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 It was a fantastic place at a fantastic price. Visited: December 2007 |
| Posted by amasake |
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Researching this trip, I read that Viva Fortuna underwent serious renovations. But I had still been a little worried after reading all the bad reviews.
Fuggetaboutit! The place was beautiful. And, as of Dec 2007, they were only half finished the improvements.
They offered crazy rates. I paid $675 for four nights and five days - including air (during Christmas 2007).
Here, I ate like a pig, drank like a fish, and snorkeled in the incredible reef 30 yards off the beach. I hopped on a free bike, and zipped around the lovely suburban roads of inland Grand Bahama.
The staff was generally friendly, but there were some harmless sour pusses - as well as smiling, energetic cheerleaders (much more the latter than the former).
Now, this isn't the Four Seasons. The rooms were kind of sparse, but that's only practical in the islands. The food was basic and tasty enough, and there was always plenty. I didn't have trouble getting into the a la carte restaurants, but they were just okay.
I am going back this July. I had such a great time. I can't wait to sit on the beach, sip drinks while burgers and dogs sizzle on the grill behind me, while the beautiful, clear blue ocean gently laps the white sand at my feet.
Viva! Viva! |
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| 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| It was amazing. Visited: May 2007 |
| Posted by alliebangmex3 |
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I am obsessed with this resort. I stayed here about six months ago with my friend and her family, and we loved it.
The staff was so incredibly nice and fun. There were always things to do. Every night, the staff would put on a play, and then a disco where everyone would go until about 2:00 in the morning.
It was one of the best vacations I have ever had. |
| 12 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 It seemed like they were just interested in taking our money! Visited: February 2006 |
| Posted by sallyk1955 |
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I found the staff to be rude, arrogant, uncaring, and very slow to wait on guests. I'll never go back.
It seemed like all they wanted was my money. I don't mind paying for things, but I just did not have a good time at all. I was treated terribly even at their airport leaving for home. They seemed to have a "Yeah, thanks for your cash, now get out of our country" type attitude.
I hope you have a better time if you go. However, there were so many other nicer places to check out - believe me. |
| 5 users found this review helpful. 6 found this review unhelpful. |
 If you want to waste your money, come to Viva Wyndham. Visited: June 2005 |
| Posted by y_veronika |
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Our trip to Viva started with airport transfer people telling us that they would be placing us in a different hotel, since Viva had problems with water/electricity. Boy, that was the best thing they could have done for us. But, that we discovered on the last night when we had to return back to Viva.
We could never reach front desk from our room. There was a busy signal all the time.
There were only two restaurants on-site. And they were so tiny, reservations had to be made before 8:00 am that day! I thought vacation was about sleeping in, not worrying about dinner reservations that day.
There was completely no shade around the only pool, and all the umbrellas were claimed by others for the whole day.
For an all-inclusive package that we paid good money for, they served us hamburgers and fries at the beach for lunch. They also called crushed ice with some "Kool Aid" mixed in "strawberry daquiri" and "pina colada".
Food, overall, was horrible. Steak and lobster was an extra charge. We also thought the breakfast buffet was pathetic.
The resort was in the middle of the jungle. We had no choice to go to any other restaurant, but to be stuck with their buffet.
We found the rooms to be disgusting and dirty. The resort is 14 years old, as we came to find out, so you can imagine.
In addition, none of the amenities were air-conditioned. We lost power (i.e. no AC in the room) for several hours one night, also.
We thought the staff was nothing close to being friendly. They seemed to act like they were doing us a favor the whole time. They did not even ask us how everything was when we left. They just didn't seem to care. They seemed to have no idea what customer service is.
We will never come here again. |
| 3 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful. |
| It was great! Visited: June 2005 |
| Posted by melaragni |
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My husband and I came to this resort for the first time. The place was immaculate, and the people were so friendly. There was nothing they wouldn't do to make our stay enjoyable. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. |
| We will never go back. Visited: May 2005 |
| Posted by sunnypgi |
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My husband and I took our vacation here, along with two other couples. We were all very disappointed.
We found that the rooms were the pits. They really seemed to need some work to be done to them - and a good cleaning wouldn't hurt, either. We thought the tile floors in our room were gross - and so was the shower. I didn't take my shoes off once. I even showered with my water shoes on, because I didn't want to step on the floors!
The food was okay, but nothing to write home about.
The staff was another story. We were lucky if we found three people who were friendly. The rest were very rude to us - and as far as I am concerned, so was the whole island of Freeport. We found the Bahamians to be rude people.
The resort had nothing worth doing. And forget the nightlife - it seemed to only cater to teenagers.
If you are looking to get away, there are many other places to choose. I don't recommend you waste your time or your money in the Bahamas.
In addition, the taxis were expensive. After about two days here, we rented our own car, so we didn't have to pay the high prices. Also, so we could escape the resort and go into town to the Market Place to hear some music.
I will never return to the Bahamas. |
| 3 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful. |
| If you are over 20, go somewhere else! Visited: March 2005 |
| Posted by mizach22000 |
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Although the beach view is wonderful and the staff nice, it is very over rated and overpriced. The meals were horrible in the buffet restaurant, the Italian restaurant was mediocre and you had to make a reservation by 8:03 a.m. or else it was all reserved. Towels and washcloths were hard to come by, our room was not what we had asked for (2 beds) and they never brought a cot for my son so we had to sleep in the same bed. There is no bar soap, conditioners etc. in the bathroom so bring your own. There should be a limit on alcohol with the college kids when they are clearly drunk. Not only were they passed out on the bar couches, they jumped off second floor balconies at 4:00 am, trashed the jacuzzi with margarita drinks, threw plates and cups into the pool and ran up and down the hallways at 2 and 3 a.m. screaming and yelling profanities. Did I mention their peeing contest at the bocci ball area in plain view of vacationing families and security guards? Their is no control over these college kids who ruined our family vacation because no one enforced alcohol rules! Even after vomiting outside, they were served with more liquor requesting 2-4 drinks at a time. |
| 3 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. |
| I suggest you not waste your money or your time here. Visited: July 2004 |
| Posted by pecomom5 |
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We checked into this "dump" July 17th and checked July 21st. We did not go home, we checked into another hotel in Lucaya.
We thought this place should be shut down. I definitely would not call the rooms "quaint". They looked run down.
The beach and the pool areas were fine. However, our room was overrun with bugs and had to be exterminated each day.
Also, the open air restaurant was not appealing. I don't care to eat, sweat and swat flies all at the same time unless I choose to eat outside - and most times I don't.
I am glad that I switched hotels because if I had not, I would definitely not return to Freeport. I am not one that has to stay in a five-star resort, but I do require a clean room. The Wyndham should either clean the place up or remove their name from it. |
| 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. |
| I was not impressed. Visited: March 2004 |
| Posted by cbarbi919 |
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I found the people to be rude. They seemed to think they were doing us a favor. I thought the food was terrible (it must have been bad because we couldn't even tell what it was).
They also gave us excuses because of spring breakers. There were no clean towels in the room, I had to hunt down housekeeping and was told she had no clean towels. In addition, I had booked a double suite, yet ended up with one full bed. Also, the air conditioning didn't work.
I had to pay extra for ocean view, which was miles away. And I saw no security at 4:00 am when I heard people shouting.
I can't say enough bad things about this place. I recommend you just stay away and not waste your money or time because it seemed like they couldn't care less (and this included the general manager). |
| 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. |
| this place sucks Visited: March 2004 |
| Posted by cbarbi919 |
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the people are rude, they think they are doing you a favor. The food is terrible, its bad when you can't even tell what it is. They give you excuses because of spring breakers. No clean towels in room, had to hunt down housekeeping and was told she had no clean towels. Booked for a double suite, ended up with a 1 full bed,air conditioning didn't work. Had to pay extra for ocean view which was miles away. Security was no where at 4am when people were shouting. I can't say enough bad about this place, just stay away and don't waste your money or time because they could care less, and this includes the general manager. |
| 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. |
| We loved it! Visited: November 2003 |
| Posted by eminagrooma |
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My boyfriend and I visited Viva together with a group of about ten or twelve people. We loved it!
The rooms were quite quaint, and we loved the fact that it wasn't a huge tall hotel, it was almost cottage like. We had an ocean view room way on the end, so it was very private. It was not by any means luxury, but it was satisfying. Who wouldn't be happy when you wake up just feet from the ocean!
The activities were great. We wanted to go snorkeling one day, but there were some sharks off shore, so they had shut down snorkeling for a bit. At least they were safe! The shows at night were highly entertaining, and most required audience participation. The disco was a great time at night, where the staff entertained an mingled with the crowd.
I thought the food was really good. I'm from Massachusetts, and though the seafood in Boston is nice, it's hard to find real fresh seafood. I couldn't get enough of the fish down here... it was great.
Be sure to visit Pier One resaurant. It was located on the west end of the island, and aside from the great food, they fed the sharks in the harbour while we sat on a deck above enjoying our meal and the feeding frenzy. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip.
Rent a car. We paid $200 to rent a car for the week. It was the best idea, because we would have paid that in cab fare anyway. They drove on the left, though, so the insurance may be a good idea for US drivers!
Visit the International Bazaar for shopping, having your hair braided and sightseeing, (beware, though... they may attempt to sell you drugs).
Definitely hit the National Parks and the Garden of the Groves for breathtaking beaches and great wildlife.
Overall, the staff was wonderful, the resort was great, the beach was beautiful, and there was plenty to do.We're going back next year! The Viva filled all of our expectations and then some. You'll have a wonderful time.
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| 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| WHAT A DUMP/SHAM Visited: November 2003 |
| Posted by myblk883 |
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The ads we had seen on line misrepresented cleanliness, accommodations, amenities and guest care. The Jacuzzi was a sand pit under construction as was most of the resort. The furniture/curtains/trims/appliances, balcony, air conditioner were broken, stained, rusted and torn at the least. This includes the nasty old brown blanket that was on our bed. To top it off, we didn't even receive any of the additional included "extras" that "honeymoon" couples get. If that was a room upgrade I would hate to see the original room. We did get a bottle of sparkling wine and a buffet plate of several-day-old pieces of fruit (Also from the dining room and available to ALL guests). All this managed to do was to attract even more ants into our already infested room. There were so many things wrong that I cannot even list them all here. the batteries in the smoke detectors in our room and several surrounding rooms had not been maintained and continuously went off from different sections of our building and the surrounding buildings all day and night. The ad stated 4*. This resort was barely a 2* based on the rating standards. Although quality of food is subjective, the food at this resort was below even a subjective standard. We really want some form of satisfaction. At one point we went an entire day and night without bathroom tissue or bath towels in addition to having the garbage can in our room full of trash from the day we got there until the day we left. We were forced to go to the front desk at 1 AM to get a roll of tissue and then carry it through the compound to our room. We went to a sales meeting that almost turned into a boxing match between the ignorant sales man and my husband. I literally had to get between the men before someone was hurt. No one there did one thing to improve the quality of our stay. They stood there glazed over nodding, smiling and agreeing and promising things but did absolutely nothing. Another couple we met accepted loosing the money they paid Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach and went to stay at the Sheraton. We were told by several locals out side the resort that Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach is known on the island as the “low income resort”. This was very humiliating since my husband who is a city police officer and I, work very hard for our money. We were so excited about this trip since it was our first time out of the states and our honeymoon. Not unlike other working people, we only get a limited amount of vacation time a year. We will only ever have one honeymoon and if it hadn't been for activities out side the compound, and Mother Nature's beautiful beach, our honeymoon would have been a total nightmare. |
| 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 Viva Fortuna was a pretty okay resort. Visited: August 2003 |
| Posted by shelle1825 |
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I had an okay time at Viva Fortuna. I already knew what to expect before I got here from all of the previous postings. My overall stay was good enough, although not great. I am a 24-year-old single female, so my expectations may be different than those traveling with a family.
The resort’s staff was helpful when needed. This resort was very family-oriented. If you do not want to be around kids, do not come here. I found it ridiculous that the kids staying on the resort were allowed in the nightclub after hours. If a teenager really wanted to drink, they probably would be able to do so with ease. There really was no separation of children’s and adult activities.
The resort was in a secluded area. If you wanted to go into town, you would pay about $17 one way to the Bazaar—which was where the shopping and the casino were. Or, you could just take the city tour for $30. Either way, getting around was not cheap if you didn't rent a car or scooter.
The resort had land crabs that crawled around at night. And yes, they could climb. I can deal with lizards and such things, but land crabs were a challenge for me. They came out at night, unless it rained. And if you think you are going for a swim at night, they were in the pool, too.
If you are traveling with a large group, this may be the resort for you. This resort will cater to large groups, and is probably the best deal on the island. I found that groups of couples who traveled together had a good time (probably because they partied together).
The food was okay. I agree with other reviews on this site about the pizza—it was the best thing they had. The buffet was good if you were there with a large family, but it was not gourmet. It was pretty much the same things over and over. I don’t know how the people who work there can stand it. You would frequently see some of the entertainment staff eating in the cafeteria.
The Italian restaurant was not good. It was not authentic. You had to pay extra if you wanted something else like steak or lobster.
The drinks were good, though. They were not watered down at all.
The rooms served their purpose. They were not luxury, but they were okay. There was a $100 deposit to use the phone. That was kind of ridiculous. I just decided not to use the phone.
This resort was definitely not a singles resort. So if you are looking to have fun and party, you should probably stay at one of the resorts near the International Bazaar. If you want to be near anything, do not stay here. |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. |
 This was an exceptional accommodation for the price. Visited: July 2003 |
| Posted by cassshelby |
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My husband and I stayed one week at Viva and thought for the money, it was a great deal. We normally stay at nicer places like Sandals, Hilton, and Super Clubs, and decided to try something different.
For all-inclusive, you absolutely cannot beat the price. Yes, there were many families with kids, but this place did not cater to couples or singles. As in any case, if you stay near the disco you will hear the noise, that has happened to us at even the nicer places.
Everything was open air except our air conditoned room. We have experienced that many places in the Caribbean (as well as bugs, slow island service and lack of urgency, noise, heat, etc.). Most of the complaints I have read are common.
Face it, this place is not the Ritz. It is an older property, and the food can be repetitive (which I have also experienced at even Sandals).
The beach was amazing - white, soft, and large enough to get away from those rude people. The shows were entertaining and the reason the staff ate with guests in the cafeteria was because the hotel wants the staff to mingle and get to know the guests. We had several staff members ask to sit with us and chat, you can always decline if you like.
I think if you are on a budget, traveling with kids or a large group, this place is perfect. Lastly, you don't need to take a taxi to Port Lucaya unless you have a large group, small kids, grandparents, or a physical disablity.
The hotel provided bikes free of charge and guests could take them to town for shopping. It was a few miles, but it was very easy and flat. My husband and I rode almost every day on those bikes. We went to the botanical gardens, Port Lucaya, and visited Millionaires Row.
You wouldn't be able to go to the International Bazaar, but I thought it was a waste of time. It had the same exact stuff that Port Lucaya had, and at Port Lucaya you see the marina, patio restaurants, and there was more happening there. As with anything, you get what you pay for. |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| Too hot for comfort. Visited: July 2003 |
| Posted by linda1 |
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The place is very tropical. My company took 50 people to Viva Fortuna. The conference room was an outdoor theatre. Our company dinner was setup outside, which was too hot. The only place that had air-conditioning is the rooms, which did not work very well. I reported it three times and it still did not work well. I don't care to eat where there is no air conditioning. The food, however, was good. |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| An okay place to stay. Visited: June 2003 |
| Posted by rxgirl222 |
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I rated this resort based on my experiences on past vacations to Mexico and Jamaica.
The rooms were average, the food on any given day was below average. The people at the resort were not friendly or willing to work with you on any complaints or questions you might have. Prices given by then employees for taxi rides were not correct. Our vacation we would rate at only a 5 while our past vacations have been from 7 to 9 on a rating scale. I advised my travel agent to NOT recommend this island or resort to anyone. At the airport they required us to pay departure tax which we had already paid in our ALL INCLUSIVE package and are now trying to get a refund of $80.00 (which we were lucky to have left over to pay at the airport ~ otherwise if we did not pay we were advised we would not be allowed on the plane!! |
| 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| Beautiful setting, but abysmal service. Visited: March 2003 |
| Posted by review1 |
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Viva Fortuna has one of the best hotel beaches I've ever seen and the setting is absolutely beautiful.
However,
- The rooms are anything but clean. Expect to find the hairs of generations of previous guests in your bathroom and don't look under your bed.
- We were not really surprised to find a 2-inch cockroach in our bathroom one night.
- The day we moved in, the main light in our room did not work. Upon repeated reminders at the reception, the management was able to get the bulb changed within little more than 3 days.
- On one of the last days of our stay, there was a fight in the room next door. There was lots of yelling and screaming from 2 am to 4 am. The reception could not be reached (explanation: there are two telephones, and I think one didn?t work.) At 4 am one of the combatants obviously demolished two fire alarms. Someone disabled the alarm after about half an hour. (Hope there won't be a real fire anytime soon!) We requested to get a new room next day.
This was "not possible".
However, all is not bad: the staff of the dive shop was very competent and helpful and the restaurant was amazingly good. This was not true for the Italian restaurant in my opinion, but I'm accustomed to genuine Italian food - not American-style pizza. Other guests loved it.
A big minus is that one part of the window cannot be closed at all, to allow fresh air in (mosquito grid).
This is sometimes quite nice, but it makes it simply impossible to sleep in the vicinity of the bar or disco (open until 2 am). The resort is located a few miles away from town or all other attractions. You can rent a bike cost-free, but if you want to go to a show at night, you will find that a cab can be quite expensive. |
| 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Visited: December 2002 |
| Posted by lee |
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The Good: The activities/entertainment staff were fantastic, very cordial and always ready to help. The beach area, except for the beach hawkers, was wonderful. The main dining area food was plentiful, varied, and generally pretty tasty.
The Bad: The hotel and excursion desk staff were less than accommodating and on occasions were downright rude. The Italian restaurant had less than desirable food and service was nonexistent.
The Ugly: The rooms have wiring and safety problems that would not be tolerated in most countries, missing smoke alarms, exposed wiring connecting the hairdryer to the light switch in the bathroom.
My wife and I stayed over Christmas week 2002. We had a great time, much of which was spent on the beach, even when the weather was overcast and windy. There are a couple of small coral areas right off of the beach that made for a lot of snorkeling fun. The evening shows were really very entertaining. |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| The staff was amazing! Visited: November 2002 |
| Posted by flacabel |
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The Viva has the best staff on the whole island. When you are here, you feel like you are home with all your friends. There's so much to do and see - you can't go wrong. |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| Overall, it was a great time - loved the atmosphere. Visited: August 2002 |
| Posted by lovelymermaid2001 |
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This was a very nice resort. It was family oriented, with lots of kids there!
We enjoyed a beautiful beach, with white sand, and aqua/green water which was very clear! Some girls did go topless. Some should not!
The food was pretty good for a buffet style. Breakfast was the same every day, and that got boring. There was an extra charge for laundry services, so pack enough clothes. The time share orientation was more than 90 minutes. We cut the guy short by not taking the tour of the place. We got a lot of pressure from this one lady. We had to say "no" 10 times! We got our free T-shirts and towel, though.
The Italian restaurant was good. Also, they provided a very easy check-in and check-out. No one was in a hurry here. If you want a cab, make sure you can wait a while.
In addition, snorkeling is a must. That was awesome. You may want to bring your own snorkel set. Use time of their equipment was one hour and you had to give them your keys.
The tile floors stayed dirty. Our feet never seemed clean. The rooms were okay, we got a hair dryer, but it was weak. The bars were great, the guys were so polite - everyone was polite here. The dolphin experience was unforgettable - a must do!
There was a lot of litter on the beach in the evening. People left their plastic cups all over the place. They had trash-cans, but no one seemed to use them. They cleaned and scraped the beach every morning, though.
We had a great time and would go again. This was our first visit. |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
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| Set on a wide beach sloping into the turquoise Atlantic Ocean, Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach All Inclusive hotel offers relaxation and fun for families and couples. The resort is located along a 1,200 foot beach of nearly white sand, with a coral reef just off shore. The Viva Wyndham Fortuna... |
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