Negril Beach Club Condo - Be aware !!

[Jamerican71]

Well there goes the Beach Club cred. How can anyone stay there after reading these posts. It sounds like an inside job so how can anyone trust any person working there including Ms Gaynair.

For me, this doesn't take away from the Beach Club cred, from my many years of staying there, I have never felt threatened or not safe. From the information provided, I don't see how a conclusion can be made that this is an inside job.

I know of 3 robberies on different times that I was there: (basic details)

(1) the elderly ladies I mentioned above - it was a crime of opportunity as those thieves thought these two elderly ladies could be taken advantage of, well those stupid thieves met their match in those ladies.
(2) A woman came running out of her unit right into security to claim she got robbed....one security guard ran after the fella and caught him and another security guard went into the unit and found his jacket. The jacket had a chill to the touch as if it had been in AC...turns out this woman had invited a "friend" into her room
(3) in Bldg J, a group of girls got robbed -- turns out it was from a group of guys they had been hanging out with the night before - they obviously provided to much info


I don't think NBCC can be crucified for this as theft happens everywhere. I'm glad that Jean handled this and reimbursed her and while I'm certain Christine doesn't feel like it's a fair compensation, it was still a good reaction. For every true robbery, there are many false robberies as hotel management have to somehow find the balance.

[Jamerican71]

Yes thanks for posting and thanks for letting it stay.
This is definately not the first I have heard of at this place and it is why I was very wary about booking and then booked elsewhere as I kept having it in the back of my mind and I still have 4 nights unbooked and was re-considering it now here we are again.I hope I made some good choices of hotels this year.I am happy to hear you are safe and well.A number of people have seen the customer service slide and I have heard of quite a few of these incidents there now.
Check all access points and secure them.

The customer service for the condos has always been good but the customer service for the hotel portion has been sliding. Come on and stay with the condos. I'm staying there over the holidays and traveling with 18 other people from my youngest niece (3 y.o) to my father (69 y.o.) and if I felt even the least bit unsafe, I would not have suggested this property for our Xmas/NYE family vacation.

I agree with check all access points and secure them as that is exactly what I do and plan to do. I'm not going to lie, this incident does have me on heightened concern for my trip next week but I will still go, enjoy myself and be more aware of my surroundings.

The other thing that I want to point out and I see this everywhere, not just in Jamaica, but guests walk past employees without so much of a head nod, a smile or even a quick hello. I make sure to speak to everybody as it takes nothing away from my vacation to speak plus it lets them know who I am and I feel safer about that.

[7milelover]

Don't write off Negril. I do understand how such an experience can turn you cold. I had things stolen from my room , and chose NOT to stay at the hotel where it happened again. Think of all the times that no crime has happened in Negril.

[Bnewb]

Good to hear Jean at least did something for you because I've heard of owners acting as if the person robbed did something wrong. Yes, please return to Negril but not to NBCC there are many other options and thank you for posting this and thanks Rob for allowing it to remain on the board. We all need to be aware of things, so we can make informed decisions.

Ladies - if you don't invite strangers into your home then don't do it while on vacation,

(3) in Bldg J, a group of girls got robbed -- turns out it was from a group of guys they had been hanging out with the night before - they obviously provided to much info
I don't think NBCC can be crucified for this as theft happens everywhere. I'm glad that Jean handled this and reimbursed her and while I'm certain Christine doesn't feel like it's a fair compensation, it was still a good reaction. For every true robbery, there are many false robberies as hotel management have to somehow find the balance.

As Jamerican71 states there are MANY false robbery claims & robberies that are invited by bringing people to your room.
There was a report written that was circulating all over the internet a year or two ago about a women that'd been robbed for a second time at the same hotel....she was trying to blame management/staff, claimed it to be an inside job and expected compensation for it.
After the first incident...she was informed that her "boyfriend" was "well known" and may be the cause of the trouble...but of course she refused to believe that! She only saw him during her visits which were for only a short time...yet somehow thought her boyfriend was an upstanding person. Rob and I have the opportunity to see his behavior from week to week over time and would NEVER think to invite him to our home.
After the second incident she demanded compensation from the hotel or she would post the incident all over the internet...the hotel relented and compensated her in exchange for no longer bringing her boyfriend on the property. After receiving the compensation....she said she would find other lodging for her next trip & she wouldn't make mention of the incident on the internet as she had threatened to do. After she returned home, she obviously had a change of heart and proceeded to post her now embellished story on multiple websites including Negril.com. Rob being privy to the details of the incident as it occurred...wisely deleted her fabricated tale.

So...the reason I am mentioning this little story...

1. Hotel owners are in a very difficult position in determining what really occurred when a robbery claim is made. In addition to the people that simply want to avoid a hotel bill...they also have to deal with robbery claims such as the story I told above. This is unfortunately a somewhat common scenario when....
2. People invite virtual strangers back to their rooms. This is why some hotels do not allow non-registered guests in their rooms. Just because you meet someone once or twice a week for 5 years does NOT mean you know them.
3. Responsible website owners do feel an obligation for the information on their websites to be accurate. I hope Rob doesn't mind me saying...but I know when an incident does occur... he checks on basic facts to find out what is going on...thus leaving the posted information, deleting the information or suggesting that there might be more to the story than what is actually being posted.


The truly sad part of these situations are that when a serious incident does happen...the validity is often questioned because of the reoccurring scenario as I've mentioned above.

[lee]

I would stay at NCB anytime the price is right. These things can happen in any hotel. My friends stayed at a high end all inclusive and the other ends of the beach and had their camera lifted after leaving it on the breakfast table. The security checks employees as they enter and exit but being in "the struggle" to survive reigns over all, so don't make yourself a victim. The precautions to take are as follows: when you arrive to your room - use the safe and lock your ID and valuables , cash etc up. Check all the doors and windows for working locks, if possible enter and exit from only one of the possible exits. We keep the back door of the condo's locked at all times. Close the shutters and latch them down - toiletries in the sill is good. Don't put the safe and room key on the same key chain. AS for the patio door - lock and chain it and don't leave until you have a stick in the door that fits tight up against the window and at both ends. Check the kitchen shutters. No one visiting comes inside - my friend who also lives in Ja (from foreign) has unfortunately had "acquaintances/friends" in and while using the bathroom came out to find various things missing noticed later on. When you go out, take only the cash you need and ladies maybe small change purse attached to your belt loop instead of a purse or use a pocket to stuff it in, something you don't have to set on the table or bar where you are hanging out if possible. Money is not visible ever, I keep small bills separate from the larger so while paying for your purchase it's not abvious how much you have, believe me eyes are looking, keep lipstick in another spot so if your re-applying you don't flash your cash at the same time - believe me - all eyes are on that purse. Phone charged/small flashlight/ good walking sandels unless I'm cabbing it. I also don't talk about where I am staying and when asked I just say down the beach. After one day I usually have a couple locals say they saw me or know state where I'm staying - that usually surprises me at first but Jamaicans move around differently than we, they "see" alot, observe, and it always surprises me at first. Sometimes even change up how we commute around and the time we head out to keep it a little more private.

[Yvonne]

Christine... I am so sorry this happened to you. Please do not let it spoil you on Negril or on the property itself. Jamerican, Bnewb, Rambo, & others have made very valid points about the property & thefts in Negril. They happen, also in any tourist location worldwide (think 1980's targeting of tourists in rental cars in FL, where I live). Sadly, it is a fact of life. Although the property is older, they, Jean in particular, do their best to keep guests safe. Still, thieves are clever whatever their level of thievery (credit card fraud, identity theft, etc).

I've stayed well over 40 times at the Negril Beach Club, often for 5-7 weeks in the summer. I've been there when thefts have occurred. If I'd soured on the property the first time there was a robbery there, I would have missed decades of wonderful times & great friends in Negril. On my 3rd stay there in 1987 a cat burgler was going room to room in E block on the second floor. He hit 3 rooms before being detected. My room would have been #4 but I was awake & would have heard him. In fact, I had heard him entering the room next door. So did one of the guests in the room. The man in #3 jumped off the balcony & chased after him. along w/ security. Since then, I carry a window lock & use it faithfully on the sliding glass door. No problems ever. I've also been there when other rooms have been visited by thieves. Most of the time, the thieves were people the guests invited to their room or people who they'd given too much information to. I know there are legit thefts such as yours, the majority are not. Never in over 25 years of staying there has a theft been "an inside job". Jamaicans are very hard working & take pride in their work. They would not, especially in these economic times, risk losing their income.

I do agree that 2 security guards are not enough but the new manager chose to cut back to this level. Even w/ more in the past, thieves can still do their bad deeds. It is uncommon, from what I know, that thieves are caught. When they are, usually vigalante (sp?) justice is often doled out & that's the end of that thief's career. I know of a few cases of that happening.

Do give Negril another try.

[Jamerican71]

There are now 900+ views on this message and I can only imagine the effect this can have on NBCC. Not only is this an isolated incident at NBCC but it also stems from who you let into your unit and the activities you partake in. There's always another side to these stories and it's a real shame that all the details were not provided.

Crime like this absolutely happens in Negril as it does in other places in the world but when one comes to a public board and makes a claim of theft, it is only fair to the reader that all details are provided. I am not doubting that Christine got robbed, nor am I belittling the effect it had on her, I just would like all the details to be provided so that everybody can come to their own conclusion and realize that sometimes things like this can be avoided.

[Christine]

There are now 900+ views on this message and I can only imagine the effect this can have on NBCC. Not only is this an isolated incident at NBCC but it also stems from who you let into your unit and the activities you partake in. There's always another side to these stories and it's a real shame that all the details were not provided.

Crime like this absolutely happens in Negril as it does in other places in the world but when one comes to a public board and makes a claim of theft, it is only fair to the reader that all details are provided. I am not doubting that Christine got robbed, nor am I belittling the effect it had on her, I just would like all the details to be provided so that everybody can come to their own conclusion and realize that sometimes things like this can be avoided.

I hope you are not doubting i got robbed I dont understand what your are stating here "Not only is this an isolated incident at NBCC but it also stems from who you let into your unit and the activities you partake in" And no this is not an isolated incident, it happened other times too. It's quite special that you say it's a shame all the details have not been provided. I am sorry of being robbed and i just wanted to aware people if they go there for a stay.

[Rambo]

With Patio Doors ANYPLACE..........the locks ,chains, and sticks can all be easily defeated simply by lifting UP on the outside door of the
two sliding doors...........I can do it very quietly also..........

Solution?

Back home before you leave home buy a couple of those "wedge type" door stops, the ones that wedge under a regular opening door......
and importantly...made from rubber !
just slide your door shut, drop the stick down, and wedge that stop between the TOP end of the sliding door up against the frame......
takes a blast to open it from the outside !! with a lot of noise........

safe travels

[TiCtOc]

A simple solution perhaps would be for NBCC to put decent locks on all doors or windows perhaps the thieves know that the locks are rubbish and that is why the like to try their luck.It can happen anywhere but I would not be happy even in my own home if the lock was weak so I definately would not be happy with it in a strange place.
A lot of people are mentioning the wooden pole/stick sounds like if that is long enough and inserted correctly there should be no issues.
Just out of curiosity could anyone post a picture of what they mean by taking their own doors/window locks as I do not think I have ever seen the type that a lot of boardies discuss which they can take anywhere in the world with them.
I am thinking how do they attach?