USVI-On-Line

From the point of view of someone who had a really bad experience with someone that many love, I feel bad for these folks and understand their reticence to report but feeling that they should.
Here's a link to her post:
http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/s ... 3823.shtml

If she doesn't come out with the reason why she gave the villa a bad review, then you can't take her review as serious.

There's more of it on TA and people are still asking what happened?

I just posted on TA asking Kathy to be specific about her horrific experiences at Adeste. Several others have also asked her to elaborate. Hopefully, she'll reply.

I posted a link that I think is pretty specific.

So what we know from her VIOL review is they had a possible intruder (when did that happen...during the night? while they were watching TV? Having dinner? WHEN???) "Heard a violent domestic arguement between owners" (were they in the villa right in front of them, or outside somewhere?...that is not stated), and they are PRETTY SURE someone (not sure who....could have been anyone) came in the main house of the villa during the day. What was their reason for thinking this? That's an important fact that was left out. Were there things stolen, moved, was there a beer missing?? Why didn't they call the police?

There is so much missing from this story I can't even call it a trip report.

Minde, the link you posted is the one everyone is questionning, she's not specific about any of her experiences. Cypress Girl. couldn't have said it better! Hope she'll reply to my last TA post. Since I am renting this villa next year, I am very interested in her reply.

I have been messaging with this person and she has been very good about asking questions so that she does not come off as some crazy bitter person.

I do not know the details, but she had a terrible rental experience. She is a long time STJ visitor and loves the island, but this situation really turned her off. She did say that she loved the house, it was not the property that was the issue.

I think she will tell her story, she is just trying to find the right words so she doesn't get slammed for being unreasonable, etc.

I have no reason to believe that this is made up, she wanted people to know what happened but then worried that she went about it the wrong way, I think. She is relatively new to the whole Web board dynamic, so I think it took her by surprise a bit. I also do not think that she is looking to run someone out of the rental business, but she does want people to know about her experience.

We shall see.

greyhoundmom wrote:Minde, the link you posted is the one everyone is questionning, she's not specific about any of her experiences. Cypress Girl. couldn't have said it better! Hope she'll reply to my last TA post. Since I am renting this villa next year, I am very interested in her reply.

Alot of the posts in both places have an adversarial tone that could scare off someone who is not forum-savvy. It would be a shame if you or someone else were to have a bad experience as well, because posters scared off someone trying to warn us.
I get the same feeling as xislandgirl....that she's not completely comfortable in this form of communication. Hopefully, she'll trust this good group of people, and share more.

Posting a less than positive review can be tough. I've done 2 of them because, as we saw it, our trips didn't go well. It's hard sometimes to separate the things that can be controlled (things in the house not working) with things you can't (Bugs, rain, heat, etc). You have to walk a fine line between the 2.

While a villa owner cant' fix the island's heat, it is good to know that a specific room can be stuffy.

But, if your house is broken and gets fixed right away, it's not much to complain about. If your house is broken and stays that way...then, I feel, one has a legitimate gripe.

and yes...it's hard to know how to complain and not come across as someone who's simply flaming a place for the sake of it.

Reviews can be tough. Often times, people only post the bad ones.

pipanale wrote:Reviews can be tough. Often times, people only post the bad ones.

And corollary to that, a lot of people seem to only pay attention to the bad ones. I guess there's the angle that some people get so swept up with how much they love the STJ experienc, that they're unable to post a credible villa review.

I tend to agree that 'trip report' is sufficiently lacking in detail. However, I would not simply blow off this person as vindictive or as being malicious. I think the person had a bad experience and wants to let others know. No one enjoys writing a bad review. As some others pointed out, she seems new at using a forum and does not seem too at ease with the medium. Hopefully, she will elaborate on her experiences. If she doesn't, I would tend to disregard the review. I do not think she should be automatically dismissed just yet.
However, that being said, reading over the comments posted here and it is easy too see why a newcomer would be discouraged from posting anything negative on this forum. She has already been dismissed as being a number of different things from being a non-existent guest at the house in question to being a rival management company.
This forum has become so cliquish and opinionated that god forbid a newbie would challenge the order and post a negative review.

... still have a very weird feeling - about ALL of this.

I would cancel and look for a new villa to rent... too many questions, and I'm not sure that I could shake the worries no matter what the explanations.

Holy effin weird, Batman.

There are about 5 things in that post that have me looking at the computer with my head cocked to the side.

I'll add this: My experience with VIVA has been good. We used them twice and I would not hesitate to use them again. A house we'd rented through them was taken out of their stable of rentals because of repeated, un-addressed, renter complaints. I think they're good people.

This whole other situation sounds really odd. I'm not disputing any of the truth to it...it's just really odd.

Wow - that is quite an odd tale... FWIW, I looked on the VIVA website, and they no longer list Adeste.

I feel for the owners, this is a nightmare for them, I am sure. I'm not sure I would ever stay at a place where there are other people on site with me... that would be too weird, I think.

Not as weird as this strangeness, though.

I can not imagine what I would have done had that been me. It is so strange and bizarre. I think if it were my first time on the island I would never return.

The fact that VIVA removed it from their rental portfolio says to me that something very strange did happen. There are a few parts to the story that have me wondering as well, but all in all, I would have freaked out.

I do not know the house or the people that own it but I can guarantee that I would never rent it.