comitan - 8-23-2005 at 05:25 PM
The following is from fred's forum:
Posted by Mandy Tucker on August 23, 2005 at 16:06:07:
After eating at the very delicious La Fonda Brunch, paying for and checking in to our 2 rooms, we "locked" things up and went down to the beach. A
little more than an hour later, I ran up to the room to grab my cash to purchase items from the local vendors. I had locked my purse in the car
(parked directly in front of my room #1) and hid my carkeys in the kitchen "silverware drawer." Well someone broke into our room and found my keys,
went onto steal my purse out of my car along with my daughter's hidden ipod, and my husband's cash. They then robbed our friend's room (next door) #6,
stole all of their cash and their daughter's ipod, some clothes etc.
The American owner's initially appeared very concerned and tried to figure out how on earth someone could have broken into 2 rooms right in the very
front of the hotel, in broad daylight, next to the office with 24/7 security.
Well the first clue was the demonstration of opening our door with a credit card... then of course the awareness of the lock being less secure than
the one on my bathroom door at home... Then meeting the head of security around the age of maybe 20, who could only manage a smirk and continue to
chew on a toothpick out of the corner of his mouth, and later seeing him working as a waiter.
This all was a very disheartening experience, as our families had been greatly looking forward to our Mexico getaway. But, to add to entire ordeal was
our later treatment by the owners (from Newport Beach). In fact, the robbery almost seemed less offensive after was all said and done.
We figured between the two families we lost approximately $500 in cash, along with $1000 in property, plus my credit cards, license, checkbook, etc.
How did the owner's treat us? Well they gave us two pitchers of margaritas. We had already each paid $150 for our rooms for two nights and spent over
$100 at brunch.
When we ate our dinner at the La Fonda restuarant later in the evening, they wanted to tack on 10% charge for using a credit card (one that wasn't
stolen), even though all of our cash was stolen out of their unsecured hotel rooms! We had many argumentative words about this.
We had had enough and decided that we didn't feel safe, plus the management treated us like we were Non-customers to say the least. When we were
trying to leave in the morning--leaving a day early (we had already paid for the next night), we were verbally attacked by the owner irately screaming
in my girlfriend's face that the "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU ANYTHING ELSE, YOU KEEP WANTING MORE!!!" Well yes, we wanted more than 2
pitchers of margaritas and charged 10% more for having to use our credit cards--since our cash was all stolen... We wanted a refund for the night we
were not going to stay--that we had already paid for. We hadn't signed or agreed to any kind of "No Refund" policy, and none was posted. They said
they would give us a voucher to stay for free on some other night!!! Which they knew there was no way we would use!
So, live and learn from our naivete. Watch your valuables when in Mexico---keep them with you, and expect NOTHING from the owners from Newport Beach
of LaFonda Hotel and Restuarant, but complete lack of regard for customer welfare. And, when you go to sleep at night, put a chair in front of the
door, so you can at least hear when someone is coming in with their paper clip or my credit card...
bajalou - 8-23-2005 at 05:36 PM
Wow - thanks for moving it over here.
I think I'd be on the horn to the credit card co disputing some of the charges. Which is why it's better to pay by credit card than debit card. No
recourse with debit cards.
What's new?
Baja Bernie - 8-23-2005 at 06:01 PM
It is La Fonda's the most well known place along the Gold Coast and has been know thorughout Europe and the Swimming Kennedy even enbibed here.
But it has also held the record of crimes committed against tourists for more than 30 years that I know of.
Try the credit card thing before you leave your room. (Most of you who do not have a dead bolt at home with find the credit card works great there
also.) If you can bypass the lock by just sliding the card between the door, the lock and the jam and it opens this tells the average bozzo that
nothing should be left in the room unless someone is sitting on it.
Sorry that you got ripped off but you are in a very large company of people from the entire world.
PS we used to love the place when Eve STocker ran it--roughly from the late 50's thru the late 70's. Dimetri--forget it--I know he has a lot of
friends and a few on this board but he was not a nice person.
pappy - 8-23-2005 at 06:40 PM
about a year ago i posted here about some friends being robbed at gun point in the la fonda parking lot.they eventually got their truck back(found in
mexicalli) but everything, and i mean everything else was gone.....
Skipjack Joe - 8-23-2005 at 06:43 PM
I'm surprised anyone would have the stomach for margaritas after getting ripped off like that.
This sort of thing happens all the time in Latin America. You just have to suck it up and make the trip positive anyway. It's like montezuma's
revenge: you get it - you get it. You move on (a bit more slowly perhaps
).
Frank - 8-23-2005 at 06:45 PM
Wow, I guess Ill just keep driving south. 
capn.sharky - 8-23-2005 at 07:58 PM
I hate to appear ignorant, but where the heck is this La Fonda place? I will never stay there for sure. Also, by sharing on this board we will all
learn what to avoid while traveling sur de la frontera. And, yes, the owners treated you very badly. They don't need my money. Could this be the
hotel resturant that is before you get to Ensenada and after Tijuana? Its right on the beach?
Frank - 8-23-2005 at 08:01 PM
Yes, and its on the free road.
David K - 8-23-2005 at 08:01 PM
Yes, at the Alistos, Plaza del Mar, La Mision exit... K-58+ on the old hwy.
MrBillM - 8-23-2005 at 08:06 PM
http://www.bajaquest.com/rosarito/lafonda.htm
rpleger - 8-23-2005 at 08:27 PM
Thank you so much for the information.
Sorry about your trip, Don`t judge all of Baja California by the border towns.
I told you
jrbaja - 8-23-2005 at 08:55 PM
this is better than TV!
PacO - 8-23-2005 at 09:07 PM
It's not really laughable. Don't be a dick.
All thefts are horrid!
jrbaja - 8-23-2005 at 09:15 PM
And I'd love to cut off the hands of any thieves. But, for all the warnings about La Fonda, and all the people that have never had this negative
experience there, try Long Beach or Santa Ana to see what it's like. Because it might not happen at La Fonda!
And it probably will in Long Beach.
I'm just sayin, whether real or not, this medium is better than TV!
PacO - 8-23-2005 at 09:48 PM
OK, I see your point. I must have not understood the delivery as such.
capt. mike - 8-24-2005 at 05:50 AM
that place sucks.
Bruce R Leech - 8-24-2005 at 07:31 AM
Hotel/Restaurant La Fonda
Bring cash. No credit cards. B-, L and D daily. Dancing nightly. Just off the Rosarito/Ensenada Toll Road, La Mision exit.
Or KM 59 on the Old Road. (Free Road)
011-52-646-155-0307
kea word here is..Bring cash
capt. mike - 8-24-2005 at 07:33 AM
why go to that place when Calafia kicks their arse??!!
Bruce R Leech - 8-24-2005 at 07:46 AM
Pyramid resort rules
you will never have problems there.
why even try anything else
it is just a stop over it is a destination
[Edited on 8-24-2005 by Bruce R Leech]
sorry,but i totally disagree about la fonda
eetdrt88 - 8-24-2005 at 09:18 AM
i've been going there for over 15 years and always had a blast either camping at alisitos or staying at the hotel...my kids really love the beaches
there and the waves are usually pretty good as well...as far as the person who got ripped off,well you can never be too safe when traveling...i
almost always assume when i'm traveling that the possibility of theivery is very high so things like cash remain with me at all times...the person in
the story is better to chalk it up to experience and move on with life rather than to dwell on it forever
wilderone - 8-24-2005 at 12:04 PM
I'm sure they will chalk it up to experience and move on - but I hardly think it's appropriate to brush this kind of thing under the rug. I have been
a victim of a home burglary - it changes you. Thieves are pond scum.
Any suggestions for securing valuables?
synch - 8-24-2005 at 12:28 PM
Do people take portable safes with them and then lock them down to something solid?
Besides recommending staying elsewhere, what way is there to safeguard your things?
Both outside and inside the USA-----
Barry A. - 8-24-2005 at 12:54 PM
------when traveling, we NEVER take more valuables than we can carry with us at all times, other than sleeping. Never lost a thing in 60 years of
travel all over the world---but we have found our hotel/motel door jimmied several times---but, nothing of value in the rooms to take. Money belts
and neck pouches are great!!! I also take a small knapsack for cameras, etc.
AS said, the hotel staff/owners were really foolish to treat them that way, and it will cost them lots more in the long run.
Stuff happens-------just roll with it, be careful in the future, and get on with life. No hotel/motel is immune from this stuff, that I know of, but
it does not happen often, thank God. Personally, if I caught a burgler they would be "toast", but I never have.
PS-----
Barry A. - 8-24-2005 at 01:42 PM
Just to keep things accurate-----none of what I have read indicates a "Robbery"-----these are "burglaries". When describing what happened to the
authorities, it helps to describe the right thing. You have to be present (at the scene at the time of the crime) to have it be a "Robbery".
Just some thoughts.
comitan - 8-24-2005 at 02:19 PM
Ps
In mexico they are not burglars, they are robbo's.
I think there are others that can explain this better.
Mike Supino - 8-24-2005 at 02:23 PM
That reminds me of my new Mexican cookbook "Robe un pollo"
marla - 8-24-2005 at 03:00 PM
Thanks for posting the info about La Fonda. I had a bad experience at that hotel in my one and only stay there about five years ago, the owner was
completely rude to me for no apparent reason, and that was enough for me. I'll never go back. I am sorry to hear about your experience and your trip
being ruined. I have been mugged on vacation in Ensenada and also interrupted someone once in the act of robbing my room in Las Vegas. The cops were
complete jerks and acted like it was my fault because I chased the guy to get my camera back. It is very traumatic and no one should be suggesting
otherwise.
Cincodemayo - 8-24-2005 at 03:24 PM
Like I said before...Where's Charles Bronson when you need him?
Packoderm - 8-24-2005 at 03:33 PM
" Like I said before...Where's Charles Bronson when you need him?"
This sounds like a job for Robo Cop. I especially liked the car security device shown at the beginning of Rob Cop 2.
unfortunately robo-cop wasnt around to help these folks
eetdrt88 - 8-24-2005 at 06:19 PM
better luck next time
edevart - 8-25-2005 at 12:29 PM
Just to add to the list...
My car was robbed one night there a couple of months ago. I had left it across the street from the parking lot at La Fonda for ten minutes while I
went inside to look for some friends. When I came out the door was ajar and certain items were missing. (I think I caught them in the act, as the
stereo, gps, etc were still there while lesser valuables such as change and a small compressor were stolen).
Despite having a place just a few km from La Fonda, I avoid it like the plague. Overpriced, bad food, terrible service, and dangerous parking. The
only thing they have going for them is the view. I'll take my money elsewhere.
Cyndarouh - 8-25-2005 at 12:48 PM
Sad News. I thought the new owners had it under control. We ate dinner at La Fonda a mth or so after new owners took over. Food was Outstanding as
well as the Service. The ck was even right. Wishful thinking, It would stay good.
White Angel - 8-25-2005 at 01:41 PM
Add my name to list of unhappy FORMER La Fonda clients. Horrible overpriced food and rude treatment during our last stay. Too bad because we had
enjoyed it perhaps 10 years ago.