James Keys
Had a mare with these apartments. Long story, but am gonna write it down anyway in case I later rely on it in court:
Pre-arrival: 100% paid up front $2k deposit and $6.8k for the apartments, Wanda emails me to confirm my date of arrival. Says I need to arrive before 5pm if possible. I say I might be cutting it fine if I get held up at immigration/rental car place.
3.30: Having flown through customs and rented a car I get to the office, Wanda says she wasn't expecting me so early so has some errands to run. I have to go to the bank anyway so do that and return at around..
4.15: Wanda says she really wasn't expecting me so early, has to run some documents to some place, can I come back at 5:45.
5.45: I return to hear Wanda has great news! Instead of the 2 2bed apartments I asked for, she has got us a 5 bedroom house .... :/ hmmmm. First question "where is it?"
"Oh it's 7 mins from the Rio"
"In which direction?"
"Erm... I'm terrible with street names, just follow me there."
A 25 min drive across Vegas later, we arrive at a gated community (major cross streets Rainbow & Oakey, 15 mins from the rio AT BEST) to which Wanda doesn't have the gate code. After 5 mins of sitting there waiting, I get out of my car to go tell her not to bother, there's no way we're staying so far from the strip. Wanda says "At least see the house", and after 5-10 more mins wait we finally get the code, from the owner Constantine, who it turns out is in the house cleaning up. The house is only about 90% built and 50% furnished, and has no pool.
6.15: Now it's 100% clear I won't accept the house substitution, Wanda and Constantine explain that a bloke had neck surgery so hasn't moved out of our apartments. Not sure why he has 2 apartments or why he had neck surgery on the day he was due to leave his apartments but we'll ignore that little plot-hole for now. They say I can have the "penthouse" 3bed apartment in the meridian, and then they will evict Mr Neck Surgery from his apartment tomorrow. I have to wait around for 20mins while Constantine packs up his building+cleaning stuff from the house into a van, then I am to follow him back to the meridian because Wanda has some other people to see.
6.45: Constantine now changes his mind and Wanda will take me to the meridian as he has to drop off his mate and he doesn't want to waste my time LOL
7.15: Finally get into meridian apartments, Wanda shows me to the penthouse which turns out to be a construction site, about 50% built and 10% furnished. There are no beds in the apartment at all. At this point I say to Wanda that I am going to check into the palazzo and either they have 2 apartments for me tomorrow AND they reimburse me for the hotel, or they give my $8800 back. Wanda phones Constantine who offers to pay for me to stay in Tuscany Suites for the night ($45) but won't stretch to the palazzo. (Tuscany Suites is an even comparison to meridian apparently.) I explain that as I have paid $6800 for 30 nights I expect a $220 refund for each night where we don't have the apartments. Constantine won't budge, Wanda offers me $100 out of her purse. I turn it down. She admits that "earlier today" one of the owners decided to take his 15 apartments away from their management because they wouldn't lower their 7% fee, and that's why they have no apartments for us. She assures me that there will be some tomorrow though, without explaining how.
7.45: I check into the Venetian
1st thing tomorrow morning am gonna go round to try and get the $8800 back. Will let you know how it goes. Might have to get a lawyer involved or something. Anyway, will post as soon as I know for sure whether you guys will have to sort your own accommodation. Who's flying when?
^^ Keys a legend for dealing with this, he's the first one there and it sounds like an absolute nightmare! Hopefully it will be sorted
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