Consumer Protection - STX

773-2268 Department of Licenseing and Consumer Affairs

772-0357 Fredrickstead Visitors Bureau

774-8784 Tourism Department

If your deposit was by credit card, then lodge a dispute with your credit card company. 80% of the time, the customer will prevail over the merchant, and they will do a chargeback.

If not by credit card, then you might threaten legal action. That is often enough to get somebody to pay a small amount like this. If it's in the form of a stern lawyer letter, even better.

If it's not a Credit card, file in small claims court now. It could be next month or six months from now when they hear your case, so better to get it in now, you can always withdraw it, if they settle with you.

We already tried the credit card route. The problem was the deposit was made (and paid) last year (for our stay in April of this year) and it was past the time limit that Visa has to refute a charge. We were hoping that we could contact someone in STX who would be able to apply a little pressure to have them return the money.

Just out of curiosity, what was so dreadful about your accommodations. Were there bugs jumping off the sheets? Were you afraid to remove your shoes inside the unit? Were there remnants of grassy stains on the camode?

Just out of curiosity, what was so dreadful about your accommodations. Were there bugs jumping off the sheets? Were you afraid to remove your shoes inside the unit? Were there remnants of grassy stains on the camode?

Good question,)I'm certainly NOT agreeing w/ the hotel, it seems you need to make things very clear around here for those who don't get it...what was wrong?

As I mentioned in my initial post
"We will be posting on the other message board on our awful experience dealing with the management and the condition of the room that we ended up in (and only stayed one night)."
The reason I didn't go into it on this board was because the topic was where/who I could contact on STX that might help with a consumer problem. If going into details would help with my request, I will certainly post the same info here. And yes, to the bugs (they were running in the kitchen and the bathroom) and NO I would not take off my shoes nor would I even sit on the couch! One of our main gripes too was that we did not get the room we requested either (even after emails and phone calls confirming the specific room). The manager at one point said (one of many excuses we heard), that we were past the 30 day window for a refund on the deposit but according to their web site if the room is rented (which she kept saying it was and that is why we couldn't get it), then we could get our deposit back.
I will be glad to pass on more information if anyone would like to have more details.
Thanks.

It's just not like stateside, there's no consumer advocate that's going to help you get your money back, you'll have to do small claims court since you cant do a CC chargeback. And even then you'll have to be able to prove what you are saying. If I was going to try anyone though I would try Dept of Tourism, its the only govt agency worth anything on this island. They have been know to pay for hotel rooms for guest that have been robbed of all of their belongings for example.

The thing about bugs, well you're on a tropical island, and the place you picked is pretty rustic, nothing fancy. If you saw a bug at the Bucanneer I'm sure they would refund your money or at least correct the problem, but a small mom and pop place on the beach....

did you read ALL of the fine print on the contract. what does it say about refunds??
if you are talking about roaches. the tropics are known for some very big ones, usually that is not an indication of how clean something is either. if its just bugs in general. oh well

I know about bugs. We live in Florida. Our complaint was not about the conditions (tho they were terrible.). We are not high maintenance people. We knew that the place was "rustic" and prefer non-resort type of accommodations. This was our third trip to STX and knew better than to go by web pictures. As I mentioned our complaint was the fact that we did NOT get the room we requested and that the room we got was unacceptable in MANY ways (bugs I can deal with but NOT an unclean place) etc..
From their web site
"Any changes made within 60 days of arrival will qualify for a refund only if the suite can be re-rented." We were told that the room we had requested and put a deposit down for was UNAVAILABLE because someone else was in there. That to me means it was re-rented. That is the basis for our request for a refund.
I will try the Dept of Tourism. Thanks.