Villas of Tobago

[Simon]

Villas of Tobago are one of the largest property management companies on Tobago and I believe have forty or more villas on their books. I also believe many of these villas on other agents websites, but they are managed in Tobago by the above company.

My recent 2 weeks in Tobago were booked by Yes Tourism using villas that this company managed. I will not voice opinions but will endeavour in this post to give a factual account of this company's dealings with myself. But I have to say that were it not for the persistant efforts by Yes Tourism who were caught in the middle, my stay in Toabgo would have been a far more anxious time.

Having only resolved to go to Tobago at short notice with my party of six, I was offered three villas all managed by Villas of Tobago. We decided to select Windance villa on Mount Irvine for many reasons but chiefly because it had five bedrooms and would have allowed all my children to have had a room to themselves.

The booking was confirmed with the company and money was transferred by wire to the company's account in Tobago. My bank confirmed that the money had been received and even faxed me a computer printout to prove as such. After a weekend and two more days the villa company then informed me that they had finally received the money but informed me that despite all the above and having confirmed the booking they had booked the villa to someone else. They claimed that they did not know he had paid the money into their account. We were offered two four bedroom villas in place. Strenuous efforts were made by Yes Tourism on our behalf and eventually it was agreed we would receive a two day refund and first go to Villa Solitaire (see my posted review) and then 2 days later go to Courland villa (see my posted review) which was advertised as a five bedroom villa.

Christine, from the villa company visited us on our first night, apologised for the mix up, but did not mention the refund and having just arrived after a long flight I was in no state to get involved.

We ordered a food starter pack via the villa company and only days later realised that a few items were missing from the list.

The day of our move to the next villa, we had a phone call from Christine to say that she would would pop into see us when we had settled into the new villa.

The day of the move, in the morning, I rang the villa company and requested that at short notice a meal be cooked for us, we were told we would get a call to let us know whether this was possible - we never did receive a reply.

Having arrived at the new villa the housekeeper told us that she had only received four hours notice of our arrival and had planned to go off for a two week holiday with her family as it was school holidays. It left us feeling slightly awkward. Despite this she had cheerfully prepared some very delicious food.

It took another nine days for the refund to appear and I can only attribute this to the many and persistant efforts by Yes Tourism to act on our behalf. If it had been left to me it would have no doubt soured the holiday.

In my review on Courland villa I make note of security arrangements there, which left us having to take some steps of our own, as we were concerned. We were informed that the alarm was switched off at the instruction of the villa company and that only one safe code was supplied again upon the company's instruction - the reasons given conflicted with the safe code proceedure at the Solitaire villa where we were allowed to put in our own codes.

We also found the five annexe bedroom at the Courland was a small and dark hole sited next to the pool filtration plant. However the other bedrooms were so big and comfortable that two of my children were happy to share.

All the above did not in anyway mar the enjoyment of a fantastic and very memorable family holiday and I can only attritubute this to the truly excellant care and concern that Yes Tourism gave us and in fighting our corner for us - they took all our concerns and left us to get on and enjoy ourselves. A very big thank you to Patrick and Tanja.

I leave you to draw your own conclusions.

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi Simon

I am sorry you had such problems - the conclusions I draw are two - firstly "small is beautiful" if you want personal and efficient service. Secondly, you used an agency (albeit an excellent one) to book villas via (in effect) another agency/management company. My advice is to book villas either directly with the owners - and I say this at risk of losing custom - or with an agency which deals directly with the owners of villas or apartments - this way any problems are more simply sorted out, with less chances of failure in communications such as you suffered.

Just an opinion, and I am biased of course.

All the best

[Simon]

Thanks for your post Glyn

In this case I have no doubt that the problems arising from the villa's double booking were nothing to do with another agency being involved - they arose within the villa management company.

In fact I am so glad that Yes Toursim were involved - as they addressed all my problems and left me to get on and enjoy myself.

From what I have heard I do agree that small is beautiful.

Simon