My wife and two of her girlfriends decided to spend a few days in Nashville to walk around the shops, see the trees, and watch scary movies in the evening. She used Hills O' Brown because we booked through them previously and enjoyed our stay.
My wife booked the Point of View Residence for October 26th & 27th, a Thursday and Friday.
After unpacking, they noted two HVAC ducts were clogged with dirt and hair. Then, they found mouse droppings in the bottom of a kitchen pantry. After finding the TV remote, it was found crusted and filthy. After they cleaned it, they found the satellite TV was inoperative. An after-hours call was made, and a gentleman responded. He was there on both Thursday and Friday and was unable to fix the problem.
My wife contacted Hill's O' Brown to explain what happened and requested a $100 refund.
The person said they were sorry but refused to refund any of the fees already paid to Hill's O' Brown. This person also invited her to return.
I manage vacation cabins and we have one called Brookside CabinWe have damage to a armrest on a loveseat and photo is enclosed
"margin: 8.35pt 0.6in 0.0001pt;">This damage was noticed on Friday, April 3rd by the cleaners when The [redacted] party checked outI was gone for a week and then we were working on end of the month Owner statementsTherefore I just t got around to email [redacted] about the damage and the emails sent are attachedOnce she stated that she did not do it, I have asked for her to AT LEAST tell me if she had noticed this damage when she was there so I could perhaps talk to the people before her and boom, here is the Revdex.com letterI do find the people whom are willing to call and discuss and help us figure this out is more likely to not be the ones whom did this other then the ones who are not even interested in answering a few questions and then even contact the Revdex.com like thisWe did not charger her card or do anything without contacting her first so thank you for your timePatty (Zody) F[redacted]
General Manager
812-988-
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I want this company to stop accusing me of damaging their couch. We did not damage said couch. They even accuse us in response to this complaint. We has stated we do not know how, or when, this damage occurred. Why are they just now, 18 days after our stay in the cottage, accusing us of damage. Are they accusing clients that stayed in the cottage before and after our stay? Also, they accused me in the very first email I received in regards to this matter. Now they claim to just want answers. My bill was paid in advance and I wish to be left alone from this harassment. As stated multiple times and ways, WE DID NOT DAMAGE THE COUCH.
Regards,
[redacted]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
1. The main reason for my dissatisfaction with this company is the lack of cleanliness of the facility (Bugs) and poor customer service. My other guests will support this comment if you would like to call them.
2. I NEVER swore at [redacted]. This outward lie is makes me even more upset. I was firm and dissatisfied. I laughed when I spoke to her on the phone the second time and said" I know that this is not your rule"....but the stupidity of it is funny....I have 3 witnesses in the car that will testify to this. I never once swore. Wanted to, but didn't.
3. The coffee pot and fireplace, both not working were not major issues. I was willing to overlook these problems if all else had been acceptable. We did spend $6 for coffee from McDonald's down the road.
4. The problem was the roaches. Wood or otherwise, roaches live in filthy environments. Neither variety, German, American or Wood makes its home indoors unless there is a amount of debris (food) to sustain their population. I have documents and supportive evidence of this from the Entomology Department at Purdue Unveristy. I checked with the experts. Even routine spraying has to be supported by a thoroughly clean environment to ensure that you are rid of roaches. We found them in the FURNITURE. The upholstered furnishings had food in the seams (Cheetos to be exact) and became a source of food for the insects. Other furnishings had similar debris.
5. The bug problem became most apparent around 10:30 PM on Sat. night. We saw a few on Friday but chose to ignore them...we were in the country after all. By Saturday, there was a problem. One guest had them climbing on her pant leg from the chair that she was sitting on. We did not contact the rental service at this hour. What would they have done at this hour? We had no where to go while they sprayed or cleaned or did what they needed to do. Quite honestly, by this time, we just wanted to sleep.
6. Our rental numbers (4) were within the allowed number of guests. [redacted] and [redacted] would have spent the night on the couch (if there were no bugs in the rental) if they had drank alcohol with us that evening. That's why I put their name down...they did not stay once they saw the BUGS! Another guest ([redacted])opted to sleep in the car.
7. I took photographs of the dirty silverware, coffee pot, filthy kitchen wall, Cheetos in the chair, and bugs in the carpet. I will forward them if you need them. I have sent them to the Health Department.
8. This past weekend I rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge, TN. My experiences was the complete opposite of what I experienced with Hills o'Brown. I was treated with courtesy and respect, had a clean cabin (bug free despite the age of the cabin and remote location) that had all of the appliances working. THIS is what I expect. The Hills O' Brown cabin actually cost me more money!
9. There is a problem with this rental company. Even if no money is refunded, I want it to go on record that this was not an acceptable experience. Customers should be aware of the poor service, unclean facilities and unprofessional practices and personnel at this rental company. It was the worst 500 $ expenditure that I have made.
10. I am not satisfied with the response from Hill O' Brown. In fact, I find it even more insulting that they would lie about the conversations that took place. I did call and personally talk to a representative prior to booking this property. They never once mentioned the additional guest fee or the fact that it was a trailer. I can secure my phone records to confirm this telephone call. I also resent being accused of swearing at Heather. I know that these policies are not hers. I feel bad that she has to even defend them. This is the most poorly management company that I have ever worked with. I take tour groups to Costa Rica every summer and have never had such uncooperative and rude service. I rent vacation rentals through [redacted] every Spring and summer and have never been so disappointed. We have a problem here.
Regards,
[redacted]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. Although they were responsive I do not feel the accommodation was up to standard when I arrived. If I had reserved a hotel room I could have refused to accept it based on no heat and not charged for that night. At least I have been able to refuse a reservation in the past because the room was not acceptable. I wasted almost 8 hours Friday night because their accommodations were not ready for guests. I do not see how I should pay for Friday? I'm disputing this payment with my credit card company also.
Regards,
[redacted]
I will make this short and sweet. We have been renting vacation cabins for 17+ years and all of our cabins have heat, air and running water. When [redacted] checked in, we did not...
know that there was an issue with the heat in that unit. This unit Is a very beautiful cabin with a hot tub and fishing and a pool table and I can see why he picked it. What happened was no different than In your own home and an appliance quit working out of the blue. As he stated, he called the pager and had 2 people out there to repair the unit. While the first man was a maintenance man in case something simple, he was the quickest and easiest to get to the cabin at that hour. Once he found that he could not fix It we were able to get licensed HVAC man there. While parts were needed to fix the issue completely, he was able to get the heat going and told the tenants that it should be fine but could not guarantee it. [redacted] was a bit worried that it would not work all night so he called again and as he said, we took the time to take him out to one of the other vacation homes we manage. Since this cabin was not rented, the Owner had turned down the heat in their unit to save money and we did not know that as ALL cabins are individually owned, no time shares. He was not happy with this unit overall as Pond's Edge, the cabin he rented, was top notch. He went back there and again, the heat was still fine. He was warm for the entire rest of his stay. I also understand that Saturday he had an issue with a hot tub, maintenance went and reset the breaker and all was good. We answered the calls quickly and professionally and I think even Mr. [redacted] cannot deny that we were "on each and every problem at a moment's notice." We cannot control all things at all times and when something happens, we are quick to respond. Our policy is very clear that if something is out of our control, we do not offer refunds to our guests and we did fix the issues, If someone has an issue within our control (dirty cabin, broken furniture upon arrival,) then we would perhaps think about it then. In closing, Mr. [redacted] had an unfortunate situation happen. The issues were rectified and a Manager being on staff, or not, had no bearing on this case as there were many qualified people on staff whom helped him. I was on the phone with the staff Friday day throughout this ordeal. We hope that he comes back again and perhaps that Owner will offer him a deal on his next stay as she owns 2 cabins that are wonderful. He had a misfortunate first night and we fixed it and all was well. I absolutely understand his frustrations in the matter but not in agreement that we owe him money for his time. I am hoping that he at least realizes that "man, Hills 0' Brown had 3 HVAC people helping, a maintenance man who came out in the middle of the night and was physically driving us to another cabin to show it to us and then more maintenance people on Saturday just to get our stay right. That is customer service" but I am aware that people do not see It that way these days. Thank you [redacted] General Manager
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this response/resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
[redacted]
I understand that Mr. [redacted] Is upset with our policy, however, he did agree to the policies when he made the reservation and this is one that is directly off of our policies page: "Under no circumstances will there be a reduction of rental fees or refund for loss of utilities, mechanical failure of equipment and/or appliances such as but not limited to: air conditioning, heating unit, dishwasher, washer, dryer, TV, blender, toaster, etc.." I am always amazed at when something goes wrong that Is out of our control and yet we fix it, a refund is asked for from the guests. The policies do not matter at that time to guests but we are sticking to our policies that he agreed to. I understand that he loved the cabin otherwise and that the heat was repaired. We ddnot leave him freezing in the dead of winter but indeed fixed it the first night which Is why he stayed the entire stay.
Thank you
[redacted]
General Manager
Rented two separate cabins from Hills O Brown Vaca. Rentals (100 acre/Drift Away). Two of items advertised on sign were defective (hot tub and pool tables)and wifi unavailable or barely useable in cabins. The hottub builds a dingy foam the management tries to blame on detergent in your trunks (explains white foam); but look closely and you will see dirt in the foam and lots of it. Did not even want to be in hot tub after making this observation. Needs to be drained and cleaned after every stay, or at least more than it is being. I'm sure my $300+ PER NIGHT covers that. As far as having the ability to play pool, we were provided with one usable pool cue to play with between 9 guests staying at the cabin (100 Acre). The second cue of only two provided had a cracked tip that had not been replaced after the previous guest and was unusable. This was a minor inconvenience to say the least. Additionally, the shower curtains were falling apart (Drift Away), and the septic system caused the whole kitchen/sink area to stink when the toilet is flushed or dishes were cleaned while draining the water(100 Acre). Table ware was provided but expected to be cleaned if used. The playstation 3 was missing cords for the controllers and was unusable(100 Acre). The coffee pot provided was broken and took hours to brew anything (
font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;'>I
will address [redacted]'s complaints and concerns here:
·
[redacted] mentioned that upon arrival
to the unit that is was not a "cabin" and was instead a
"trailer".
[redacted]made the reservation through our online booking system, which is 100%
automated. No interaction with our staff Is needed to submit the reservation
request. Our website provides 100% of the Info needed to make a reservation,
including price, photos, descriptions, policies, etc. There are multiple
prompts when making a reservation online that confirm that you are booking the correct
unit. Our staff receives those online requests and personally calls each and
every guest to confirm the entered information is correct, being that typing
errors occur often. If we were unable to reach Taylor with the numbers
provided, we would have left a detailed message confirming all of the
information. At this time, we offer answers to any questions guests might have
after looking through the information provided on our website. Being that
we offer many types of units; cottages, cabins, homes, guest rooms etc. The
photos online show details of the type of unit that [redacted] is if there were
any questions prior to being booked and It very clearly states that this is
a modified Mobile home.
·
[redacted] mentioned that the unit was
infested with Cockroaches.
·
Being that we are in Brown County,
Indiana in October, seasonal bugs and pest are exceedingly a nuisance. We treat
our units monthly with standard pest control. The "cockroaches"
mentioned has been proven to be no more than Wood Roaches, which are present in
many homes in the area. They are no representation of cleanliness, but more so
the time of year. Even with monthly treatment, guests are aware of the area
they are staying, and small pest come with the territory. Guests stayed before
and after Taylor and we didn't have single complaint or mention of roaches of
any kind. I think the word Infested' was a bit over exaggerated.
·
[redacted] states that there were broken
appliances, fireplace and coffeepot.
The
fireplace at that unit has a pilot light that needs to remain on in
order to be used. After our guests mentioned that the fireplace was broken
(after they had checked out, no way for us to handle the situation during their
stay) we sent our maintenance staff out to check the issue. The pilot light had
simply blow out and needed re-lit, an immediate fix. The coffeepot was not
broken. It has been checked and used since then and is in working order. We
have after hours on call staff member and maintenance for any issues that may
arise during a guest's stay. This emergency number is posted at the office as
well as in the cabins, and can also be found by calling the office and
selecting the correct message option. [redacted] did not use any of these methods
to address the issues during the stay.
·
[redacted] mentioned that a staff member
hung up during their call into the office.
Having
spoken to the staff member involved, the phone conversation ending in a hang up
was prior to [redacted]'s arrival to the unit. Standard check in to all units is
4pm. This is standard for all guests. [redacted]'s party arrived earlier than 4 and
had to wait until the correct check in time to receive the map and keys to the
unit. All paperwork and payments can be taken care of at any time. [redacted] paid
the balance while she was in the office, even thought to early to physically check in and left, to come back at 4 to finalize check in. [redacted]'s original
reservation that was made online was for 2 guests. Upon initial arrival, [redacted]signed in with 46 people.
My staff member called [redacted] and Informed the guests that there is an
additional fee for any guests over the original 2 that are included in the
pricing. There would be a small additional fee for the extra guests.
[redacted]then began to state how "insane" and "ridiculous" that we
would be charging her for all of her guests, standard pricing for everyone. My
staff member tried to compromise by only charging for 2 additional people,
being that [redacted] had signed in with a possible 6, which would normally be an
additional 4 person fee added to the stay. [redacted] then commented to the rest of
her party, while still on the phone with my staff member,
how my employee was being "a bh" and unwilling to help in any way.
My employee did as policy and politely stated that since [redacted] is no longer
choosing to have a professional conversation, that their conversation is over,
and ended the conversation before [redacted] started accosting her over the phone
directly.
· [redacted] commented that we have a "bait and
switch" style tactics due to us not allowing their guests into the unit
before 4.
We
have a variety of different staff members in and out of units getting them
ready for guests. This can be anything from cleaning staff, maintenance, hot
tub techs, electricians, etc. We inform all guests of their 4pm check
in, and if guests need more information about the property, other than what is
provided in the detailed
photos online, they are able to call the office and ask as many questions as
they have to make sure they are booking the cabin that is correct for them.
[redacted] booked a unit online, and did not ask any question
about the unit prior to
check in. As a staff we don't assume that guests have questions about the unit
when they make the reservation online, knowing that the guests has chosen to
book without further inquiry or direct contact with a staff member.
We
are sorry for any inconvenience that they guests had with cleanliness or pests.
It clearly states in the
Rental
Policies that all guests must read and sign, that if a guest has a problem
during their stay, they can contact the office to discuss options. Our policy
states that if a guest chooses to discuss issues "after the fact" being
after they have completely checked out of the unit and returned home, that we
will not offer any discount or compensation for issues. We must be allowed the
opportunity to resolve any Issue during the guests stay, being that
most issues are minor and easy addressed and resolved. Below is a copy of a
portion of our policy that the guests read and signed prior to check in.
MAINTENANCE/REFUNDS
· Our maintenance staff
is available from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm seven days a week. There is an after-hours
emergency pager number located in all homes.
·
Pager instructions:
a)Leave a detailed
message on the voicemail with the nature of the emergency, the name of the home
you are staying at and a return phone number.
b)You
will receive a return calf from our maintenance staff within 15-20 minutes.
c) If
you are calling from a cell phone, make sure that you have clear reception.
d)All
calls will be returned, however only true emergencies will be handled after
maintenance hours.
·
We strive to keep ail equipment,
appliances, hot tubs and fireplaces in working order upon your arrival.
· Occasionally mishaps
will happen or prior guests have not informed us of an issue. Please report any
inoperative equipment to the HOBVR office immediately.
· [redacted] will make every
reasonable effort in their power to have the problem corrected as soon as
feasibly possible.
· Under no circumstances
will there be a reduction of rental fees or refund for loss of utilities,
mechanical failure of equipment and/or appliances such as but not limited to:
air conditioning, heating unit, dishwasher, washer, dryer, TV, blender,
toaster, etc..
· Pools and/or hot tubs
are occasionally subject to temporary closing due to extenuating circumstances.
No refund or rate reductions will be given should this occur.
·
Refunds are not issued due to
Inclement weather, snow or acts of God that are out of our control.
At
this point, knowing that these issues were minor and could have easily been
resolved quickly, and knowing that we were not informed of these issues during the
guests stay (they left a damaged note in the mall slot of our business office
at check out), we do not feel that there is a genuine complaint against our
business and its practices. If you have any other comments or questions, feel
free to contact my office and I can better explain anything that Is needed.
Just
as clarification, after we received the note on the floor Sunday, the Customer
Service Manager, [redacted]. was in contact with [redacted] about her stay
via email. [redacted] did stated that she did not tell anyone about these issues
"as she doubted that anything would have been rectified by our team"
so very clearly stated we were not given the opportunity to simply 1. Light a
fireplace, 2 bring another coffee pot if needed, and 3 — perhaps spray for
bugs.
Thanks
for your time and consideration with this matter.
[redacted]
Executive
Assistant
Hills
CY Brown Vacation Rentals
812-988-6429
[redacted]@browncountylogcabins.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.Are they not held to the same standards as a hotel? If a hotel room was unacceptable I could refuse it and not have to pay for it. Just because they write something on their website does not make it legally binding, does it? Shouldn't the Revdex.com know what is legal for a rental company to do? Are they completely right in the eyes of the law or not?
Regards,
[redacted]
My wife booked the Point of View Residence for October 26th & 27th, a Thursday and Friday.
After unpacking, they noted two HVAC ducts were clogged with dirt and hair. Then, they found mouse droppings in the bottom of a kitchen pantry. After finding the TV remote, it was found crusted and filthy. After they cleaned it, they found the satellite TV was inoperative. An after-hours call was made, and a gentleman responded. He was there on both Thursday and Friday and was unable to fix the problem.
My wife contacted Hill's O' Brown to explain what happened and requested a $100 refund.
The person said they were sorry but refused to refund any of the fees already paid to Hill's O' Brown. This person also invited her to return.
I manage vacation cabins and we have one called Brookside CabinWe have damage to a armrest on a loveseat and photo is enclosed
"margin: 8.35pt 0.6in 0.0001pt;">This damage was noticed on Friday, April 3rd by the cleaners when The [redacted] party checked outI was gone for a week and then we were working on end of the month Owner statementsTherefore I just t got around to email [redacted] about the damage and the emails sent are attachedOnce she stated that she did not do it, I have asked for her to AT LEAST tell me if she had noticed this damage when she was there so I could perhaps talk to the people before her and boom, here is the Revdex.com letterI do find the people whom are willing to call and discuss and help us figure this out is more likely to not be the ones whom did this other then the ones who are not even interested in answering a few questions and then even contact the Revdex.com like thisWe did not charger her card or do anything without contacting her first so thank you for your timePatty (Zody) F[redacted]
General Manager
812-988-
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I want this company to stop accusing me of damaging their couch. We did not damage said couch. They even accuse us in response to this complaint. We has stated we do not know how, or when, this damage occurred. Why are they just now, 18 days after our stay in the cottage, accusing us of damage. Are they accusing clients that stayed in the cottage before and after our stay? Also, they accused me in the very first email I received in regards to this matter. Now they claim to just want answers. My bill was paid in advance and I wish to be left alone from this harassment. As stated multiple times and ways, WE DID NOT DAMAGE THE COUCH.
Regards,
[redacted]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
1. The main reason for my dissatisfaction with this company is the lack of cleanliness of the facility (Bugs) and poor customer service. My other guests will support this comment if you would like to call them.
2. I NEVER swore at [redacted]. This outward lie is makes me even more upset. I was firm and dissatisfied. I laughed when I spoke to her on the phone the second time and said" I know that this is not your rule"....but the stupidity of it is funny....I have 3 witnesses in the car that will testify to this. I never once swore. Wanted to, but didn't.
3. The coffee pot and fireplace, both not working were not major issues. I was willing to overlook these problems if all else had been acceptable. We did spend $6 for coffee from McDonald's down the road.
4. The problem was the roaches. Wood or otherwise, roaches live in filthy environments. Neither variety, German, American or Wood makes its home indoors unless there is a amount of debris (food) to sustain their population. I have documents and supportive evidence of this from the Entomology Department at Purdue Unveristy. I checked with the experts. Even routine spraying has to be supported by a thoroughly clean environment to ensure that you are rid of roaches. We found them in the FURNITURE. The upholstered furnishings had food in the seams (Cheetos to be exact) and became a source of food for the insects. Other furnishings had similar debris.
5. The bug problem became most apparent around 10:30 PM on Sat. night. We saw a few on Friday but chose to ignore them...we were in the country after all. By Saturday, there was a problem. One guest had them climbing on her pant leg from the chair that she was sitting on. We did not contact the rental service at this hour. What would they have done at this hour? We had no where to go while they sprayed or cleaned or did what they needed to do. Quite honestly, by this time, we just wanted to sleep.
6. Our rental numbers (4) were within the allowed number of guests. [redacted] and [redacted] would have spent the night on the couch (if there were no bugs in the rental) if they had drank alcohol with us that evening. That's why I put their name down...they did not stay once they saw the BUGS! Another guest ([redacted])opted to sleep in the car.
7. I took photographs of the dirty silverware, coffee pot, filthy kitchen wall, Cheetos in the chair, and bugs in the carpet. I will forward them if you need them. I have sent them to the Health Department.
8. This past weekend I rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge, TN. My experiences was the complete opposite of what I experienced with Hills o'Brown. I was treated with courtesy and respect, had a clean cabin (bug free despite the age of the cabin and remote location) that had all of the appliances working. THIS is what I expect. The Hills O' Brown cabin actually cost me more money!
9. There is a problem with this rental company. Even if no money is refunded, I want it to go on record that this was not an acceptable experience. Customers should be aware of the poor service, unclean facilities and unprofessional practices and personnel at this rental company. It was the worst 500 $ expenditure that I have made.
10. I am not satisfied with the response from Hill O' Brown. In fact, I find it even more insulting that they would lie about the conversations that took place. I did call and personally talk to a representative prior to booking this property. They never once mentioned the additional guest fee or the fact that it was a trailer. I can secure my phone records to confirm this telephone call. I also resent being accused of swearing at Heather. I know that these policies are not hers. I feel bad that she has to even defend them. This is the most poorly management company that I have ever worked with. I take tour groups to Costa Rica every summer and have never had such uncooperative and rude service. I rent vacation rentals through [redacted] every Spring and summer and have never been so disappointed. We have a problem here.
Regards,
[redacted]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. Although they were responsive I do not feel the accommodation was up to standard when I arrived. If I had reserved a hotel room I could have refused to accept it based on no heat and not charged for that night. At least I have been able to refuse a reservation in the past because the room was not acceptable. I wasted almost 8 hours Friday night because their accommodations were not ready for guests. I do not see how I should pay for Friday? I'm disputing this payment with my credit card company also.
Regards,
[redacted]
I will make this short and sweet. We have been renting vacation cabins for 17+ years and all of our cabins have heat, air and running water. When [redacted] checked in, we did not...
know that there was an issue with the heat in that unit. This unit Is a very beautiful cabin with a hot tub and fishing and a pool table and I can see why he picked it. What happened was no different than In your own home and an appliance quit working out of the blue. As he stated, he called the pager and had 2 people out there to repair the unit. While the first man was a maintenance man in case something simple, he was the quickest and easiest to get to the cabin at that hour. Once he found that he could not fix It we were able to get licensed HVAC man there. While parts were needed to fix the issue completely, he was able to get the heat going and told the tenants that it should be fine but could not guarantee it. [redacted] was a bit worried that it would not work all night so he called again and as he said, we took the time to take him out to one of the other vacation homes we manage. Since this cabin was not rented, the Owner had turned down the heat in their unit to save money and we did not know that as ALL cabins are individually owned, no time shares. He was not happy with this unit overall as Pond's Edge, the cabin he rented, was top notch. He went back there and again, the heat was still fine. He was warm for the entire rest of his stay. I also understand that Saturday he had an issue with a hot tub, maintenance went and reset the breaker and all was good. We answered the calls quickly and professionally and I think even Mr. [redacted] cannot deny that we were "on each and every problem at a moment's notice." We cannot control all things at all times and when something happens, we are quick to respond. Our policy is very clear that if something is out of our control, we do not offer refunds to our guests and we did fix the issues, If someone has an issue within our control (dirty cabin, broken furniture upon arrival,) then we would perhaps think about it then. In closing, Mr. [redacted] had an unfortunate situation happen. The issues were rectified and a Manager being on staff, or not, had no bearing on this case as there were many qualified people on staff whom helped him. I was on the phone with the staff Friday day throughout this ordeal. We hope that he comes back again and perhaps that Owner will offer him a deal on his next stay as she owns 2 cabins that are wonderful. He had a misfortunate first night and we fixed it and all was well. I absolutely understand his frustrations in the matter but not in agreement that we owe him money for his time. I am hoping that he at least realizes that "man, Hills 0' Brown had 3 HVAC people helping, a maintenance man who came out in the middle of the night and was physically driving us to another cabin to show it to us and then more maintenance people on Saturday just to get our stay right. That is customer service" but I am aware that people do not see It that way these days. Thank you [redacted] General Manager
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this response/resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
[redacted]
I understand that Mr. [redacted] Is upset with our policy, however, he did agree to the policies when he made the reservation and this is one that is directly off of our policies page: "Under no circumstances will there be a reduction of rental fees or refund for loss of utilities, mechanical failure of equipment and/or appliances such as but not limited to: air conditioning, heating unit, dishwasher, washer, dryer, TV, blender, toaster, etc.." I am always amazed at when something goes wrong that Is out of our control and yet we fix it, a refund is asked for from the guests. The policies do not matter at that time to guests but we are sticking to our policies that he agreed to. I understand that he loved the cabin otherwise and that the heat was repaired. We ddnot leave him freezing in the dead of winter but indeed fixed it the first night which Is why he stayed the entire stay.
Thank you
[redacted]
General Manager
Rented two separate cabins from Hills O Brown Vaca. Rentals (100 acre/Drift Away). Two of items advertised on sign were defective (hot tub and pool tables)and wifi unavailable or barely useable in cabins. The hottub builds a dingy foam the management tries to blame on detergent in your trunks (explains white foam); but look closely and you will see dirt in the foam and lots of it. Did not even want to be in hot tub after making this observation. Needs to be drained and cleaned after every stay, or at least more than it is being. I'm sure my $300+ PER NIGHT covers that. As far as having the ability to play pool, we were provided with one usable pool cue to play with between 9 guests staying at the cabin (100 Acre). The second cue of only two provided had a cracked tip that had not been replaced after the previous guest and was unusable. This was a minor inconvenience to say the least. Additionally, the shower curtains were falling apart (Drift Away), and the septic system caused the whole kitchen/sink area to stink when the toilet is flushed or dishes were cleaned while draining the water(100 Acre). Table ware was provided but expected to be cleaned if used. The playstation 3 was missing cords for the controllers and was unusable(100 Acre). The coffee pot provided was broken and took hours to brew anything (
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h" and unwilling to help in any way.
will address [redacted]'s complaints and concerns here:
·
[redacted] mentioned that upon arrival
to the unit that is was not a "cabin" and was instead a
"trailer".
[redacted]made the reservation through our online booking system, which is 100%
automated. No interaction with our staff Is needed to submit the reservation
request. Our website provides 100% of the Info needed to make a reservation,
including price, photos, descriptions, policies, etc. There are multiple
prompts when making a reservation online that confirm that you are booking the correct
unit. Our staff receives those online requests and personally calls each and
every guest to confirm the entered information is correct, being that typing
errors occur often. If we were unable to reach Taylor with the numbers
provided, we would have left a detailed message confirming all of the
information. At this time, we offer answers to any questions guests might have
after looking through the information provided on our website. Being that
we offer many types of units; cottages, cabins, homes, guest rooms etc. The
photos online show details of the type of unit that [redacted] is if there were
any questions prior to being booked and It very clearly states that this is
a modified Mobile home.
·
[redacted] mentioned that the unit was
infested with Cockroaches.
·
Being that we are in Brown County,
Indiana in October, seasonal bugs and pest are exceedingly a nuisance. We treat
our units monthly with standard pest control. The "cockroaches"
mentioned has been proven to be no more than Wood Roaches, which are present in
many homes in the area. They are no representation of cleanliness, but more so
the time of year. Even with monthly treatment, guests are aware of the area
they are staying, and small pest come with the territory. Guests stayed before
and after Taylor and we didn't have single complaint or mention of roaches of
any kind. I think the word Infested' was a bit over exaggerated.
·
[redacted] states that there were broken
appliances, fireplace and coffeepot.
The
fireplace at that unit has a pilot light that needs to remain on in
order to be used. After our guests mentioned that the fireplace was broken
(after they had checked out, no way for us to handle the situation during their
stay) we sent our maintenance staff out to check the issue. The pilot light had
simply blow out and needed re-lit, an immediate fix. The coffeepot was not
broken. It has been checked and used since then and is in working order. We
have after hours on call staff member and maintenance for any issues that may
arise during a guest's stay. This emergency number is posted at the office as
well as in the cabins, and can also be found by calling the office and
selecting the correct message option. [redacted] did not use any of these methods
to address the issues during the stay.
·
[redacted] mentioned that a staff member
hung up during their call into the office.
Having
spoken to the staff member involved, the phone conversation ending in a hang up
was prior to [redacted]'s arrival to the unit. Standard check in to all units is
4pm. This is standard for all guests. [redacted]'s party arrived earlier than 4 and
had to wait until the correct check in time to receive the map and keys to the
unit. All paperwork and payments can be taken care of at any time. [redacted] paid
the balance while she was in the office, even thought to early to physically check in and left, to come back at 4 to finalize check in. [redacted]'s original
reservation that was made online was for 2 guests. Upon initial arrival, [redacted]signed in with 46 people.
My staff member called [redacted] and Informed the guests that there is an
additional fee for any guests over the original 2 that are included in the
pricing. There would be a small additional fee for the extra guests.
[redacted]then began to state how "insane" and "ridiculous" that we
would be charging her for all of her guests, standard pricing for everyone. My
staff member tried to compromise by only charging for 2 additional people,
being that [redacted] had signed in with a possible 6, which would normally be an
additional 4 person fee added to the stay. [redacted] then commented to the rest of
her party, while still on the phone with my staff member,
how my employee was being "a b
My employee did as policy and politely stated that since [redacted] is no longer
choosing to have a professional conversation, that their conversation is over,
and ended the conversation before [redacted] started accosting her over the phone
directly.
· [redacted] commented that we have a "bait and
switch" style tactics due to us not allowing their guests into the unit
before 4.
We
have a variety of different staff members in and out of units getting them
ready for guests. This can be anything from cleaning staff, maintenance, hot
tub techs, electricians, etc. We inform all guests of their 4pm check
in, and if guests need more information about the property, other than what is
provided in the detailed
photos online, they are able to call the office and ask as many questions as
they have to make sure they are booking the cabin that is correct for them.
[redacted] booked a unit online, and did not ask any question
about the unit prior to
check in. As a staff we don't assume that guests have questions about the unit
when they make the reservation online, knowing that the guests has chosen to
book without further inquiry or direct contact with a staff member.
We
are sorry for any inconvenience that they guests had with cleanliness or pests.
It clearly states in the
Rental
Policies that all guests must read and sign, that if a guest has a problem
during their stay, they can contact the office to discuss options. Our policy
states that if a guest chooses to discuss issues "after the fact" being
after they have completely checked out of the unit and returned home, that we
will not offer any discount or compensation for issues. We must be allowed the
opportunity to resolve any Issue during the guests stay, being that
most issues are minor and easy addressed and resolved. Below is a copy of a
portion of our policy that the guests read and signed prior to check in.
MAINTENANCE/REFUNDS
· Our maintenance staff
is available from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm seven days a week. There is an after-hours
emergency pager number located in all homes.
·
Pager instructions:
a)Leave a detailed
message on the voicemail with the nature of the emergency, the name of the home
you are staying at and a return phone number.
b)You
will receive a return calf from our maintenance staff within 15-20 minutes.
c) If
you are calling from a cell phone, make sure that you have clear reception.
d)All
calls will be returned, however only true emergencies will be handled after
maintenance hours.
·
We strive to keep ail equipment,
appliances, hot tubs and fireplaces in working order upon your arrival.
· Occasionally mishaps
will happen or prior guests have not informed us of an issue. Please report any
inoperative equipment to the HOBVR office immediately.
· [redacted] will make every
reasonable effort in their power to have the problem corrected as soon as
feasibly possible.
· Under no circumstances
will there be a reduction of rental fees or refund for loss of utilities,
mechanical failure of equipment and/or appliances such as but not limited to:
air conditioning, heating unit, dishwasher, washer, dryer, TV, blender,
toaster, etc..
· Pools and/or hot tubs
are occasionally subject to temporary closing due to extenuating circumstances.
No refund or rate reductions will be given should this occur.
·
Refunds are not issued due to
Inclement weather, snow or acts of God that are out of our control.
At
this point, knowing that these issues were minor and could have easily been
resolved quickly, and knowing that we were not informed of these issues during the
guests stay (they left a damaged note in the mall slot of our business office
at check out), we do not feel that there is a genuine complaint against our
business and its practices. If you have any other comments or questions, feel
free to contact my office and I can better explain anything that Is needed.
Just
as clarification, after we received the note on the floor Sunday, the Customer
Service Manager, [redacted]. was in contact with [redacted] about her stay
via email. [redacted] did stated that she did not tell anyone about these issues
"as she doubted that anything would have been rectified by our team"
so very clearly stated we were not given the opportunity to simply 1. Light a
fireplace, 2 bring another coffee pot if needed, and 3 — perhaps spray for
bugs.
Thanks
for your time and consideration with this matter.
[redacted]
Executive
Assistant
Hills
CY Brown Vacation Rentals
812-988-6429
[redacted]@browncountylogcabins.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.Are they not held to the same standards as a hotel? If a hotel room was unacceptable I could refuse it and not have to pay for it. Just because they write something on their website does not make it legally binding, does it? Shouldn't the Revdex.com know what is legal for a rental company to do? Are they completely right in the eyes of the law or not?
Regards,
[redacted]