Price Goes Way Up at Dream Catcher

Connie · Post by **Connie** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:15 pm

Villa Owner and to everybody else.

We had a similar situation last May. I won't name the Villa because of the following.

We spent ALOT of time looking for a Villa that would suit our needs. We had 9 people with us, so we needed at least 5 bedrooms. We found what we though twas the perfect place for us.

This villa was managed. That means that the management company was responsible for looking after the Villa and I would imagine contacting the Villa owner if something wasn't right.

The Villa for the week cost us 5000.00...so it wasn't cheap. I could list at least 25 things that were not right and to make a long story short.

Fast forward to this November. We stopped by and visited this Villa after the owner contacted us and told us that he understood what was wrong and he wanted us to see it. It was AMAZING. He redid everything from windows, furniture, bedding, decking, etc.

He has since offered us to come back in May for 1/2 the price...yes...1/2.

This to me tells me that this man understands that his Villa was not up to par with what was projected on the websites. The management company had offered us a 10% discount if we had decided to come back. From what I understand, that is common practice among many Villa owners to get repeat customers.

Villa Owner...your wording is like pointing fingers at somebody who wasn't responsible for the upkeep of the Villa. The least somebody could expect is a clean, upkept place and if it wasn't and they were still renting it then shame on them.

Raising the rates on a Villa because of taxes is one thing. Raising the rates on Villa because it needed major improvements isn't right.

That's something that should of been done a long time ago if you want repeat customers.

Upkeep is the key word here and obviously the Villa owner wasn't doing that.

snorkelqueen · Post by **snorkelqueen** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:23 pm

Come on villa-owner lighten up!! I am proud to say I most certainly did write the bad review...what service do we do for other renters if we aren't honest in a review? The place was a mess...there I said it again!!
I most certainly will never consider renting Dream Catcher in the future!! I noticed the price hike when on the CV site checking other rentals. If you re-read my original post, without being so wigged out, you will see that I was simply asking the forum if these rental rate increases where because of taxes or because of an owner who gave a villa the attention it needed and was therefore justified in raising the price.
By the way what villa do you own so we can all avoid it???

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:23 pm

I find it incredibly useful to find out about villas that are subpar. Whether I am paying 2000 or 5000 for the place, I expect a basic level of cleanliness and general comfort.

sailorgirl · Post by **sailorgirl** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:26 pm

Wow for a second I thought I logged into the wrong forum lol

Ksea · Post by **Ksea** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:48 pm

Is there an ignore button on this forum? Villa Owner only posts when there is something ugly to say! Don't feed his/her fury and hopefully it will go away.

ps....id love to know what villa it owns...i will steer clear of it for sure!!

captainjay · Post by **captainjay** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:55 pm

I beleive the only way to solve this is that the owner of Dream Catcher should give us a weeks free stay at the villa. We could auction it off to raise money for a suitable charity. Friends of the park or the trust for public land. Let three couples stay for the week and do a trip report with photo's and video. I of course would volunteer to chaperon and bar tend for the week.

I just thought it was time to lighten up this thread.
Jay

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:55 pm

DELETED

XOXO · Post by **XOXO** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:25 pm

Snorkelqueen, I 100% appreciate that you gave an honest review. That is what I started coming here and to tripadvisor for. No one should be bullied because they gave a negative review if it was given honestly. You have been bullied and I find it offensive.

What I really have a problem with is owners who promote their villas without full disclosure of their interest in the villa.

Pia · Post by **Pia** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:28 pm

We all luv ya Jorge.........please, lurk no more......it's just not the same

Pia

Pete (Mr. Marcia) · Post by **Pete (Mr. Marcia)** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:34 pm

Jorge wrote:Oh Crap, I promised myself to lurkerism from now on because of some blasting I got from a favored person on here but here are my 2 cents. I see both sides of this story. In my opinion you have to be dim to own a rental villa on STJ. If you do the numbers with WAPA, taxes and the cost of supplies on STJ it just is not a good place to put your money. These villas take a beating day in and day out. I stayed at a dog villa last time in Peter Bay and I think the only thing I said was that it was tired and that I wouldn't stay there again. I think that is enough info to throw up a red flag and if someone needed more info they could just write a pm. I feel that a bad villa is like a bad restaurant. If you get bad service then just don't go back and let them hang themselves. These places go out of business all the time for "some" reason. So, let's stop spitting at each other and get on with some useful info, like Milf Bars with zip lines. Luvya all, so simma down.

Funny, I, too, made a vow to do more lurking and less posting. It wasn't prompted by a "blasting" as much as I knew that I wouldn't be able to restrain myself from being the blaster.

Bottom line: This is a travel forum. If someone has stayed at a villa and had a bad experience, this is the place to share it. I could give a ratsa$$ if the villa owner gets upset. Once you place your villa on the market to rent, you are in a business. If you suck at what you do, you don't deserve to stay in business.

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:36 pm

DELETED

snorkelqueen · Post by **snorkelqueen** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:38 pm

Thank you to all my forum friends for your support of my honesty. I really just thought I was asking a simple question regarding rate hikes - that said, as villa-owner suggested let's MOVE ON!

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:13 pm

Jorge wrote: That's Cleavage.

I am no expert but I think that is a bit MORE than just cleavage.

villa_owner · Post by **villa_owner** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:05 am

California Girl wrote:
villa_owner wrote: I just don't understand why someone who obviously wanted to blab to everyone about how terrible Dream Catcher was to the whole internet after renting it year after year is now still looking to rent it and now questions the rates.

And, considering that this is a public board, I think I am entitled to an opinion like anyone else.
Do you know for a fact that snorkelqueen is the one who wrote that review? If you don't know that for a fact, then how can you rip on her for it?

She is entitled to her opinion on this board as much as you are. You complain about a scathing review that wasn't even directed at YOUR villa, then you rip someone to shreds over it when you don't know that was even written by them. Who's flaming who here?

Uhhh.... yes. I guess we do know for a fact that she wrote the review. And, uhhhh yes,.. we have already discussed the fact that we are ALL entitled to our opinions. (Unless you don't like them, I guess, right? ) And, uhhh I am not complaining - I am writing an opinion like we are all supposed to be able to do. Right?

villa_owner · Post by **villa_owner** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:12 am

snorkelqueen wrote:Come on villa-owner lighten up!! I am proud to say I most certainly did write the bad review...what service do we do for other renters if we aren't honest in a review? The place was a mess...there I said it again!!
I most certainly will never consider renting Dream Catcher in the future!! I noticed the price hike when on the CV site checking other rentals. If you re-read my original post, without being so wigged out, you will see that I was simply asking the forum if these rental rate increases where because of taxes or because of an owner who gave a villa the attention it needed and was therefore justified in raising the price.
By the way what villa do you own so we can all avoid it???

If you read my original reply, all I said was that you should expect more rate hikes in the future due to the tax increases and suggested you stay in another villa since you don't like Dream Catcher. That's all.

I like this forum because everyone is sooooo nice. And this forum is silly because you can't say anything that isn't sooooo nice. Unless you rip on a villa that is.

Hmmmmmm

By the way, I am Kenny Chesney - you can't rent my villa anyway.

usvi-on-line