Seacastle Cottage

Disappointing

Traveller Port Orchard WA

Review Submitted: November 20, 2011 Date of Stay: August 26, 2011

We are a retired couple who spent a 10 day vacation in Seacastle Cottage. We were told there was internet access but upon arrival found it had been disconnected. We had to pay $10 per bag to haul our garbage to the store in Ocean Park, several miles away. We bought Salmon to BBQ but there was no fuel in the tank and we were told to go fill the tanks ourselves but they were too heavy for us to carry. After two days we had to purchase our own paper products. And, although we paid an extra $20 cleaning fee on top of the required $60 fee because we had a dog, our supposedly refundable $200 damage deposit was never returned, although we left the home spotless. (The cleaning fee is charged although guests are required to clean the unit, floors, launder the sheets and towels, etc.) Owners have not responded to requests for our money. They won\'t answer our phone calls, respond to our e-mails or letters. We are on a fixed income and cannot afford to give away $200.
Traveller
Port Orchard

Owner's Response: We are very sorry that Mr. & Mrs. Brown were disappointed with their stay at The Seacastle Cottage in Long Beach, WA. But we must let others know the full extent of the situation to maintain our reputation. It\'s true that at one time we had internet access at Seacastle Cottage but because of the eroding economy we decided to suspend internet service. At the time Mrs. Brown inquired about her planned stay she was informed that no internet sevice would be available. Concerning the garbage issue, our guests are told to be sure and remove their garbage from the premises, we suggested Jack\'s Merchantile in Ocean Park. I contacted Jack\'s before posting my reply to be sure we had the correct information. The cost is $5 for a large yard & garden (black) type bag, tall kitchen bag is $ 3, small bag is $2 and a grocery bag is $1. We have no control over what Jack\'s Merchantile actually charges but Jack\'s is merely a suggestion. Yes it is true there was no propane in the BBQ tanks, unknown to us at the time; the previous guests had left the valves on and consequently the propane seeped out. We told Mrs. Brown that if they wanted to they could fill the tank and they would be reimbursed for the cost of filling the tank and we apologized for the inconvienance. Regarding the paper products; all of our guests sign a Vacation Property Rental Agreement. In this ageement, it states that initially we supply the needed paper goods and expendable items and that the guests are responsible for the items and provide any additional items at guests\' sole expense, all this is explained in the agreement. On the subject of the deposits and cleaning fees, Seacastle Cottage DOES NOT ALLOW PETS. We made an exception because Mr. & Mrs. Brown were in transition. The $20 was for the extended stay and that was made clear to the Browns. The $100 was to cover any damage the dog may cause. We ask that our guests start the first load of sheets or towels upon check out, and load any dishes in the dishwasher and to start the dishes. We do this to keep the cost of housekeeping at a minimum otherwise the housekeeper will have to wait until the sheets and dishes are finished. All this is explained in the Rental Agreement which the Browns failed to read. What the Browns failed to mention in the review is the fact that their dog, that was allowed to stay, had urinated in several areas of the house. The rug in the living room was beyond cleaning and had to be replaced and the pad underneath had to be thrown out. The upstairs carpeting had several urine stains on it. Large amounts of pet hair was found throughout the house even after our housekeeper had gone through and tried to clean it all. During the Browns\' stay we were informed that they brought their cat. Had we known this, we would not have decided to allow them to stay at Seacastle Cottage as many of our clientele, including ourselves, are highly allergic to cat hair and dander. On our own time and expense we spent the three days at Seacastle Cottage to witness first hand the damage that was left behind and photo documented the damage. To verify we had others view the damage too. It took every bit of the three days to clean Seacastle Cottage and leave it in the condition we would expect from a lodging business. We have responded to the Browns via email and also sent a letter to the Browns\'. It was during this time that they requested it be sent to their old address. There were several other phone calls that were made from the Brown\'s during their stay (a call at 1:30 AM because they couldn\'t find the key and another time when they locked themselves out) in addition to the above incidents. We value our coustomers and try to accommodate every one of their needs to make their stay as comfortable and hassel free as possible.