Thornhall Chalet - horrendous holiday let exeprience
If you’re looking for an easy and stress-free holiday let, Thornhall Chalet may not be the place for you. Personally, it was the worst holiday let experience I’ve had.
The owner was asking for a £1,000 deposit, which seemed high for a holiday let, but as she was displaying a 4-star Scottish Tourist Board sign outside the property, I assumed it would be safe to make the payment.
A few days into my stay, I was accused of damaging items which weren't working when I arrived, such as a dysfunctional kitchen bin and loose toilet flush button. Following this, I was informed that I needed to list and photograph all damage in the holiday let, however minor, or the cost of repair may be deducted from my deposit. This task would have taken me several hours to complete – as the property was filled with marks and scratches, as well as several damaged items.
Believing the holiday let was endorsed by the Scottish Tourist Board (now called VisitScotland), I decided to call them to see if they could help. They informed me that the owner no longer held this award and shouldn’t be using it to promote her business. Even after being advised that her award had expired, she continued displaying it for several weeks – potentially misleading other guests.
Following my contact with VisitScotland, the owner became especially unpleasant towards me. She contacted a place where I was volunteering to complain about me – which was highly inappropriate, as it was an area of my life unconnected to her holiday rental. She would later claim her action was no different from me contacting VisitScotland about my private booking with her.
Less than halfway through my stay, she sent an email informing me to vacate her holiday let and refused to provide me with a pro rata refund for the 18-night period she was cutting my holiday short. I didn’t want to leave without receiving my refund but the situation had become untenable and so I vacated by the deadline given and assumed I would get my refund after I left.
On the day she was due to return my deposit, she paid just £10 from the £1,000 she was holding and sent me a list of inappropriate and unjustified deductions she’d be making, unless I signed a cease and desist. It seems she was trying to use my deposit as a bargaining tool to stop me posting any reviews about her holiday let. After informing her I’d be advising VisitScotland about her conduct with my deposit, she returned the full amount without me signing her cease and desist.
It’s now more than a year since my stay and she's still refusing to refund me for the 18 nights’ accommodation I paid for but didn't get to stay – due to her insistence I vacate early.
I’d clearly not recommend staying at this holiday let but should you decide to book, I'd encourage making payment in a way that gives you protection – such as credit/debit card or PayPal.