Winterhaven Hütte - Whirlpool, 1 Acre, Olympic Nationalpark

Hi Hilary, I’m sorry to hear that our home did not fully meet your expectations. We take guest feedback seriously and would like to clarify a few of the concerns you raised. 1. Wi-Fi connectivity You first contacted us at 12:05 p.m. the day after check-in, indicating that the Wi-Fi had not been working since your arrival. However, after reviewing our security cameras, we observed that the power to the Wi-Fi equipment had been disconnected less than an hour before you messaged us. We immediately called you to troubleshoot the issue, but you declined our request to FaceTime, indicating that you did not see how it would make a difference. At your request, our property manager first had to purchase an N95 mask before entering the property. He arrived within approximately 1–1.5 hours and discovered that the power strip supplying the modem had been manually switched off. He simply turned the switch back on, restoring the connection. This was a straightforward issue that could likely have been resolved more quickly through a brief video call. 2. Upstairs smart lock The following day, you contacted us about the Philips smart lock on the upstairs door, indicating that it was unresponsive. Our smart locks connect to Wi-Fi, can be controlled remotely, and notify us when their batteries are low. When we checked the system, the lock was completely offline. You told us that you had attempted to replace the batteries yourself and believed the lock might need to be replaced. However, you had not notified us before attempting to troubleshoot or repair the lock yourself. My husband suggested manually locking the upstairs door and exiting through the downstairs door. When you reported that the downstairs access code was not working, he promptly generated a new code, allowing you to leave for the local Mushroom Festival. With your permission, and in accordance with your request that our property manager wear an N95 mask, he entered through the downstairs entrance to inspect the lock. Upon entering, he noticed a distinct smell of marijuana and proceeded upstairs, where he discovered that the batteries had been removed from the upstairs lock entirely. He reinstalled the batteries, and the lock immediately came back online and functioned normally. The lock did not require replacement or repair. These findings indicated that its malfunction was attributable to the missing batteries rather than a defective device. 3. Hot tub instructions We were not notified during your stay of any issue with a broken link to the hot tub instructions. We have not changed the URL, and the link continues to function as expected. No other guest has reported this issue before or after your stay. 4. Upstairs bathroom handles We acknowledge that the handles in two of the upstairs bathrooms are reversed, and we apologize for this oversight. We have asked our builder to correct them as soon as possible. 5. Pet-related concerns On the day of your arrival, you messaged us to explain that your friend would no longer be bringing her corgi and that you would instead be bringing your German Shepherd. You described your dog as freshly groomed, brushed daily, well-mannered, and better trained than the corgi. You also asked whether an additional pet deposit was required, and we confirmed that it was not. Unfortunately, we found a considerable amount of dog hair throughout the property after your stay. Nevertheless, we did not raise a complaint or request any additional fees for the additional cleanup. We genuinely want every guest to enjoy our home, and we appreciate constructive feedback that helps us improve the experience for future guests. We acknowledge the bathroom handle issue and have taken steps to address it. We also responded to the concerns brought to our attention during your stay and made efforts to resolve them promptly. After checkout, you messaged us indicated that you would be open to negotiating a partial refund before leaving a review. We are willing to consider legitimate concerns fairly. However, we believe it is important that any assessment of your stay accurately reflects the circumstances, including our efforts to address the reported issues and the findings of our property manager. We hope this clarifies our perspective and demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the property, our honesty, and treating our guests fairly.

Unfortunately, I feel it is important to address several inconsistencies in your review. Upon checking in, you did not report any concerns regarding mold, mildew, odors, or the condition of the property. In fact, you indicated that “things are great so far!” The following evening, around 6:30 p.m., you contacted us stating that you smelled “mold,” that members of your household were becoming sick, and requested a refund. We responded immediately. Within approximately 1–1.5 hours, both our property manager AND our builder were at the property to investigate your concerns. Neither observed any mold or mildew, detected any unusual odor, or observed anyone exhibiting signs of illness at that time. Additionally, the exterior security cameras showed members of your group continuing to enjoy and use the property without any apparent indication of illness. Members of your party also remained at the property through the scheduled checkout time and continued using the home's amenities, including the evening before checkout. We understand that guests may have different experiences and that concerns about a property should always be taken seriously. That is precisely why we responded promptly and personally investigated your concerns. However, based on the immediate inspection, our observations, and the fact that your group continued to occupy and use the property through the scheduled checkout, we were unable to substantiate the claims made. It is unfortunate that, after we were unable to provide the requested refund, you chose to leave a negative review. Ultimately, our goal is for every guest to enjoy this home as much as we do. This is our personal vacation home, and we take great pride in maintaining it and providing a clean, comfortable, and enjoyable experience. We are grateful that many of our previous guests have had exactly that experience.