Hopeless House

[Clairerob]

My relative have had a traumatic experience with an Addiction rehabilitation centre in Portugal which I need to share so others can avoid. My relative had an alcohol problem for many years and knew they needed to do something about it so got in touch with this Retreat run by Mr ~~~~~ and his wife.

It is not luxurious in any way despite the prominence luxury is given on the website. Neither the furniture, the fittings and particularly not the food can in any way be described as luxurious. Mr ~~~~~ proclaims he is experience as a chef and that therefore you can expect gourmet food. The reality sadly is nothing but the cheapest processed food is in the fridge and the cooking of it left to an inexperienced staff member who hasn’t a clue. My relative and another patients had to go out and shop at the local supermarket and cook it ourselves but no compensation from My ~~~~~.

They had no proper medical or psychiatric assessments and there were no nurses employed. My relative was given a pill on the first night by Mr ~~~~~ but no explanation what it was for. There is no staff on after 9pm even at weekends. Consequently others went out to buy wine and became intoxicated. It just wasn’t at all safe at any time.

There was no counselling and I was left to work my way through a workbook that looks as if he has typed it up himself. If I was lucky I saw him for an hour just to look at what I had been writing. Every 15 minutes in that hour he had to nip out for a cigarette!! I doubt whether Mr ~~~~~ has the qualifications he states and he certainly doesn’t have the experience. He is bogus.

I stayed the full programme only because I had paid the 8000 euros upfront and I knew that there would be no refund. I have never received a receipt or any official paperwork despite numerous requests.

Please avoid this place.

(From ADMIN: If you would like more details of the centre Claire is talking about, please email Claire direct, and make your own mind up)

[Andy284]

Why would you go abroad anyway??
Rehab over here is fantastic with most centres offering a very high success rate,
and its much cheaper in the UK. (If you think it's not, you have been ill advised).
You also get 12 months free aftercare in the UK centres, and ALL the staff are trained and qualified,
And the centres are CQC registered. No brainier really!!!

[goodfuturereinc]

I think this is really amazing post.people will definitely get help form this.

[Siobhan]

Everything that the fAmily member said is true.... Hey charged us for every single thing and yes he didn't stop smoking, he bullies rich the alcoholic guy that ex there with me. I was here for heroin addiction and it turned out they hadn't treated a heroin addict before they could have killed me. I believe that if they did hey would have just dumped me in the sea or something. We were not allowed the address of where we were. There were no staff no medical staff and yes they gave us tablets to deal with ourselves. We're moaned at about everything and he was too hung over oraomething to deal with us we had 40 mins class a day which consisted of him reading chapters out loud of the aa book. But I'm not an alcoholic so I didn't see the point. I lost a stone and a half in 3 weeks because there was no food. We were not allowed the Address I realise now because they were con artists. The reason I went abroad was because it was hot and I thought I had less chance of leaving and just going home and meeting a dealer. The was no fruit or juice or vitamin tablets or television in room or music there was no gym, that was in a hotel that we went to twice a week 25 miles away. That cost extra so did massages,food and petrol. They were out all day everyday and left a cleaner there who admitte to us that she hated hem and that she was an alcoholic. Why a great place NOT xxx rich if u read this get in contact with me 07555909943 xxxx Siobhan x