When determining where to stay, Tripadvisor has its place. When you’re comparison shopping and need a quick review of a hotel, it’s a good place to start. Of course, you have to take some things with a grain of salt, and kind of “read into” the reviews you see. But again, it has its place as one of the stepping stones to figuring out where to stay.
Tripadvisor can also be a source of humor, such as their assistance in accumulating lists of ridiculous complaints some travelers have made, or of horror, such as with the list of the world hotels in the world.
Anyway, I recently saw a review on Tripadvisor that was a mixture of “you really need to know what you’re looking for” and horror. Or maybe humor? You decide.
The Palms Turks and Caicos resort is listed as #17 of 47 in Providenciales, which is an island in the Turks and Caicos archipelago.
Located on Grace Bay Beach, the 72-suite luxury spa resort is well established, with over 1,200 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Tripadvisor. Most reviews have given them 4 or 5 stars, with compliments for friendly staff, a great pool and being very accommodating. Of course, no hotel is perfect so there are a few comments about the rooms needing refurbishment, or a staff member having a bad day, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Anyway, a user with the ID of michaelh14928 joined Tripadvisor in 2016. It doesn’t appear he had ever posted any reviews until the one we show below – after he and his wife stayed at The Palms Turks and Caicos. He gave the hotel a 1-star review with a reason unlike any other I’ve ever seen for a hotel:
My wife and I went to this resort. Beautiful resort. Water, sand pool and service amazing. We had such a good time that I (husband) decided to fly home to get our son Tom enjoy it also. When I returned, things seemed awkward. My wife eventually told me that she went to a massage while I was picking up our son and the masseuse seduced her and spent the night with her. I am not blaming the resort for this, this is my wife’s fault. But just know that this is the thing that can happen at this resort.
YOWSA!
Now, I had seen this as a screen capture from someone’s phone, but hadn’t seen it “in person.” After searching around Tripadvisor, it appears that the review was deleted.
However, in searching some more, I did find a web cache of another review Michael had done for nearby Grace Bay Beach around the same time. As it appeared on December 24, 2020:
Beautiful beach and the ocean is amazing. The hotel is very nice but the staff will sleep with your wife
When searching Tripadvisor as one normally would, the above review is also gone.
Michael’s profile showed he wrote one more review, a relatively normal one, about a month after the Grace Beach review. It was for the Hidden Beach Au Natural Resort, which bills itself as the only boutique, five-star, adults-only nudist resort in Mexico.
Loved the resort except… there is not a beach and the swimming pool is freezing cold. Wonderful dinner entertainment at night. Probably the best we have ever seen. Would definitely return. Everybody in the nightclub was 100% naked which is a liberating experience. The dining was very good also.
After that, his profile remained empty for 2 years.
Finally, in January 2023, Michael stayed at the Temptations Grande Miches Resort. Here’s what he had to say about it.
Beautiful resort. Room are spacious with closets and drawers unlike Desire. Hot tub is very large. Great restaurants.
Will Definately be going back. Probably wait until they make the pool clothing optional. Today is only topless. Unfortunately, the main pool is absolutely freezing cold. Great disco. While the ride from the Airport is long, 1.5 hours, it is a pretty drive.
Of course, we have no idea what Michael’s story is. Did all that in his first 2 reviews actually happen? Or was he trying to play a joke? And then what happened in the 2 years between reviews? Is she still with his wife? Did he go to the nudist resort with someone new? I have so many questions! Yet, without any other info, the world may never know.
But meanwhile…those first 2 reviews? Awkward!
Feature Photo: The Palms Turks and Caicos
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