Dear Paul,
I have to say that I am very disappointed by this 1 star review, as I feel it is for the most part unwarranted. While it is true that there were a couple of problems during your stay, it seems to me that those things have given you an overly negative perspective that have spilled over into the creation of other problems, most of which I think are imagined – or at best severely exaggerated - rather than real. Its fair to say I was not expecting a 5 star excellent from you. But terrible?...certainly not! I’d like to deal with some of the comments you have made and explain in more detail the realities of your stay for the benefit of yourself, and for any other readers who may be looking for a clearer picture of events…
Issues during your stay:
Water: You were without water for 1 day and for this I apologize. Unfortunately from time to time on a small island with no natural water source of its own, there can be problems with the supply of water, especially when its having to be pumped uphill. However I did get this problem rectified as soon as possible, and as you had been out for most of the day anyway, you did not seem too unhappy with the result at the time as it was fixed for you within an hour and before your return. The 2 nights you were without hot water was a fault of the gas heater failing. This is not because of poor maintenance but instead an unforeseeable problem.
AC & the Maintenance Staff: After you told us the AC unit was not working properly, I sent up the maintenance technician and he told me he was waiting for a part. This is why he was on the balcony waiting with a beer. This was very unprofessional of him, and goes without saying that this behaviour was neither authorised nor tolerated, and I can only apologise for any stress or discomfort that this caused to your family. After this incident, I did manage to get another AC technician, but was too late (after 7 pm) to get the part needed. It was fixed and serviced the very next morning, meaning that in total you had 2 nights without AC, in one bedroom out of three. In the other two bedrooms the AC was working perfectly during your stay.
After your troubles with the maintenance man, no AC for 2 nights and no hot water for 1 day, not only did we refund you 1 night stay, but also all of your electric and water usage, which are normally charged separately. We also paid your return taxi bills. So in total, the discount you received totalled a value of around 28,500THB, which on check out you agreed was fair.
None Issues during your stay:
Cleanliness of the house: The house was cleaned fully before your arrival by myself and the villa housekeeper. When you arrived I know that everything was as it should be, with high standards of cleanliness and all amenities were checked and in working order. At the beginning of your stay I made phone calls to you almost daily to ensure all was ok and if there was anything I could do to help. On day 6 of your stay I received a message about the bins not been emptied, to which I responded accordingly. When you expressed further concerns on day 7, I personally came to help from this point onwards in order to ensure cleaning standards, which you were very happy with.
Furniture and Advertising – There has never been any intended trickery in any of our photos or advertising. We do show the chairs set up in both indoor and outdoor setting, but simply to demonstrate that they can be used in either setting with either table. There are more than enough chairs for the capacity of the villa though, so I’m not sure why this would ever be an issue. The only furniture that was ever moved was the dining chairs.
Pool Maintenance: The pool has very good quality water, I know this because I am a pool plant manager (I actually help look after many pools on the island due to my qualifications). The pool pump is and was on every day, but generally when you are out to avoid disturbing you. None of your infections were mentioned during your stay, which in itself suggests that you did not attribute the cause to be the villas pool at the time. But as you and your family were diving and snorkelling in the sea every day, I can pretty much guarantee that any infections you may have had would come from this. I know this because I am also a diving instructor, and it is a common problem here as the water temperature is constantly around 30 degrees. ‘
Taxi: Our recommended driver, Mr Dam, provides an excellent service which if you read back over previous reviews is clearly evidenced. I asked him about your family, and while he denies any wrong doing to your wife did admit to not being happy with the children that did not respect his vehicle. That being said, after discovering you were unsatisfied with him, we did offer to find you another driver.
Balcony: Most of the premises is surrounded by sturdy metal railings to ensure safety. There is one low area which you mention, which has been purposefully left so as to provide an uninhibited view of Koh NangYuan. It may only be 77cm high (I will take your word for it as I have never specifically measured it myself), but it is also very wide. So it is not a ledge, or anything that you could simply lean over and fall off – which is what your review seems to suggest. It is certainly not dangerous, and like the rest of the premises conforms fully to building health and safety regulations.
I hope these explanations help to put everything into perspective a little. I thank you for your kind comments about my management, and hope you appreciate that even though the main issues were out of my control, I dealt with them as efficiently and as quickly as possible. It is a beautiful villa, and I always try my best to ensure the highest service and quality of stay for our guests.
Kind regards,
Nicki, Manager Villa YoYo
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not TripAdvisor LLC.
