Per: Mr. Joesph Bowes Comments
Re: Destiny Beach Resort Stay Aug 6, 2009.
My name is Christopher Arbique, and together with my wife Trish we manage the Destiny Beach
Resort in Osoyoos.
In what can be partially interpreted as derogatory observations, I would be remiss in my duties as Manager of this property, save one who cares deeply for its legitimacy; if I did not respond to the submission as presented to this site by Mr. Joseph Bowes.
To streamline this correspondence and respond to your parties’ comments and concerns in a
contrite and professional manner, I’ve copied your parties’ statements (word for word) from the
aforementioned posting.
Let's begin:
On the beach ... so what. This is a sad imitation of family-run motel on a beachfront is
embarrassingly tiny (maybe 60 feet or so for the guests).
Response:
Our website states that out beach front area is 90 feet in length offering two sunshade gazebos,
deck & beach furniture and dock. The statement about being a sad imitation of a family-run motel
is completely without merit and is at best a “complete” fabrication.
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Frankly, Destiny Beach Resort is a cheap rip-off that's all about grabbing your money. Your credit
card is charged a 'non-refundable deposit' immediately upon booking.
Response:
The policy of a "non-refundable deposit" is standard practice with many hotel establishments in the
Southern Okanagan and that of Osoyoos during the summer months (May, June, July & August) and
so it is that we too follow this policy.
When you inquired upon our policies, your party agreed to our booking conditions and your
parties’ reservation was secured on July 6th.
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This should be everyone's first, great-big, red flag that they should look elsewhere.
Our undersized room came with an uncomfortable bed and upstairs neighbours whose children
used the staircase as a trampoline until 1:00 am in the morning ... speaking to them did
absolutely no good (and clearly the 10:00 pm end to pool hours is not enforced ... thankfully we
were not across from the pool).
Response:
A Great Big Red Flag:
From the standpoint of looking elsewhere it should be pointed out that just about every other
“family operated” hotel property in Osoyoos operates under these same operational
procedures. A one night deposit that is non-refundable at time of booking during the months of May, June, July & August is for the most part, standard practice.
Per the undersized room:
Your party reserved a “Studio Unit" (Studio Unit means small just as a Condo Unit means large).
The available square footage of all our units is posted on our website. We offer other suites
that supply guests with upwards of 600 sq. ft. of living space and if memory serves correctly,
you could have pre-reserved one of our Condo’s.
Unit 11A clearly states the following, "Located on the first floor these studio units offer guests
approximately 212 sq. ft. of living space. These unit offers guests an equipped kitchen
containing a sink, bar fridge, microwave, stove top burners, air conditioning, cable TV, floor
board heat and a nice sized ½ bath. These units can sleep 2 persons (2 adults)."
Per uncomfortable bed:
Your party is the first of approximately 70 room nights (this summer) in Unit 11A to have
commented on the bed as being uncomfortable. This is quite a surprise as we supplied Studio
Unit 11A with a new mattress in May 2009.
Per children running up and down the stairs - trampoline:
When your party encountered an issue with children running up and down the staircase, you
should have informed us and we would have reconciled the situation. Quiet time at our
property is 11: 00 pm and is enforced. Your party did not inform us that there was a problem,
so we were unable to act accordingly.
Per pool hours not being enforced:
The pool hours are enforced during the entire summer season. We did and continue to “cover
the pool and lock the pool gate” at 10:00pm every night (the pool now closes at 9:00pm due to
the time of year and the subsequent loss of daylight). The comment about the pool hours not
being enforced is a “complete” fabrication.
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With the pounding the stairs took, the windows were actually shaking in our unit.
Response:
I can’t answer to the windows shaking in your unit as we’ve never heard this to be an issue in
the past.
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An extra $18 charge appeared at check-in ... so we were at $138 total for a 'view' of the parking
stall our vehicle was in, but only after the Escalade driver who parked across from us most
unwillingly unhitched his boat trailer so we could park.
Response:
There was no "extra" $18.00 charge at check in. The $18.00 charge was to cover the taxes
associated with your parties’ reservation. The room rate for a studio unit is $120.00 plus tax.
The math reads as follows: 10% hotel tax on $120.00 is $12.00. 5% GST on $120.00 is $6.00.
We only processed the one night rate at the time the reservation was booked. The $18.00 tax
was collected when your party checked in. Client was mailed a copy of their receipt where it
clearly states: Room Tax & GST $12.00 & $6.00.
The math reads: 12 + 6 = 18.
As to the view, we are mindful it’s not great that’s why we only charge $120.00 a night for
these units in the summer.
As for the Escalade scenario, this should have been brought this to our attention so we could
have resolved it for you. Your party did not.
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No phone. Shower-stall only, no bathtub.
Response regarding phone:
None of our rooms have phones; this is stated on our website. It clearly states on our Amenities
page, “We don't have phones in the rooms; there is a pay phone available next to the front
office.”
Re Shower-stall:
Your party reserved a “Studio Unit” and was informed of the floor plan layout when inquired
upon on July 6th. To that our website clearly states that 11A offers a ½ bath.
“Located on the first floor these studio units offer guests approximately 212 sq. ft. of living
space. These unit offers guests an equipped kitchen containing a sink, bar fridge, microwave,
stove top burners, air conditioning, cable TV, floor board heat and a nice sized ½ bath. These
units can sleep 2 persons (2 adults).”
A ½ bath means only a shower is available.
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No hand-soap or shampoo in the bathroom.
Response:
There is hand-soap in all of the room accommodation categories we offer. I am puzzled why
your party wouldn’t have asked us for hand soap if there wasn’t any in your room. To this I
apologize.
We do not supply shampoo.
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Housekeeping unit, but without salt, pepper or sugar? Guests are required to hand-wash their
dishes or cover an additional $25 charge, but there is no dish-washing soap.
Response:
There is dish soap in the kitchen area of "all" of our accommodation categories we offer. The
dish soap is located beneath the sink along with the dish drying strainer. Dish clothes and drying
towels are also supplied.
We don’t supply salt & pepper or coffee and related condiments. This too is stated on our
website under the heading of Amenities. However, this summer we offered a wonderful
assortment of “FREE” fresh herbs in and around our Friendship Gazebo.
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Expect to buy your own coffee and condiments. Extremely disappointing for the money. If you
want to enjoy your stay, look elsewhere. We would never go back, even if it was free.
Response:
I’m sorry to hear you had a rough go of it at our little resort. We have a large following of
patrons who absolutely adore our location, the value we as mangers bring to their holiday
experience save our moderately priced accommodations.
This site although being a valuable online tool, is not somewhere everyone checks for online accommodation reviews. I am of the belief that the traveling public should have an opportunity, if not the right, to view both our accolades as well as our criticisms.
This process empowers would be guests to our property with a better understanding of both
our admiration's and in this case, clears the air of misinterpretations, related fabrications, faults and apologies.
Your parties’ comments have been posted on our website under our “Recent Reviews” page
along with my noted responses.
23 February 2010
by Christopher Arbique