MISLEADING BUSINESS PRACTICES AND POOR…
MISLEADING BUSINESS PRACTICES AND POOR SERVICE – AVOID
After booking a surf stay through the Surf Camp Taghazout website, we discovered upon arrival that we were actually staying at Adventure Keys Hostel, one of their partner properties. We were given no choice whatsoever regarding our accommodation.
The Surf Camp website states that the property is 150 metres from the beach, while Booking.com indicates 300 metres. When we complained about this discrepancy, we were told that the 150 metres was measured “as the crow flies.” This is misleading advertising.
The standard room initially offered to us had an overpowering smell of dampness and humidity. We had to request an upgrade, which was presented as a “commercial gesture,” when in reality it was simply the minimum acceptable solution.
The Surf Camp intermediary openly discriminated against us. He stated that these kinds of problems happen with Moroccans and not with foreign guests, speaking to us in a condescending manner despite the fact that we had already paid a deposit of 1,200 MAD. There was no genuine attempt to find a constructive solution. Whenever we raised legitimate concerns, the people in charge systematically blamed us instead of taking our complaints seriously.
A partial refund had also been promised by Surf Camp Taghazout, but they changed their mind on the final day. To inform us of this, he sent us a zoomed-in photo of ourselves together with a provocative message — a photograph he had no authorization to use, as we had never signed any image-release consent upon arrival.
We contacted the police regarding what we considered to be harassment. When the police became involved, the entire staff disappeared and refused to take responsibility. THIS IS NOT EXACTLY REASSURING.
The food portions are extremely small considering the amount of energy required for surfing sessions. The so-called “lunchboxes” resemble children’s meals: undercooked pasta, tiny portions of vegetables, and very little fruit. One example was a large piece of bread with two nuggets, one slice of tomato, and one piece of lettuce.
Breakfast is advertised as including fruit, yet there were only a few bananas available for all guests. The receptionist justified this by saying that we needed to wake up earlier, even admitting that she herself sometimes found no breakfast left. This was an inappropriate response that completely ignored the fact that we are CUSTOMERS, not colleagues.
The attractive breakfast photos posted on Google do not reflect the reality we experienced. Apparently, the quality may have been better several years ago — or perhaps those photos were taken at another property. Because yes, you do not actually know whether you will end up, as we did, at ADVENTURE KEYS or at another hostel. In any case, SURF CAMP makes that decision for you.
The surf instructors themselves were attentive and the lessons were satisfactory. However, on the first day I was given a surfboard that was unsuitable for my body type. I eventually had to analyse my falls myself in order to understand what the problem was.
This business appears to prioritise marketing over service quality. Questions should also be raised regarding its hygiene standards, insurance coverage, and the qualifications of its staff.
There are other hostels in Taghazout offering much better service at the same price and providing a far more genuine representation of Moroccan hospitality.
I strongly advise against using this provider or staying at this establishment.