DIRTYWHALE.COM

Rage against Whale Cottage and owner Chris von Ulmenstein

Gustaf — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:27:00 GMT

After posting the video yesterday I recieved several emails from readers having had similar experiences. It seems like all the Whale Cottage hostels are run in the same poor manner. It seems like Chris von Ulmenstein systematically ignores any criticism and disregards legitimate claims from customers.

For some other examples see:

www.whale-cottage.com

www.whalecottage.de

Please post more comments on the sites, I'll publish all similar accounts until we get a straight answer and are rightly compensated.

Not for the weak hearted, this is how it looked

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:37:07 GMT

A video of how the room looked when checking in, and after 3 reminders to the manager how the room still looked when we checked out. Weeks of dirt, grime, hair. Not a pretty sight.

A final attempt to communicate in a civil tone, email 9 February 2009

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:46:00 GMT

So, contact established, but no apparent willingness to listen to what we have to say. This is the latest email we've sent to Whale Cottage. We still have no response.

From: Viktor
To: winelands@whalecottage.com
Subject: RE: URGENT - 3rd and final reminder
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 14:17:28 +0100

Hello

Me and my brother composed the first email to you together. I work in a restaurant when he works in an office and uses his computer all day long I thought it was best that he took care of this case. Becouse he constantly uses his email. Thats why the mail came from him instead of me.
I can't see any problem with that becouse we're brothers who made the trip together, stayed at your gusthouse together and composed the mail together.
But if thats still a problem we'll be happy to send a power of attorney that will give him the authorization to handle this!

Hälsningar / Greetings

Viktor

Are you kidding me?

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:45:00 GMT

From: winelands@whalecottage.com
To: Viktor
Subject: Re: URGENT - 3rd and final reminder
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 12:58:56 +0200

I will not deal with him. I sent you an e-mail on 30 December, to thank you for your stay and requested feedback from you, being the person who made the booking with us.

Warm whale wishes

Chris

Christiane von Ulmenstein
Owner
WHALE COTTAGE GUEST HOUSE PORTFOLIO
Whale Cottage Camps Bay/Whale Cottage Franschhoek/Whale Cottage Hermanus/Whale Cottage Plettenberg Bay
WELCOME TO A WHALE OF A STAY!
Reservations: tel + 27 21 433-2100
Reservations: fax +27 21 433-2101
info@whalecottage.com
website: www.whalecottage.com
WhaleTales blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog
WIR SPRECHEN DEUTSCH
PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN

Breakthrough - we have an answer

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:41:00 GMT

Somehow the hint that we might share online our experience made somebody wake up. We got an answer from the owner, and what an answer. They have recieved our emails (wow!), but will talk to me but to my brother who made the booking for our party of 6. Him being tied up during the days he's asking me to handle it.

Hi

I have asked my brother Gustaf to handle this matter on behalf of my family. Please direct all correspondence to him.

Hälsningar / Greetings

Viktor

Subject: RE: URGENT - 3rd and final reminder
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 04:01:52 -0500
From: Gustaf
To: winelands@whalecottage.com
CC: Viktor

My brother – copied in this email – has asked me the handle this matter on behalf of our 3 room party. Feedback and a full description of the events is in my first email sent you Whale Cottage one month ago on 12 January, see below.

Regards

Gustaf

From: Whale Cottage Franschhoek [mailto:winelands@whalecottage.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 9:01 PM
To: Gustaf
Subject: Re: URGENT - 3rd and final reminder

Please ask Viktor to contact me directly. He made the booking and I did write for his feedback, but have not yet received it.

Chris

Chris
Christiane von Ulmenstein
Owner
WHALE COTTAGE GUEST HOUSE PORTFOLIO
Whale Cottage Camps Bay/Whale Cottage Franschhoek/Whale Cottage Hermanus/Whale Cottage Plettenberg Bay
WELCOME TO A WHALE OF A STAY!
Reservations: tel + 27 21 433-2100
Reservations: fax +27 21 433-2101
info@whalecottage.com
website: www.whalecottage.com
WhaleTales blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog
WIR SPRECHEN DEUTSCH
PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN

3rd email to Whale Cottage, 8 February 2009

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:39:00 GMT

From: Gustaf

To: winelands@whalecottage.com

Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 2:50 PM

Subject: FW: URGENT - 3rd and final reminder

Hello,

It has been another week and half since I sent my reminder email. Trust me I really want to believe that what we experienced was an exception. I want to believe that you will provide the basic customer service and answer to a complaint letter. That said, unless I hear back from you until end of this week ie latest February 14^th I see no other way than to take further steps. I will be forced to publish my full story on all available travel review sites, and where possible also upload pictures and video of the whale cottage experience. I would hate to see other travelers suffer the same fate as we did.

Regards

Gustaf

Reminder email 29 January

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:37:00 GMT

From: Gustaf
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 9:16 AM
To: 'winelands@whalecottage.com''
Subject: URGENT

Hello,

It has been more than one week since I sent his formal complaint, and one month (!) since we had our disappointing experience with Whale Cottage in Franschoek.

I still await your reply,

Regards

Gustaf

Email to Whale Cottage owner Chris von Ulmenstein 12 January 2009

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:34:00 GMT

From: Gustaf
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 4:32 PM
To: 'winelands@whalecottage.com'
Subject: For the attention of Ms Chris von Ulmenstein

Dear Madame,

I write to you to express my deep concern about the quality of the service that we experienced during our stay at the Whale Cottage in Franchoek. I addressed these issues with the local manager, as well as left several voice mails on your mobile phone but still have not heard back.

We – a party of 6 people – arrived for our stay Sunday 28 December. We were asked to pay in advance for our 3 rooms, ie without having seen the rooms first. As your establishment is rated 4 stars and as there was a local manager on duty this was acceptable to us.

While the 3 rooms were nicely furbished and in good condition there were serious issues with the cleaning.

- The garden room was barely cleaned: dirty on the floor from weeks of not being cleaned, bathroom not properly wiped down, and toilet not flushed
- The two rooms in the main building had both very dirty floors, and hair and other extremities in the bathroom. The towels in the two rooms had not been changed, and smelled like old sweat.

When asked the manager provided clean towels, and promised to clean up the rooms immediately. We did get the new towels, but only a quick cleaning of the rooms by a cleaner who went around mumbling and cursing that she “cleaned these damn rooms before”. I again asked them to be cleaned again, and the manager promised to have them clean by the time we returned from our dinner later that night. We got back at 23:00 in the evening, the rooms had not been touched.

The morning after I addressed this with the manager again. I showed her again the dirty rooms, but she insisted that they were already cleaned and would not apologize. I asked her how come they are dirty, but the only response was that they had been cleaned.

I then asked that we jointly give you a call to straighten this out, but was told that we could not reach you. Frustrated I gave up trying, documented with both pictures and with a film the condition of the rooms and then checked out.

Staying at guesthouses we don’t expect 5* hotel service, but charming small establishments with personal service. We do expect clean rooms and to be treated as paying customers.

It is very unfortunate that The Whale Cottage in Franchoek does not live up to the good reputation of the Whale Cottage group. I look forward to hearing from you with an explaination on what went wrong and would be happy to share pictures and movies with you if requested.

Kind Regards

Gustaf Redin

What happened 28 December

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:27:00 GMT

The short story: unclean rooms, unclean smelling towels. A manager that promises to clean up. Later on promises to clean out while we're out for dinner. Finally the day after at checkout decides that the rooms are not unclean after all and will neither apologize or give a discount.

Look, all we ever really wanted was a clean room

Gustaf — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:13:00 GMT

In December 2008 we stayed at the Whale Cottage in Franchoek. Talking to friends who stayed there before, we thought it would be another pleasant stop on our 3 weeks in South Africa. Unfortunately not.

Unclean rooms, unfriendly on site manager, impossible to get a straight answer to normal questions. After 1.5 months of calling and emailing management has still not had the decency to acknowledge our complaints. In fact all we ever got back was a few emails regarding who could or could not write an email to management. Yes it is true.

We have explained in length to both the local manager as well as to the Whale Cottage chain's owner that we have documented our stay. We have sent reminders telling that unless we can get somebody to talk to we feel forced to publish on line our experience. We really really don't want another party of happy travelers getting in to the same messy guest house.

There are so many options in the Winelands. There is so much good to experience. We hope that our modest try to display consumer power will prevent others from having their vacation ruined.

Welcome

Gustaf — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 11:06:35 GMT

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