Beware of bermudarentals.com
May 14th, 2007, 12:49 PM
#21
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I have never been to Bermuda, much less rented a cottage from bermudarentals, but it seems to me that Ms. Campbell would put herself ahead here if she simply were to say to Darien52, "I am very sorry the cottage did not measure up to your standards or mine. Please accept my apology and a refund of your payment."
May 14th, 2007, 01:46 PM
#22
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Just to clarify, my husband and I did complain to the homeowners (Mr & Mrs Mello) on their answering machine 2 separate times, and we received no response. We saw them in person 3 times during our 5 day stay: at check-in, when Mrs. Mello was painting the exterior of our cottage as we returned from a long day at the beach with a very fussy toddler who needed an immediate bath (ha ha) and nap, and then at our departure. They simply were "not around" If they were on property, we did not know and assumed they did not want to be bothered since they never responded to our calls.
There was no air conditioning in the cottage even though the online description said it was provided. We did not need a/c though since it only got up to 65 degrees while we were there. The windows were open the entire time...they would not shut, which was ironic given the "sneak thief" in the area.
As far as an on-island representative to communicate the conditions of the rental, there was nothing in any of the e-mail correspondence from Ms. Campbell that indicated this. As I explained to Ms. Campbell, what was she going to accomplish via Toronto? Move us to another cottage that she had not seen in months or assumed that the owners would provide ideal conditions?
In hindsight, we should have just packed our bags, checked into a resort and taken a $1000 hit for our naivete in trusting bermudarentals.com
There was no air conditioning in the cottage even though the online description said it was provided. We did not need a/c though since it only got up to 65 degrees while we were there. The windows were open the entire time...they would not shut, which was ironic given the "sneak thief" in the area.
As far as an on-island representative to communicate the conditions of the rental, there was nothing in any of the e-mail correspondence from Ms. Campbell that indicated this. As I explained to Ms. Campbell, what was she going to accomplish via Toronto? Move us to another cottage that she had not seen in months or assumed that the owners would provide ideal conditions?
In hindsight, we should have just packed our bags, checked into a resort and taken a $1000 hit for our naivete in trusting bermudarentals.com
May 15th, 2007, 12:32 PM
#23
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Ms. Campbell: In hindsight, we were very fortunate that the owner of our property was so attentive yet unobtrusive. He checked in with us in the beginning, and a couple of times during our stay to make sure we were alright. As for the Mellos, if it's true that the Dir. of Tourism did reprimmand them for the conditions of the property, you should investigate the situation too. It's possible that tourists may be a bit hypersensitive in a strange place, but it doesn't seem like these folks' complaints were not legitimate and the reported response was lacking. I would suggest that you tighten up your agreement with the owners. Their slow or poor response reflects poorly on you and your company, and you should have some mechanism in place to enforce compensation for the damage to your reputation, and your clients dissatisfaction. Sorry if this sounds preachy, it's just a little friendly opinion/advice. We enjoyed our experience with you and would like to consider your properties in the future.
May 16th, 2007, 06:43 PM
#24
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We just returned from a 6 night trip to Bermuda (our first), and I wanted to share our experience with Bermuda Rentals.
We rented a property in Sandy's Parish (WO1).
The good:
-The home was on a large private lot situated on the Great Sound with fantastic water views.
-Outdoor amenities (a picnic table, bench, hammock, and of course the view) were what made this place special.
-The homeowner was not in town during our stay, and Fiona had advised us of this. This created an additional sense of privacy for us, and was not a problem (chiefly because no questions or concerns arose-the key was left in a designated drop spot, and someone was assigned to contact us for payment).
The not-so-good:
- The apartment was furnished in a style I will call "early flea-market"-the furnishings were adequate, but not attractive (or even coordinated).
-While not overtly dirty, there was a sense that everything could use a thorough scrubbing (not the standard you would find in nice hotel or B&B, but not unlike other coastal homes I have rented in US).
-In an email to Bermuda rentals prior to booking, I questioned how potential problems would be handled & was instructed that these were to be addressed to the homeowner, not to Bermuda rentals. If an on island representative is available as Fiona stated in her posting, I think sharing this with clients would be a great courtesy and make first time guests feel more at ease.
In summary, we had no problems.
The advantages (location, view, price) outweighed the disadvantages for us. The variable with these rentals would truly be the homeowner-how obtrusive they are, attentive to problems, and how well they maintain the apartments.
We rented a property in Sandy's Parish (WO1).
The good:
-The home was on a large private lot situated on the Great Sound with fantastic water views.
-Outdoor amenities (a picnic table, bench, hammock, and of course the view) were what made this place special.
-The homeowner was not in town during our stay, and Fiona had advised us of this. This created an additional sense of privacy for us, and was not a problem (chiefly because no questions or concerns arose-the key was left in a designated drop spot, and someone was assigned to contact us for payment).
The not-so-good:
- The apartment was furnished in a style I will call "early flea-market"-the furnishings were adequate, but not attractive (or even coordinated).
-While not overtly dirty, there was a sense that everything could use a thorough scrubbing (not the standard you would find in nice hotel or B&B, but not unlike other coastal homes I have rented in US).
-In an email to Bermuda rentals prior to booking, I questioned how potential problems would be handled & was instructed that these were to be addressed to the homeowner, not to Bermuda rentals. If an on island representative is available as Fiona stated in her posting, I think sharing this with clients would be a great courtesy and make first time guests feel more at ease.
In summary, we had no problems.
The advantages (location, view, price) outweighed the disadvantages for us. The variable with these rentals would truly be the homeowner-how obtrusive they are, attentive to problems, and how well they maintain the apartments.
May 17th, 2007, 04:32 AM
#25
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Thank you for posting your report. It was helpful.
I do wonder if the homeowner was the person to whom inquiries should have been directed and they were off island what was the procedure you were to follow? You used the term "not in town" and I took that to mean off island,but I may have misunderstood.
Do post a trip report on what you did, etc. It is always fun to be in Bermuda...even vicariously.
I do wonder if the homeowner was the person to whom inquiries should have been directed and they were off island what was the procedure you were to follow? You used the term "not in town" and I took that to mean off island,but I may have misunderstood.
Do post a trip report on what you did, etc. It is always fun to be in Bermuda...even vicariously.
