Pacha VIP..... be warned

DelMarSunset

DelMarSunset

Active Member
I did Pacha VIP 3 weeks (SHM 15th August) ago with 8 friends and it was frankly a disgrace. We booked the table in June through Club Tickets (not Spotlight) and added on another couple in mid July. When we turned up we were taken to the area that's at the top of the stairs of the main entrance and shown a 4 seater table (for 8 people) This was apparently our "VIP" experience and when i argued the point i was told we were "in the main VIP area" I told the person concerned he was talking bollocks and we were possibly promised a move later on in the evening. We were then expected to hand over 1200 Euros for 4 bottles of vodka (which someone else did) and i kept complaining about why we had basically paid over a grand to have an overcrowded "bench" in Pachas lobby and watch the main room dj booth on a large screen tv that was stuck to the wall. To add insult to injury despite the "strict dress code" we had all bothered to stick to about 20 muppets turned up wearing shorts and baseball caps and started spraying red bull over everyone and the "security" was crap. Letting in anything with tits but keeping out members of our party because they didn't recognise them.
If you book a table as a treat for a group of friends and you pay over a grand for 4 bottles of vodka that cost less than 50 quid i would expect to be able to see the main part of the club and not to be stuck in the side room watching it on TV. True to form the manager blamed a mix up with our booking and blamed it on the ticket office. He even got someone to turn up with an iPad and show me our booking hadn't been made until 5 days before the event despite us having credit card statements from June but what's the point of arguing at 2am about a booking that's done in office hours. I'm not a massive fan of SHM and i've not really liked Pacha when i've been before but i went with the majority decision and basically got f**ked over.
If anyone else turns up and isn't shown to the balcony above the main room don't hand over any money. They will fob you off and take your money and then ignore you.
We could have sat outside with some beers and had the same "experience"
 
Sounds like a typical Washington DC club experience to me. We have mostly self described "lounges" now that charge you $1000 plus the bottles for a small table behind a rope not more than 5 feet from the main floor. If you sit, you do nothing but stare at the rear end of some wallflower standing near the rope. Service is actually slower than if you stand at the main bar.

Sorry to hear about your bad time at Pacha. One more reason I will be avoiding that place this year.
 
ClubbinYankee said:
Sounds like a typical Washington DC club experience to me. We have mostly self described "lounges" now that charge you $1000 plus the bottles for a small table behind a rope not more than 5 feet from the main floor. If you sit, you do nothing but stare at the rear end of some wallflower standing near the rope. Service is actually slower than if you stand at the main bar.
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Is it all like that now? :cry:

When I moved away (mid-90s) it was just starting in that direction with 18th St Lounge, Stetso Senso (or something like that?) and similar places. But you still had big clubs like DC Ballroom, Tracks, etc. (all of which are now, I take it, parking for the new baseball stadium?) and that place over near the White House (I forgot the name).

Last time I went clubbing in DC 8 years ago we found a decent large club without all the table nonsense near Gallery Place but (despite being told on the phone it'd be house music) it was R&B/hip-hop. At least there was a mildly entertaining 2nd room with latin music.

Actually, I tried a couple of places when I was there 2 years ago but they were small lounge-type places :confused:

(sorry... I digress from original post... just saddened by deterioration of what little scene we had back home!)
 
Do yourselves a favour - if you want to go clubbing choose a decent night with a proper lineup and forget the VIP malarky. Get down and dirty with the masses and lose yourselves in the music or find an 'alternatives to the clubs' venue where you can have a civilized night for a sensible price with good company and a decent atmosphere. There are loads of them on the island.

For so long as people keep falling for the hype and paying stupid money for next to nothing to be "seen" at the "coolest" (i.e. most hyped up pile of rubbish) big club nights on the island I have to say I've no sympathy for getting treated like s**t. If I were a club running such nights and seeing people claw each others' eyes out for less and less each week .. and still keep baying and out-bidding each other for tables ... I might also be tempted just to take advantage and lose respect.

Sorry if that all sounds jaded but honestly how many times does all this have to happen before people believe that more money does not mean more happiness on a night out ?
 
You should send this posting to Pacha fao Danny. Maybe they will sort something out for you next time to compensate, like free entrance or something.

Just to try and make you feel a bit better.....but not to excuse this VIP pi$$ take....which it is really getting to be these days...

If you had gone in as normal:
8 x 60 Euro entrance = 480 euros
4 bottles Vodka = 56 double vodka's (UK size double about Spanish free pour?) @ 18 euros each Pacha bar = 1008 Euros

Total = 1488 euros.

OK...so you probably wouldn't have drunk that many if paying one by one but at even 3 drinks each for 8 people would make a total of 912 Euros including entrance.

Remember...just saying this to try and make you feel a bit better.
I personally think that drinks prices, entrance fee's, VIP table costs etc....have all got totally out of hand.

Still probably the best way to have a Pacha night if you are unable to get the guest list is to eat in the restuarant first and that will give you free entrance.
 
I think the fact that you paid for it through a ticket company that sells tables like they do tickets was to blame for this, had you organised it through a proper concierge service you would've never had this problem and have some of the best seats in the house,

This unfortunately can't help you now but something to bear in mind for next time!!
 
There is no fun in that fake VIP lark.:eek: at what i just read..Lesson learned i hope.. Ive read lot of reports like this and it just proves these clubs cant get it right.
 
kimajy said:
Do yourselves a favour - if you want to go clubbing choose a decent night with a proper lineup and forget the VIP malarky. Get down and dirty with the masses and lose yourselves in the music or find an 'alternatives to the clubs' venue where you can have a civilized night for a sensible price with good company and a decent atmosphere. There are loads of them on the island.
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+1

But then we all like different things, each to their own n all that
 
Fu(k vip culture and hanging out with dullards drinking crystal on the status benches.

I'm all for the pedestrians in the mosh pit.
 
Just a bit of background info. There were 4 couples in the party of various ages (24-42) and we all have varied music taste and were all arriving and leaving on different days of a 2 week window so this meant that particular Monday was ideal for us to all go out together. The only reason we went VIP (lol) was that it would be a one off treat and for the rest of the nights my other half and I were in the mosh pit at Amnesia, Space The Zoo Project and DC10. I didn't put the OP up for sympathy or to appear flash it was a warning about blatant over selling and pure greed on Pachas part (the overflow area was full and worth over ten grand to them I guess) With hindsight we should have refused to pay a penny until we were moved to the area we originally booked but once we had paid the money they didn't give a **** frankly.
 
Robder said:
Fu(k vip culture and hanging out with dullards drinking crystal on the status benches.

I'm all for the pedestrians in the mosh pit.
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VIP has ruined the clubs for me - its not necessary to take up 2/3s of your club for VIP and leave the rest of your paying punters a small portion of the club to enjoy - its annoying beyond belief...

I have had lots of VIP clubbing experiences, but that's only cos I have been invited in and its nice to have a sit down (especially at my ripe old age :lol: :lol: :lol: ) but I certainly wouldnt spend a fortune to sit drinking and watch a club going off.... I can see why people may want to experience it but it doesnt float my boat that's for sure...

So sorry to hear you had such a crappy experience.....
 
puppylover said:
VIP has ruined the clubs for me - its not necessary to take up 2/3s of your club for VIP and leave the rest of your paying punters a small portion of the club to enjoy - its annoying beyond belief...

I have had lots of VIP clubbing experiences, but that's only cos I have been invited in and its nice to have a sit down (especially at my ripe old age :lol: :lol: :lol: ) but I certainly wouldnt spend a fortune to sit drinking and watch a club going off.... I can see why people may want to experience it but it doesnt float my boat that's for sure...

So sorry to hear you had such a crappy experience.....
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I remember years ago, the Space team issued an official statement re: vip areas saying that everyone on their dance floor was equal and 'the terrace is and always will be' about the music. :rolleyes: :lol:

Errr...okaaaay.

I was horrified when I saw all those roped off tables for the first time - what have they done? :eek:
 
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