Travel influencer Ryan Walker has claimed that the luxury resort Amanvari in Mexico canceled his reservation shortly before his arrival and subsequently contacted the police. Walker, who reviews hotels on his YouTube channel, stated that he arrived at the newly opened resort, where rooms can cost approximately $6,000 per night, only to be denied entry by security.
According to Walker, security personnel informed him that his reservation could not be found in the system, despite having booked weeks in advance and confirming his stay with the hotel prior to arrival. He alleged that security refused to allow him to speak with a manager and ultimately called the police. Walker later discovered an email from the hotel, sent the night before his scheduled check-in, stating that his reservation had been canceled due to the resort's ongoing efforts to finalize operations following its August 1 opening.
"I was so excited to check in to the Amanvari Hotel that just opened this week," Walker stated in a video detailing the incident. "If you don't know me, I am a luxury hotel reviewer here on YouTube. I specialize in very honest reviews of the world's best properties."
He recounted driving approximately two hours from the nearest airport to reach the property, only to be stopped at the front gate. After initial verification, a security guard informed him, "We don't have your reservation." Walker presented his booking confirmation, but the security guard insisted it was not in their system.
A supervisor reportedly confirmed that the reservation was not found and cited the property as private, thus denying entry without a confirmed booking. Walker claimed he was then threatened with police intervention if he persisted in asking to speak with a manager. He shared footage of a staff member appearing to contact law enforcement.
Walker expressed that the hotel did not attempt to contact him directly about the cancellation, relying instead on an email he had missed. The email cited the resort's early operational phase and the decision to reduce arrivals to "complete this work," regretting the impact on his stay.
"They didn't call me, they sent this email and just assumed I would read it before I arrived here today?" Walker questioned. "They called the police to escort us off of the property. So, this is how Amanvari is treating their new guests because they're not ready to accept reservations at their property. This is how they handle it."
He speculated that his reservation was canceled because he is a known hotel reviewer on YouTube, suggesting the hotel felt unprepared for his review. "I believe it's because they feel they're not ready," he stated. "To not even have the human decency to come out and have a conversation with me directly ... that to me is not just poor business. That to me is a lack of empathy, a lack of human acknowledgement."
Walker also claimed he had informed the hotel in advance about his intention to film a review and was told it would not be an issue. He shared an alleged email from the hotel indicating a willingness to facilitate filming in approved private spaces, provided it did not interfere with other guests. "Should you have any interest in capturing content during your stay, please do let me know so we can make the necessary arrangements," the alleged email read.
He argued that independent reviewers are crucial for a balanced narrative and that silencing them allows corporations to control the story. "But I think the fact that I'm not able to review it is a review in and of itself. If they're not ready to have reviewers, they should not have launched," he said.
Walker described the experience as "one of the most disappointing and embarrassing hotel experiences" he has encountered. He stated that the resort should have provided more than 24 hours' notice of the cancellation. "I cannot recommend staying at this property whatsoever because if they're so adamant to not have a review, there must be a reason," he concluded.