To Whom it may concern:Please find below two responses in email format from the owners of H2Outfitters, [redacted] & [redacted] In addition, another email appears that had been sent to all the members of the Portugal exploratory trip, dated March 22, This email is quite specific in that it delineates the parameters of the trip to include the basic itinerary and specifically the geographic itinerary for the full nine days This email is intended to provide a clear and comprehensive rebuttal of the complainant's claim that we did not follow the itinerary that appears on the H2Outfitters' website Such changes are not exceptional for an exploratory trip such as this and as you can see from the date it was sent, all clients had more than enough time to prepare for the logistics of the itinerary.Sincerely, [redacted] & [redacted] H2OutfittersRESPONSE FROM [redacted] H2Outfitters is of the opinion that the explanation we submitted in response to the initial complaint was complete and accurateNot only was it based upon our first hand experience with this couple, but also on the concerns addressed to us during the trip by other trip members and their subsequent feedback upon their return to the statesWe do however, find it somewhat contradictory that the couple expressed such concern in their rebuttal about the itinerary being flexible and not fixed, when they were unwilling to participate with the rest of the group whenever the opportunity presented itself to go off their own way! The decisions and actions of this couple were well beyond our control We have no obligation to provide them any compensation for costs incurred based upon those actionsTheir overt disdain for agreed upon participation in a group trip has been confirmed by every other person on the trip which supports and confirms our assessmentFinally no receipts exist to even justify their claims.A further point we had to seriously consider was the way in which they have twisted facts in order to gain some perceived advantage over others, either for comfort and convenience or, for financial gainFrom attempting to deceive the other travelers into accepting them as the de-facto leaders and drivers of the trip ( an action that could have had dire consequences), to fraudulently claiming recompense for lodging and travel, only demonstrates the lengths this couple would to get their wayAnother example of their attempted deception is the stay at the [redacted] Hotel in LisbonYes, they informed us of their intention to leave the group early and stay in town on the night of May 29th, but pitched us on covering them at the airport hotel on the 30th...which we didThey elected not to stay there with some trumped up excuse about a [redacted] reservation number which had no bearing on the room reserved for them at the hotelInstead they claimed that they "had to make alternative reservations" at a more expensive hotel that night...the 30th...they did notin fact they stayed at the [redacted] on free points that evening! Lastly no verification of the expenses they have claimed has been submitted to us as would be expected under the circumstancesThis propensity to try to pull the wool over the eyes of others has apparently continued within the context of their rebuttalTo imply that an unfortunate medical situation that involved one of the owners from midnight until 7AM interfered with their trip is a clear example of how they take an actual event and reinterpret it to suit their needs or agendaAnd then to denigrate the recommendation by a Portuguese doctor to consider massage as a way in which to alleviate a debilitating muscle spasm was a low blow in light of the special attention they received over the course of the tripTheir persistence is a travesty and is founded upon a single-mindedness to get as much, for as little, as possible, regardless of the effect of those selfish actions on othersThe attempted manipulation and co-opting of other clients to reach their ends was disturbing not only to us but to those manipulated.Client comments on the above:"They maneuvered me to see if they could drive one of the vehicles rented by you back to Lisbon leaving everyone else in Porto" "They really were not team players being often quite critical and very inflexible although they were made to understand that this was an exploratory tour Why they were interested in taking this exploratory Portugal tour is a mystery to me ""I have chosen to travel with H2Outfitters many times, because they provide a unique experience run by a very professional, competent staffAttention was given to good communication prior to the trip including itineraries, list of needed supplies etc, and information describing the places we would be staying.""In my opinion, this couple did not participate in the spirit of group [redacted] ationAlmost every choice of restaurant and hotel was complained aboutThey rarely showed up for pre arranged meetings with the groupThey had both been on previous trips with H2Outfitters and were well aware of the nature of these trips""The Portugal tour was unlike the previous tours that I have taken with H2Outfitters in that this was an exploratory tour ( the operators), made it very clear right up front that for those signing up for this tour one would need to be flexible as this was the first time they were putting together a tour in Portugal They were interested in having the participates give feedback on hotels, restaurants, the quality of the kayaking on the Douro River, the degree of difficulty as far as walking, and the quality of the various visited sites It was implied that on an exploratory tour there would be possible changes in itinerary, hotels, and activities" [redacted] Head HonchoH2OutfittersPO Box 72Orrs Island, Maine 04066Tel###-###-####Fax ###-###-####[email protected] FROM [redacted] To whom it may concern, I feel compelled to add my two cents to this discordant dialogue Due to my injury I was a bystander for a good part of the trip so I think I can offer a perspective from outside the group that may have some value Having looked over the rebuttal to our first response, it is obvious these two people have taken events and re-interpreted them in such a way as to make themselves victims when in fact, they victimized others on the trip1- "Complaining about us as guests"..."H2Outfitters not a service oriented business"This an interesting assessment considering the complaints we reference were provided to us by other members of the trip On top of that this may be an appropriate time to detail the level of service we provided and how this couple was the exclusive recipient of service upgrades due to their demands and carrying onAt almost every hotel they received the best available rooms; every dinner was a tenuous experience as the group waited for the next accusatory complaint about food or service; often times the wife refused to even taste her food sitting and stewing in her own juices, to use an appropriate metaphorIn one instance after she screamed and carried on about her special arrangements with us I ended up paying an extra euros for she and her husband to get a room away from the group; our hosts and guides sacrificing their accommodations in order to make this switchNeedless to say for whatever upgrades were provided not even a " thank you " was offeredThey did not lose a day and a half as a result of "massage and emergency center visits” This is a complete fabrication On the day in question, the doctor’s appointment I had made was at 5:pm, after the group activities wound down, which was usually between and 4:in the afternoon The only emergency room visit was five days later at midnight in the city of Porto and had no impact on the trip or any scheduled activity The Itinerary - the couple took great liberty in their accusation that the itinerary as described on the website was not adhered to What they failed to disclose was that on March an email was sent by us detailing the final version of the itinerary to everyone on the trip (see attached)A number of things described in the preliminary website description, not the least of which was a visit to southern Portugal, were excluded They conveniently did not mention the fact that they chose to arrive two days early to visit the southern part of the countryThis attempt to try and make us appear deficient in respect to the trip we offered, is a bit underhanded to say the least It should be noted that in this email regarding the revised itinerary, the group's departure from Porto on the 29th was not scheduled until the afternoon, so the accusation leveled by this couple that my hospital visit from midnight until 7am delayed the group's departure is completely unfounded with no basis whatsoever( I, in fact had to remain in Porto for a folldoctor's consultation the next day and consequently was not part of the return trip to Lisbon.) The couple's decision to make an early departure by train was predicated on their failure to con the rest of the group into believing they were authorized by us to drive the group in our van to Lisbon, leaving us behind Once they realized the person they had manipulated into making that pitch to us found out that they were never authorized to do this, they got out of town fast rather than face the offended party once she returned There were definitely some underlying issues that we weren’t aware of at that point in time which subsequently came out after the couple made their hasty departure Their unsubstantiated claim for “out-of-pocket” expenses - • The TrainThey separated from the group the morning of the 29th, leaving Porto by train without any notification to us of their decision to depart The account they have provided seems to indicate they were stranded by a change in the itinerary which is not trueThe 29th of May was not an activity dayIt was a travel day to Lisbon which had been modified several days before with the consent of the entire groupThe modification was a visit to a small town miles outside of Lisbon called SintraThey were not “told” what to do by any means, this was a group decision and had no bearing on the final destination which was Lisbon In fact, it was a value-added to the tripTheir train ride was never authorized by us, this was a decision made by them, motivated by their self interestThey wanted to go off on their own, it was not forced upon them by any event• Unauthorized Hotel StayThis couple was given special consideration in respect to their request to us for lodging on the night of May 30th, the day after the rest of the group departed for the US, They apparently wanted to stay an extra day in Lisbon and were hoping to get their nights of lodging as offered to those who participated in the entire trip We graciously agreed to give them the extra night and made the reservation at the airport Hotel that they had chosen This was the only agreement that was made and was more than generous on our part The claim that they were unable to get a room at the airport hotel due to a [redacted] reservation number being off by a digit is utter nonsense, the number was complete and correct Regardless, that number had no bearing on the hotel reservation All they had to do was check in This fact was confirmed by the hotel manager who took their call and the room was under their name with H2Outfitters listed as the coordinating entity The documentation on this fact was submitted to the Revdex.com in our original response.They apparently chose to stay at a more expensive hotel, at a rate of euros/night on the night of the 30thThey are asking for compensation in the amount we paid for the airport hotel against this rate They were not considerate enough to even pass their decision to do this by us before they took this unwarranted action and, have not provided any receipt to substantiate this claim for an amount almost double the rate of the airport hotelWe were actually led to believe that they were staying at the [redacted] in Lisbon on the night of the 29th and planned to extend that stay for the night of the 30th Since we had not received any receipt or documentation of this stay we took it upon ourselves to contact the [redacted] hotel and were told that for the night of the 30th, there was no charge for the room which was reserved in the wife’s name and paid for by [redacted] points We were informed by the booking department at the the hotel that the couple did not stay at the [redacted] on the night of the 29th, as they claim in their rebuttalThis was the night they stayed at the euro hotel, not the 30th which is the night we paid for at the airport location.Our agreement with them was for lodging on the night of the 30th at the airport hotel, nothing more and nothing less, a fact they admit to in their rebuttalIn no uncertain terms, they are trying to get money from us for a night of lodging that they didn’t have to pay for If this conclusion is incorrect then where is the record of their stay; where is the receipt; and why did the [redacted] booking department explicitly inform us that they were not charged for a stay there on the 30th and that there was no record of them staying at the [redacted] on the night of the 29th This is a frivolous claim which we are unable to even consider without a dated hotel receipt and confirmation of their stayRespectfully, [redacted] Director H2OutfittersPO Box 72Orr's Island, Me 04066Tel###-###-####Fax ###-###-####Email: [email protected]://www.h2outfitters.com
Thank you for the opportunity to address this complaintH2Outfitters is a small family run company and our reputation is our most important asset and when it is threatened, it is of utmost importance to us that whatever issue exists is resolvedHowever, in this case H2Outfitters maintains that the claims made by this woman for reimbursement are and unfounded.? There is importance in clearly establishing the type of trip this couple had signed up forThis was an "Exploratory" trip to Portugal beginning on Sunday May 21st with the arrival of clients at the hotel in Lisbon? The last night of the trip was Monday May 29th with clients departing for home the following morning, May 30th? H2Outfitters provided lodging for nights for those clients who participated in the daily activities of the trip.? This was a trip that allowed the group to be involved in planning the accommodations, activities, and eateries in an effort to develop the final itinerary before the excursion would be offered to our general client base; a unique behind the scenes opportunity for any travelerIt was made quite clear to all participants that they would need to be flexible, that the itinerary would be fluid, and that they would be part of an exploratory team expected to? work together? to share thoughts, ideas, and suggestions on the places we visited? Let me be clear, there was no fixed itinerary; in fact, the trip evolved based upon location, weather, and some preliminary reconnaissance which was done by the H2O staff before the clients arrived in country.It should be noted that the couple who has lodged the complaint? arrived in Portugal days before the rest of the group? and remained in Portugal extra dayOf their own accord, they chose to leave the group on the morning of the 29th at the end of the trip to head off independently pursuing their own self interestsTheir decision to stay at a different hotel apart from the group on Monday May 29th had been arranged before they ever left the US? This was part of? their? trip agenda and was in no way due to any change in the itinerary as indicated in their complaint? The hotel stay that they are referencing was for the evening of Tuesday May 30th, the day the group departed for the US, and, for all intents and purposes, was outside the parameters of the scheduled trip? From a professional standpoint, it is fair and reasonable to expect that if a client chooses to separate and depart the trip early there is no obligation on behalf of the tour operator to provide lodging for that client elsewhere? I think I was more than gracious to acquiesce to this woman’s request to provide additional accommodation at the airport hotel on the night of May 30th because she felt they were owed a 9th night.? The fact that she and her husband are now trying to re-apply the airport hotel expense to a more expensive hotel in Lisbon is more than presumptuous especially within the context of the claim that no reservation was available at the hotel I had booked for them.? A more detailed account of their claims for reimbursement follow:1-? Recompense for their hotel stay in a euro/night hotel in Lisbon:? A reservation was made by me, confirmed, and available to them at the airport hotel for the night of May 30th as requested by the wife? back in April, ( see AirportHotelReservation PDF attached)? I confirmed this was the case with the hotel the night before their reservation? after hearing from her husband that there was no reservation in their nameI immediately texted the husband back informing him that the reservation was indeed in place (see attached email dated May from me to Airport hotel authorizing credit card information and confirmation of complainants’ names for the reservation.) ? The texted reply I got back was terse, stating that they had already found another hotel in town and to cancel the airport reservationI found it a bit strange that they were so quick to abandon the reservation they had asked for at the airport hotel back in AprilI had no idea that they had elected to stay at a much more expensive and extravagant hotel in townNeedless to say, I was surprised to get the demand for reimbursement for that hotel stay when I arrived back in the USThis prompted me to call the airport hotel directly to ask for a check of their documentationThe manager on duty happened to be the person who spoke with the husband and he confirmed from his records what the man had been toldHe also mentioned that the party did not get back to him as requested with the booking information which appears to indicate that the couple had no intention of staying at the airport hotel, figuring instead that they could have me subsidize their new choice of accommodation.? 2-? Train to Lisbon from Porto: this was a decision made by the couple and never authorized by me...in fact they left their inn immediately after realizing the group intended to confront them on their claim that I had authorized them to drive everyone to Lisbon leaving me behindThey wanted to confiscate one of the trip vehicles to continue on their way with the other clients, which, I had made clear to them earlier was not an option still they persisted.? 3-? Cab Fare? from the airport on the day of arrival, May 21st: Due to the fact the group members were arriving between the hours of 6AM and 3PM it was decided that each party would be responsible for their own transportation to Lisbon from the airport? This was made very clear to the entire group and? there was no question in anyone else's mind to the contraryFurthermore the complainant and her husband had arrived days earlier, traveling on their own, and consequently, were on their own as far as getting to Lisbon? The cab fare she is claiming, euros, is more than twice the most expensive fare charged to other members, which ranged from euros to euros for a group of plus all their gear and luggage...for an km drive from the airport such a claim is at the least inaccurate, at the worst, dishonest gougingFrom the accounting standpoint no receipt was provided for this charge.Discovery: Discrepancies in the accounting submitted to H2Outfitters by the complainantsNo receipt for the euro cab fare - as indicated, an inflated costNo receipt for the hotel stay -? we contacted the [redacted] in Lisbon to inquire about actual rates for the night of this couple’s stay, May 30thWe were informed, ? in no uncertain terms, that the complainants' stay that evening was free of charge ? based upon accumulated promotional points that the wife had in her account with [redacted] They paid nothing!!? This is a and fraudulent claim on behalf of these two individualsAfter reviewing the complaint form that was submitted to the Revdex.com there were a number of additional discrepancies:? • ? Complainant states they "talked to the company,( H2Outfitters) a 2nd time on June 13th" - ? This is not true; H2Outfitters has no record of any texts, emails or telephone conversation on that dayFurthermore I was out of state doing an instructor training course at that time? In truth, the second contact was an email they sent to me on June 15th, coincidentally the same day they submitted their complaint to the Revdex.com? They were immediately informed that I was away on two back to back trips and would be returning the following day at which time I would follow up with a response, ( see attached document entitled ***’s Response ).? It is obvious to me they had no intention of waiting for my answer; they were seeking conflict as they had demonstrated to others throughout the trip.? ? • ? Complainant states “H2Outfitters changed lodging locations and basically left us without transportation” - not true again; complainants just didn’t want to wait to travel with the group on that final day because they had plans of their own? H2Outfitters' travel plan to head to the Lisbon area as described in the pre-trip information had not changed.? • ? Complainant states the hotel booking number I gave them had too many digits and no reservation existed; the booking number I provided at their insistence, was correct as confirmed to me by the airport hotel.? It should be noted that the booking number was not even necessary for them to book their room .they were looking for any opportunity to create turmoil on a technicality.As I look back on my trip notes and hear from my other clients, (see two client observations below), it became more and more apparent this couple took every opportunity to twist statements and events to their advantageFrom creating complex excuses for avoiding the group for lunches and dinners,? carrying on to get better rooms,? to outright fabrication of information in an effort to get others to join them in the self serving action that suited their needs, they just didn't know when to stop? Observations from two clients representative of the trip from a long-time client .“ having done many trips with [redacted] , they have been well organized and run smoothly.? I expected nothing less which she provided to the group on our most recent trip to Portugal.? I was very surprised however, at the constant complaining from (name deleted) about every aspect of the trip - rooms too dark or too far away, meals eaten too late, selection and preparation of food limited, etcbut what astonished me the most was their attempt to try and persuade the other members of the group to leave with them on the final day with one of the rental vehicles, saying [redacted] had authorized them to do so.? The group began to question the veracity of this claim since it was a rental vehicle in the company’s name, and that is when they chose to abruptly leave and head off on their own ” .from another frequent traveler on H2O’s trip .“ from the beginning of the trip it was evident that this couple did not want to do anything with the group or really participate in any way with the goals of the trip.? They chose not to eat with the group whenever that opportunity presented itself and constantly complained about one thing or another calling the accommodations “dark caves” , “caverns”, etc in fact, at the start of the trip, the wife made it very clear to each of us on separate occasions that she was not a “group traveler” and her subsequent behavior made it difficult for any of us to be around themOne incident that comes to mind which I think speaks to their overall bad Our first dinner in the Duoro river region was a typical Portuguese meal with a selection of meat and river fish? After only two days the wife made it clear to all of us that she was a picky eater who was not willing to eat at European time”? Apparently the river fish were not good enough for her so the host went out of his way to make a special fish platter for her which she basically rejected? Overall, this was an embarrassing situation for all of us that night at dinnerThis was simply the beginning of the behavior that became more and more reminiscent of a petulant child who wanted to get her way."? [redacted] Head HonchoH2OutfittersPO Box 72Orrs Island, Maine 04066Tel.? ###-###-####Fax? ###-###-####[email protected]
To Whom it may concern:Please find below two responses in email format from the owners of H2Outfitters, [redacted] & [redacted] In addition, another email appears that had been sent to all the members of the Portugal exploratory trip, dated March 22, This email is quite specific in that it delineates the parameters of the trip to include the basic itinerary and specifically the geographic itinerary for the full nine days This email is intended to provide a clear and comprehensive rebuttal of the complainant's claim that we did not follow the itinerary that appears on the H2Outfitters' website Such changes are not exceptional for an exploratory trip such as this and as you can see from the date it was sent, all clients had more than enough time to prepare for the logistics of the itinerary.Sincerely, [redacted] & [redacted] H2OutfittersRESPONSE FROM [redacted] H2Outfitters is of the opinion that the explanation we submitted in response to the initial complaint was complete and accurateNot only was it based upon our first hand experience with this couple, but also on the concerns addressed to us during the trip by other trip members and their subsequent feedback upon their return to the statesWe do however, find it somewhat contradictory that the couple expressed such concern in their rebuttal about the itinerary being flexible and not fixed, when they were unwilling to participate with the rest of the group whenever the opportunity presented itself to go off their own way! The decisions and actions of this couple were well beyond our control We have no obligation to provide them any compensation for costs incurred based upon those actionsTheir overt disdain for agreed upon participation in a group trip has been confirmed by every other person on the trip which supports and confirms our assessmentFinally no receipts exist to even justify their claims.A further point we had to seriously consider was the way in which they have twisted facts in order to gain some perceived advantage over others, either for comfort and convenience or, for financial gainFrom attempting to deceive the other travelers into accepting them as the de-facto leaders and drivers of the trip ( an action that could have had dire consequences), to fraudulently claiming recompense for lodging and travel, only demonstrates the lengths this couple would to get their wayAnother example of their attempted deception is the stay at the [redacted] Hotel in LisbonYes, they informed us of their intention to leave the group early and stay in town on the night of May 29th, but pitched us on covering them at the airport hotel on the 30th...which we didThey elected not to stay there with some trumped up excuse about a [redacted] reservation number which had no bearing on the room reserved for them at the hotelInstead they claimed that they "had to make alternative reservations" at a more expensive hotel that night...the 30th...they did notin fact they stayed at the [redacted] on free points that evening! Lastly no verification of the expenses they have claimed has been submitted to us as would be expected under the circumstancesThis propensity to try to pull the wool over the eyes of others has apparently continued within the context of their rebuttalTo imply that an unfortunate medical situation that involved one of the owners from midnight until 7AM interfered with their trip is a clear example of how they take an actual event and reinterpret it to suit their needs or agendaAnd then to denigrate the recommendation by a Portuguese doctor to consider massage as a way in which to alleviate a debilitating muscle spasm was a low blow in light of the special attention they received over the course of the tripTheir persistence is a travesty and is founded upon a single-mindedness to get as much, for as little, as possible, regardless of the effect of those selfish actions on othersThe attempted manipulation and co-opting of other clients to reach their ends was disturbing not only to us but to those manipulated.Client comments on the above:"They maneuvered me to see if they could drive one of the vehicles rented by you back to Lisbon leaving everyone else in Porto" "They really were not team players being often quite critical and very inflexible although they were made to understand that this was an exploratory tour Why they were interested in taking this exploratory Portugal tour is a mystery to me ""I have chosen to travel with H2Outfitters many times, because they provide a unique experience run by a very professional, competent staffAttention was given to good communication prior to the trip including itineraries, list of needed supplies etc, and information describing the places we would be staying.""In my opinion, this couple did not participate in the spirit of group [redacted] ationAlmost every choice of restaurant and hotel was complained aboutThey rarely showed up for pre arranged meetings with the groupThey had both been on previous trips with H2Outfitters and were well aware of the nature of these trips""The Portugal tour was unlike the previous tours that I have taken with H2Outfitters in that this was an exploratory tour ( the operators), made it very clear right up front that for those signing up for this tour one would need to be flexible as this was the first time they were putting together a tour in Portugal They were interested in having the participates give feedback on hotels, restaurants, the quality of the kayaking on the Douro River, the degree of difficulty as far as walking, and the quality of the various visited sites It was implied that on an exploratory tour there would be possible changes in itinerary, hotels, and activities" [redacted] Head HonchoH2OutfittersPO Box 72Orrs Island, Maine 04066Tel###-###-####Fax ###-###-####[email protected] FROM [redacted] To whom it may concern, I feel compelled to add my two cents to this discordant dialogue Due to my injury I was a bystander for a good part of the trip so I think I can offer a perspective from outside the group that may have some value Having looked over the rebuttal to our first response, it is obvious these two people have taken events and re-interpreted them in such a way as to make themselves victims when in fact, they victimized others on the trip1- "Complaining about us as guests"..."H2Outfitters not a service oriented business"This an interesting assessment considering the complaints we reference were provided to us by other members of the trip On top of that this may be an appropriate time to detail the level of service we provided and how this couple was the exclusive recipient of service upgrades due to their demands and carrying onAt almost every hotel they received the best available rooms; every dinner was a tenuous experience as the group waited for the next accusatory complaint about food or service; often times the wife refused to even taste her food sitting and stewing in her own juices, to use an appropriate metaphorIn one instance after she screamed and carried on about her special arrangements with us I ended up paying an extra euros for she and her husband to get a room away from the group; our hosts and guides sacrificing their accommodations in order to make this switchNeedless to say for whatever upgrades were provided not even a " thank you " was offeredThey did not lose a day and a half as a result of "massage and emergency center visits” This is a complete fabrication On the day in question, the doctor’s appointment I had made was at 5:pm, after the group activities wound down, which was usually between and 4:in the afternoon The only emergency room visit was five days later at midnight in the city of Porto and had no impact on the trip or any scheduled activity The Itinerary - the couple took great liberty in their accusation that the itinerary as described on the website was not adhered to What they failed to disclose was that on March an email was sent by us detailing the final version of the itinerary to everyone on the trip (see attached)A number of things described in the preliminary website description, not the least of which was a visit to southern Portugal, were excluded They conveniently did not mention the fact that they chose to arrive two days early to visit the southern part of the countryThis attempt to try and make us appear deficient in respect to the trip we offered, is a bit underhanded to say the least It should be noted that in this email regarding the revised itinerary, the group's departure from Porto on the 29th was not scheduled until the afternoon, so the accusation leveled by this couple that my hospital visit from midnight until 7am delayed the group's departure is completely unfounded with no basis whatsoever( I, in fact had to remain in Porto for a folldoctor's consultation the next day and consequently was not part of the return trip to Lisbon.) The couple's decision to make an early departure by train was predicated on their failure to con the rest of the group into believing they were authorized by us to drive the group in our van to Lisbon, leaving us behind Once they realized the person they had manipulated into making that pitch to us found out that they were never authorized to do this, they got out of town fast rather than face the offended party once she returned There were definitely some underlying issues that we weren’t aware of at that point in time which subsequently came out after the couple made their hasty departure Their unsubstantiated claim for “out-of-pocket” expenses - • The TrainThey separated from the group the morning of the 29th, leaving Porto by train without any notification to us of their decision to depart The account they have provided seems to indicate they were stranded by a change in the itinerary which is not trueThe 29th of May was not an activity dayIt was a travel day to Lisbon which had been modified several days before with the consent of the entire groupThe modification was a visit to a small town miles outside of Lisbon called SintraThey were not “told” what to do by any means, this was a group decision and had no bearing on the final destination which was Lisbon In fact, it was a value-added to the tripTheir train ride was never authorized by us, this was a decision made by them, motivated by their self interestThey wanted to go off on their own, it was not forced upon them by any event• Unauthorized Hotel StayThis couple was given special consideration in respect to their request to us for lodging on the night of May 30th, the day after the rest of the group departed for the US, They apparently wanted to stay an extra day in Lisbon and were hoping to get their nights of lodging as offered to those who participated in the entire trip We graciously agreed to give them the extra night and made the reservation at the airport Hotel that they had chosen This was the only agreement that was made and was more than generous on our part The claim that they were unable to get a room at the airport hotel due to a [redacted] reservation number being off by a digit is utter nonsense, the number was complete and correct Regardless, that number had no bearing on the hotel reservation All they had to do was check in This fact was confirmed by the hotel manager who took their call and the room was under their name with H2Outfitters listed as the coordinating entity The documentation on this fact was submitted to the Revdex.com in our original response.They apparently chose to stay at a more expensive hotel, at a rate of euros/night on the night of the 30thThey are asking for compensation in the amount we paid for the airport hotel against this rate They were not considerate enough to even pass their decision to do this by us before they took this unwarranted action and, have not provided any receipt to substantiate this claim for an amount almost double the rate of the airport hotelWe were actually led to believe that they were staying at the [redacted] in Lisbon on the night of the 29th and planned to extend that stay for the night of the 30th Since we had not received any receipt or documentation of this stay we took it upon ourselves to contact the [redacted] hotel and were told that for the night of the 30th, there was no charge for the room which was reserved in the wife’s name and paid for by [redacted] points We were informed by the booking department at the the hotel that the couple did not stay at the [redacted] on the night of the 29th, as they claim in their rebuttalThis was the night they stayed at the euro hotel, not the 30th which is the night we paid for at the airport location.Our agreement with them was for lodging on the night of the 30th at the airport hotel, nothing more and nothing less, a fact they admit to in their rebuttalIn no uncertain terms, they are trying to get money from us for a night of lodging that they didn’t have to pay for If this conclusion is incorrect then where is the record of their stay; where is the receipt; and why did the [redacted] booking department explicitly inform us that they were not charged for a stay there on the 30th and that there was no record of them staying at the [redacted] on the night of the 29th This is a frivolous claim which we are unable to even consider without a dated hotel receipt and confirmation of their stayRespectfully, [redacted] Director H2OutfittersPO Box 72Orr's Island, Me 04066Tel###-###-####Fax ###-###-####Email: [email protected]://www.h2outfitters.com
Thank you for the opportunity to address this complaintH2Outfitters is a small family run company and our reputation is our most important asset and when it is threatened, it is of utmost importance to us that whatever issue exists is resolvedHowever, in this case H2Outfitters maintains that the claims made by this woman for reimbursement are and unfounded.? There is importance in clearly establishing the type of trip this couple had signed up forThis was an "Exploratory" trip to Portugal beginning on Sunday May 21st with the arrival of clients at the hotel in Lisbon? The last night of the trip was Monday May 29th with clients departing for home the following morning, May 30th? H2Outfitters provided lodging for nights for those clients who participated in the daily activities of the trip.? This was a trip that allowed the group to be involved in planning the accommodations, activities, and eateries in an effort to develop the final itinerary before the excursion would be offered to our general client base; a unique behind the scenes opportunity for any travelerIt was made quite clear to all participants that they would need to be flexible, that the itinerary would be fluid, and that they would be part of an exploratory team expected to? work together? to share thoughts, ideas, and suggestions on the places we visited? Let me be clear, there was no fixed itinerary; in fact, the trip evolved based upon location, weather, and some preliminary reconnaissance which was done by the H2O staff before the clients arrived in country.It should be noted that the couple who has lodged the complaint? arrived in Portugal days before the rest of the group? and remained in Portugal extra dayOf their own accord, they chose to leave the group on the morning of the 29th at the end of the trip to head off independently pursuing their own self interestsTheir decision to stay at a different hotel apart from the group on Monday May 29th had been arranged before they ever left the US? This was part of? their? trip agenda and was in no way due to any change in the itinerary as indicated in their complaint? The hotel stay that they are referencing was for the evening of Tuesday May 30th, the day the group departed for the US, and, for all intents and purposes, was outside the parameters of the scheduled trip? From a professional standpoint, it is fair and reasonable to expect that if a client chooses to separate and depart the trip early there is no obligation on behalf of the tour operator to provide lodging for that client elsewhere? I think I was more than gracious to acquiesce to this woman’s request to provide additional accommodation at the airport hotel on the night of May 30th because she felt they were owed a 9th night.? The fact that she and her husband are now trying to re-apply the airport hotel expense to a more expensive hotel in Lisbon is more than presumptuous especially within the context of the claim that no reservation was available at the hotel I had booked for them.? A more detailed account of their claims for reimbursement follow:1-? Recompense for their hotel stay in a euro/night hotel in Lisbon:? A reservation was made by me, confirmed, and available to them at the airport hotel for the night of May 30th as requested by the wife? back in April, ( see AirportHotelReservation PDF attached)? I confirmed this was the case with the hotel the night before their reservation? after hearing from her husband that there was no reservation in their nameI immediately texted the husband back informing him that the reservation was indeed in place (see attached email dated May from me to Airport hotel authorizing credit card information and confirmation of complainants’ names for the reservation.) ? The texted reply I got back was terse, stating that they had already found another hotel in town and to cancel the airport reservationI found it a bit strange that they were so quick to abandon the reservation they had asked for at the airport hotel back in AprilI had no idea that they had elected to stay at a much more expensive and extravagant hotel in townNeedless to say, I was surprised to get the demand for reimbursement for that hotel stay when I arrived back in the USThis prompted me to call the airport hotel directly to ask for a check of their documentationThe manager on duty happened to be the person who spoke with the husband and he confirmed from his records what the man had been toldHe also mentioned that the party did not get back to him as requested with the booking information which appears to indicate that the couple had no intention of staying at the airport hotel, figuring instead that they could have me subsidize their new choice of accommodation.? 2-? Train to Lisbon from Porto: this was a decision made by the couple and never authorized by me...in fact they left their inn immediately after realizing the group intended to confront them on their claim that I had authorized them to drive everyone to Lisbon leaving me behindThey wanted to confiscate one of the trip vehicles to continue on their way with the other clients, which, I had made clear to them earlier was not an option still they persisted.? 3-? Cab Fare? from the airport on the day of arrival, May 21st: Due to the fact the group members were arriving between the hours of 6AM and 3PM it was decided that each party would be responsible for their own transportation to Lisbon from the airport? This was made very clear to the entire group and? there was no question in anyone else's mind to the contraryFurthermore the complainant and her husband had arrived days earlier, traveling on their own, and consequently, were on their own as far as getting to Lisbon? The cab fare she is claiming, euros, is more than twice the most expensive fare charged to other members, which ranged from euros to euros for a group of plus all their gear and luggage...for an km drive from the airport such a claim is at the least inaccurate, at the worst, dishonest gougingFrom the accounting standpoint no receipt was provided for this charge.Discovery: Discrepancies in the accounting submitted to H2Outfitters by the complainantsNo receipt for the euro cab fare - as indicated, an inflated costNo receipt for the hotel stay -? we contacted the [redacted] in Lisbon to inquire about actual rates for the night of this couple’s stay, May 30thWe were informed, ? in no uncertain terms, that the complainants' stay that evening was free of charge ? based upon accumulated promotional points that the wife had in her account with [redacted] They paid nothing!!? This is a and fraudulent claim on behalf of these two individualsAfter reviewing the complaint form that was submitted to the Revdex.com there were a number of additional discrepancies:? • ? Complainant states they "talked to the company,( H2Outfitters) a 2nd time on June 13th" - ? This is not true; H2Outfitters has no record of any texts, emails or telephone conversation on that dayFurthermore I was out of state doing an instructor training course at that time? In truth, the second contact was an email they sent to me on June 15th, coincidentally the same day they submitted their complaint to the Revdex.com? They were immediately informed that I was away on two back to back trips and would be returning the following day at which time I would follow up with a response, ( see attached document entitled ***’s Response ).? It is obvious to me they had no intention of waiting for my answer; they were seeking conflict as they had demonstrated to others throughout the trip.? ? • ? Complainant states “H2Outfitters changed lodging locations and basically left us without transportation” - not true again; complainants just didn’t want to wait to travel with the group on that final day because they had plans of their own? H2Outfitters' travel plan to head to the Lisbon area as described in the pre-trip information had not changed.? • ? Complainant states the hotel booking number I gave them had too many digits and no reservation existed; the booking number I provided at their insistence, was correct as confirmed to me by the airport hotel.? It should be noted that the booking number was not even necessary for them to book their room .they were looking for any opportunity to create turmoil on a technicality.As I look back on my trip notes and hear from my other clients, (see two client observations below), it became more and more apparent this couple took every opportunity to twist statements and events to their advantageFrom creating complex excuses for avoiding the group for lunches and dinners,? carrying on to get better rooms,? to outright fabrication of information in an effort to get others to join them in the self serving action that suited their needs, they just didn't know when to stop? Observations from two clients representative of the trip from a long-time client .“ having done many trips with [redacted] , they have been well organized and run smoothly.? I expected nothing less which she provided to the group on our most recent trip to Portugal.? I was very surprised however, at the constant complaining from (name deleted) about every aspect of the trip - rooms too dark or too far away, meals eaten too late, selection and preparation of food limited, etcbut what astonished me the most was their attempt to try and persuade the other members of the group to leave with them on the final day with one of the rental vehicles, saying [redacted] had authorized them to do so.? The group began to question the veracity of this claim since it was a rental vehicle in the company’s name, and that is when they chose to abruptly leave and head off on their own ” .from another frequent traveler on H2O’s trip .“ from the beginning of the trip it was evident that this couple did not want to do anything with the group or really participate in any way with the goals of the trip.? They chose not to eat with the group whenever that opportunity presented itself and constantly complained about one thing or another calling the accommodations “dark caves” , “caverns”, etc in fact, at the start of the trip, the wife made it very clear to each of us on separate occasions that she was not a “group traveler” and her subsequent behavior made it difficult for any of us to be around themOne incident that comes to mind which I think speaks to their overall bad Our first dinner in the Duoro river region was a typical Portuguese meal with a selection of meat and river fish? After only two days the wife made it clear to all of us that she was a picky eater who was not willing to eat at European time”? Apparently the river fish were not good enough for her so the host went out of his way to make a special fish platter for her which she basically rejected? Overall, this was an embarrassing situation for all of us that night at dinnerThis was simply the beginning of the behavior that became more and more reminiscent of a petulant child who wanted to get her way."? [redacted] Head HonchoH2OutfittersPO Box 72Orrs Island, Maine 04066Tel.? ###-###-####Fax? ###-###-####[email protected]