Holiday Pool Dilemma: Please help me get a grip.

[RoadToRivendell]

We're on holiday at a veeery nice villa in Italy.

Some days after I booked it in May, when I will still within my cancellation terms, I noticed that it said 'shared' pool in the description. I emailed the agent, expressed concern, and asked for clarification. They said I would be sharing it with two people, so fine. We proceeded.

This week, we were completely dismayed to find a family of four join at the pool - two adults, two smallish children - which we could have coped with, but 1. it's a pretty small pool, like what you'd have in the garden of a very nice house; and 2. THE FATHER DID NOT RETURN OUR HELLOS, so we sat in awkward silence.

A subtle tug of war ensues, and we gather they've left as they bring their luggage to the pool yesterday (WTF) and get changed in the bushes for what we presume is a trip to the airport.

This morning, we turn up at the pool at around 11am to find that all six sunloungers have towels on them. Overnight, a second family has arrived, and the original family is still inexplicably here! (I saw the children, who are lovely, in two of the 'reserved' sunloungers this morning!).

I sent my kids down to fold the towels and get stuck in at around noon (still, no one in sight - and all 6 chairs are reserved). Family number 2 turned up some time later, and they are lovely and exchanged hellos as you might expect so I can cope with this setup - we were actually all trying to very politely ensure the other had sufficient sunloungers at various points through the afternoon.

Would I be unreasonable to demand a good chunk of change back from this rental place?

I think yabu as they said it was shared. The other family seem to be sharing too.They may have meant two adults or even two families.

YWBU.

If it stated 'shared' in the description on booking, you won't be able to 'demand' anything back.

No. Email, verbatim:

Q I missed the 'shared' part of the booking, this is causing us some apprehension, could you please describe the sharing arrangement? A you will be sharing with two people'

If it said 'shared' in the description and you missed it then YABU.

I think you could return the email saying there are considerably more than two people using the pool. I would be pissed off too, I probably wouldn’t have booked it if privacy was a big concern.

If he said two people and it’s now 6 I would contact him again and politely ask him why. It may be that some of them should not be there.

Did they mean two families...?

They said I would be sharing it with two people, so fine. We proceeded.

Two 'people' meant two other properties. So no. of actual people would depend on the max in each other property. Many villas sleep 10 or 12 ! Eek.

Was it a bit of a language barrier thing with an Italian agent?

I'd definitely be pissed off (and so are they, by the sounds of it) but this is why I rule out 'shared' pools. Cannot see how they could ever really work unless all families know each other.

The pool will be shared with 2 properties, cannot be two people. This is lost in translation somewhere

They obviously meant 2 more renters as in 2 more families , is English the first language of the person who wrote the response ? I’d be pissed off but then I wouldn’t rent somewhere with a shared pool in the first place , I don’t think complaining will get you any recompense but might ensure that future renters get given more accurate information .

The email says, precisely, you'll be sharing with an accommodation which houses two people.

It's a UK-based firm.

I don't dispute that I missed it in the description, my point is that I expressed reluctance within the cancellation period and I think they were quick to avoid me cancelling. Absolutely no penalty for cancellation until something insanely late, like 7 days before the booking.

Sounds like s language problem and that he meant two other properties.

Are the other 2 villas adjacent to yours? Maybe have a look on the website of the other 2 villas and see what it says about sharing.

Always best to look at the place on google earth beforehand to see what it's really like, how close the neighbours are etc.

Honestly, it's not lost in translation, the company is UK-based.

There's no other properties on this particular website, i think the owners have gone off-piste.

Read your respknse above now.

If they were that categorical then I would phone them to clarify.

I have known people to go to a villa pool that they are not entitled to use.

Have a look on the other villa website though.

Two 'people' meant two other properties.

It really doesn't!

I think he means two people as in two bookings rather than two individuals. One person booked but happens to have 3 other with them

I would be pissed off too. The agent should have said 'two families' which is very different!

This is not on. I'd email the agent requesting clarification as to what has happened and after that, compensation.

I would contact the company. Keep a record of everything.

Photograph everyone sitting around the pool and point out that there are far more than 2 people. You admit to missing it being shared, but were not told it would be that full.

They probably meant two other bookings. I don't blame you for being pissed off though. If you have their email saying two, I would complain now and see what they say.

I know how precious this sounds but I really don’t like shared pools. I’d be annoyed.

I would definitely try to get some money back. 2 people turning into 6 is a bit much.

It could perhaps have been a language barrier (they said "two people" meaning "two families" or "two units"). Annoying but I'm not sure you can claim anything back.