Not a happy customer
Review Submitted: October 5, 2009
Date of Stay: September 2009
We paid the deposit for this house b/c the pics were beautiful. However when we arrived, maintenance people were there working and said it would be another 2 hours before they were done. They had the water heater out and were working on some "complicated" repairs, according to the maintenance guy. The neighborhood is less than desirable and the living room at the front of the house smelled like old dishwater. The grass had not been cut. We called the property manager who was very nice and expressed our concerns to which she said she understood there were things wrong and that she had tried to take care of them prior to our arrival. However, when we contacted the owner about a deposit refund, she hung up on us. Very unprofessional!!!! Will stick to hotels from now on. Not sure if this was a one time thing, or not, but it has definately left a sour taste.
Owner's Response: I have been offering Casa de Abuela as a vacation rental in San Antonio, TX, for over two years. In that time period I have received countless complements on the house, the property and the neighborhood. This is the first time guests have refused to stay for any reason whatsoever. This review contains several misrepresentations of the facts that I would like to clarify.
First, the guests arrived in San Antonio early, several hours prior to check in time at 4PM. My property manager talked to them while they were still at the San Antonio Airport to inform them that electricians were at the property repairing a problem. When the guests arrived at the house around 1:30, the electrician let them in as a simple curtesy. Unfortunately, my property manager did not made arrangements to meet them in person, not realizing that the electrician would not have finished by the time the guests arrived. If she had, she would have been able to again explain in person the problems that were being repaired. And by the time the guests called her to let her know they weren't staying, they were not interested in any explanations that she tried to make.
The property is in an historic neighborhood that is attractive and safe. The neighborhood is featured annually in a citywide 'Parade of Homes' and visited by thousands of people who enjoy the historical ambiance of the 1920's. And I personally lived there for several years before I converted the property to a vacation rental and loved the ambiance.
When the guests called me on 10/5 to request the return of their deposit, I did not hang up. After I ascertained what the call was about, I informed the gentleman that called about my policy not return deposits if the reservation is not cancelled two weeks before the arrival. Then I reiterated that I had clearly stated that the deposit was not refundable if they did not cancel by 9/15 in the emails I exchanged with the woman who made the deposit. When he insisted, I simply repeated my statement; I did not hang up until he ended the conversation.
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
No
Helpful votes: 5/6
