Dear Mike & Christal,

Thank you for your review and we are very sorry that your vacation did not live up to your expectations. Our family owned and managed properties have been closed since March and we reopened in December 2020 after receiving our Covid-19 certification from the Government of Saint Lucia. We have implemented and adhere to all the strict rules and protocols set by the authorities; while we understand that it is not easy time to travel during a global pandemic with all the new requirements, restrictions and protocols we know that these are absolutely necessary to protect the health & safety of our guests like you, our team and the people of Saint Lucia. We are all in a battle to save both lives and livelihoods.

We sent you information via emails prior to your arrival with all the travel requirements, an easy to read travel check list and all the health & safety protocols for the island and specifically for our properties. These was also that information on the official Saint Lucia Tourism Authority website when you had to register to travel to the island and was further reiterated during your check in. Unfortunately the following morning you hopefully inadvertently walked out of the property and broke one of the main protocols that states is that guests must remain on property and can only travel to Covid-19 certified restaurants, sites and attractions via a Covid-19 certified taxi.

Taxi fares are expensive in Saint Lucia, over which we have little control as these are set by the National Taxi Association and the Government. Transportation in the form of local buses or car rental which is usually available at our properties are not permitted at this time but we have got our property taxi drivers to offer low rates than the standard fares to our guests.

We agree that communication both verbal and written is critical for any hotel to effectively provide and deliver services to guest but it must also be both ways. We know it has and will continue be a challenge for my team at both properties to deal with all the new protocols, additional services, contactless communication “from a distance” and even the wearing of masks which prevented you from seeing their smiles. I can assure you we would never try to take advantage of our guests, on the contrary my team will and have always gone beyond the norm to deliver an extremely high level of service to all our guests.

We apologize that you were not specially told to bring your groceries when you move to La Dauphine Estate and have implemented additional measures to ensure more effective communication. These include additional contactless information on protocols, services and menus in our rooms in the form of QR codes, additional written information in the form of check list in the sanitized welcome package in our rooms and a virtual orientation by management (or if not possible as in your case a face to face with the appropriate social distancing and mask wearing).

We were however surprised by your comments about the Christmas dinner at the Villa Beach Cottages and your stay at La Dauphine Estate. Our chefs accommodated for your late order which was prepared with fresh ingredients and delivered in room as per protocol in disposable plates. At La Dauphine Estate our Estate Manager personally went to buy food for your family on the first day from a restaurant in Soufriere at no extra charge, gave you and the girls a free personal tour for over one hour of the estate when you picked several different fruits, personally delivered coconuts and freshly squeezed orange juice to your house and went shopping for your groceries the following day after our housekeeper prepared breakfast for the family.

My team is made up of very kind and generous people and who have been out of work for over 9 months and are very happy to be back delivering that high level of service and true Saint Lucian hospitality that all our guests have and will continue to receive even in these uncertain and challenging times.