Hotel Riu Monica - Adults Only

A complete lack of basic human kindness.

To be clear, we were not guests at this hotel. We had been struggling to hail a taxi with our toddler for over 40 minutes, growing increasingly desperate with each passing minute. As we walked, we noticed the hotel—a luxurious adult-only resort—and my husband, who embodies the politeness and reserve of a true Brit, stepped inside to ask a simple favour: could they please call us a taxi? We didn’t ask to use their facilities. We didn’t bring our tired toddler inside. There were no lines at the reception desk, and yet, the receptionist coldly informed my husband that they didn’t have a number for a taxi.

To be clear, my husband had been upfront and honest that we were not guests at their hotel. Yet, I have never heard of a hotel—especially one of such stature—not having a number for a taxi service. If they didn’t have a taxi number, then by that logic, they must not have contact details for the police, ambulance, or fire service either. When my husband came out and told me what they had said, I was incredulous. I walked in to confront them myself, and suddenly, they admitted they did have a number and told us to wait.

So, we waited. And waited. Forty minutes passed, and still, no taxi arrived. Another British couple, who were guests at the hotel and had witnessed the entire debacle, took pity on us. They kindly called a taxi from their own phone, and within five minutes, it arrived.

In the end, the hotel never called a taxi for us. They were perfectly content to leave us waiting indefinitely, had it not been for the compassion of that kind couple.

What I want to know is this: what would it have cost them—emotionally, financially, or in terms of effort—to simply make that call for us?

I would argue, nothing. It was despicable behaviour. When I confronted the receptionist, he tried to offer an "explanation," but I can't imagine any excuse that could justify such a blatant lack of kindness.

Shame on you.