Dear Vonda,
Thank you for your review.
First, let’s address the cistern. You called addressing a previous review. You were not kind with your questions and were accusatory that you would not have water when you arrived. After the previous guest called me, I immediately had staff fill the tank. We discovered we had a major leak with the pump, a seal had failed. Your review had nothing to do with the water levels and should not be included in your review. We drained and completely cleaned the tank and fixed the leak on the pump before your arrival.
Second, the toilet was working when you arrived, and you contacted me late in the evening to say that the toilet had stopped filling. You stated that you were filling it by hand, and it would be okay until the morning. The next morning, I personally went into the house and unhooked the supply line to see if it was an airlock issue or if there was some other problem. The pressure was fine, and I deduced that the cartridge in the toilet had an air bubble or had failed. I did reach out to two different plumbers, AJ Plumbing and Carl Johnson Plumbing, neither were available as it was a weekend. I offered you two bottles of wine, the Noche, a Port wine, and also a bottle of Sangre Del Sol, a value of $58.00, for your inconvenience, which you gladly accepted. If you would like to reach out to both plumbers, they will verify that I did contact them. If you would like their phone numbers, I will be more than happy to provide that for you. Please let me know. We now have the toilet filling properly.
Third, the next issue was your unkind phone conversation regarding the porty potties. You assumed that they would be dirty. We clean them daily and fill the reservoir as needed. They are cleaned and drained once a week on Mondays by the supplier.
Fourth, on Friday night, I moved the water on lawn, and you kindly asked if I could have the sprinkler by the house running for the kids to run around in for the reunion. I kindly agreed and Saturday morning I set the water to the next area of the lawn. Your mother was not happy, I then accommodated her by setting the water in the front of the house.
Fifth, VRBO does not have a Swamp Cooler option vs an AC option. I went with the AC option, as it is still cool air. I have lived in that house for 7 years with a swamp cooler and it does keep the house cool.
Sixth, during cleaning the porty potties, I noticed that your gathering was more than you expressed on the phone. You called me right around the time when you made your reservation. You told me that you wanted to have a small family reunion with a few family, 10-15 people, who were local, mostly from Hotchkiss, I said that would be fine and that the reunion would have to be at the Elderberry House that you rented. You did not state that there was going to be between 45-55 people present. If the information was correct that you had given me, we would have addressed my venue fees, where we might have the event and if I needed to close down the tasting room for the day and provide an additional porty potty. We would also discussed the issue of the pond with children. I consider the amount of people you had on the property to be an event. My rate is $150/per hour. You were misleading in the information that you had given me about your reunion. This is not a park, I don’t get paid by the county to make this place beautiful. I am a business that has created a space for people to enjoy. It costs money to mow, water, weed, insure and manage. I feel like you took advantage of my kindness to allow a “small gathering” for your reunion. I asked you to move your event to the shade of the trees around the little house. I run a wine tasting room from 12-6 pm daily. The reunion in the location that you personally chose was not discussed with me. A gathering of this size distracts from the ambiance of the tasting area and distracts from other guests enjoying the venue, so I asked you kindly but firmly to move away from the tasting under the veranda and the main house to the shade of the trees at the little house, that you rented as your vacation rental. I also gave you the opportunity to pay the $150.00 and hour to use the space by the pond and stage, but you declined stating that you told me how many people would be present on the phone, which was incorrect information. I never would have agreed to have that many people on the property without addressing financial compensation and the needs of other guests on the property. For example, If I have a concert, I let the guests know that we will have music from 7-9 pm, so they are prepared. If we have a small wedding, I talk to them about the $150/hr, where the wedding would take place, that we are still open for wine tastings and that there will be other guests on the property. Vonda, this is my business, my livelihood, and you took advantage of my offerings. You are an intelligent, well-spoken woman, who had an agenda.
I wish you and your family all the best,
Cindie Sorensen
Owner of Zenzen Gardens