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 would ask for a refund op, you were definitely mis sold.

Thanks everyone, really appreciate your kind words, you've made me feel so much better.

I took pictures of the towels and sent it in. I believe we have an in-person sign out procedure so no chance of any malarkey on anyone's part.

I agree with those who say you need a refund. It's a UK firm, they have stated in writing that you'd be sharing with two other people. There are no grey areas. And there aren't enough loungers. Simple.

We once had a villa with a shared pool with another villa about 400 yards behind it. Because the villas were so separate the pathway to the pool was open.

We found a couple having sex in ythe pool. She had removed her tampon to facilitate said sex and left it by the side of the pool. There is also a condom involved in this story...

They were not staying in the other villa, but they had noticed how easy it was to get to the pool and were just chancing their arm!

For £5k a week I would want exclusive use of the pool. There are much cheaper properties around.

At least you know for next year, private pool

Gosh that sounds very annoying. I would be cross too. I hope you get some resolution soon.

At my recent villa rental, after a bunch of us went out for the day we had a cheeky cah prance down the drive with clear intent on our pool. Unfortunately for her, one of our party had stayed behind to have a quiet day and therefore was able to rebuff her. The cheek of some people !

I would have cancelled or transferred as soon as you found out. Awkward to share a small pool.

Unfortunately, I don't think that anyone at the pool is a chancer! I think they've all been sold some vague story about the pool, but I feel pretty certainly that our villa has top billing and is the only one marketed through our agent.

Also, this agency is meant to be uber-smart and has perfect feedback on TrustPilot.

Private, large villa and pool with sea views and car last year in August £2700, Costa Blanca.

I would have cancelled or transferred as soon as you found out. Awkward to share a small pool.

Really wish I had. Really, really kicking myself.

Ah, yes, on-their-uppers aristos can be totally shameless. A cousin once owned a posh villa in Tuscany. They loved US guests because they tended to head out on Serious Cultural Trips every day, meaning that they could take a quick dip themselves, whereas UK guests wanted (understandably) to hang out at the pool all day...

OP it's a real pain but, you've spent a lot of money so try to forget it and enjoy what you can otherwise you will be thoroughly miserable. Do what you can when you get back.

It sounds like when the agent said two people, they really meant two families. Definitely complain and get some money refunded!

Don’t let it completely wreck your holiday Op and hold out for a big refund .

I can’t believe the experiences of some of the other people on this thread with their CF ‘private pool’ experiences 😱 how can people be so scummy?! Sounds to me like unfriendly family are also pissed off that you are in their Pool, if that makes sense?

Also, this agency is meant to be uber-smart and has perfect feedback on TrustPilot.

The agency is likely to take it very seriously (I work in the industry myself).

OP we stay din one villa that had an undisturbed view of the valley beyond and down to the sea. Except that when we arrived another villa was being constructed in the valley, lower than our but still, a building site in our beautiful view. I was angry but took lots of photos and emailed a stinger on my return and received £300 back. So, gather as much evidence as you can, perhaps speak to the other guests and see who they booked through and what they were told and save it all up for your complaint. Then pour a nice glass of something.

I understand what it's like to share space with unfriendly people Op. We had it with the family next door to us in our sensatori swim up room a couple of years ago. They arrived the day after us and when they were shown the room, I heard them say they didn't want to stay because there were people next to them ie us! They left only to come back a short while later as the hotel was full. There was a low wall between the two terraces and it was really awkward because they wouldn't even make eye contact. The hotel also provided floating bean bags to be shared. They would put them all on their terrace which is so goddamn ignorant. My kids just went and put them back!

Good luck with the refund. We rented a holiday cottage in Brittany through a well known UK company once, and left quite a mixed review - the bedding was really old, stained blankets and pillows etc, but it did have some plus points. Our review went on the website for two days and was then removed. (So only positive reviews remained.) I asked why they had removed our review and they said that "It wasn't in the spirit of the company" - ie anything negative was taken down. We haven't used them since... We also rented a house in Normandy at vast expense, and were asked if we would mind the owner's son, his wife and their three kids using our private pool. They were staying with the owners down the road, but their pool wasn't quite finished. Yes, I said, we would mind a lot, and didn't want them there. Fortunately they understood...

They loved US guests because they tended to head out on Serious Cultural Trips every day, meaning that they could take a quick dip themselves, whereas UK guests wanted (understandably) to hang out at the pool all day...

Ha! Well, I am American but live in London. We are in the hills above an ancient Italian city that we've never visited before, so it took us some time to get properly aggrieved about the situation. We booked back to back tours the first two days (cue mucho teenage eyerolling).

MissEliza that is precisely the sort of shite we're dealing with.

£5k for one week in a villa and you're having to share your privacy with a bunch of other wanky humans? I'd be fucking livid.

We booked a house with pool through a top end UK site. Pool was foul and decking around rotten. Company refunded their fee that they got from the owner and then just left us to deal with the owner. Turns out they were just a glorified booking website despite the fact they make out they are something more than that

Worst thing is that that house is still listed as a star property

Yanbu the agent has either been mislead or mislead you.

Def did the right thing to take photos and complain. Make sure you review when home too.

For future reference, for a great shared pool experience I recommend this campsite in southern Tuscany:

www.parcodellepiscine.it/campeggio-con-piscina-toscana.html

We had several Eurocamp-type holidays when our children were young. The 33m pool is fed by the Santa Lucia spring, so you are swimming in pure spring water at a constant 24 degrees. The pool replenishes itself every 2 hours. I have never, ever, swum anywhere better.

I highly recommend this campsite, from where you can visit Assisi, Montepulciano, Pienza, and even Florence / Rome (slightly further afield).

The campsite is on the edge of Sarteano, a non-touristy medieval hilltop town - small but lovely.