American YouTuber Ryan Walker, known for reviewing luxury hotels, reported an incident at the newly opened Amanvari Mexico by Aman Resorts on 5/8. He was denied entry to the Mexico resort despite booking weeks prior. Rooms at the resort cost around 6,000 USD per night.
Staff advised Walker to check his email, where he found a message from the resort sent the night before his arrival. The email stated the "facility was still in its early stages of operation" and needed to reduce guest numbers.
Walker questioned the situation, asking, "Is this how they treat new guests when they are not ready for bookings?". The exchange between Walker and resort staff quickly escalated, with a woman in the video threatening to call the police.
Video shows Walker's exchange with staff.
Speaking to CNN on 13/8, Walker confirmed he had paid for the room weeks earlier, and police did respond after the resort staff's call.
Walker stated that content creators like him review establishments to protect consumers. He found it "completely unacceptable" for the resort to deny service to someone attempting to conduct a review.
He suggested that if the resort was unprepared to host reviewers, they should have communicated directly via phone. Walker checked his call history and found no such calls. He described the incident as "one of the most disappointing and embarrassing hotel experiences".
A resort representative stated, "The video was purposefully edited by someone not permitted on our premises and does not accurately reflect the circumstances of the incident."
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Ryan Walker sits outside the resort in Mexico on 5/8. Photo: CNN
Walker's post garnered nearly 6,000 comments. While some argued the hotel was not at fault for sending a cancellation email, despite the short notice, most sympathized with Walker and criticized the resort's handling of the situation. One commenter stated, "They took your money, canceled your room, and even called the police when you arrived. The luxury travel industry is hitting rock bottom."
By Anh Minh (via CNN)
