Letters to the Editor

Quality Tourism!!!Having seen several announcements in the MDB over the months for the opening of a new Hyatt Hotel complex at Cap Vermell, we decided to take ourselves off for the day and have a look at it. Having located Cap Vermell on a map - near Canyamel - we spent literally hours trying to find this Hotel, asking several people in Canyamel if they could direct us, but no one had even heard of it. Being such a well known name as Hyatt, we had, as it turns out foolishly, expected it to be well signposted. Eventually a restaurant owner was able to tell me that he knew of a new hotel which had been built in the vicinity, but did no know the name of it, but maybe that was what we were looking for, and gave me vague directions. It was, but we still only fell over it entirely by accident, as there is no evidence anywhere of any signs or even a visible name of the hotel, until you are actually within its confines. This is a 5 star rated 147 room hotel. It has been open for a few months. The architecture and building materials are exquisite. Having been shown around by impeccably dressed staff, all speaking excellent English, I told them of the difficulties we had had finding the place, and said that they needed signposting. They smiled wearily at me, saying they were fully aware of that, but were just having to wait for the local Ayuntamiento to agree to it.!! This has to be one of the leading hotels on the island in terms of quality - I would not like to imagine how many billions it has cost to construct and it would be of great appeal to the so called "quality tourist" we keep on hearing about as being the target group the island wishes to attract, yet the local council appears to be doing its very best to make sure nobody knows anything about where it is located. Yet another example of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. If I was on the Board of Hyatt, I would not be feeling in the least impressed by Mallorca's approach to tourism, as no doubt when seeking permission for this project they were given all the usual "guff" about how the island's priority is to attract visitors who would flock here to experience a "quality offering" such as this. It is their intention to remain open all year. I am prepared to bet that the coming winter is the one and only time they will do that!!

Re; Mrs Brennan's letter on the need for more Railway Extensions to Alcudia. I have said before what a wonderful tourist attraction, STEAM hauled trains would be around the Island. Alas, that is just a dream. There was to be electrified lines to Manacor. Further areas were prepared to Son Severa, and on to Arta. From Arta there was proposed to be a line preparation to Alcudia. The preparation areas, have become dogs toilets, and cycle tracks. Millions of Euros were allocated to pay for the new railroads. Where has those millions gone, when there is no railway built and in service.? I detect another criminai act of embezzled funding.