Pinegrove Resort Ranch

[redacted] To whom it may concern, My response to the customer’s complaints are as follows: 1.      Regarding the weather: While is it impossible to predict the...

weather with 100% accuracy, Pinegrove does provide alternative activities during inclement weather. 2.      While we regret the customer’s son experiencing an injury while climbing the bunk bed ladder, this was never brought to the attention of management while the customer was on property. When the bunk bed ladders are properly used, injuries do not occur. 3.      Our Wi-Fi signal is available in the lobby as advertised. While the signal can occasionally become slow due to usage, this is not common and definitely would not have been an issue for any length of stay at the Resort. During the period of 12/**-12/**, other guests asked the Front Desk for assistance to connect and experienced no problems doing so. 4.      The room’s heater had no malfunction. Pinegrove staff went to the room immediately following the call to inspect the unit and was told to wait. The guest had placed a wet towel over the heating unit causing warm air to not efficiently enter the room. After the towel was removed, the room became warm. 5.      There is only one location where staff is permitted to smoke, which is outdoors and not near this guest’s room. 6.      It is customary for many hotels to provide envelopes in guest rooms so satisfied customers can provide tips for maid service. Tipping is never mandatory.   7.      The customer reports that many activities such as archery were “open only for a short time like a couple of hours.” During this guest’s stay, archery was open daily from 10:00am-12:15pm and again from 1:00pm-4:00pm. These hours were true for all activities staffed by an attendant. It is customary for our tractor driver to depart on time or a few minutes late while awaiting late arrivals. Tractor rides depart every 30 minutes from 10am-3:30pm taking a break between 12:30pm and 1:30pm. 8.      We have been receiving many compliments on our food as it has shown a marked improvement since we hired a new head chef. This particular customer’s distaste for our meals was not brought up to management while they were here. The customer paid for services rendered. The customer has sent an email to the owner asking for a partial or full refund in exchange for removal/update of reviews posted on [redacted], and Revdex.com. This is extortion and no refund will be issued. Sincerely, Daniel T[redacted] General Manager Pinegrove Ranch

Guest complained that they have not receive their refund for canceling their reservation.  The attached document will show that the guest has in fact received their full refund.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

1.      Regarding the weather: While is it impossible to predict the weather with 100% accuracy, Pinegrove does provide alternative activities during inclement weather.-----> The point in case is that the person on the phone lied to us about the forecast. If you have forecast that shows that the day in question was anything other than rain/sleet, then do present your case. I have my recording which shows that the person specifically stated that the day was looking nothing like rain/sleet.2.      While we regret the customer’s son experiencing an injury while climbing the bunk bed ladder, this was never brought to the attention of management while the customer was on property. When the bunk bed ladders are properly used, injuries do not occur.-----> As proven in the picture, the bunk bed ladder hinges were bent. No amount of proper care would prevent one from getting the ladder to slip and fall. You failed to address the premise that the ladder was not in a working condition, causing safety hazards.3.      Our Wi-Fi signal is available in the lobby as advertised. While the signal can occasionally become slow due to usage, this is not common and definitely would not have been an issue for any length of stay at the Resort. During the period of 12/**-12/**, other guests asked the Front Desk for assistance to connect and experienced no problems doing so.-----> Others I talked to simply gave up on using the wi-fi. Perhaps because of the bad weather there were more people than usual trying to access wi-fi, but at any rate it was not available for reasonable connection.4.      The room’s heater had no malfunction. Pinegrove staff went to the room immediately following the call to inspect the unit and was told to wait. The guest had placed a wet towel over the heating unit causing warm air to not efficiently enter the room. After the towel was removed, the room became warm.-----> No the heater was turned OFF. It was not the problem of not getting the heated air out of the unit.5.      There is only one location where staff is permitted to smoke, which is outdoors and not near this guest’s room.-----> I am sure you have rules, and I'm sorry one of your staff didn't follow the rule. But that doesn't mean we didn't experience the problem. Instead of trying to deny that what we experienced is not real, we demand that you would look into the matter and provide appropriate compensation.6.      It is customary for many hotels to provide envelopes in guest rooms so satisfied customers can provide tips for maid service. Tipping is never mandatory.  -----> Please read again my complaint. Please do not fail to address all the other details in described, instead of supplying a very limited answer. The whole experience was inappropriate and flawed from many perspectives.7.      The customer reports that many activities such as archery were “open only for a short time like a couple of hours.” During this guest’s stay, archery was open daily from 10:00am-12:15pm and again from 1:00pm-4:00pm. These hours were true for all activities staffed by an attendant. It is customary for our tractor driver to depart on time or a few minutes late while awaiting late arrivals. Tractor rides depart every 30 minutes from 10am-3:30pm taking a break between 12:30pm and 1:30pm.-----> Please read again my complaint. The tractor ride left EARLY, leaving a few people behind.8.      We have been receiving many compliments on our food as it has shown a marked improvement since we hired a new head chef. This particular customer’s distaste for our meals was not brought up to management while they were here.-----> I admit this is subjective complaint and there is no objective way to tell otherwise.The customer paid for services rendered. The customer has sent an email to the owner asking for a partial or full refund in exchange for removal/update of reviews posted on [redacted] Reviews, and Revdex.com. This is extortion and no refund will be issued.-----> If writing honest review based on actual experience is considered extortion, then I do not know what else to call your service that delivered deceit, injury, and poor service. 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,

Review: We cancelled our stay at Pinegrove Dude Ranch on 5/**/15. We received a cancellation confirmation on 5/**/15 via email showing a full refund of $1600.99. We still have not received our refund of $1600.99. We were well within the time frame of their cancellation policy. We spoke to the [redacted] named [redacted] and [redacted], who is responsible for issuing refunds, multiple times and still have not received our refund.Desired Settlement: A complete refund of $1600.99 credited back to our [redacted] debit card. This is the card we used to pay for the stay initially.

Business

Response:

Guest complained that they have not receive their refund for canceling their reservation. The attached document will show that the guest has in fact received their full refund.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: Pinegrove Ranch is VERY unclean. and unsanitary. We have reason to believe that two toddlers traveling with our group became ill with vomiting for a 24 hour period as a result of the uncleaniness of this facility. Our group reserved three rooms during the Columbus Weekend 2013. Our rooms were very unclean. The shower curtains in the bathrooms appeared to have not been changed and had mold on it. There were severe water stains on bathroom fixtures. The carpeting in the rooms were very very dirty and the room smelled severely musty. The kitchen in the food court was very very dirty. I believe that this facility is a health concern to the public and should be investigated.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded for the cost of the stay.

Business

Response:

RE: ID# [redacted] - [redacted]

The following is om response to a customer complaint letter with assigned ID# [redacted].

The customer arrived on 10/**/13 and stayed the entire length of their reservation, 3 days and 2 nights, occupying 2 rooms

departing on 10/**/13. Pinegrove Ranch offers a variety of rate options to our customers; 1 night to 7 night ovemight stays and a day use package called "Day Pass". This customer reserved for 2 nights but if unsatisfied, could have adjusted their stay & bill to either 1 night or just for the day. Instead, they stayed the entire length of their planned visit. At no time during the entire 3 Day & 2 Nights did the customers complain

to the Front Desk or managers of cleanliness concems or illnesses. Our first notice was after check-out, a

Better Business complaint. Reviewed our housekeeping and maintenance logs for the dates of their stay, only noted a requested a refrigerator to room [redacted] on 10/**/13.

Customer's complaint of room being unclean

Our chambermaid service is performed on a daily basis; carpets vacuumed, beds made, bathroom cleaned, shower curtains replaced if needed, and fresh towels are provided.

Prior to arrival, each guest room is inspected by [redacted] of housekeeping, [redacted]. Photos Room [redacted] & [redacted] Attached

Customer's complaint of the kitchen in the food area being dirty

This area is cleaned several times a day, before and after each meal. The food court area is an "open kitchen" availing all guests the opportunity to watch all stages of food preparation, cooking and serving. Photos Attached.

Customer's complaint of illness During the time of this customers stay we had a total of 360 guests in the hotel.

No reports of any illness concerns were brought to our attention.

While airborne viruses are common with any large group of families, food poisonjng would have affected a larger group

of guests.

Pinegrove Ranch provides an affordable, fun filled vacation to families, scouts and others year round. Over 20 Thousand guests visit the Ranch

each year. Our prices. $135 per adult per night and $89 per child (717) per night are less than Y,of our nearest

competitor. Our competitor's property is a 3 star property, Pinegrove is somewhere

between & 2 stars based on our competitors ranking. As an all inclnsive prope1ty, guests receive 3 meals per day, a free snack bar 11run to 11pm, use of facilities and entertainment.

While Pinegrove Ranch does not negotiate rates after depruture, we are sending

this customer a Complimentary 2 Night Certificate to demonstrate our good faith. We are confident that our staff can provide an enjoyable experience, if given a second chance.

Attachments

Review: The on-line advertising does not come close to what is offered at the ranch. Many of the items advertised are only open for a very short period of time (ex. archery) and when we would go to attend the event there would be no attend there. In addition, many staff members were smoking on the grounds and the girls would have to walk through these areas. Many of the games advertised were broken and in very poor condition. For example, many of the shuffle board pieces were broken and bent. When the girls went to get ping pong [redacted] from staff, they were given dented [redacted] to play with. Some advertised games were no longer available such a lazer tag. Others just had no attendants, such as the rock climbing wall. Even if the rock climbing wall had opened, I wonder who would want to use it since they leave all the gear out in the rain etc. The actual facilities itself was in poor condition with garbage outside the buildings and missing doorknobs. The night of our stay it was raining and the far bed had raindrops dripping on it. At around 6:35 am in the morning, we were awakened to the sound of a fire alarm going off. After leaping out of bed and running down the hall it appeared to be a false alarm. At that point I realized that there is no listed escape route in the event of fires nor did our room have any windows. The fire alarm continued to go off intermittently throughout the morning blaring into our eardrums. When we asked staff about it they told us not to worry about it and that they would continue to shut it off as it alarmed. No fire dept came to investigate at any point. Since we were in charge of 7 children, this limited us to where we felt comfortable taking them. Many places in the inside of the ranch had a very foul odor. I believe it was the odor of mold or a musty smell. This includes our rooms, the dining area, and the children's dance area on the lower level. The food advertised on the website did not come close to what was offered. Items on the website include your choice of 2 dining locations. Food choices include: roasted chicken, sliced steak, ribs big bbq burger,and many varieties of pasta. The menu given was spaghetti with butter or spaghetti with meatballs, fish, fish, chicken parm. They ended up offering chicken nuggets after we complained however, why would all these other items be advertised if they were not available? The large dinner menu was the deciding factor in why we choice this place. Most of the food was not edible and most of us left out dinner plates full. The lemonade we received was almost a brown color and was not drinkable. Breakfast was not any better. The eggs were not edible (there was no way they were made with eggs), the bacon was hard a cardboard, and the orange juice not drinkable. Again, we left our plates full. It was also advertised (and I was told by staff) that slushies were available all day long. Even 1 week prior to arrival I was told this by staff. On the day of arrival I was told they no longer offer them. The Chuck Wagon Grill is supposed to be open all day with the exception of a 1 hour block. Several times (at least 4-5) when we went to get food, a sign was up that the attendant was on break. We would have to wait or come back again. Very frustrating. In addition staff members were handling food without gloves on! It took our girls (girl Scouts) an entire year to come up with enough money to go on this trip. They had numerous fundraisers and a lot of time invested in this. They are we were very disappointed in our trip. It was not even close to what was advertised.Desired Settlement: We are requesting a partial refund.

Business

Response:

The following is our response to a customer complaint letter with assigned ID# [redacted] .

The customer arrived on 10/*/13 and stayed the entire lengt of their reservation, 2 days and 1

night, occupying 2 rooms depa1ting on [redacted].

Customer's complaint of on-line advertising for customer services

Pinegrove website address www.pinegroveranch.com is our only "online" advertising site. All photos, text and statements are original and sourced 100% to Pinegrove Ranch. As a year round guest ranch, our website contains photos, activities and facilities that may not be available in each season. Rates paid by this group can be found at our website under Girl Scouts. Attachments: Guest Invoice & Website Rate Page

Customer's complaint of the fire alarm going off

A fire alarm pull station and smoke detector was vandalized by an unknown guest on Sunday rooming. The Front Desk staff communicated for an guests that this was a false alarm. The local service provider was immediately called

and repaired the 2 units by 2:00pm. Unfortunately, the audible alarm would not "silence" and rang for a few seconds every 10 minutes. Attachment: [redacted] Alarms

Customer's complaint of food advertisement

Menus and dining options listed on our website are as samples of the offerings throughout the year. Pinegrove does not have the same menu for all dates.

Attachments: Menu's from 10/5-[redacted]

Customer's complaint about staff smoking

Approximately 20% of our staff smokes cigarette, we wish they did not. Pinegrove has offered all types of anti-smoking programs to help them "kick" the habit. A good number of our more mature workers have either taken advantage of the program or quit on their own. Our

department heads will communicate to their staff what a bad example those that smoke is to young scouts. Attachment: Employee

Handbook page "Smoking" Customer's complaint about poor condition of equipment

Over 20 Thousand guests visit the Pinegrove Ranch each year. We are constantly repairing and/or replacing wom out equipment from board games to shuffle board due to many guests handling these on a daily basis. While many items may appear worn,

they will be used if they are within their useful life.

Pinegrove Ranch's Response While Pinegrove Ranch does not negotiate rates after deproture, we agreed to extend otu· discounted rates for next year if they decide to give us a second try. Also offered, possibly better for her troop ...a FREE Day Pass. Being

just 2 hours away, we think the FREE Day Pass may be a great Spring (valid year round) option for her Troop.

Certificates for all 9 scouts was issued to each and mailed to them individually. Attached:

Review: 1. Our primary concern before making the reservation was the weather, as from what we could look up online ([redacted] weather and [redacted] weather) the forecast was to rain and sleet. We made the reservation only after being confirmed that the forecast there looked good. We were blatantly misled and was told that the forecast was “just cloudy”, and no rain or sleet. Of course nobody can predict the weather 100%, but after getting stuck in the horrible rain and sleet, we did extensive search and found absolutely no weather station reporting anything other than 90-100% chance of rain and snow.

2. The ladder to a bunk bed was dangerously bent, hanging from the upper bed, and my son tried to climb it up and experienced a severe fall. The hinge was bent and instead of holding on to the rail on the upper bed, the ladder slipped off when my child was trying to climb causing the injury. It caused lacerations inside his mouth making it painful for him to eat for the rest of the stay.

3. The wi-fi was promised and advertised, but it was unavailable. Yes, it was present but the signal and availability was severely limited and made it impossible to do anything even if it was a simple search. This was tested on two mobile devices and one computer in various locations.

4. The heater stopped working in the middle of the night. In the freezing temperature along with the children we were all forced to wake up shivering. It was about 2 am, and it required us to seek and wait for maintenance person to come and fix it.

5. Staff smoked near the room causing the smoke to get inside the room. Maybe because it was during the day it was assumed that we would be outside. But we were in the room because the children needed a nap, and my wife and I needed rest because we were exhausted from the uncomfortable night we had due to the heater problem. This caused us unable to sleep and obviously we were concerned for the kids who were already having a hard time breathing with arid air from heating.

6. I had asked for a special note/decoration for a special day. Many details were plain wrong and my wife and I started the day with a distasteful beginning. Misspelled name, broken toy music player, and envelop in plain view asking money for the service.

7. Many of the services advertised online are not really how they are depicted. Some were not available like ice skating, and many of the items advertised were severely limited. Activities like archery were open only for a very short time like a couple hours, and many of the events started 20-30 minutes late (e.g. Santa arrival, mini games for kids). We had signed up for a tractor ride, and it left 5 minutes before the scheduled time, and we waited for it to come back and were told that the rides for the day were all finished. We know that it left early because we had arrived about 2 minutes early and watched the tractor going down the hill. The pony ride involved just one short loop around the ground that took less than a minute, a picture taken by a paid photographer, and being informed that we can pay and pick up the picture inside. We visited the site for pony ride not for photo studio.

8. The least but still significant part of our concerns was the food. It was just downright poor. The ingredients, produce, and meat were all very cheap in quality, and even my college dining costing $2 each meal was better than this. Meat was so chewy, dry, and hard. Fish clearly came out from being in the freezer for a very, very long time. Another way to describe the food is that the only ok food was those that clearly came from a can. We could never finish our plates, and my son actually vomited during the meal because it was just not edible.Desired Settlement: Refund of the cost to stay. NOT any certificate or voucher for future stay as we do not plan to return and in fact we are moving out of the state soon for other reasons.

Business

Response:

[redacted] To whom it may concern, My response to the customer’s complaints are as follows: 1. Regarding the weather: While is it impossible to predict the weather with 100% accuracy, Pinegrove does provide alternative activities during inclement weather. 2. While we regret the customer’s son experiencing an injury while climbing the bunk bed ladder, this was never brought to the attention of management while the customer was on property. When the bunk bed ladders are properly used, injuries do not occur. 3. Our Wi-Fi signal is available in the lobby as advertised. While the signal can occasionally become slow due to usage, this is not common and definitely would not have been an issue for any length of stay at the Resort. During the period of 12/**-12/**, other guests asked the Front Desk for assistance to connect and experienced no problems doing so. 4. The room’s heater had no malfunction. Pinegrove staff went to the room immediately following the call to inspect the unit and was told to wait. The guest had placed a wet towel over the heating unit causing warm air to not efficiently enter the room. After the towel was removed, the room became warm. 5. There is only one location where staff is permitted to smoke, which is outdoors and not near this guest’s room. 6. It is customary for many hotels to provide envelopes in guest rooms so satisfied customers can provide tips for maid service. Tipping is never mandatory. 7. The customer reports that many activities such as archery were “open only for a short time like a couple of hours.” During this guest’s stay, archery was open daily from 10:00am-12:15pm and again from 1:00pm-4:00pm. These hours were true for all activities staffed by an attendant. It is customary for our tractor driver to depart on time or a few minutes late while awaiting late arrivals. Tractor rides depart every 30 minutes from 10am-3:30pm taking a break between 12:30pm and 1:30pm. 8. We have been receiving many compliments on our food as it has shown a marked improvement since we hired a new head chef. This particular customer’s distaste for our meals was not brought up to management while they were here. The customer paid for services rendered. The customer has sent an email to the owner asking for a partial or full refund in exchange for removal/update of reviews posted on [redacted], and Revdex.com. This is extortion and no refund will be issued. Sincerely, Daniel T[redacted] General Manager Pinegrove Ranch

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

1. Regarding the weather: While is it impossible to predict the weather with 100% accuracy, Pinegrove does provide alternative activities during inclement weather.-----> The point in case is that the person on the phone lied to us about the forecast. If you have forecast that shows that the day in question was anything other than rain/sleet, then do present your case. I have my recording which shows that the person specifically stated that the day was looking nothing like rain/sleet.2. While we regret the customer’s son experiencing an injury while climbing the bunk bed ladder, this was never brought to the attention of management while the customer was on property. When the bunk bed ladders are properly used, injuries do not occur.-----> As proven in the picture, the bunk bed ladder hinges were bent. No amount of proper care would prevent one from getting the ladder to slip and fall. You failed to address the premise that the ladder was not in a working condition, causing safety hazards.3. Our Wi-Fi signal is available in the lobby as advertised. While the signal can occasionally become slow due to usage, this is not common and definitely would not have been an issue for any length of stay at the Resort. During the period of 12/**-12/**, other guests asked the Front Desk for assistance to connect and experienced no problems doing so.-----> Others I talked to simply gave up on using the wi-fi. Perhaps because of the bad weather there were more people than usual trying to access wi-fi, but at any rate it was not available for reasonable connection.4. The room’s heater had no malfunction. Pinegrove staff went to the room immediately following the call to inspect the unit and was told to wait. The guest had placed a wet towel over the heating unit causing warm air to not efficiently enter the room. After the towel was removed, the room became warm.-----> No the heater was turned OFF. It was not the problem of not getting the heated air out of the unit.5. There is only one location where staff is permitted to smoke, which is outdoors and not near this guest’s room.-----> I am sure you have rules, and I'm sorry one of your staff didn't follow the rule. But that doesn't mean we didn't experience the problem. Instead of trying to deny that what we experienced is not real, we demand that you would look into the matter and provide appropriate compensation.6. It is customary for many hotels to provide envelopes in guest rooms so satisfied customers can provide tips for maid service. Tipping is never mandatory. -----> Please read again my complaint. Please do not fail to address all the other details in described, instead of supplying a very limited answer. The whole experience was inappropriate and flawed from many perspectives.7. The customer reports that many activities such as archery were “open only for a short time like a couple of hours.” During this guest’s stay, archery was open daily from 10:00am-12:15pm and again from 1:00pm-4:00pm. These hours were true for all activities staffed by an attendant. It is customary for our tractor driver to depart on time or a few minutes late while awaiting late arrivals. Tractor rides depart every 30 minutes from 10am-3:30pm taking a break between 12:30pm and 1:30pm.-----> Please read again my complaint. The tractor ride left EARLY, leaving a few people behind.8. We have been receiving many compliments on our food as it has shown a marked improvement since we hired a new head chef. This particular customer’s distaste for our meals was not brought up to management while they were here.-----> I admit this is subjective complaint and there is no objective way to tell otherwise.The customer paid for services rendered. The customer has sent an email to the owner asking for a partial or full refund in exchange for removal/update of reviews posted on [redacted] Reviews, and Revdex.com. This is extortion and no refund will be issued.-----> If writing honest review based on actual experience is considered extortion, then I do not know what else to call your service that delivered deceit, injury, and poor service.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

In direct communication with this customer, Pinegrove has reached a settlement with the customer where a partial refund on an agreed upon amount was issued.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,