Bayside Villas by Islander Resort — Hotel in Islamorada

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment and concern regarding the subpar experience I encountered during my recent stay at your villa, which was arranged in connection with a conference organized by my employer.

Upon arrival, the property's exterior presented a positive first impression, but this was promptly undermined by the strong and unpleasant odor of toxic mold that permeated the interior of the villa. The subsequent discovery of a malfunctioning refrigerator, which resulted in significant water damage, only added to our distress.

While the front desk staff did eventually relocate us to an upgraded villa, the true extent of the issues became clear when I discovered an erroneous charge of $500 on my personal account. This was particularly concerning, as my employer had previously arranged to cover all expenses related to the stay.

Despite my attempts to rectify the situation through communication with the front desk, I was met with inadequate customer service, lengthy hold times, and a lack of resolution.

I am compelled to express my utter dismay and disillusionment regarding the egregious deficiencies in service, communication, and accountability exhibited by your organization during my recent stay. The litany of issues, culminating in the manager's reprehensible conduct and blatant disregard for customer satisfaction, has left an indelible stain on your establishment's reputation.

The manager's assertion that they had prior knowledge of the payment arrangements, yet still proceeded to charge my personal account, suggests a staggering level of incompetence or, worse, deliberate deception. Their belligerent demeanor, coupled with the front desk's ineptitude, has rendered my stay a catastrophic failure.

I demand immediate redress and a comprehensive review of your organization's customer service protocols. A senior executive, empowered to take decisive action, must contact me forthwith to effect a full refund, issue a formal apology, and provide assurances of meaningful reforms.

Anything less would be unacceptable and would compel me to share my scathing critique with a wider audience, including pertinent review platforms, industry associations, and my extensive professional network. Your establishment's reputation, already tarnished, hangs precariously in the balance.

I expect a swift and decisive response from a suitably empowered senior executive, failing which I shall be forced to explore further action to protect my interests and ensure that others are not...

In a nutshell, the villas side of the property is like the neglected redheaded step child. Here are the things I noticed during our short stay (I do have pictures if needed). -Chairs by the pool were broken, busted, dirty, falling apart. -Our half bathroom was half painted. -Bed was rock hard. No mattress toppers. Was given extra comforters which did not help. I ripped my leg open on the metal on the side of sleep sofa as I was making the bed. I called and asked for bandaids and Neosporin and was told you don't provide medical care. I wasn't asking for drugs, I was asking for basic first aid care so my leg didn't get infected. -Right after check in, we noticed crumbs all over the kitchen floor along with the kitchen chairs. Kitchen cabinets were sticky & had food splatters. I asked for the kitchen to be touched up. They came in and "cleaned again". The crumbs were in the exact same spots after they left. The chairs were not even moved. I cleaned the kitchen myself at that point. -the stainless steel appliances looked like preschoolers just had a party in the villa. Also, the villa itself was very run down. It reminded me of something I would see on a college spring break trip. -Phone system did not work. Would get disconnected or would just get pure silence. Would take several attempts to try to get the person to request the shuttle across the street. -resort fee is ridiculous considering the conditions at the Villas. We didn't get a welcome beverage nor did we get two waters daily. We didn't even get more than 3 bathroom towels upon check in.

-And on a sanitary note, pillows didn't have protective covers on them, nor were they double cased. Yuck!

If you know you have a subpar property and it's about to be renovated, you really shouldn't charge full price especially when you have a nice property across the street.

I have emailed and called multiple times about this and still have yet to talk to management, even though one was supposed to talk to us DURING our stay. There is literally no such thing as customer service when it comes to this "resort".

I DO NOT recommend...

We stayed at Bayside Villas for three nights in July, and unfortunately, our experience was disappointing. We had two parties, each renting a separate townhome-style villa.||Upon entering our villa, we were immediately met with an overwhelming odor. The unit had clearly not been cleaned properly in some time, and the strong mildew and mold smell forced us to open all the windows (in the middle of July) just to air it out. We requested additional housekeeping, but nothing could be done. The windows themselves were covered with green and black mold. While staying on the beach does come with some humidity, the condition and cleanliness of the unit were far below an acceptable standard.||The accommodations also did not match what was described on the website. We were told there would be a primary bedroom with an en suite bathroom, but there was not. Both bedrooms were very dark with poor lighting, and there was limited mirror space to get ready. While the unit technically had two full bathrooms, the second was on the main floor, far from the bedrooms, which was not how it had been represented. We were also told there would be a balcony large enough to comfortably fit four people, but this was not the case.||Overall, the villa felt outdated and unclean. The ice maker never worked during our stay, despite maintenance assuring us that it did, and there were no alternative options provided for ice.||On a positive note, the shuttle service was very convenient, and the amenities at the other resort — especially the pools and the restaurant/bar — were excellent. We spent most of our time there or participating in offsite activities, which helped make the trip enjoyable despite the issues with our accommodations.||For the price we paid, however, Bayside Villas was very...