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Caribbean Villas
Caribbean Villas
I have never worked with Caribbean Villas before, and I noticed that some folks have made comments leading me to believe they have some villas that they manage and some that are just part of their rental portfolio. How does someone find the difference?
Here is my dilemma. As I mentioned earlier, we are looking at Blue Skies villa, and the only management company I've seen it listed with is CV. I really hesitate to rent through them because of the 5-percent service fee that no other agency charges.
Anyhow, the owner has a Web site for the villa, and it's also listed on the Caribbean Villa Owners Association Web site, so I figured I'd just rent directly and save that 5 percent that CV charges.
However, the owner lists the price at more. So much more that even with a 10-percent discount for booking directly, we'd still get it cheaper through CV. I thought maybe that CV had the wrong price on their Web site, but I'm just not sure because I can't imagine they'd get all the prices wrong for the villa, and what they had listed seemed to all mesh. I haven't called them yet, because we are looking at other villas too. (Although several are listed through them so maybe I should do what I did with DSJ last year and tell them what I'm looking for and let them pick. That 5 percent just rubs me the wrong way, though...)
I really do like the owners, and I like the villa, but not enough to pay an extra grand to book through them directly. I've just never seen a situation like this, and I didn't know if anyone here had a similar experience and/or any words of wisdom. I know some of you have rented through CV, so perhaps you have some advice for us.
Here is my dilemma. As I mentioned earlier, we are looking at Blue Skies villa, and the only management company I've seen it listed with is CV. I really hesitate to rent through them because of the 5-percent service fee that no other agency charges.
Anyhow, the owner has a Web site for the villa, and it's also listed on the Caribbean Villa Owners Association Web site, so I figured I'd just rent directly and save that 5 percent that CV charges.
However, the owner lists the price at more. So much more that even with a 10-percent discount for booking directly, we'd still get it cheaper through CV. I thought maybe that CV had the wrong price on their Web site, but I'm just not sure because I can't imagine they'd get all the prices wrong for the villa, and what they had listed seemed to all mesh. I haven't called them yet, because we are looking at other villas too. (Although several are listed through them so maybe I should do what I did with DSJ last year and tell them what I'm looking for and let them pick. That 5 percent just rubs me the wrong way, though...)
I really do like the owners, and I like the villa, but not enough to pay an extra grand to book through them directly. I've just never seen a situation like this, and I didn't know if anyone here had a similar experience and/or any words of wisdom. I know some of you have rented through CV, so perhaps you have some advice for us.
I am renting Blue Skies from CV for August and went through all the same stuff. I called CV and they explained it all. They simply rent and someone else manages that property but are engaged in somewhat of a disagreement with the owner over the rental rates.
That's why the owners' site lists the house for like $1000 more than CV. It's odd.
My $.02: If you rent from the owners without having done 3 minutes of additional research on the interweb, you are a fool. They may be nice, but nobody's nice enough to get me to spend that money.
But, CV set my mind at ease and we rented from them. When are you planning to go?
That's why the owners' site lists the house for like $1000 more than CV. It's odd.
My $.02: If you rent from the owners without having done 3 minutes of additional research on the interweb, you are a fool. They may be nice, but nobody's nice enough to get me to spend that money.
But, CV set my mind at ease and we rented from them. When are you planning to go?
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sailorgirl
- Posts: 1644
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:03 pm
I may be in the minority, but I rented from them 2x, each time I had good experience. Ive seen thier store room and they have replacements for just about anything you could need, vblenders, toasters, chairs, beds, linens, etc. last summer I made two trips within a mobth. the first rented from the owner the second from CV. CV readily agreed to store some stuff form me for the month so I could do just carry on.
Thanks for your input. I figured someone around here would have the answer.pipanale wrote:I am renting Blue Skies from CV for August and went through all the same stuff. I called CV and they explained it all. They simply rent and someone else manages that property but are engaged in somewhat of a disagreement with the owner over the rental rates.
That's why the owners' site lists the house for like $1000 more than CV. It's odd.
My $.02: If you rent from the owners without having done 3 minutes of additional research on the interweb, you are a fool. They may be nice, but nobody's nice enough to get me to spend that money.
But, CV set my mind at ease and we rented from them. When are you planning to go?
I did do the research, part of which was asking all of you. The other folks in my group really like this house (I don't know that I want to be on Great Cruz Bay again this year), and someone had seen it on CV's site. So, not wanting to pay the 5 percent and knowing that they somehow have the same houses that other places do, I did some searching. The owners' web site doesn't have any prices, but I figured that they'd give me a booking discount for going through them directly, because most do. I didn't realize that it was a different price until I went back to CV's web site and realized it was $1,000 less. That's crazy. Even with the discount and CV's fees, I'd still be paying about $500 less to go through them.
I've heard a lot of horror stories about them, so it's nice to hear some of the good stuff. We're still looking, but we'll definitely go through them if we decide on that villa.
I've rented from Caribbean Villas more than 8 times and have had family members rent from them as well. Problems? We had a blender die in 2001 that was replaced that day.
As far as the 5% fee is concerned, they do not disclose it on their site, but do disclose it in their paper work that they send you. Is this practice a problem? Only if it's a surprise. I just include the extra 5% in the budget when I look at their houses.
Representing villas that are not managed by the rental agencie is a common practice. Some rental agencies manage no villas. VIVA highlights the villas they manage and give discounts to repeat visitors to those villas.
I think its more important to focus on recent reviews of a property than on who manages the villa.
Cheers, RickG
As far as the 5% fee is concerned, they do not disclose it on their site, but do disclose it in their paper work that they send you. Is this practice a problem? Only if it's a surprise. I just include the extra 5% in the budget when I look at their houses.
Representing villas that are not managed by the rental agencie is a common practice. Some rental agencies manage no villas. VIVA highlights the villas they manage and give discounts to repeat visitors to those villas.
I think its more important to focus on recent reviews of a property than on who manages the villa.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
Actually, if you read the fine print on their web site, CV does mention their fees somewhere. I saw it.
I'm just glad that I have y'all and that I didn't rent from them last year before I came to this site, because it would be very hard for a first-time renter to figure out that they were getting charged an extra 5 percent.
Did anyone ever figure out what it was for?
I'm just glad that I have y'all and that I didn't rent from them last year before I came to this site, because it would be very hard for a first-time renter to figure out that they were getting charged an extra 5 percent.
Did anyone ever figure out what it was for?
Lulu, I called to inquire about villas for our fall trip and asked CV why they charge an extra 5%. I was told very vaguely that it was a "service fee" for "services provided." When I said "uh-huh" with some skepticism in my voice, she faltered a bit and gave me some really vague reasons, like paperwork and check-in.
For me personally, the whole interaction and explanation made me uncomfortable. There are so many houses and so many rental agencies on the island that I personally wouldn't rent from them unless I was obsessed with a certain villa. I'm not saying never, but I do think that extra 5% is a bit silly. It's just the principle for me.
For me personally, the whole interaction and explanation made me uncomfortable. There are so many houses and so many rental agencies on the island that I personally wouldn't rent from them unless I was obsessed with a certain villa. I'm not saying never, but I do think that extra 5% is a bit silly. It's just the principle for me.
Not to be a jerk, but if you're going to rent a villa, shouldn't you probably figure paperwork and check-in into the fees you decide to charge? It seems to work at the Hilton and Best Western just fine.
Unless, of course, you wanted to make it look like your agency had the lowest rates compared to the others. I just think it's kind of shady, that's why I'm hoping to avoid them, if possible. I'm just not sure it's going to happen.
Unless, of course, you wanted to make it look like your agency had the lowest rates compared to the others. I just think it's kind of shady, that's why I'm hoping to avoid them, if possible. I'm just not sure it's going to happen.
Good, bad, indifferent - a 5% fee is a fact. I just account for that when I compare rates. Some houses are listed with CV and other agencies, like Bay House.
Along with the 5% CV charges renters they also charge owners a relatively high fee as well. That's one reason you see more popular houses move to other companies.
Why do owners list with a higher fee agency that also charges renters a premium?
Cheers, RickG
Along with the 5% CV charges renters they also charge owners a relatively high fee as well. That's one reason you see more popular houses move to other companies.
Why do owners list with a higher fee agency that also charges renters a premium?
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
Caneel charges an extra 10%? C'mon already! The Westin charges a $25 a day "service fee," as do all other Starwood resort properties (I've been dinged on Maui and Aruba as well). That fee irritates me to no end - just add $25 to the room rate for the love of god!
While the extra 5% may be a fact, it's also a fact that is a risky move given the fact that many other villa agencies don't charge it. It definitely rubs some consumers (like me) the wrong way. I know that over the cost of a whole vacation 5% isn't a lot, but it just feels like "nickel and diming" to me, like when the Sheraton in Maui charged me $40 a day for beach chairs - at a beachfront hotel!
While the extra 5% may be a fact, it's also a fact that is a risky move given the fact that many other villa agencies don't charge it. It definitely rubs some consumers (like me) the wrong way. I know that over the cost of a whole vacation 5% isn't a lot, but it just feels like "nickel and diming" to me, like when the Sheraton in Maui charged me $40 a day for beach chairs - at a beachfront hotel!
A 13% hotel tax and service charge will be added to your bill (8% hotel tax, 5% service charge). There is a $2 per day government tax on jeep rentals. If traveling to St. John, an 8% hotel tax and 5% service charge will be added to your reservation. If traveling to Tortola, a 7% hotel tax will be added to your reservation.
this was copied from CV's website,although I did have to search pretty hard to find it.I knew I remembered seeing it.
We used them 3 years ago and are using them in May.
No problems
this was copied from CV's website,although I did have to search pretty hard to find it.I knew I remembered seeing it.
We used them 3 years ago and are using them in May.
No problems
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traveler22
- Posts: 853
- Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:17 pm
- Location: New Jersey
I usually rent my villa by location and budget. If you like the villa and it fits in your budget(along with the 5%), I would just rent it. I have used most villa rental agencies on St. John and they are all different. I have rented from CV in the past but I do check to see if a villa is available through another agency prior to renting to avoid the 5% but if not I just rent with them.