Cockroach infestation and no running water = to bad for you
No compensation other than an apology over the internet was offered or given.
We got to Birdwatchers Cabin with a welcome by the owners explaining no running water due to a broken pipe. They offered us another but worse cabin near it. However, after touring that place, the very bad smell along with having to see a nasty brown mess still left in the toilet, we definitely didn't want to stay there.
The setup for birdwatchers cabin seemed very good and it was well stocked with many little things a traveler would find handy. The owners said we could use a bucket to take the water from the rainwater pool to use to flush the toilet and to shower with. This was a bit of a pain but having experienced this in life before, whatever. They said that as long as it rained that the water would start to fill up the tank. Then when the pipe was fixed the next day, the pump would be turned on and could pump this water through the fixed pipe. It rained that night as well as the next morning. We even recorded the rain as it looked serene while we enjoyed our morning on the deck.
We went out for the day and came back in the night. After inquiring about no water again, Tina said the pipe was fixed and that it was due to no rain... even though it had already been raining and the tank should have some water in it by then. Strange. No real response was given when pointing out this logic. Didn't matter too much at that point as we were leaving the next day.
That night, as soon as we went into the bedroom bathroom, there were four cockroaches that could be seen before they scampered into the shadows. Didn't want them getting into the bedroom so we blocked the base of the door off with a towel. Another roach was around my wife's luggage which we killed. We figured that the roaches must have gotten in somewhere that side of the cabin so we took out all our stuff and blocked that bedroom with a towel. Then in the living room as my wife was arranging things on the large table there, a very large roach jumped on her hand. Being freaked out already, this certainly didn't help. Then in the next bedroom we moved to, as I hanging a pair of jeans on a door, i got yet another, not as big, roach on my hand. Not cool at all. We eventually made sure that room appeared to be clear of roaches as well as sorting through all cloths and luggage to make sure none were in there. My wife was very upset and wasn't able to sleep that night, the final night on the island. We could understand one or two roaches. But this many and all over the house??!?!
Tina's response to the roaches was"
"Oh dear about the roaches I am sorry they fly in there should be spray"
How do they "fly" into the cabin when we have all the doors and windows shut? They obviously have ways of getting into the cabin that the owners do not know about or care enough to find out about.
Afterwards we got this:
"...I have never had this complaint before thanks fir informing me we will come and spray all over. It does not help you I know all I can do is apologise. The gleaner had been in but I guess had no water..."
"...Harry went up today and used three tins of spray and not one cockroach . It's like it was a sudden attack..."
Personally, I don't have much faith in what she said. How does she say she never had this complaint but previously said that " they fly in there"??? Also, the amount of roaches that came into the cabin during a roughly 10 hour period makes me guess this was not the first time and that its quite easy for them to get in.
The owners had informed us that they just got back into dominica that morning at 11, from their own vacation. They were made aware of the "broken pipe" by the cleaner but they still couldnt get it fixed that day for some reason. I understand that they were in vacation mode still or "busy" but that is the choice they made. Our choice was to pay them our money for our vacation. People normally get others to look after a rental like this when they are gone.
I've fixed some broken pipes myself so have a good idea of whats involved and how long it takes to fix. What they "told" us just didn't make sense. We also see that they have had similar problems when we just now translated a french review of this place:
"On the first day the owners had informed us that the pump was not working, that it would be repaired the next day. "
Also on another point from that same review.
"Initially we wanted to put a note of 3 but two days before we left, we noticed that someone had entered the rental during our absence..."
Tina was still using the living room for a business call over the internet when we got there around 8pm. She didn't get done till close to 10pm. Not that cool when we are only to be there for two nights. The owners seem to use this property whenever it suits them.
Also, a couple more things. This cabin is located up a very steep hill which makes it not the most accessible. 4x4 and some daring is highly recommended. Cabin has a very musty smell and everything in your luggage will smell like it until washed.
Overall this place has a good amount of potential, but like anything, if its not maintained, potential turns into problems. Owners were nice enough talking to them in person on the first night but after our experience here, it was clearly evident that this place is not one of their top priorities. There words don't jive with there actions. And myself in business, when someone pays me for something I have not delivered as promised, I have always compensated them or offered to give them some or all of their money back.
*** Rent at your own risk ***
Todas las reservas se hacen directamente con el propietario 