Problemswith "Virgin" villa

[angelbabe]

5) Towels:- We have to share towels there are so few.Answer:- Yes you've guessed it- they are not obliged to provide enough for 13..) Blocked toilet (bearing in mind you are chrged if you block a toilet) as there are only 5 toilets and 13 of us we managed to unblock it as a case of necessity.

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This is incorrect. Florida statutes for food and lodging establishments clearly state the following:

"Each transient public lodging establishment shall provide in the main public bathroom soap and clean towels or other approved hand-drying devices and each public lodging establishment shall furnish each guest with two clean individual towels so that two guests will not be required to use the same towel unless it has first been laundered."

Everything else you have mentioned all point to an owner and management company that are past caring unfortunately. If you would like the number of the Florida statute I have quoted, feel free to pm me.

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful Florida weather if nothing else

[Frontal]

Unfortunately, this is indicative of the falling out between VH and Imagine vacation homes.

The major problem being that the owners that have "sold their soul to the devil", and have put themselves in the hands of Imagine are more than likely in dire straits financially. As a result of this, there are quite a few AOA VH homes in semi dis-repair, which results in people receiving less than perfect villas.

[Guest]

Katie this is terrible, I am so sorry your long awaited holiday is turning out like this.
I wish I had some positive advice for you.

Kate

[Melvin Pearce]

Originally Posted by Frontal

Unfortunately, this is indicative of the falling out between VH and Imagine vacation homes.

The major problem being that the owners that have "sold their soul to the devil", and have put themselves in the hands of Imagine are more than likely in dire straits financially. As a result of this, there are quite a few AOA VH homes in semi dis-repair, which results in people receiving less than perfect villas.

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We agree with Frontal, that unfortunately this is happening in many communities. It also doesn't help when the owner doesn't visit their own villa regularly. Also the villas Management should have replaced towels that have gone missing, we visit our villa twice a year but still our management had to get new towels to replace ones that had gone home with the guests.

As others have said, take plenty of photos, contact the management company about the towel situation and complain like hell when you get back.

Sorry, you are having this sad situation, but enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Melvin, Lesley, Simon and Carole

[Susan Coleman]

Thsi really terrible
I think Virgins conract with Imacine ends end of this month
but the new managers will find it just as hard to keep up enough villas at the standard required..
Hotel beds are just another middle man handling To bookings arrangements, not managing
Unfortnately not enough paid to villa owners to keep standrds up
BUT the towel situation ridiculous !
the managers should have topped up the supply as required by Florida law for rentals etc

You should be rehoused immediately, you should insist,but this is peak time so the managers may have a great deal of difficulty with that
If so

Go out and buy some more towels, and whatever you need... and take them home with you!
So you are comfortable
Take photos of everything
Towel provision
Range of pool furniture
Tableware etc
Enjoy the sun , and the parks...and make sure you get a good claim in towards a next DIY booked holiday with a Dibb villa
I cannot believe you paid that much for such a disgusting by any standards deal...
You deserve a big refund..
Best of luck with all !

[ncmurray]

Wow! £14k for 13 of you? That is a LOT of money! Assuming £600 each for flights, £1000 for car hire (if you got it through Virgin), that leaves £5200 for the villa. You can bet your bottom dollar that the owner probably only saw about £600 of that! The rest goes to all the middle men.

£600 would just about cover the cost of utilities, and leaves absolutely nothing for upkeep of the villa.

I really feel for you, and I hope that Virgin will offer you adequate compensation. As already suggested, take as many photos as you can. I know that villa owners need to offer sufficient towels, but I think they are also obliged to offer enough furniture, cooking utensils etc. that will be needed for the size of their villa. I could be wrong about that, but I am sure it would be possible to find out.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.

[Guest]

I may have missed this, how many bedrooms does the villa have?

Maddie

[Darwen Bird]

I am genuinely surprised that this is the response you had from the management company. We've rented Virgin AOA villas for our lst two trips and have nothing but fabulous villa and very helpful responses to our problems from the management company. Last time (July 2010) we found that there were fewer pool towels than the inventory said there should be - the managemant company brought us brand new pool towels within 24 hours; they also told us that there was a damaged chest of drawers in a bedroom and sent someone to fix it the following day, despite us not being able to actually see what the problem was (and that it was in a room we were not using).

[Guest]

Blimey, im so sorry you're having such shoddy treatment... ide be furious too! Have booked with TCD and am now bricking it in case this happens to us! I know i'll be anxious until i open the door to the villa and see what awaits. Unfortunately we booked as the price was really very good but now wish we'd waited and booked a private villa. Be really awkward and take photos and keep an idea of how many times you complained and the amount of times you had to have workmen out! I'de go all guns blazing when you get back as you deserve a bloody good amount of compensation! Poor you... but like you said you have to enjoy the time you have there and make the most of it... have a wonderful holiday!

[Guest]

I hope things get better for you, and you are able to enjoy your holiday in spite of all. I definitely would be on the phone to the management company about the towels, that is just ridiculous! As others have said by Florida law they are required to have 2 sets of towels per person to the maximum number allowed in the villa. You should not have to share towels, as this is unsanitary. The management company should be providing the towels and charging the owners, but if the owners are not paying the management company due to losing the villa, they may be operating it on a shoestring budget. Any decent management company would refuse to operate the villa if the owner is not compliant. There should be a license in the villa, and you may take the information and report about the conditions. No guest should have to go through this on their vacation no matter who they booked through. I also definitely would want compensation or another villa. Let us know how it all turns out for you. Make sure you take pictures so that when you get back you can have evidence of the poor accommodations and below standard conditions you were provided.

Sandy