The Caribbean Cottage Club has been open three years now and this is the first complain I am aware of.

I could answer each allegation the Ladies made but I don’t want to fall into polemic that will bring nowhere. Just a few points: The Ladies pretend to read my mind and put words in my mouth I never said, this is so wrong. I apologize if it took few hours to bring the cattle up, I went to buy it, since is not part of our kitchen equipment. The main door lock works properly and they should have been more concerned about the people they brought in rather than the gentleman next door, who is a regular guest.

Let me ask the Ladies a simple question: if the place was so unfriendly and “dangerous” why they stayed? They could have left the day after without any difficulty, during low season there is availability in every guest house in Grenada, and they seemed to have so many friends. But they stayed for two long, unpleasant weeks….

I suggest that whoever is interested in knowing more about us go to “Caribbean Cottage Club Grenada” in Internet and see the comments written by real travelers.

The half day island tour is at client’s request. We had none.

Vittoria

Dear Editor,

The report is false and tendentious.

As the ladies came in on the 6th of July they looked relaxed and no mention was made of “hostile behavior” in regards to Tom, who told me later than the ladies asked him to stop at the cash point at the airport and he waited for them. He even gave them a card in case of taxi service needed.

I suppose that by “nurotic” they meant neurotic. I am a 64, balanced, hardworking lady who has a wide experience in tourism, having worked as hotel manager both in France and Grenada before having my own place and as manager of a tour company. I am also the Italian Consul in this country.

The kitchen equipment is exactly as described, the only missing item was the kettle that is not included and I went to buy it the same day and brought it up.

The wall fans were in the process of being changed since they got damaged by Ivan (we have them all now) but movable fans are available at request, if they only had mentioned the need of one, they would have had it immediately.

I NEVER said that the place was poorly lit because “electricity is expensive”!

As they told me about the smell of gas I went to check myself and everything was o.k. (there was not gas smell at all).

The main lock works properly and has its key. If the first night guests “fear for their life” I would expect them to leave the morning after! No payment was performed, no advance given, no money loss on their side! The guest next door was a decent English gentleman repeat client!

The barking of the dogs who are friendly but advise me of strange presences, was due to the several companions they brought in at any time of the day and night. The dogs know the clients but don’t like random visitors.

They complain about the room service but state that “the maid did her best to help where possible”. This is contradictory, either she cleaned the room or she didn't. They call me a “lousey host” (I suppose again they meant lousy). What did they expect of me? I received them, I was there when they called, and I was so kind to close an eye on their lousy behavior!

On the day of their departure they pretend to have read my mind. But it was not so. We follow a procedure and it was done. The ladies had already paid and I apologized.

They say the place was “hell” but they stayed the whole 14 days without complaining?!

I will appreciate your taking steps to remove this defamatory report.

Yours truly.

Vittoria Bertoletti

Owner/Manager

Consul of Italy in Grenada

To the ladies of cottage no.4

I will introduce myself. My name is Ray. A very unsavoury character! I feel that this reply to your statements will be slightly unprofessional and rather personal, one's character is. If you wish to judge in such a way, maybe you should gather some information first, or shall I supply you some background?

I was working as a volunteer relief worker (engineer) after Ivan struck Grenada. Virtually all the accommodation was damaged. I was introduced to the Caribbean Cottage Club and Vittoria by a mutual friend. When I explained my purpose on the island, Vittoria did not hesitate in arranging accommodation. I found many nationalities sheltering in the remains of her cottages. We were all in the same boat. From this point of disaster, Vittoria gave us shelter, assistance and help. It moved on, she rebuilt her cottages, she rebuilt and expanded her business.

I wonder ladies, could you face this and do this? I believe that when you met her, she was simply very very tired, which after all that, is understandable.

As for the guard dogs, the beloved pair of labradors, these dogs have taken it upon themselves to spend hours with me, especially Lucky. Yes they are dangerous; they will lick you to death!

I'm on and off the island regularly and my experiences of the Cottage Club and my fellow guests has involved the odd bottle of beer on the balconies, the odd glass of wine at sunset, the joining up and wandering off to a local bar, and of course, the Saturday and Sunday mornings where one cottage would host breakfast - coffee, cheese and meats - in a multinational flavour. Maybe it was quiet when you, the ladies of no.4, were here, but maybe you wouldn't have wanted to join in anyway? I vaguely remember you and I don't recall any meaningful exchange or interraction between us, so what do you know of me, to make your judgement?

My dear ladies, if you are interested in unsavoury gentlemen and hells on earth, as some ladies are in this world, I can furnish you with a list of some excellent hells on this earth, where no doubt unsavoury gentlemen would welcome you with open arms.

Just a point, strong smell of gas? If I'd smelt that, I would have acted instantly. I recall nothing.

When my colleagues and I roam the world, the real world, at times we come across a little gem, with a touch of humanity, where one can relax, unwind, and socialise. I do apologise about my appearance, the grease under my fingernails etc - I'm there to do a job - there's not a dress code in the Cottage Club - and I feel YOU JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! Its a pity you judge people the same way.

I understand a certain Christian book states, judge and you will be judged. I have been judged. I am unsavoury. I will lower myself, I believe, to your level and make a judgement, but I have the gift of the written word in front of me. If I am unsavoury, ladies, that makes three of us!

Ray - I was your neighbour!

Thank you Ray,

any time you decide to come back to Grenada you are most welcome!

Vittoria

I am sorry but I have my doubts about that bad review about the Caribbean Cottage Club and about Vittoria. I know the owner Vittoria more than 15 years, and believe me this is one of the hardest working women I ever met in my life.

She is one of the best hosts on the island and to read something like that makes me real angry !!!!!!!!

I would just like to say that whilst I have not stayed yet at the Caribbean Cottage Club, we were going to stay there in 2005 but had to cancel due to Hurricane Ivan. We are now going next Feb and with all the emails and phone calls that we have had with Vittoria she has been really helpful and nothing has been too much trouble. She offered to let us use her cottage for the last day of our holiday if she did not have a vacant one as our flight will be leaving late that day. Which was really generous considering it will be on our return from Union Island. If the place was that bad then why stay!!! I have great reservations about this bad review and have not been put off and am really looking forward to our stay there.

I am truly angered by the tone this letter was written as it was purely malicious. Let's take it apart shall we.

"Tom had a very hostile approach from the start making our journey from the airport to the accommodation very uncomfortable."

I know Tom for more than 15 years and have done numerous tours with him and have never received any complaint from any of my guest nor did I ever experienced anything else than friendly and polite service from him.

"Vittoria was a woman on the edge".

Well, I refuse to reply to that!

"When we arrived at the cottage, we were surprised to find there .Vittoria had no regard for health and safety."

You have to be kidding right!

"The cottage was very hot"

Hello you are in the tropics in case you haven't checked the regular temperature in Grenada is a constant 31 degree in the shade.

"(no fans),"

But windows which one can open and enjoy the ocean breeze, Vittoria mentioned standing fans at your request, Did you request them or even complain about the non availability of the wall fans, if so Vittoria would have immediately place standing fans in your cottage , That is just the woman she is.

"Poorly lit"

I am sure you did not need a flash light or candles to find your way around your cottage.

"From the day she introduced us to the cottage there was a very strong smell of GAS"

Why did you then not point it out to her right away, I wonder?? Did you see a gas cylinder near your cottage; if so why not turn it off if you felt endangered????

"The cottage door which had two locks only had one key. She could not account for the key for the main lock. That night we feared for our lives, what with the gas leak and a very unsavory character in the cabin next door, knowing the main door was not properly locked."

So there were two locks, even if the key for one was missing you had the second one to securely lock your cottage right. OH PLEASE!! So where was the danger?? I specially love the following statement.

"Closely guarded by her dogs"

So you even had guard dogs.

"which we feared!"

These blood thirsty beasts are the most loving cuddle dogs I ever met and I breed dogs for many years, to top it of you do know from Vittoria's website that she has dogs in the property, so what is the problem.?

"On the morning of our last day the maid was sent to check our cottage as Vittoria suspected we had vacated in the early hours of the morning without paying for our 14nights stay."

It is proper and professional to check the, Hotel room or Cottage on the morning before departure to check for possible damages ect. in order to process your final bill (case you have not know you know it now). She did not have to apologize to you for being professional; I guess you did not do much traveling since you would have known these procedures from your other visits to hotel.

Finally I would just love to state that Vittoria is a very professional Lady she studied Business in well accredited Universities in Europe and she has been in Managerial positions in the Grenadian Hotel Industry for many years, she is a great Colleague and I treasure her beautiful mix of professionalism and humanity.

Vittoria I love you and assure you that such vicious and false accusation will not stick.

In closing I would like to invite everyone to come to Vittoria's Cottage Club to experience truly first Class hospitality with a beautiful blend of Italian and Caribbean touch.

Uschi

Thanks Uschi,

these are the signs of love and respect that make my life worth while.

Vittoria

I think it might be best if petal99 stays at home in London in future and keeps her rants and skewed opinions to herself. She clearly has a problem dealing with life in general and humanity as a whole.

Grenadan people are so warm and friendly and don't deserve the kind of vitriolic spiteful biased "review" that petal99 posted.