TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico Best Western Emerald Beach

Just Damn! Thought we'd stay here for a night instead of chancing the ferries from VG to RT to STT. Road Town Fast Ferry has been broken down all week from what we were told. Took Native Son as Smith's is still running Bomba Charger. Got to Emerald Beach around 1PM and it's Cane Garden Bay with the beach packed with [censored]!! Finally got our room at 3PM. Room is very nice, ate at Fusions on property and the food is very good but service sucks! The crowd here is full of guys withy massive tats and wife beater t-shirts just a really "unique" crowd. Like coming back a day early but will stay elsewhere next time.

Rick,
I thought this was better than the Carib Beach BW.?

We're looking for a place to waste 2-3hrs inbound to STT waiting for friends' flight. Thought instead of waiting at airport, would crash at either BW and have liquid and food lunch before they got in to STT.

(we're staying in a private home on the north shore and have one car for the week, and a 3pm checkin, so no rush in going in advance)

To top it off we got a phone call on our room phone at 3AM from a guy saying he was the "night auditor" and that my credit card was declined and he needed my correct account number! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> I wasn't very pleasant and then decided to go to the front desk where the doors were locked with security guards. Before I could finish my first sentence both the guard and nite clerk told me it was a scam problem that this property has been having for months now.

Yikes! Wow. Hope the rest of your trip was a lot better than the end!!

This morning was MUCH more what we had in mind. Of course a couple of rum and cokes work well too. Now for lunch then a 2 minute taxi to the airport for our 4:45 flight.

OK, glad the morning has been better!

Island Beachcomber has a great beach bar if you're just looking to wait a bit.

We stayed Tuesday night at the BW Carib Beach and it was fine for a transit hotel. We would have stayed somewhere with more character if our friends were not on the early flight yesterday morning. It was nice to have a relaxing travel day, especially given the flight delays into DC.

Cheers, RickG

I think Island Beachcomber is the place we have often gone for lunch with Nutmeg. Great island vibe, good food, so long as they bring you what you order! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> Inside joke! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Yes, Island Beachcomber! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Wow, we've stayed at the Emerald Beach multiple times (and next door at the Island Beachcomber once), and have never had these kinds of issues. Hope it was a one-time aberration. Has someone started to bus people over en masse to Lindbergh Bay?

Dan <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

The Island Beachcomber has been my favorite since the early seventies for a short stay and the beach bar was what made it so almost everyone shared their experiences about their vacation. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

According to the front desk this is now one of the cruise ship "excursions". The beach was absolutely packed until about 4PM. Credit card phone scam has been going on for months.; Several guests received the same call. I asked why the property didn't give guests a heads up on this and was told they were considering it. Right!

Thanks for the scam alert. If I get called, I'll give them a false number... pay back for waking me up at 3am.

Wouldn't someone working the front desk at night be putting the calls through to rooms? I don't think you can call a room direct.

All anyone needs to know are room numbers which are easily gotten by a quick walk down the outside halls. You dial the main desk number then enter the room number when you hear "if you know your parties extension please enter that now". Believe me I asked that question when I went to the front desk at 3AM. In fact I just called the property and that's exactly what happened. Just wanted to make sure I was remembering correctly and I am.

That's what I thought, that's the way most hotels work.. No way anyone working at the front desk would put through a call at 3 AM without a few pointed questions..

Oh Carol, if only that were true. I can't tell you how many times some crazy teenager has found out one of my actors is in a hotel and some lame-brain at the front desk actually put the call through in the middle of the night -- top ten reasons why I give them all an alias as soon as I start traveling them <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Staying at Island Beachcomber on my own for one night - think it'll be cool by myself? First time traveling down on my own! I'll be hanging with Eric and Vicki at BWEB during the day but figured I'd save myself a hundy and stay down the beach a ways....

The BWEB front desk does not have to put an outside call through at any time. At this property, you call the main number and you hear the recording say "if you know your parties extension enter it now". The "extension" is simply the four digit room number that anyone can find by walking up and down the outside walks in front of the rooms. Our room was 2302 therefore that's the extension.

BTW, I just called and got through to that specific room doing as I said above.

At many hotels, you can simply pick-up and dial a room number directly, without ever having to go through the front desk....

That's true for a call from "inside" the property but we're talking about an "outside" call coming in. My major complaint that I voiced to the manager is that BWEB knew about this ongoing problem that, in their own words, has been going on for months yet they don't let the guests know about the scam. The other concern i have is that "what if" instead of a phone call at 3AM you get a knock on your room door telling you it's a night manager with a credit card problem? Sleepy, hung over, etc. and you maybe open the door before thinking?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Okay...now I'm trying not to be paranoid about staying in a hotel by myself there in October...LOL

You could stay at Crystal Palace. There are turtles and dogs for protection. Not to mention the Ninja innkeeper... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/pirate.gif" alt="" />

Don't worry you'll be fine just wanted all to be aware of this scam that can happen at any property.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> Vicki and Eric will be right up the beach at BWEB so I'll just call them if I get a phone call at 3am!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

Have read about this scam for over a year and it is not limited to the islands. Better though than the "we have to make an imprint of you credit card" on checking in San Juan hotel when AA put us up for lack of our connection to BOS...got a call next day from CC company that they were checking with me as they suspected that a $400.00 shoe purchase in an online LV store was not
mine....ROTFLMAO...like I would pay $400.00 for a pair of shoes!!

PS We have never had a bad room on BWEB but last minute room at Beachcomber is terrible...they must save a few rooms for the unfortunately-stuck-for-the-nite-folks... we experienced this once and so did a relative a year later...it was dank, musty, worn and dirty with AC that rattled like a freight train...yuck! So check room before checking in at BC.

We stayed there late September and they had a notice taped to the top of the front desk warning of the scam.

Finally and very appropriate.