Attached my letter of complaint and Solmar Villas response. Is this typical of this company? Our three families certainly won't use them again. One would have expected a more sympathetic response or am I just picky?

Dear Sir, there were several things that were not right about our holiday which give me cause to complain to your company.

1. Car company had to be telephoned after a long wait for the car rep to turn up. No rep at the airport as was expected. ( Costly phone bills.)

2. Having 'phoned your rep at 1515hrs. re: "Is the villa ready?" We were told by name removed that the cleaners were late and that we wouldn't be allowed in until they had finished, but that we could use the pool. ( We knew about the 4pm rule) At 1545hrs we arrived and the cleaners threatened to "march off" the site if we so much as came near!! She was very good about the whole thing and apologised. However I don't see why we should suffer just because the company you contract can't do its job on time. (see 3)

3. Couldn't occupy villa until after 1700hrs. This was after travelling since 3am. ( 14hrs.)

4. Cleanliness of the villa was not of a high standard: ie: cobwebs, dirty & rusty fridge, flaking paintwork inside and out, stains on furniture, litter in the garden,etc.

5. Heated pool, as advertised, was not heated! Arrived late on Friday and could not report cold pool until Monday. Pool cover never operated as it was out of order too. Pool eventually repaired on Thursday & warmed up by Thursday evening just before we left! Thanks a bunch!

I would be interested to hear your response to our complaint.

Thank you for allowing us to look into your concerns raised in your email below. I have now completed my investigations following receiving responses to your email from the representative and local agents.

I have spoken with Holiday Autos, whom the car was booked through, they have in turn spoke to the agents who advise their representative was at the meeting point as usual, only ever leaving to guide guests to a minibus, they apologise if you had somehow missed each other. Our representative does not meet and greet clients in the airport as we feel she is better placed visiting guests around the island.

Having spoken with both the representative and the house manager, I have been able to confirm that the cleaners did expect to have the villa ready for 16:00 as the majority of our villas are, however, if a villa is left in a bad state it does have a knock on effect on the remaining villas, I apologise that your villa was not ready for you to occupy until 17:00 but I am advised that the cleaners did refrain from cleaning this villa until late on your departure day so that you were able to stay there until ready to leave for the airport. The house manager has also advised that there isn't any problem with our guest leaving luggage at the villa on arrival or even using the pool area whilst the cleaners complete their job and that this is standard practice, they have confirmed they do not speak any English and therefore feel this must have been a miscommunication/misunderstanding.

With regards to the pool, both the representative and local agents advise they have no reports from your party of any problem with the pool? Pool heating would not be necessary at this time of year as the temperature attained by a system like this would not exceed 28 degrees and pool temperatures in Menorca that week were in excess of that already so the pool heating wouldn't have ‘kicked' in.

Thank you very much for bringing these issues to our attention, they have now been rectified.

Regards

J

Manager

Solmar Villas