Are Holiday Villages outdated?

I have just finished reading Kate´s searing account of Madeleine´s abduction. I looked carefully through her descriptions of the Mark Warner Ocean Club resort for any criticism of their facilities for child care and found none of course. I did not expect to find any. She simply refers to the evening creche that was on offer as "not suitable" for them as the children needed to be in their beds before it opened at 7.30. Small children who are not used to the afternoon siestas that prevail in Spain and Portugal are usually well exhausted by 6pm, especially after such fun packed days.

What has always struck me so forcibly about the whole tragic Madeleine story is this element of a false sense of security that is instilled in such holiday villages and I would like to see them either banned or redesigned altogether. They were conceived for an earlier age, more relaxed possibly, when the word paedophilia was hardly recognised, let alone properly understood, by the general population. They were designed in the 60´s and built a few years later when the world seems now to have been a far safer place for children.

Today we have the All Inclusive Resorts, designed with safety as a paramount factor. The concept of a Family Village spread out in the public domain, with no security guards, cameras or proper lighting at night, where the parents are actively encouraged to dine out at night in the restaurants or bars provided for them, is today rightly considered inconceivable, whether baby listening services or creches are provided or not. You cannot, in this darker day and age, contemplate the notion of the general public being able at liberty to wander through such a resort day or night, without question or confrontation, and with God only knows what evil intent in their minds. It is just not on.

I find it very interesting that we have heard little if anything from the Board of Mark Warner´s about this issue of safety in family resorts. No reassurance. No sense of even partial responsibility. They do not dare of course. I very much doubt this situation would have been allowed to rest if this tragedy had taken place in the United States.

Warner´s website today stands unchanged. Only the Tapas Bar has givenway to a Pizza Parlour. I wonder why?

Rosemary, about Mark Warner security systems is this: no CCTV cameras installed outside the apartment, near the main entrance door (windows included). No surveillance with security guards at the proximity of the 5A, very close to the 5A, which allows to keep under heavy surveillance (day and night) the apartments.

Yes, I agree with you: today´s resort apartments are not ready to handle with abduction issues, or eveything related with security concerning holiday resorts with security measures to protect the persons who rented these resorts.

What also springs to mind with me is the young just married couple that were murdered in their bungalow in Antigua. AND I seem to remember another incident where a young wife went back to her isolated room and caught two men who also killed her. These incidents were both in 'holiday villages'.

Have to wonder if anywhere could be considered really safe nowadays.

The thing about PDL was some of the "Club" accommodation was dotted around PDL. That aside....it really does seem like a small quiet family friendly village. So much so that I only stayed once (not in the Club but a villa up the hill)....it was too quiet for us in September and we don't like noisey rowdy places....so thats how quiet it is. I can completely understand why the McCanns thought it safe to put the kids to bed and run their own listening service.

I agree with you Catkins.

Your words are mine:

"Have to wonder if anywhere could be considered really safe nowadays".

But in these more enlightened days at least we can be educated as to certain dangers and simply put into place those precautions deemed necessary to avoid them - if at all possible. Not handing it all to the criminal elements on a plate! That is acting irresponsibily and is IMO what Warners are still doing in PDL and other similarly designed resorts. The very least they should be doing is providing proper security and forewarning their clients to act with due caution. Or do we all just wait for another child to go missing or be abused in their beds????!!!!

I agree with you rosemary.

About: "Or do we all just wait for another child to go missing or be abused in their beds????!!!!" this is not allowed, not accepted. All holiday facilities have the obligation, duty, of increase all measures of security, regarding the safety / protection of all the people who rents these holiday resorts, which includes also heavy surveillance day and night using security guards, CCTV cameras working properly, more light in dark places, also the police should be there together with security guards, keeping all the holiday facilities (with their employees which have also the duty / obligation of increase the safety protection of children´s, their parents, friends, etc.) under heavy surveillance day and night. All these precautions should also include beaches, swimming pools, creches, shopping centers, parking lots, etc.

We have, until recently, always taken our touring caravan on holiday. When we have been to camp sites in both France and Italy there have been barriers at the entrances, CCTV cameras dotted all over the place, and big burley security men (especially all through the night) with alsatian dogs patrolling the camp site. Surely this is what Mark Warner should adopt especially after Madeleine.

Jean this is exactly what I have been saying. Times have changed and unfortunately not for the better! It is a careful balance that is needed, good security as unobtrusively as it can be done. But still there is nothing like good information and TRUTHFUL information for the occupants, in advance! I do wish more newspapers would take this issue up and publicise it more. Even travel agencies should be putting up gold stars for security on their websites and in their brochures.

Yes, I agree with you both my friends.