Question:
Am I over-reacting? Sanity check? Cabins of Smoky Mountains - Gatlinburg?
Eric L
2011-09-28 11:30:14 UTC
I need a sanity check. My family had a miserable stay in Gatlinburg last week.

We had no water (for one day), no internet, no phone, no cable. They gave us compensation for one night and the internet (it wasn't setup). They won't give us refund for two days we didn't use (we left early).

The manager said "they did everything that they could."

I do think I am justified in requesting compensation for a cabin without
advertised amenities. I also feel it's reasonable to ask for
compensation for the night without water (this was not a city issue
but a property management issue - we were told that no one predicted
high water usage over the night). i also feel it's reasonable for us
to leave and expect a refund for nights we did not stay.

My family and I checked in and found there was no cable. In fact, the wires were everywhere and I had to reconnect them. No internet, no phone. We reported it and did not receive a reply until the next day. At which time, we were told it was fixed. We called back when it was not AND was told that the cabin NEVER had cable. To their credit, after much fussing, they offered compensation and to move us to a cabin across town with lesser views but we would not be able to move. For those with kids and vacation plans, imagine the headache of uprooting 3 kids in the middle of day (cabin is not available until after 12pm) and moving them across town. Basically ruins a full day. We reported other concerns but they were never fixed (or logged). By the way, we ended up requesting a new cabin and none were available.

To add insult to injury, that night, the water goes out. We called front desk, emergency/night line, etc. No response. We go to the clubhouse at 9:00am (supposed to open) and no one was there until 0920 (person dropping off paperwork but knew why water was out (well went dry).

At 1300, after speaking to another manager (Matt), we were told they would reimburse us for that night. Water was still out when we checked out (two nights early). We handed employee a list of "To-do's" and grievances but manager never received it. Manager said she never got it. We were told manager would call us back.

Four days later, I call. Ashley said there were no tickets for items I reported. She never received my list. She also said I would not receive a refund for nights that we did not stay.

So, to be fair, they did try to rectify "some" of the issues. I think it's totally reasonable to leave at this point with so many things going wrong and three small children. The employees also agreed that they would have too. I do not think it's unreasonable to request a refund for a cabin lacking internet, cable, phone, AND WATER. The water is well water and NOT municipal water.

The manager claims this rarely happens. I think a true measure of a company and their customer service is how they happen situations that rarely happen.

On a side note: They never explained why the water was out other than "maybe someone left the faucet on too long". I can tell you, that with that many cabins, they should have had much better reserve capacity than that (to regulations, a faucet would drain at full pressure about 4000 gallons of water in 24 hours). It surprises me there were no level alarms, float valves, or someone checking gauges.
Four answers:
2011-09-29 02:52:49 UTC
Eric L...



Very sad. Sorry to hear of your difficulties.



Regarding your comments:



"I do think I am justified in requesting compensation for a cabin without

advertised amenities. I also feel it's reasonable to ask for compensation for the night without water (this was not a city issue but a property management issue - we were told that no one predicted

high water usage over the night). i also feel it's reasonable for us to leave and expect a refund for nights we did not stay... I do not think it's unreasonable to request a refund for a cabin lacking internet, cable, phone, AND WATER."



It would be interesting to hear what the owner or manager has to say about this, but, yes, it certainly sounds like you were treated poorly, and are justified in expecting better treatment.



I guess you're probably an expert on this subject by now, but there are a lot of things to consider when renting a cabin (this is not the first time we have heard stories like yours).



See the following list of questions that you may want to ask BEFORE renting a cabin:

http://smokymountainviews.com/Cabin_Rental_Questions.html



If you ever consider returning to Gatlinburg (we wouldn't blame you if you didn't), please consider staying at one of our cabins (we are local, and available 24 hours a day):

http://smokymountainviews.com/Views_of_Smoky_Mountains.html



Guest Reviews for this Gatlinburg cabin:

http://smokymountainviews.com/Guestbook.php



And if you contact us, and remind us of this issue, and we'll try to get you back to The Smokies with a great deal:

http://smokymountainviews.com/Contact_Us.html



Good luck on recovering some of your losses.



Mac

http://SmokyMountainViews.com
?
2011-09-28 19:10:41 UTC
It's time to do what customer service folks call "escalating" your complaint. If the manager was not able or unwilling to provide a satisfactory compensation for the inconvenience you suffered, take your complaint to the facility owner. Be polite but firm. Submit your complaint in writing (registered mail, not email, so there's no "oh, we never received your email"), and clearly state how you wish to be compensated. If the cabins had no water, by law they are not allowed to be occupied, so point that out when requesting your refund for the unused nights.



Also hint you would regretfully have to give a negative review of your experience on travel forums such as TripAdvisor.com (which you should've checked before booking anyway). Also mention you might need to seek recourse through the Gatlinburg Better Business Bureau and would file a complaint with the local tourism/chamber of commerce office. Most responsible hoteliers cringe at the thought of bad publicity, especially now that they are entering into Fall Foliage vacation time. Above all, restrain yourself from being sarcastic, rude and exhibiting other behaviors that instantly put people on the defensive. Be firm, polite and respectful. Remember that old saying about getting more flies with honey than with vinegar? So true, so true...



If it was me, I'd be delighted that the cable and Internet were out. I go on vacation to get away from those bothersome, mind-numbing distractions!
gladman9
2011-09-29 12:25:55 UTC
Some customer agreements do indicate that amenities may not be working during your stay and that no refunds are issued due to amenities not working. However, water is not considered an amenity.



You probably have some recourse with your credit card company so long as you contact them within 30 days of the incident, preferably sooner than later. Your credit card company should offer some sort of protection given the contract you engaged in with the management company. If the management company does not agree to compensate you, which they probably should, then you do have another avenue of recourse.



Keep in mind that unfortunately there are guests who fabricate issues in order to get compensated. I am in no way accusing you of this and I believe your issue is absolutely legitimate, but many management companies have taken the stance that everyone is trying to cheat them.



Going forward, you can use internet resources to find reputable companies before booking. Tripadvisor is a good example. Here is a listing of management companies in Gatlinburg ranked by visitors (the link looks like its for hotels, but its really for specialty lodging or management companies):

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g60842-c3-Gatlinburg_Tennessee-Hotels.html



You can see the #1 rated property for cabins:

http://www.elkspringsresort.com



That may be a good example to book with next time as rated by customers.



You seem to have a legitimate issue. If the management company does not assist you talk to your credit card company, but do it sooner than later.
Patricia
2011-09-29 01:39:19 UTC
Brian provides some excellent suggestions. Is this management company a member of the Chamber of Commerce? If so, contact them. If all else fails after Brian's ideas, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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