contracts through the summer with tour operators and if demand warrants they will respond accordingly with opening additional space, they said.
Believing local press reports is always risky, at best.

 

[Ken]

The hotel is not closing, per top management of the hotel. Every low season they reduce staff. They will do some remodeling after Easter break, but it will not affect operations. The same was done 2 years ago. They do not want guests walking among remodeling works. They will honor contracts through the summer with tour operators and if demand warrants they will respond accordingly with opening additional space, they said.
Believing local press reports is always risky, at best.

I got the same information from my source at Casa Marina. They first remodeled 4 rooms, each in a different way, to see which would be the model for the rest. The choice has been made and now the others will be remodeled, to the extent possible without having guests endanger themselves and slow the work.

Regarding the voices of doom and gloom about the resort, my observation is that if there is one resort in this area that does well, it is Casa Marina. They seem to always have large number of guests.