Tourist Trapped In Mexico Gets Criticized For Complaining About Hotel Refusing To Honor Late Checkout
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock A tourist who's currently trapped in Puerto Vallarta due to the violence happening in and around the city in Mexico faced heavy criticism after complaining about the hotel not honoring his late checkout request.
Posting about the dilemma on the subreddit "r/Marriott," the unnamed guest staying at the Westin claimed he wasn't being allowed to check out late and insisted there's absolutely no reason his request can't be granted, despite the country's unrest. Needless to say, his complaints were met with backlash.
A tourist trapped in Mexico complained about his hotel refusing to honor a late checkout.
In the tourist's Reddit post, which has since been deleted but reposted on X, he explained that he's a "platinum elite" with over "1,000 lifetime Marriott nights," and was vacationing in Puerto Vallarta. Due to the terrifying violence that has been plaguing the city, along with many other parts of Mexico, it's quite dangerous for anyone to be out on the streets right now.
"[Puerto Vallarta] is on fire due to the cartel setting cars and buses on fire all over the city," he wrote in his post. "The airport is closed. Ubers and taxis are not running. I asked for a 4pm checkout, which I'm entitled to based on availability. They won't extend past 2pm and said we would have to use the hospitality suite."
He admitted that he and his family were supposed to be heading to another part of Mexico that day, but due to the violence and lack of transportation, they probably wouldn't be able to. He complained that the hotel was the "worst property I have ever experienced" and hypothesized that no one would be able to check in that day, meaning his family should be allowed to check out later.
In response, many people criticized him for being insensitive to what was happening.
In the comments, the tourist faced an influx of backlash. Rather than validating his frustration, people pointed out that hotel staff were likely facing the same dangers and uncertainties he was. Employees were likely still expected to show up to work, or even had no choice but to continue doing so, even in the middle of all the chaos.
Others even questioned why a late checkout was his main focus during a citywide emergency. There were definitely some people who validated his frustration and pointed out that he should be more worried about extending his stay so he has a safe place to stay until he's able to fly back home.
Tourists are being warned to avoid Mexico at all costs.
The United States Department of State has issued shelter-in-place warnings for Americans at several popular tourist destinations in Mexico as of February 22. People are also urged to cancel vacations and trips they may have planned to Mexico.
Many of the popular tourist sites that Americans are being urged to avoid include Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara, as well as the states of Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero, and Nuevo Leon. The warnings come after the Mexican government initiated a military operation against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a major drug cartel in the region, which resulted in the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the head of the organization.
"Due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in the named locations should shelter in place until further notice," the department said.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
