I am tired of RUDE villa guests!!!

[villa_owner]

Yes, I am a villa owner and I'm going to say what's been on my mind for a long time: I am sick and tired of rude and obnoxious villa guests renting my home. I'm not rich - we bought this villa many years ago before the prices on St. John went insane. We need the rental income to help us pay the mortgage, othewise we couldn't be there.

Some guests are so disrespectful, it's really amazing. I've had things stolen over the years that you wouldn't believe including magnets, knick knacks, artwork, books and even an area rug! Would they treat their friends' homes this way? WOuld they sit on nice furniture while wet from the pool? Would they help themselves to any expensive coffee table books that tickle their fancy? Would they bleach all the guest towels with face cream and then claim it wasn't them when asked? Would they leave the stereo in the rain and then pretend they didn't?

Don't get me wrong - most our guests are nice people who treat our home with respect like they should. I also understand that accidents do happen. But some people (and you know who you are) think that you pay $10,000 a week and that means you can do whatever the hell you want. We are thinking of selling our dream home and getting out of this business all together because I just feel sick to my stomach when I see what people do to our little peice of paradise that we work so hard to keep nice.

Sorry for the rant, but I just had an incident with a thoughtless and incredibly rude guest that I can't really talk about as the details would make it easy to figure out what villa we own. Let's just say it was a DOOZIE and if I ever have the misfortune to meet this guest in person I would probably punch her square in the jaw.

There, I said it - and I meant it, too. And, I am sure I am not the only villa owner out there who has thought it, too.

[KPlumm]

I'm sorry to hear about your rude guests. Some people are just plain ignorant and completely oblivious of their actions. I once had a co-worker that felt it was expected of hotel guests that they steal the towels, so she did! It certainly takes all kinds. When we leave a villa, we try to leave it like we found it with as little work for the cleaners as possible. Hopefully you will have more considerate guests in the future.

[Xislandgirl]

When I was a villa manger we had guests that put all their dirty diapers in the large wicker (clean) linen chest. We went to clean the villa and opened the chest to put clean linens on the beds and there was a weeks worth of dirty diapers.They also were not supposed to have a child in that villa, they just neglected to tell us that they would be bringing their 8 month old with them.

Most guests are wonderful, although there are always a few that are inconsiderate.

[Diane]

I'm sure it can't make up for having personal items stolen and your home torn up, but hopefully the person who rented from you put down a large security/damage deposit and you kept it to help cover the costs of their damage.

[patr]

So sorry to hear about your experience. Is this a common occurrence? It would be interesting to hear from other owners, do you all feel this way?

Like a previous poster, we ALWAYS try to leave the villa in good shape, we even start a load of laundry of towels and/or bedding. We certainly respect all of your furnishing and property and we are extremely grateful that you share your lovely homes with us.

Is there such a thing as a "black list" of previous renters that do not deserve the hospitality that is extended? If not, perhaps the management companies could keep of list of people that have had problems and you could have the option of refusing to rent to them. Just my two cents.

As a repeat visitor, I hope these situations are few and far between.

[bert]

Oh we know the feeling. Hand towels and pillow cases (I guess they're easy to carry things in) are high-loss items. In the case of a pillow case, it negates the whole set of linens. We learned early on to take anything out of the house that meant anything to us (hanging pictures, nick-nacks, etc.). We expect guests to contribute to wear and tear but some go beyond the gray area and in to destructive. We find teenage boys to be particularly "high-risk" (no intention of stereotyping here!). We have never kept a deposit. We just chalk it up to experience and raise the rates as infrequently as possible.

peace.... bert

[liamsaunt]

Wow, that stinks. I could never behave that way. I'm not Catholic anymore, but my parents raised me as one for as long as they could keep me reined in. The one thing I can't escape is the built-in-guilt. In a circumstance like you describe, the guilt would just overwhelm me!

The only thing I can think of is that maybe people that rent your villa don't realize that it is also a HOME for someone, even if only part time. People are used to 'taking' things from hotels. Most people of course contain their souvenier collecting to the shampoos and lotions.

Maybe you need to operate like a hotel I stayed at recently in NYC--they had pretty much everything in the room "available for you to take home," from the throw pillows to the duvet cover to the full-size bliss lotions. The implication was that you could "steal" at will, but you knew in advance the charge would be on your final bill.

[Eric in NJ]

I fully sympathize with you it sounds like you've had some winners. The only thing I've ever taken from a villa was a paperback book. But I left behind two by thw same author.

[promoguy]

Why oh why does that complaint just seem so over the top to me. Gotta think about this one a bit more.

[Xislandgirl]

It may seem over the top but you would be surprised what people do when they are staying in a villa. Things are stolen or damaged beyond repair all the time. Most of these things are found after the guests leave and if you call them and ask about it, they will most likely deny it.

That being said, there are wonderful guests that leave the home spotless, even washing the sheets and towels before they leave.

It is the nature of the hospitality business, whether you are in the hotel, restaurant, or villa rental business there will always be people that think that because they are paying money they can do as they please.

I supect the OP is hoping that the renter posts here.

[Jumbiegirl]

I've found evidence of guest destruction at some of the homes I've rented. We stayed at one home with a really huge-mongous leather couch. It was horribly stained with suntan lotion in all probability. I certainly didn't need my mother to tell me to put a beach towel on the couch before sitting on it when I had lotion on. Some people just don't care and it's really too bad. I once pulled too hard on a curtain at a villa and tore 3 of the loops that go on the curtain rod. I stitched it back together with my own needle and thread before we left. It's sickening what people will do to other peoples' belongings.

[StJohnRuth]

Jumbiegirl, that is so cute. If they're going to have a Blacklist, they should have a Greenlist and your name should be the first one on it!
(Would it be a Redlist? Not sure, Green just sounded better.)
-Ruth

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[Bob & Anita]

We have a dream of owning a villa on STJ someday; thanks for the dose of reality. We are always amazed at what some people do.

[susan & herb]

All I can say is that when we go to a villa, and we have been doing so for over ten years, I treat the house as if it was my own. Bottom line "I take care of it". I guess some people are slobs at home and are that way if they rent a villa, because they are clueless. Then as you said, there are the other people who think their s--t doesn't stink and just have complete disregard for other peoples property. Actually, last year was the first year that we encountered a security deposit. I was not really bothered by it, because I know we take care of a house when we stay in it. More villa owners should take large security deposit. Maybe that would help.