Hit and Miss
Have you ever used a brand that was hit and miss? Maybe a store brand? Sams Club Raisin Bran is terrific, but some of the other Sam’s Club products I’ve tried are well below average.
There are some resort brands out there that are the same way. They may have a resort in Cancun that’s terrific but the one in Playa del Carmen is disappointing. A brand that’s strong in Mexico may be a huge let down in Jamaica.
Last year I stayed at Zoetry in Jamaica. Loved it. Four of my other agents stayed there, too. Two other of my agents had to stay at a sister property (owned by the same umbrella company). I won’t name it, but I will tell you none of us will ever book a customer into it. It was a horrible experience for my girls. That same brand is also on Cozumel, and that is our top selling resort on the island. The Cozumel property is terrific and a great value as well.
One brand, two resorts, vastly different experiences. You’d think if you loved the one on Cozumel you’d love the one in Jamaica, but I assure you, you would not.
That’s the reason we insist on going to the resorts first, and staying there, not just walking through on a tour. You don’t really get a good feel for a particular resort until you’ve slept in their beds, eaten in their restaurants, swam in their pools and gotten a sunburn on their beach.
It’s the same way with tour companies. One of their products may be amazing; another may be such a step down that we can’t recommend it. We’ve tried them all.
Our standard practice is to never recommend a place, resort or brand we haven’t already experienced. Even after we’ve stayed at a resort and loved it, we make sure if we’re going to throw our support behind it that one of us is there every few months. That’s the only way we can ensure consistency within a resort or brand.
Our goal is to be the one brand in travel you can always count on. Great advice, excellent pricing. The Joy of Travel, never hit or miss, just hit.