The review is FALSE (because it doesn't describe the reality of what happened) DISHONEST (because it omits some essential points) UNFAIR (because it doesn't evaluate what we did) and OFFENSIVE (because it expresses bad and not grounded judgements about what we did).
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1) FALSE AND OFFENSIVE
"In the meantime, even after the complaint has been corrected accordingly. Now a "Cottage Sea Sound" is offered."
The descriptions of our villas and titles also change because of SEO or marketing needs; there is no relation to what happened. It's a malicious presumption.
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2) DISHONEST AND UNFAIR
"Unfortunately, a storm came, and the hut - for this weather, which offers no protection - was flooded.
There are no lightning conductors, no leaking windows and doors. Our beds were in a lake of water."
It does not say that it was not a simple thunderstorm but a flood the night of 25-26/10 Friday/Saturday (red alert) throughout the region.
- Schools and closed public buildings
- Circulation on certain roads prohibited
- Invitation to the population not to circulate
- One person dead, swallowed by the flood / 16 people rescued...
See report http://www.ansa.it/sicilia/notizie/2019/10/26/maltempo-trovato-morto-nel-siracusano_db10144d-f021-4b3f-b34a-95e751632eae.html
No private building, unless it is a submarine, is built and is capable of containing a flood.
The building is up to standard; it is electrically grounded. There is no reason why it should have a lightning conductor: Silly claim, the villa has a regular grounding (as required by law). But what for this comment?
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3) DISHONEST, FALSE, UNFAIR
"They obviously didn't care that a pregnant woman and her 2-year-old child had to sleep in the car overnight."
We were anxious and immediately (24/10 Thursday) warned you to stay indoors tightly closed, not to go out.
WhatsApp sent Thursday, October 24th from us to YOU, where you can see the red alert - the day before the flood on the night of 25-26 October (Friday/Saturday).
Photo of Saturday 26/10 from Berretta's car (housekeeper) trying to reach YOU, roads enclosed and closed to traffic by the police
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4) FALSE, DISHONEST, UNFAIR
"Only for the last night the cost of a much cheaper replacement hotel, so in the end, we paid over 200 € at the top. Outrageousness. If you book a VILLA at an extraordinarily high price, you can expect to find shelter in bad weather."
We left it up to YOU to choose the hotel YOU wanted: YOU decided it, and we paid for everything.
It is not true that we did not find alternative accommodation, in case of flood the hotel (near Palermo airport) was the most practical and logic solution, secondly, it was a cause of force majeure. We did for you something that we were not obliged to do in contractual terms.
"They did not pay € 200"
(FALSE), because you were reimbursed for your stay at the hotel on 26/10 (2 rooms). There is no ground to pay you € 200.
We showed such generosity and understanding by refunding your stay in the hotel, because of the inconvenience caused by force majeure, even if we were not required to do so.
Point 3 of Scent of Sicily booking conditions (a standard in the market):
In the event that the customer is unable to occupy the accommodation for events of force majeure (e.g. war, strikes, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and similar events) no refunds will be due to the customer.
For early departures, not attributable directly or indirectly to accommodations managed by SoS, no refund will be due.
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5) TRUE, UNFAIR, OFFENSIVE
"The money, as well as the deposit of 500€, was given only after... It's better to go on holiday through serious suppliers."
The security deposit has been refunded. The owner had some operational difficulties, eventually resolved and made the transfer. We are sorry for the delay of the owner, who still refunded after about one month.
The owner could not reach the villa and reimburse by cash because the roads were blocked to traffic. You went to Palermo for the flight, and the owner was 3.1/2 hours away by car, that's why he made the wire transfer instead of refund by cash.
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- "Poor mattresses, small and noisy beds at the slightest movement":
It's the first claim we received about that. Before the flood (your stay from October 18th to October 25th afternoon) you didn't raise the point.
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- "little space -> no privacy"
UNFAIR - Photos and video represent reality. Before the flood (your stay from October 18th to October 25th afternoon) you didn't raise the point.
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- "innumerable buttons" - INAPPROPRIATE and IMMATERIAL
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"At night something burned more often in the nearest room so that one was exposed to smoke on the beautiful terrace. "
INJURY and UNFAIR- We are not in control of the territory, and we do not understand the extent of the phenomenon. If someone has a barbecue in a nearby villa, or burning brushwood (at permitted times) we cannot avoid it: it is part of urban life and regulations. Personal opinion.
Before the flood (your stay from October 18th to October 25th afternoon) you didn't raise the point.
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- "had to pay everything in cash when the keys were handed over, i.e. several thousand euros on-site "
UNFAIR and INAPPROPRIATE:
Nobody forced you to book; you accepted the booking conditions, including the payment method.
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- "non-professional Communication (every little piece of information is sent as separate mail twice you lose sight of who, when, where, etc.) "
UNFAIR, INAPPROPRIATE and OFFENSIVE: In an emergency (life risk), the owner/agent (who lived in the area and was aware of the situation of danger) informed YOU directly, and we also intervened to make sure everything was going well. It is pretentious, offensive and in contradiction to what you said before (that we were complacent/indifferent) to complain that you received a double dose of Communication. It is incredibly OFFENSIVE to hear that the Communication was not professional when we were in contact day and night and warned you of the danger (Thursday morning 24/10 per event on the night of 25-26/10).
- "nobody feels responsible."
FALSE and OFFENSIVE
In a situation of natural disaster, we certainly do not feel responsible for a flood.
- We have offered two free rooms in the hotel (which YOU have chosen) for the night on Saturday, although force majeure would have allowed us not to do so;
- YOU had telephone assistance day and night / it was not possible to reach YOU in the villa because the police blocked the roads
It is a holiday gone wrong because of a natural disaster, and you are blaming us for this malaise, omitting what we have done: warning you in due time, worrying about your safety and offering you a free stay in a hotel you chose.
Instead of recognizing our efforts, you are expressing a complete opposite and false story with inappropriate and not grounded comments and facts.
CONCLUSION:
"The professional advertising video and the actual location on-site are far apart."
FALSE. The video faithfully represents everything.
"The two nights we could not stay were not refunded."
FALSE the night in 2 rooms in the hotel was refunded. You left the villa one day before (the 26th instead of 27th) and we paid the night (even if we were not obliged to do so). We did it for a reason of pure humanity.
"You feel treated with condescension."
FALSE We were day and night at your complete disposal. In one point you claimed because of too much Communication!!???
In conclusion: Scent of Italy reserves the right to protect its professional integrity and damages caused by defamatory content in the competent legal offices.
Best regards
Renato Gagliano
