OHANA — Hotel in Placencia

We booked this villa on airbandb paying 1500 dollars per night. Initial exchanges with owners were correct. They even asked us nicely what we would like for our first dinner and breakfast (i have all messages). Upon arrival one day earlier which they suggested we pay directly to them to save their part of the commission., we immediately realized that the entire outdoor living space is under four windows of a cabana they rent separately. It is never disclosed in their description and makes it impossible to feel safe and private when you don’t know who is there. You have the option to rent that cabana on top but it should not be just to feel private. So we immediately reacted and asked to leave the next day and be reimbursed past the first night. They refused. They did acknowledge we would leave but asked us to pay for the food they had bought. And they proceeded to present a bill for 800 dollars!! This for the first dinner and bfast!!! The employee told us he had bought for the whole stay (four days).when it was clear we would eat mostly oit. At that point and reading about the experience of others earlier we decided to leave immediately as we did not want to have anything to do with such dishonest people. Do not stay there. We did not in the end and did not toucha their food There are better cheaper options available with safety and privacy and normal owners not greedy. Trust us is it was very unpleasant after a 12 hour trip to leave and need to find a new place which we eventually did after three hours. I rarely share negative comments but these people deserve to be known for who they are and i have of course reported them to airbandb. The blie windows below are the cabana ones overlooking the rest of the property. And the 800 dollars bill is the dinner and bfast bill they presented in case they try to claim we lied plus their photos show rooms that are much smaller in reality. It is all a sham for people who know and travel well But they will undoubtedly continue to find victims. Had we stayed one night they would probably harge us for cleaning at 400 dollars when we were two in total.

I read the response from the lying owners and need to add the following I will not let these crooks get away with their lies. I defy them to prove i requested to fill the house with groceries for four days. They asked me what i wanted for mu first dinner and bfast and never suggested this would cost 880 dollars. As to the tour operators they recommended they worked with is twice and seemed very happy with the tips they received. Why would they accept a second hiring?? These french crooks offer at best a camping on the beach with large lenses pictures that make their rooms way bigger than reality. And the cheap plastic furniture they have…. I am only sorry that the option of no star is not offered not to mention negative ones. There are in fact many better more private and much more luxurious places to rent locally. Happy to recommend them to whomever is interested. And again under no circumstances should you let these people order anything they “offer”to help you with One more point that shows the low life these people are : I have absolutely nothing to hide except for the shame of having been had by them on this « luxury » listing, and the young lady that was with me is my wife, so sorry guys fo failing also on your insinuations. And YES i like privacy not just in the outdoor area but in the house as well where I should not have to close all curtains to ensure i am not watched. First time in 40 years of traveling as adult and ten years using AirBandB this kind of stuff happens. Amazing And by the way my first and last name are clearly shown here. They blatantly lied about the tour guides This is what the guides wrote me (Ocean motors, they were excellent by the way): « I am not quite sure what happens at your airbnb, but so far you did NOT complain to me about anything so why would I complain? I have no reason to. We are great full of your business and hoping to see you...

Sent the following email to the owner. Never got a response back and then she proceeded to leave a negative review of our group making accusations about our parenting. Did our children break a vase that was hidden behind a curtain? Yes. Did we pay for it ($85 by the way)? Yes. The house was very nice but the amenities were not worth the price. Beware of poor customer service and overcharging when staying here.

"As someone with a significant background in the hospitality industry (10 years with Marriott Hotels), I understand the importance of constructive feedback and its impact on business.

Unfortunately, we found a significant amount of groceries were purchased including large quantities of items and many things (so many juices, cartons of milk, vegetables, cheese, 10 bottles of Pellegrino, cookies, crackers, multiple boxes of pasta, snacks etc.) that we would have never purchased ourselves and ultimately ended up leaving behind. We were starting to become concerned about the bill and asked for a mid-week tally in which we were informed by Wednesday after that we already had a $1800 food bill!! While we want to trust that everything was handled in good faith, with the 30% service charge on groceries purchased, there is obviously an incentive for potential overbuying or buying more expensive branded items which then the debt falls on the unsuspecting guests. We were not provided with an itemized receipt of all $2,000 US worth of purchases made by the chef. We wound up leaving behind more than $300 worth of groceries which we assume the staff would hopefully take home to their families so it didn't go to complete waste.

Regarding the $1,700 cleaning fee charged on Airbnb, we were puzzled about its allocation. Despite the hefty fee, the housekeepers were seldom present, and we often took care of tasks like laundering towels ourselves. Additionally, considering the size of the house (accommodating up to 12 guests), we expected sufficient towels (bath and pool) per guest, which unfortunately was not the case during our stay. They were made aware of the lack of towels but said they were all being laundered off property and those towels did not return until 2 days later.

Our interactions with the housekeepers were also less than satisfactory. We observed them spending considerable time socializing with George and consuming food meant, and paid for by guests. Moreover, their reaction to the tip we left on the final day was quite unprofessional, highlighting a possible discrepancy in how the cleaning fee is distributed among staff. Another area of concern was the quality of bedding, which we felt was below the standard expected for a property of this caliber. The sheets were scratchy and old, the blankets were also well worn. We noticed remnants of pests on the sheets, which detracted from our comfort during our stay. In the cot there was sand from a previous guest in the sheets.

The slick tiles near the pool area are an egregious safety concern. Despite our caution, there were multiple incidents of slips and falls, including one near miss by me on the steps. The potential for a serious accident is high, especially with children present. Along with the lack of towels to help defray from wetness on the tiles this was a hard situation to manage. While not the most aesthetically pleasing, non-slip mats places from the pool to the house would be highly recommended. Given all this, we would have let this go however sending through an $85 charge for a vase that was accidentally broken by children was shocking to receive. Given that we left extra pool toys for future guests and there were no other damages, we believe this incident should have been considered a minor cost of operation rather than an additional charge. For 3 families who spent $13,000 USD on the rental + $2,000 on food/chef charge + $700 USD on tips for your staff, it seems quite spiteful to receive this...

Firstly, the “incident”. I have a complex neurological condition, and unfortunately on my 2nd night at Ohana, I had a severe episode. This resulted in a trip to the hospital by the Placencia Airport. Then there was a requirement for prescription medication. Isabelle and Gilles were so, so helpful and so supportive and made this work, with many an offer of additional assistance should it be required. I am eternally grateful for their support during this time. They both went above and beyond to ensure I got the right care and attention. So thank you both so much for the help in this matter. 5 ⭐️

Secondly, the house and gardens; there has obviously been a lot of thought and creativity gone the interior design of the House. All the bedrooms were beautiful, with good quality linen, and toiletries in the en-suites. Plenty of everything including items like towels (for both the bathrooms as well as the outdoor pool).But overall the general tone, atmosphere and design of the House exuded was one of calmness, tranquillity and perfection. The Kitchen was also very well equipped and had everything that one could need. The House was perfect for us and our needs. 5 ⭐️

The outside of the house, the veranda and the outdoor seating and day beds were all excellent, and with a steady offshore breeze keeping the Garden cooler. The pool was perfect for both young and old, and was in regular use!! The planting of the grasses, bushes and palms had obviously been thought through thoroughly and created a beautiful and tranquil setting. We spent most of our time outside, enjoying the landscape and view. 5 ⭐️

Lastly the House Team were all fantastic. The ladies that did the room servicing, general cleaning and laundry etc did an excellent job and everything was completed to a very high standard. Special mention must be paid to Jimmy the Chef. Jimmy had to cook for a wide age range and tastes. But he always got it spot on, and most importantly he was obviously very well trained and all the food and meals tasted delicious every time. 5 ⭐️

To conclude, our stay at Ohana could not have been better. Everything we needed was there, and the general atmosphere from the House and Gardens was perfect. I would 100% recommend this property to anyone. Isabelle and Gilles were the perfect hosts and could not have done more to make our stay as wonderful as...