ALERT MARK ANTHONY!

[soltero]

In all fairness I can understand Mark's frustration and probable outburst.  We have a couple bad reports and a couple of good reports about his condo.  Everyone dismissed the good ones and focused on the bad ones.  What the heck is wrong with that picture?  What happened to equal weight?  When I was a teenager, I used to work at a big fancy hotel in our town.  I saw roaches sometimes in a very expensive hotel.  Unless your going to pay over $1,000 a night somewhere, chances are...you very well may see a bug.  Roach, waterbug, beetle, spider...what have you. I stayed at El Prado in Baq. and saw a few roaches here and there and even salamanders...or what ever those lizards are.  Yes, they was in my room.  And that's supposedly where the President of Colombia stays when he visits Baq.

In all fairness..Papi says he didn't even stay at the hotel and still wrote an opinion about it based on someone else's experience that he read about.  I like Papi, but if he didn't stay there...he should have not given an opinion about the condition of a condo he never stayed in.  That was unfair.  

I don't think theres a person on here...writing about how wrong it was for Mark to lose his cool...that hasn't lost their cool when they shouldn't have.  Mark's human like the rest of us and subject to just "lose it" once in a while.  Is it professional? No.    Is it human? yes.   I'm sure somewhere along the line...each of us opened up our big mouth when we shouldn't have to WHO we shouldn't have and stuck both our feet right in there.

As I said... I like Papi...but if he can make other people on this board mad, couldn't he make Mark mad also?  I'm not taking sides and saying who's right or who's wrong....I'm just saying...I think you guys are losing sight of "fairness" for both sides of the fence.   I mean...I do recall reading two good reports about the condo also or is anyone saying those guys aren't telling the whole truth?  


I'm only talking about the Condo stuff here.

Sean, getting Papi to give any specific details is like herding cats, but he did say that he saw the place for himself, he just chose not to stay there. I would like for him to give DETAILS as to what he did not like about the place, but that may or may not ever happen.

[sean126]

Bundy...True, without a doubt.  Shouldn't have happened, should have been handled differently.  I'm just more understanding I guess.  But again...I don't think the complaint was handled in the best of ways either.

I'm not taking sides, but I think it could have been delt with better on both ends.  

Other people on here seem to be taking the bad before the good before they find out the whole story also.  Not only on this, but other issues as well it seems.  Kinda like condeming a man before hearing both sides or guilty before being proved innocent.  I've done that myself at times, so I can understand where you/they are coming from. I learned the hard way that it's not in my best interest to decide something for myself before I have all the info or both sides of the story first. That's all I'm saying.

I know Papi's your buddie.  I've taken up for him many of times myself, either privately or out in the open.  I like him too.


LOLOLOL...Soltero.  I take it your another one who likes both sides first before making any kind of judgement?

[RJS]

Gimmime a break Sean!!  So what if Papi made Mark mad!?  Mark is a business owner.  His BEST form of advertisement is word of mouth.  Being a business owner myself, I always take the bad before the good until I find out the truth myself.  I was turned off by the way Mark handled the situation.  Never badmouth a customer, EVER.  I have owned my own business since I was in high school.  I have had people call me ever name in the book, had people tell me I was wrong when I knew I was right, and I always kept my composure.  You bend over backwards to accomodate the customer, no matter has disgruntled he may be.  You may loose the persons business, but if you handle the sitaution as Mark just did, you will loose alot more business. 

Bundy

Yep. My parents owned a hotel when I was younger. I spent years working there and interacting with clients. We got some real jerks, but I ALWAYS kept my composure. No good comes of losing it. This trainwreck of a thread is exactly what happens. Bad just snowballs in to worse. It's especially dumb to lose it on an internet forum since the posts will come-up every time someone does a search.

[sean126]

I agree.  I'm not disputing the way Mark handled it.  I understand it, but don't agree with the way he handled it. 

I also believe that given the interaction of this board...this incident wouldn't have mattered in the least.  I think people have already made up their minds long before this aired anyway. 

[soltero]

LOLOLOL...Soltero.  I take it your another one who likes both sides first before making any kind of judgement?

Sean, at the end of the day, I like to know the truth of an issue and I try not to pass judgement until I know all the facts. Knowing Papi, he can be pretty demanding, and as I have coined, "high maintenance", but he isn't the only one who has weighed in on this apartment. I would hope that he would be more specific as to what were the issues that he found so that we could compare them to the good and bad posted by others.

[markanthony7]

Bundy I was polite with him he said a lot of mean nasty things, I personally feel it is wrong of you to project the blame on me, I acted professional, I told him I would refund his money even though from a legal stanpoint I dont have to refund him at all. I am not worried if you don't rent from me Papi made a similar remark both of you need to understand this, I ain't no where near broke! if no one ever rents from me again, it would not matter I own the place out right, I was renting 4 years before I knew him or you if you give me business fine if , if not so what , I was established before I met him and I will continue to make sells 4 years later from now, Papi did not make me and Papi will not break me, if no one ever rents from me it does not matter, I have worked for GM for 29 years and I have wealth into 8 months I will retire with a great pension, he was so arrogant he really thinks his negative comments will cause everybody, last thing I dint care what business you have and how reputable you are always going to have people that dint like you or your service (example) coffee some people love the fresh taste of coffee, they cant even start their day without coffee, me I cant stand coffee! I abhor the very taste of it and its the same with people and business, lately we had two people from this forum that gave positive remarks and trust me their are many more but I really recent Papis attitude, I think he is flattered by himself and thinks more highly of his ego than he ought too but again I cant begin to express in words how much class he lacks as person and how petty he is as an indiviual  IMO he is

[catz]

I approved this post by Mark. If either one of the parties in question choose to respond further, in a civilized manner, without slander I'll allow those also. If they just want to sling mud then their posts will be deleted.

Catz

[gcman1]

are you sure this is from Marc?  i did not remember his posts being so poor in spelling and grammer....

[daytrader]

UAW grammar/spell checker version 1.01 is used by Mark, it is compatible with Wordstar, originally bundled on the Kaypro 10 circa 1985.  No tech support is currently offered on this grammar/spellchecker version, however, if you go to the Ford Woodhaven Stamping Plant I believe there is a bulletin board in the cafeteria that supports it. 


DayTrader

[soltero]

are you sure this is from Marc?  i did not remember his posts being so poor in spelling and grammer....

[atomik]

Daytrader - you made me laugh, thanks

[bigstew33]

UAW grammar/spell checker version 1.01 is used by Mark, it is compatible with Wordstar, originally bundled on the Kaypro 10 circa 1985.  No tech support is currently offered on this grammar/spellchecker version, however, if you go to the Ford Woodhaven Stamping Plant I believe there is a bulletin board in the cafeteria that supports it. 


DayTrader

Wow this is out of control now.  If the grammar /spell checking is so important to you why not invest your big bucks in the PL board and upgrade the current one.  People have picked up on a couple negative posts and now criticizing Marks spelling / grammar.     First I am not here to defend Mark but here are some observations. I plan to use his service in a couple weeks, so I will know more personally.  I wont be using his condo but I will see it.  I am sure Mark has gotten the idea about Luis.  I know he defends him vehemently but any business owner that doesn't look into a few complaints about an employee wont be in business.  So here I am really nervous about going because of what I have read here.  I even considered canceling my trip there, but you know what everyone is different.  I am a flexible person, I am not a hard person to satisfy so my report may be more positive.  I have talked to Mark on the phone several times.  Mark is a very personable guy.  I don't think he is out to burn anyone.  He has agreed to Papi he would refund him.  Personally I don't think Papi really saw the condo.  In his own statement he said he paid a deposit, read some negative posts and got nervous.  Wanted a refund.  Even said he didn't want to make the trip to the condo.  I think you guys should take a closer look at Papi's posts a little closer.  Papi makes it sound like he has waited a long time for the refund.  I am thinking it was a week.  Some of you said well why not refund through paypal.  Maybe there are other circumstances why it can't or wont be done.  And for you fellas think the money will be refunded instantly is smoking something.  It depends on your bank.  Some banks can take a couple weeks to credit you back.  So Mark agreed to refund the great almighty Papi.  hmmm a thought came to mind.  Lets pitch a movie for the next almighty movie.  Papi Almighty.  oh look I did it too.  I took a shot at someone.  see how easy that was?  I don't know Papi personally just go off what he writes here.  Some things I can agree with some I can't.  Look in about a month once I get back I might have negative things to say as well but it will be my own feelings, and not jumping on someones band wagon.  Some of you made remarks and have no first hand knowledge.  I know I am not perfect.  I know my spelling, and grammar sucks.  I can't be a perfect writer like Daytrader

[sean126]

another man with commen sense.  I just felt my blood pressure go down a few points now.

Sensable reply bigstew.

[gcman1]

My post on his spelling and grammer was ment to ask if that was indeed a post from Marc  and not a phoney
i think he has the same problems all businessmen have trying to operate a business from thousands of miles away and  latin america too...i am more interested in his response to the last 2 trip reports than Papi ...fact: he needs customers...fact: his cutomer service is in question   simple !

[fathertime]

Yo BS, I like that nickname.

I really hope you can give us one more truthful report.  I hope that MA turns his agency into a viable option.  I don't really care much about the actual accomendations, I just need a bed and a crapper...and some AC.  The MOST important thing is are the ladies truely available or not.  The reports have not been all that positive in that regard, so I want to hear a little more.  An agency owner can admit problems and get better if the desire and know-how is there.

Fathertime!

[bundy_138]

Sean....I have never met Papi in person.  We have communicated on this board and am friendly with him that way.  I am not taking up for Papi.  I would have said what I said if anyone else posted here and then saw the response from Mark.  His response was unprofessional, defensive, and rude.  Point blank. 

Mark....I have read the good and bad about your place.  (Like I said in the post about the positive and negative remarks about your place, I like to hear both sides of the story before I pass judgement)  It may be the Trump Plaza of CTG, I wouldn't know.  I just feel that the way you handled the situation turned me off from doing business with you.  I would not want you to talk to me that way if we had a disagreement while doing business.  I'm glad you make money off other people, congratulations.....you just won't be getting any of my money.

Bundy

[sean126]

FT....so true.

EbonyPrince and I share the same friend.  From what I've heard about EP and from what I read that he's written in the past....He's not one to over exaggerate.

I've also had dealings with and conversations with Mark and I can personally attest to the fact that he is trusting of others, so much so that I think it wouldn't be hard to take advantage of him.  I've never met Luis....but going by EP and Mark's personalities,  I'd say that Luis is probably taking advantage of Mark's kindness and trust.  Mark has never come off to me, personally, as anything but reasonable, trusting (too much maybe) and honest.  I can't speak for him...but I think I read on another post that he seemed to elude to the fact that he is going to try to make it up for the bad experience Mudd had.  I think it's Mudd.  could be wrong...I didn't go back and double check so don't hold me to it.

I agree...if your going to Colombia to meet women then the person in charge needs to make double sure that the girls are available and ready ahead of time, not after you get there.  This is one of the reasons I advise people to write their top 4 or 5 women several weeks before going down.  If their not available, moved, fell off the face of the earth...then you can choose your next top women and then the agency should make sure everything is ready and waiting for you when you get there.  Even if you don't write...the headman in charge needs to make sure the women you specified are notified, available and ready to meet you wayyyyy before you get there.   Something tells me that Mark is a little too trusting of his head man...but I've never been to his agency and I've never met luis.  

I'm not making excuses for Mark.  He's the owner and must take full responsiblity for his employees actions.    

[chizz]

I think what is truly tragic here, is that even though i've never been to cartegena, i believe that there is so much potential there. You can have the cheapest prices in the world, but if you don't provide the services noone is going to use you. Instead of trying to discredit and put down clients, Mark, your energy should be better put to use by fixing your agency. I talked to you last year, and used your site. Don't really want to bring up what went down, but I chose not to do buisness with you any further. You seemed like a nice guy on the phone, but these posts of yours are disturbing to say the least. Having a " I don't give a dam" attitude when it comes to people lives is not going to make it in the agency buisness. Noone has to say anything negative about your agency to bring it down, you're doing that yourself with your words and actions. Your man Luis is a snake, I told you that when i talked to you in late november/early december. You seriously need to regroup and change your attitude, and try to save what little dignity you have left.
chizz

[el_ruso]

If you pay a deposit to the hotel, and do not stay there, then the hotel does NOT owe it back to you.  Some hotels charge the first night automatically whether you stay or not (usually in conjunction with a rate sale), and as long as they warn you up front they may do that.  If you paid a deposit, and chose not to stay, Mark Anthony should NOT refund you that deposit.  The deposit was charged to secure a room for you, and he did secure it, so he rendered the service for which the said deposit was charged.  The mistake he made was to offer the refund in the first place, because doing so suggests he did something wrong, or that there was something wrong indeed with his condo.  I hope M.A. will learn from this incident, and not make this mistake in the future.

Papi, you are eager to defame an individual and a business here over $100 that the said individual does NOT owe to refund to you in the first place!  This merely demonstrates yet again the negative qualities that you have been criticized for before.  Even if M.A.'s place is indeed a dump (which is doubtful), he does NOT owe you that $100 refund back.  Especially after this blackmail.

Regarding M.A.'s outburst...  Perhaps he should have handled the issue with more composure, but the man was being BLACKMAILED and whined to incessantly, as he has explained.  He owes "Papi" ABSOLUTELY NOTHING back, and should not even have offered any refund of what is DULY his.  "Deposit" is exactly that, "deposit".  It is non-refundable by definition.  I am sure, conditions and charges were spelled out to "Papi" up front.

Further, I question his judgment in extolling virtues of "Jamie" given his lack of people's skills and views on Colombian women.  Those negatives IMO disqualify Jamie as a trusted marriage broker in Colombia.  Has Jamie offered you anything in order to groundlessly and maliciously defame his direct competitor in a public forum?

[daytrader]

Hey BigStew, calm down por favor...

Wow this is out of control now.  If the grammar /spell checking is so important to you why not invest your big bucks in the PL board and upgrade the current one

I am merely a lowly poster here... if you are dissatisfied with the spell checker (I'm not) complain to the Forum Gods. 

People have picked up on a couple negative posts and now criticizing Marks spelling / grammar.

Gentle humor is used  (a lot of nongeeks don't even know what a Kaypro or Wordstar is)...if someone can't take the heat, then I recommend they don't go into the kitchen. 

I plan to use his service in a couple weeks, so I will know more personally

Good for you!  Good luck!

I wont be using his condo ...

That may be a wise choice....

[statement one]

I am sure Mark has gotten the idea about Luis

multiply that times 10. 

[statement two]

(regading Luis)  I know he defends him vehemently

Considering these two phrases are right next to each other in your post, I would conclude that the second statement renders the first statement null and void.  A casual, uninformed, unintelligent reader (such as myself) would have a tendency to be confused by your post. 

but any business owner that doesn't look into a few complaints about an employee wont be in business.  So here I am really nervous about going because of what I have read here.  I even considered canceling my trip there,

I'm not telling you what to do, but generally, your gut instincts are always right.  A word of advice to you when in a foreign land, NEVER go against your gut instincts, it could mean the difference between being robbed or not, killed or not. 

Some of you said well why not refund through paypal.  Maybe there are other circumstances why it can't or wont be done.  And for you fellas think the money will be refunded instantly is smoking something.  It depends on your bank.  Some banks can take a couple weeks to credit you back.

If the transaction was via PayPal and the refund is via Paypal, the money is transferred to the customer's account as a credit instantly.  You can use your Paypal debit card and instantly pull the money out at any ATM machine.  I know, I'm at both ends of the PayPal transaction monthly, collecting accounts receivable and receiving credits on previous charges.

You are probably confusing the "transfer money" feature of PayPal.  That DOES take 3 business days to transfer $$$ from Paypal to your checking account or vice/versa.  That has nothing to do with Mark crediting Papi's PayPal transaction. 

So Mark agreed to refund the great almighty Papi.  hmmm a thought came to mind.  Lets pitch a movie for the next almighty movie.  Papi Almighty.  oh look I did it too.  I took a shot at someone.  see how easy that was?  I don't know Papi personally just go off what he writes here.  Some things I can agree with some I can't.

Agreed.  Papi regularly gets caught writing "fiction".  Papi does have a first amendment right; when he is out of line I will criticize, when is writing fiction, I will ignore (or make fun of) and when he has a valid point I will mount up on my Stryker vehicle and fire away defending him. 

Some of you made remarks and have no first hand knowledge.

True, but relying on the powers of observation and deduction, we may be able to write something that someone may construe as intelligent. 

I know I am not perfect.  I know my spelling, and grammar sucks.  I can't be a perfect writer

No one is perfect except Him and His Son. 

Good luck on your trip!

DayTrader

[doombug]

So Mark agreed to refund the great almighty Papi.  hmmm a thought came to mind.  Lets pitch a movie for the next almighty movie.  Papi Almighty.

It's already in the works, homie.

Papi: You are Mighty!

(It helps to have the volume up a tad.)

[bigstew33]

wow DT way to break it all apart there.  The point I was going to make about you making your grammar /spell check crack would have been that I knew you was making a little joke.  But not everyone would understand that.  And it just adds fuel to a fire.   Like I said I will know in a couple weeks if the criticisms are all justified.  But I am also easy to please.  I am along the lines of EP.  Some people are extremely anal about the things they want or do, or stay.   I have dealt with those people in the past.  Pains in the arse. 

El_ruso
You emphasized a point that was made but you made it in a calmer manner. 

I am like Fathertime.  gimme a bed, ac, and the chicas I will be happy.  I must emphasize the AC though.  Thats more important than the chicas themselves.   

[papi]

I am not going to post further under moderated status and will be surprised if this makes it to print. However, I am happy to help if anyone has any specific questions. Feel free to send me a PM.

Aside from the aforementioned mishap, I really had a nice time in CTG. I spent 2 nights at the Decameron and then moved to a condo on the beach in Laquito for 4 nights. Happy hunting! Papi

PS. a certain gringo is very unhappy with another agency here - AFA. I have very little experience with same but I did meet a gringo in CTG who went on a tour and just got his lady the visa. He was bringing her back to the USA. He spoke very highly of AFA/CTG. He told me he paid $1200 for the tour including hotel. I'd still lean towards other agencies but for guys hell bent on CTG, maybe AFA is worth a look-see. Still, if i was back in the hunt, i'd focus on the internet vs agencies in the first place.

[RJS]

If you pay a deposit to the hotel, and do not stay there, then the hotel does NOT owe it back to you.  Some hotels charge the first night automatically whether you stay or not (usually in conjunction with a rate sale), and as long as they warn you up front they may do that. 

I'm not commenting on this particular situation, but we used to own a hotel so I have lots of experience with this. No hotel would take such action unless it was clearly stated in their cancellation policy. When we used to take reservations over the phone we explicity told guests about the cancellation policy after the reservation was made because it is neither in the hotel's interest, nor the clients', for reservations to be cancelled at the last minute. Even with such cancellation policies, they usually allow cancellation without the penalty if you cancel a day in advance.

Anyone that wants to start keeping deposits should make damned sure they have a clear cancellation policy that clients are made aware of it. Sticking it in the fine print somewhere, while potentially legally binding, is a bit dishonest imo.

[el_ruso]

Deposit is a consideration for fulfilling a promise to have a room available.  MA did fulfill his promise, and has a right to charge the deposit.  Hotels typically do not charge a deposit, but "Papi" himself chose this hotel/ condo and accepted its payment policy.  Therefore "Papi" has no right to complain.  I am confused as to why he wanted to stay at a condo owned by a marriage agency with his girl in the first place, but I don't understand a lot of "Papi's" actions anyway.  Regardless, I can't imagine getting so worked up over $100.

I think the best policy would have been to tell the girl to find a hotel that she will like as long as "it is not the most expensive one".  This way most likely she would have picked a hotel relatively inexpensive, and that she will be happy with, or at least the guy would not be responsible if she doesn't.  I stayed at hotel Caribe in CTG.  It is a nice, but older hotel.  It was clean and spacious, if not super fancy, and my girl who picked it was happy with it, and it was not expensive either.