Who's doing what

Rob, you are 100% right about suggesting that lodging providers take some responsibility in terms of working to keep the streets and hotels comfortable and safe for guests. We were the only occupants for a good part of the week between Christmas and New Years at a favorite small...less that ten rooms... hotel near La Ropa. It was the only time in the past seven years that I have felt uncomfortable there, coming back after dark with my family to an obviously empty hotel. I asked the owner to leave lights on in a few rooms to make the place look more lived in since there was no night caretaker...and he declined. I asked that he arrange for someone, a family member perhaps, to sleep there at night so we felt more comfortable and again he declined. The odds of me going back to that hotel: zero. The odds of me recommending that hotel to friends: zero. Where I come from people in business understand that it takes money to make money; a small investment in added security would mean a lot to faithful tourists like me and keep us coming back. Our experience at the hotel can be compared to the quiet streets in the La Ropa and Madera neighborhoods at night with tourism down...hotel sponsored patrols could do a lot to deter the criminals who love the opportunity presented by dark, deserted streets and walk ways.