I researched wellness retreats for over a year and chose Pritikin because they are a medically supervised facility. Having gone to "Biggest Loser" type retreats in the past, I wanted to make sure I was medically supervised while following a program. Pritikin was highly rated. The resort, first of all, is beautiful. I am a former hotel manager and loved my room and the view of the lush grounds which were immaculately groomed. The room was clean and a short walk to the main building. But they failed miserably at protecting my health - the very thing I came to improve - by their negligence in training the staff and they served me ALL 3 of my allergens - gluten, sesame, and soy resulting in illness. The thing I need to stress above all else is the utter lack of safety protocol regarding my food allergens. Their website clearly states they can accommodate them, and I emailed my coordinator more than 2 months in advance of my arrival. She lost my first email from December 3rd so I sent it again on December 26th for my January 29th arrival. I was promised a sit down with the chef and that my special needs would be taken care of. No chef was there upon my Sunday arrival so I was given a menu which listed allergens in the far right column. I quickly found out, thanks to a chatty server, "not to trust" that paper because the "marketing department and kitchen staff were not on the same page" and there was misinformation (for example, an apple crisp dessert was listed as gluten free but was actually made with a whole wheat tortilla). This was shocking to me but was foreshadowing of what was to come. I was thankful when I finally was able to get a meeting with Chef Victoria on Monday afternoon. She sat with me for almost an hour, going over every meal of every day for a whole week, highlighting what I could eat and noting the modifications they would make for me (like a gluten free crust for the pizza). She told me that this menu was going to be hanging in the kitchen along with my photo so the whole staff knew of my allergens. I brought this highlighted menu to every meal. I felt safe. Unfortunately, this was not carried through by the team as detailed below. Chef Victoria was lovely by the way, and made sure to let me know she was available if I had any questions or concerns. Three days into my stay at Pritikin the unpleasant side effects began. I developed a rash all over my belly. The doctor there (Dr Gonzales who is also lovely) stated it was 100% an allergic reaction and told me to only try one new food a day. I found out during my next consultation with the nutritionist (Superstar Lon) that they use SOY MILK in their oatmeal. This was not something I was made aware of during my consultation with the chef and I had been eating the oatmeal every day. Shortly after stopping the oatmeal (and taking several doses of Benadryl) the rash resolved. As a side note, during the women's health luncheon with Dr Frugé someone asked about soy & women's health and Dr Frugé said some women need to watch their soy intake to which I shared the oatmeal story - not only was Dr Frugé surprised but many of the women in the lecture said they were avoiding soy for health reasons and had no idea the oatmeal had soy. I sent an earlier email with a suggestion to put a sign there for a warning since many women avoid soy. My next allergen exposure was one that almost sent me to the hospital. I was glutened on February 8th while under the supervision of the dining room manager Roberto. When I got back to my room I vomited violently for over an hour. I emailed Chef Victoria and asked if maybe there was something in the salad that had gluten (there were parmesan crisps, turns out they were made with wheat panko!!) and she stated she had a special gluten free salad prepared for me that I had not been served. The next morning I felt the "gluten hangover" and mentioned to Dr Gonzales that I was very ill the night before. I sent an email to VP Jamie explaining what had happened and copied the chefs. The next day Ricardo, a dining room supervisor, approached me and said he heard I had gotten sick (they obviously passed on my email) and told me to ask for him at every meal and he would make sure I was taken care of. Two days after the gluten episode on 2/10 Ricardo sat me outside per usual and served me my soup & salad. I was brought the “catch of the day” which was very obviously made with sesame seeds in the sauce. The server dropped it off and left quickly so I brought it back inside and Ricardo asked me what was wrong, I said I wanted to speak with the chef; Ricardo took the plate and said he would take care of it and brought me out a new piece of fish with no sauce and said to me “You know sesame seeds are gluten free!” I said Yes, I knew that, but "I am allergic to sesame seeds" to which he said "Oh." It was apparent he had NOT been told exactly what my allergens were. At this point I was gobsmacked. The system you have in place totally failed. I was argued with about sesame seeds being gluten free? By the person who was told to look after me and was not properly trained on exactly what my allergens were after I reported the other incidents? Not once, not twice, not three times - but actually FIVE times (a cup of cappuccino and a soy-sauce laden rice were two other times I was served carelessly but caught it) The saddest part about all this was the lack of empathy I got from the resort after my complaints. It was not unlike the lack of empathy shown to me when I was given a "written" quote and they didn't honor it because they made an error (in my favor). I am a top performing salesperson and when I make a quoted error my company backs me up as a show of integrity. It was misrepresentation of price and I was fought with so hard by the President on it, that I acquiesced because I wanted to come here so badly for my health. He "met me halfway" but did not honor the quote I was given, even though another member of the team ASSURED me they would honor it (resulting in me having to change my flight then change it back 3 times) - these calls are recorded and they seemed to have missed the one with their team member promising they would have to honor it because they had done so before. Bad business practice that was followed up with lack of care. I asked for compensation for not having the same illness-free experience everyone else paid for and received. My email request was ignored. I was told twice, once by Roberto and once by VP James Costello, that I would be made aware of the changes they made in food handling protocol thanks to my reports. I have been home for more than 5 weeks and have not received any such report (which would not help my situation, other than to give me peace of mind that others who have food allergies now won't experience the unpleasant effects I had to endure). Anyone with food allergies knows how serious it is when they are breached. People could literally DIE and I was given no compensation for what I had to endure while in a medically supervised program. The bottom line is that my illness could have been 100% prevented had the staff been trained properly. There is simply zero excuse. I know this: Whether a restaurant has legal liability for harm caused by a food allergy depends on whether the restaurant was negligent. If the customer expresses concerns that go unaddressed or if the restaurant fails to take precautions for common allergies, they may be liable to a customer when harm results from a food allergy. They failed to take the proper precautions and served me every single one of my allergies, two of which I ingested and had reactions from. I wrote emails on 2/2, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 2/19, 2/27 and 3/2. I received a tone deaf reply from Jamie not acknowledging any allergen concerns I had on 2/13 stating that they "looked forward to welcoming me back in the future!" and another reply on 3/2 (after I forwarded my original email with photos) stating that "I know Mike has been researching what happened and discussing your situation with the appropriate parties. He will get back to you once that is settled." .....and then crickets. Mike never got back to me. I received a screenshot of their insurance company information and email on 3/15 after asking for it multiple times, but when I emailed the insurance company I found that no claim had been opened on my behalf (until today 3/20 when I got a reply). I was an award winning hotel manager for 30 years and it's Safety 101 to open a claim when someone is injured or is ill while on your property or under your care. I should not have had to remind them of that. This is all egregious behavior from a high-end facility that has such potential to change lives for good - not ruin their health in the process of someone like me attempting to better their health for the future. The setback I experienced while at Pritkin has me fearful once again to trust anyone outside my home with food preparation. Dr Blum, in a lecture on gut health, was absolutely floored when I told him I was served gluten. He literally stopped his lecture and shook his head and said he couldn't believe it and that it was very serious. He was the only one who showed me any empathy for what I went through! If you have no food allergies, this place may be wonderful for you. The classes are amazing and the food - when you can eat it - is tasty after you get used to the lack of salt. Frank (biomechanics eval) and Lon (nutritionist I actually hired to help me after I got home) are rockstars. But I simply cannot recommend a facility that mishandled my stay in this manner to anyone who has any dietary restrictions until they make assurances the staff is retrained. I cannot recommend a facility that does not honor a written price quote. My suggestions are to have each guest who has restrictions carry a card - in both English and Spanish - that is presented at every meal. Even though I did everything in my power, informing them in advance, asking at every meal, I still was exposed to my allergens. I was unable to enjoy my stay the same as every guest dealing with skin rashes, vomiting, eczema breakouts and the food fear at every meal that I was going to be served something that would make me ill. Do better, Pritkin - train your team properly, get them classes on food allergies, and have a dedicated person assigned to each guest with special restrictions so no mistakes happen - then you will truly be a world-class facility.…
Excellent customer service, professional service, cleanliness, you feel home as soon as you enter this place. Great for any celebration, they can provide you with everything that you need to make this experience unforgettable. Definitely I will get back and I will recommend to my friends and family.
Nereida, Jenny & Anna are fabulous staff members. Always pleasant and sweet. We’ve been coming here over seven years and love the team here. The spa suites are worth the upgrade if not traveling alone.
Pritikin is a fabulous place - the medical oversight, lectures, fitness and nutrition programs are wonderful. I have been coming for 9 years and the time here is all about me! Great way to reset, stay informed, and mingle with like minded people.
Manouchka the medical assistant at Pritikin was extremely nice. She always printed out my schedule for me so I stay on top of my activities. She always stayed on top of my lab work coming back on time I really enjoyed my experience definitely will be back!
Karol G from the cardio support team was very helpful. She helped me adjust my numbers and took my blood pressure and monitored me while I exercised. I was able to lose some weight when I was there. She is the best and very friendly. Definitely recommend the program here.
The staff is so friendly and motivating. Karol from the cardio support at the gym was very helpful and is very good at doing my blood pressure. The work outs and lectures are very helpful. Karol is the best staff member.
The wait staff is excellent. We loved Victor. Also Kara was one of the best lecturers. We learned a lot from her. The check in process could be greatly improved. There doesn’t seem to be any coordination between the sales department and concierge.
I cannot say enough positive things about my experience at Pritikin. For years, I have tried to get on a healthier pathway - diet, exercise, mindfullness. What seemed impossible to change, has become a reality. The medical, nutition, and fitness staff at Pritikin show you how it can be done and set you on a path for success when you return home. I will be forever grateful to this center, and will be back!
The Pritikin way of life is not easy! Dont think by going once and going home that you will be able maintain all that you have learned!!! Like a train slowly coming to a stop and then slowly beginning to turn around and go the other way I have seen an improvement in most if not all my metabolic numbers from cholesterol to inflammation which causes so many illnesses! As I approach my 80 birthday this year I am happier and more confident in embracing whatever lies ahead …and the program ,if followed even most of the time, can and does reverse aging …. And after much hard work I can attest to it!
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