Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/14/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Dear Better Business Bureau,I am writing to file a complaint against Maui Tour Company in ****, ******. After a disappointing full-day tour on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, I contacted the business owner, *********************, with my concerns. I did not receive all of the services I paid for advertised on their website, in our itinerary, and discussed verbally. In response, I received aggressive and unprofessional emails that included personal attacks, blame-shifting, and implied legal threats.Despite initially agreeing to negotiate a fair refund, the owner shifted blame onto me, falsely. This refusal to negotiate and the fabrications about my behavior were unjust and added to my dissatisfaction.Particularly concerning was the owners use of the recent Lahaina Fires tragedy to guilt-trip me into dropping my claim, despite the fact that people lost their lives in this devastating event. This is deeply inappropriate and manipulative.The owner also made statements like "pursue every available avenue" and "any other available options," which were clearly intended to intimidate me into dropping my legitimate complaints.I am also attaching copies of all correspondences between ********************* and myself as evidence of their unprofessional and threatening behavior and services I did not receive. Other supporting documents include screenshots of Maui Tour Companys website showing what is advertised.Given the aggressive and unprofessional nature of the communications I have received, I am seeking the BBBs assistance in addressing this issue. I request that ********************* be held accountable for their unprofessional conduct and intimidation tactics, Maui Tour Company be urged to adopt a more customer-friendly approach in dealing with complaints, a full refund, and for this complaint be made a part of the public record to warn other potential customers of the risks of dealing with this business. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.Sincerely,***********************************

  Business Response

  Date: 08/15/2024

  Greetings BBB, I will be brief here: After a lengthy review process and a good faith refund of $300, I have come to the conclusion that this individual ******* has mental health issues and/or is a talented scam artist specializing in being offended. He and his partner (who exposed himself to our guide during the course of the tour) has been dramatic, lied, exaggerated, and completely fabricated stories in order to extort money from us. If that wasn't ridiculous enough, he continues to disparage and attack our company, this being only the most recent attempt. Below is our complete correspondence from start to finish, so if you would like to take the time to substantiate what I'm saying, it's all there. Ultimately this will be brought before the County of Maui for resolution, with this being submitted as additional support for our claim against this individual. 

   

   

  Dear Maui Tour Company,
  
  
  My name is *******, and I went on a tour with your company today with my partner (Booking #*********). We did not have a good experience with your tour, and I wanted to provide feedback as to why we left your tour feeling uncomfortable and disappointed.
  
  
  I booked a tour with your company to experience a personalized tour and have as much of an outdoor, immersive experience as possible. 
  
  
  Your company advertises your "specialty is tailoring a day that makes the whole crew stoked, after all, youve done enough planning to make it to Maui right?! Leave the rest to us." However, I do not feel our tour was tailored to the extent in which is advertised and what I expected. We requested to see sea caves, but did not get taken to any. We also asked many questions about **** and its history, but many of our questions were not answered since our guide did not know the answer, so much of our car ride was silent.
  
  
  You also advertise in your FAQ inquiry about being in a car all day that is "Not. Even. Close. There are so many awesome things to see/eat/do/jump/climb along the road to ****. Expect to be pulling over every 20 mins and doing something awesome!" We only stopped a total of 8 times in our entire full-day journey, including for breakfast and lunch. We spent a very long time in the car with few excursions all day, and this was not what is advertised, and it is not what I expected at all. 
  
  
  Nowhere in the email itinerary does it say that lunch is not provided, so I did eat lunch today. With a trip for two people with tickets averaging at over $600 each, I thought that lunch would be provided if not stated otherwise, especially since we were being taken to a place recommended by the tour company.
  
  
  We were also not provided with bug spray or sunblock as advertised, and we both got bit a lot by mosquitoes (which is totally understandable since we are in nature, but we did not receive what was advertised).
  
  
  Something very disturbing also occurred during our trip. Colten parallel parked at ***********, and the person behind us said that our van backed into his car. ****** said we did not (my partner and I also said we did not feel an impact), and then the man started saying tours like this were culturally appropriative and disrespectful of Maui citizens. As the argument heated up, ****** locked my partner and me in the van, so we felt trapped and extremely uncomfortable with the situation. I did not feel comfortable enough to get out of the van to go to the beach, so I did not even get to experience this stop in our journey.
  
  
  Safety-wise, I felt unsafe in the van at many points due to how fast we were going. At many points we were going well above the speed limit, and I could not even take many photos or even see many sights for more than a second or two. It was disappointing and the speeding made me feel very uneasy.
  
  
  My partner went on a separate excursion to **** previously, and he was shocked at how fast we were going through this and how little we actually did compared to a separate excursion. We did not even get to see black and red sand beaches, and we did not get taken to see the turtles because ****** said it would be redundant since we already saw turtles. I did not like having this choice made for me since I wanted to see the turtles, and I felt like my wants were not considered since they were not even asked for. 
  
  
  I would like to say that our trip was not absolutely horrible, but it was not as advertised and it was not what was expected for a private, catered tour for $1,265.82. I am deeply upset and feel like the trust you asked me to put in you was not followed through. Your guarantee is, "Give us one day of your Maui vacation and we will make sure it is the most unique and enjoyable day of your stay on our island! That is our promise to you!". This was the most uncomfortable day we have had on our vacation, so this promise was broken.
  
  
  I wanted to bring this to your attention as soon as possible, and I hope that we can work together on how to fix this unsettling experience.
  
  
  Thank you.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  ***************************
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The Maui Road to **** **** Company <********************************>
  Fri, Jun 28, 5:31?AM
  
  
  
  to ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ********************,
  
  
  I'm sorry to hear that you and your partner had a less than stellar experience yesterday.  Whenever we miss hitting the **** with a tour, we are very keen to identify and fix those mistakes or omissions. I'm hoping you can help me get some more information, if you could answer the following questions it would be greatly appreciated and help me to get to a solution.
  
  
  1. Can you tell me more about the sea caves request? Did you verbalize that to ****** when the tour was headed out for the day? If so, what was his response?
  
  
  
  
  2. If you can remember any of the questions about **** and hawaiian history that were asked/discussed and ******** response please list as many as possible, and ******** overall attitude towards the history/questions in general.
  
  
  
  
  3. You mentioned periods of silence during the day, would you say those happened more in the first half or second half of the day?
  
  
  4. Can you describe the conversation regarding choosing a spot for lunch?
  
  
  
  
  5. What was ******** response when you requested bug spray/sunblock?
  
  
  6. In regards to the confrontation at ***********: Can you give me the sequence of what happened? ***************** was talking to the guy out of the van window, then stepped out while the conversation continued? Did he lock the doors with the key fob after stepping out and closing his door or were the doors not unlocked after parking? Any details greatly appreciated.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  7. Can you describe the driving throughout the day for me: in particular: Did the van pass any cars aggressively or that didn't pull over for ****** to pass? Did you feel like you were going too fast around turns (swaying from side to side inside the car) or was it more excessive speed on the straightaways? Did you feel like the engine sound got too loud at any point in acceleration (i.e. "floored it" or "pedal to the metal")?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  8. What was ******** response when you asked to see black and red sand beaches?
  
  
  
  
  9. Please describe the conversation leading up to ****** saying stopping near the end of the day to see turtles would be redundant and anything said immediately afterward.
  
  
  
  
  **. Is there anything else you would like to add confidentially between you and I that wasn't mentioned before, including overall impression of ****** as your guide, attitude or personality wise? 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As a long time tour guide I know where things can go sideways and what guides can miss or need to be retrained on; some of the details of these questions may seem silly but they give me a wealth of information surrounding the tour. I truly appreciate your time and help with this.
   
  
  Sincerely - *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  --
  *********************
  The Maui Road to **** **** Co.
  **************
  mauitourcompany.com
  @mauitourcompany
  
  
  
  
  
  ********************;<*********************>
  Sat, Jun 29, 11:33?AM
  
  
  
  to me
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dear *****,
  
  
  Thank you for your quick reply. I copied your questions and will write a response under each so I can reply to everything to the best of my ability. I also spoke with my partner and will be providing his feedback as well.
  
  
  1. Can you tell me more about the sea caves request? Did you verbalize that to ****** when the tour was headed out for the day? If so, what was his response?
  
  Q1 Response: When we stopped at our first stop to have the banana bread, I told ****** that I loved the rocks and would love to see tide pools and caves, which he said we could. Our second stop was a more secluded waterfall, which was perfect, and we voiced that we really enjoyed the quiet not-so-touristy feeling places. I talked to him about my love of anime, especially Naruto (which he's seen a few seasons of, but he's mainly only seen Attack on Titan). I told him that I love the waterfalls and hikes and would love to see any more waterfalls like this that were not full of tourists and also see some caves so I could do some reflection and meditation near the waterfall or in/near a sea cave. He said okay, but noted that there aren't many hiking opportunities on the trip, so this would probably be our only one, which was a shame since it was the first main stop we did on the trip. Next we went to a more popular waterfall, which I did not like since it was overcrowded. I asked to leave, but we stayed and chatted for a bit. I told him about my time studying abroad in the Mediterranean and spending time in the limestone sea caves there, and he said that was cool and asked my partner and I if we wanted to see him cliff jump. I had already said I wanted to go, but my partner said he didn't care, so we watched ****** jump off of a cliff to check depth and then the bridge into the larger pool far below. He said this was not a jump he'd allow us to do (which is understandable since it seemed dangerous and I had already asked to leave, but we got to watch him jump twice, which ate up a lot of time). We never saw any sea caves. 
  
  
  2. If you can remember any of the questions about **** and hawaiian history that were asked/discussed and ******** response please list as many as possible, and ******** overall attitude towards the history/questions in general.
  
  Q2 Response: My partner and I are both educators, so I asked about college on the island and the education system in general and he just said it's not good and school wasn't for him. I completely respect that school isn't for everyone and pursuing higher education isn't something that's good for everyone, but we got virtually no more information about school systems, school life, or anything. He told us to ****** the satellite campus here on ****, but that's it. I learned more about his search for colleges and pursuing criminal justice and possibly herpetology than anything relating to the ****************** system besides that it is bad. I enjoy nature a lot, and made this a strong point to say to ****** that I wanted to stop as often as possible to be in nature. As a guide, I would think that he would know the general plant life in the area besides the typical ******, Koa, and eucalyptus/rainbow eucalyptus. I pointed out a rainbow eucalyptus, and he said he never saw it there before and that I had a good eye, so there were a few times when I asked what a plant was and he said he didn't know and was going to ask me to identify it instead. I understand that a vast understanding of botany is not in everyone's bed of knowledge, but I would not expect a tour guide to reply to a question asking me the same question or saying he thought I would know and to just ****** what it is. He also brought up a story about fishermen who got lost at sea and told us highlights from the story, but he also told us to ****** that one as well so we can get the full story. He mentioned that there's a remote island where you can only live if you're **0% Hawaiian or can visit if you are related to someone there, and I asked about the population size and he said he didn't know and I should ****** it and that he wondered how sustainable that it and that it's probably worse than ******* on the island (which I found a bit of a distasteful joke for many reasons). My partner asked about how big Maui is around and ****** didn't know, so he gave a rough estimate in miles and told us to ****** that as well. Nearly every question we asked was answered by telling us to ****** things, and even stories he brought up himself he told us to ****** for the full story.
  
  
  
  
  3. You mentioned periods of silence during the day, would you say those happened more in the first half or second half of the day?
  
  Q3 Response: There were more periods of silence after the altercation at the beach, partway through the first half. Nearly the entire second half was silent, and it was very awkward and uncomfortable.
  
  
  4. Can you describe the conversation regarding choosing a spot for lunch?
  
  Q4 Response: This was a bit of a weird conversation. He asked if we liked pizza and salad, and I said I don't eat pizza (I am lactose intolerant) but I enjoy salad, and my partner enjoys pizza and salad. ****** said there were plenty of options, but his favorite recommendation was the pizza and salad farm-to-table place. I said let's just try it since I'd eat a salad and ******* and ****** would share a pepperoni pizza. When I realized that lunch was not catered, I did not order anything. ******* and ****** split the price of a pizza, and ******* got a salad as well (his total was around $35). I felt uncomfortable eating anything, so I did not eat, since I was already upset about the altercation, lack of care in answering questions, and now I have to spend more money on a nearly $1,300 tour to eat when I thought I only needed to bring money for, "small denominations for roadside fruit stands, ****, snacks" as the email sent to us said, not full meals, and we were not told to pack a meal since lunch wasn't provided by the company.
  
  
  
  
  5. What was ******** response when you requested bug spray/sunblock?
  
  Q5 Response: After a brief look into a small patch of bamboo forest, I was covered in mosquito bites. I swatted a few on me, and so my hands and legs had blood on them in multiple spots. I asked him if we could go back to the car so I could clean up and get some relief, but by the time I cleaned myself with my own tissues and water, he had walked away toward the beach area to sit on a tree and text. So no response was really given since he just walked away as I cleaned myself up. We were never offered sunblock, but we did not spend much time outside at all, so I think this may be why it was not offered.
  
  
  6. In regards to the confrontation at ***********: Can you give me the sequence of what happened? ***************** was talking to the guy out of the van window, then stepped out while the conversation continued? Did he lock the doors with the key fob after stepping out and closing his door or were the doors not unlocked after parking? Any details greatly appreciated.
  
  Q6 Response: We parallel parked into a spot, and a man knocked on ******** window when we parked. ****** rolled down the window and the man said our van hit his car. We did hit the curb a bit, but I do not believe we hit his car at all. Neither my partner nor I felt an impact, and the reverse camera didn't make any noise indication either. Once we said there was no impact, the man asked if we were a touring company, and ****** said yes. The man started to tell ****** that tours like this are culturally appropriative and are disrespectful of Hawaiian culture and Maui citizens. ****** rolled his window up and got out of the car and then locked the doors to the van with his fob. They got into an extensive conversation about Hawaiian culture, tourism, bloodlines, residency, how people like us ruin the culture and beauty of the island, and more, while we were locked inside of the van. It was a very bad experience. After the altercation, I told ****** how I can understand where the man is coming from with unkind people in general mistreating nature and taking advantage of sacred culture, and ****** replied by saying that he doesn't think the man even knew where he was coming from. I tried to open a conversation to learn about how multifaceted tourism is and how it could negatively impact the lives of some residents, but this conversation was shut down immediately by ****** and did not progress further.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  7. Can you describe the driving throughout the day for me: in particular: Did the van pass any cars aggressively or that didn't pull over for ****** to pass? Did you feel like you were going too fast around turns (swaying from side to side inside the car) or was it more excessive speed on the straightaways? Did you feel like the engine sound got too loud at any point in acceleration (i.e. "floored it" or "pedal to the metal")?
  
  Q7 Response: The beginning of the day didn't seem as fast as later in the day, but once we approached the second waterfall, we were really speeding along turns. We did not pass anyone that wasn't in the process of slowing down, but we did pass them very fast before they turned off the road. Straightaways were where the engine really revved to the point where the water bottles in the holder got loose a few times. We definitely floored it throughout the first and second part of the trip, but the second half was more prevalent. As we made the journey home, we really whipped around turns and accelerated beyond the speed limit and point of comfort. I could not even get pictures of most waterfalls, plants, and nature (even the ones that he said to get pictures of) because we were going too fast. I've never experienced a tour that tells me to look at something and take a picture but doesn't give me the opportunity to because we were speeding. There was a even point where a family was crossing the road and we did not slow down and the family had to move back quick and the van went between members of the family crossing the road.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  8. What was ******** response when you asked to see black and red sand beaches?
  
  Q8 Response: He told us that, like the Seven Sacred Pools, they are in *********************** so we would be turning around before being able to see any.
  
  
  
  
  9. Please describe the conversation leading up to ****** saying stopping near the end of the day to see turtles would be redundant and anything said immediately afterward.
  
  Q9 Response: There wasn't much of a conversation. As we were approaching the stop for the turtles, he did not slow down the car at all. Instead, he said that, since we already saw the turtles there was no point of stopping to see them again. We didn't have time to say we wanted to see them, he made the decision for us and drove past it without asking us and he dropped us off.
  
  
  
  
  **. Is there anything else you would like to add confidentially between you and I that wasn't mentioned before, including overall impression of ****** as your guide, attitude or personality wise? 
  
  Q** Response: My partner and I both feel that there was a complete lack of a personalized experience. ****** mentioned the many times he's stopped along the stops along the road since he grew up here, and it dulled the experience and made it seem like he was very uninterested in anything other than him swimming, cliff jumping, and talking about his private life. I can honestly tell you I know more about how he shoots and hunts deer, his family's construction business, and his girlfriend's photography than historical facts about ****. There was no conversation at the beginning of the day about what the possible stops could be, so it seemed like he would show us whatever we said, but that is not what happened. I am more than happy to get to know my tour guide, but when the majority of the tour was talking about personal life and the majority of our questions were answered with "****** it" followed by awkward silence is not what I paid for. It did not seem like he had an interest in educating us or allowing us time on the road to sightsee. I also know plenty of people who have hiked along the road, but he told us there were no opportunities to and that we would have to go back ourselves to the national park to do hiking. During one of our last stops, he sat on his phone the whole time and barely answered questions or talked to us. I saw a little save along the shoreline and he told me it wasn't worth checking out. I walked over by myself anyway and found some cool stuff and a back part of the cave which I told him about and he said he never knew that was there and didn't bother to make any more conversation about it. From speaking with our family who did the trip, other people we have spoken with about this on our trip, and locals in ***** where we are staying, every single person told us we were scammed. I am deeply upset that I spent nearly $1,300 on an anniversary and birthday present only to have everyone tell me I was scammed and that I, and my partner, honestly feel like we were misled and mistreated. I'd like to note that every other excursion we did at least said happy birthday (every place gave us something special as well) and anniversary, and nothing was even said to us even though I wrote it in the booking form on your website. I feel totally shafted and that the trust your company's promise and advertising was not upheld and was falsely advertised based on the experience we had. Having a guide that didn't care much about us was hurtful. This was the worst experience I have had with any touring company around the world, and this was also the most expensive. I saved money for an anniversary gift and a birthday gift we would remember for the rest of our lives, but this will not be remembered for the better.
  
  
  I hope that this information helps. Please let me know what other information you may need in order to rectify this situation. 
  
  
  Thank you.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *******
  
  
  
  
  
  ************* to **** **** Company <********************************>
  ************** 30, 9:46?PM
  
  
  
  to ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank you taking the time to share this information ****, truly appreciated 
  I'll review everything and get back to you as soon as possible. - *****. 
  
  
  
  
  
  ************* to **** **** Company <********************************>
  Mon, Jul 1, 8:52?AM
  
  
  
  to Sandboa12
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Review this and let me know what you think by number format 
  
  
  
  
  
  ************* to **** **** Company <********************************>
  Wed, Jul 3, 3:39?AM
  
  
  
  to ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **************, as part of the review process I want to share the guide's responses and see if you have any comments to add before we come to a conclusion here:
  
  
  1.  1. Can you tell me more about the sea caves request? Did you verbalize that to ****** when the tour was headed out for the day? If so, what was his response?
  
  
  Q1 Response: When we stopped at our first stop to have the banana bread, I told ****** that I loved the rocks and would love to see tide pools and caves, which he said we could. Our second stop was a more secluded waterfall, which was perfect, and we voiced that we really enjoyed the quiet not-so-touristy feeling places. I talked to him about my love of anime, especially Naruto (which he's seen a few seasons of, but he's mainly only seen Attack on Titan). I told him that I love the waterfalls and hikes and would love to see any more waterfalls like this that were not full of tourists and also see some caves so I could do some reflection and meditation near the waterfall or in/near a sea cave. He said okay, but noted that there aren't many hiking opportunities on the trip, so this would probably be our only one, which was a shame since it was the first main stop we did on the trip. Next we went to a more popular waterfall, which I did not like since it was overcrowded. I asked to leave, but we stayed and chatted for a bit. I told him about my time studying abroad in the Mediterranean and spending time in the limestone sea caves there, and he said that was cool and asked my partner and I if we wanted to see him cliff jump. I had already said I wanted to go, but my partner said he didn't care, so we watched ****** jump off of a cliff to check depth and then the bridge into the larger pool far below. He said this was not a jump he'd allow us to do (which is understandable since it seemed dangerous and I had already asked to leave, but we got to watch him jump twice, which ate up a lot of time). We never saw any sea caves. 
  
  Nothing about wanting to see tidepools, meditation or sea caves was mentioned to me at any point during the tour. When I asked them what they wanted from the day and if they had any specific stops they wanted to make, their only response was We want to hike a bit and see nature. To achieve their one request I thought that Waiula Iki would be a good stop. It was, and they enjoyed it.
  As far as the second waterfall goes, we began leaving immediately when they said it was too crowded. Since we were parked by the bridge, I told them they could glance over it to see the larger lower falls, and that it was possible to jump off the bridge. They had questions about the jump and if I had done it, so I showed them a video of me jumping it previously. The older **** was pretty keen to see me jump and said It would be cool to see you in action. I informed him that I would need to depth check before jumping, and that it would take time. He still seemed pretty keen on seeing the jump in person, so to save time I jumped from the rocks below the bridge to depth check, then went back up and did the bridge jump. I only did that at their request and they seemed very excited/happy about it following the jump.
  
  
  2. 2. If you can remember any of the questions about **** and hawaiian history that were asked/discussed and ******** response please list as many as possible, and ******** overall attitude towards the history/questions in general.
  
  
  Q2 Response: My partner and I are both educators, so I asked about college on the island and the education system in general and he just said it's not good and school wasn't for him. I completely respect that school isn't for everyone and pursuing higher education isn't something that's good for everyone, but we got virtually no more information about school systems, school life, or anything. He told us to ****** the satellite campus here on ****, but that's it. I learned more about his search for colleges and pursuing criminal justice and possibly herpetology than anything relating to the ****************** system besides that it is bad. I enjoy nature a lot, and made this a strong point to say to ****** that I wanted to stop as often as possible to be in nature. As a guide, I would think that he would know the general plant life in the area besides the typical ******, Koa, and eucalyptus/rainbow eucalyptus. I pointed out a rainbow eucalyptus, and he said he never saw it there before and that I had a good eye, so there were a few times when I asked what a plant was and he said he didn't know and was going to ask me to identify it instead. I understand that a vast understanding of botany is not in everyone's bed of knowledge, but I would not expect a tour guide to reply to a question asking me the same question or saying he thought I would know and to just ****** what it is. He also brought up a story about fishermen who got lost at sea and told us highlights from the story, but he also told us to ****** that one as well so we can get the full story. He mentioned that there's a remote island where you can only live if you're **0% Hawaiian or can visit if you are related to someone there, and I asked about the population size and he said he didn't know and I should ****** it and that he wondered how sustainable that it and that it's probably worse than ******* on the island (which I found a bit of a distasteful joke for many reasons). My partner asked about how big Maui is around and ****** didn't know, so he gave a rough estimate in miles and told us to ****** that as well. Nearly every question we asked was answered by telling us to ****** things, and even stories he brought up himself he told us to ****** for the full story.
  
  We did have a short conversation about the education system on the island. I informed them that I wasnt very familiar with it, as I never attended school here, but that **** is certainly not known for its education. They asked if there were any big universities on the island. I told them there was a campus for ****************, but that most people transfer to the primary campus on **** after the initial two years.
  
  As far as questions about plants go, I only recall not being able to ID one plant when asked. (The one with small black berries on it) they spent a fair bit of time flipping rocks over in search of organisms which I obviously dont have much knowledge of. As for the story about the fishermen, I told them the full story. I mentioned that if they enjoy mysteries they could look the story up and listen to a version of it with more thrill/mystery.
  I gave them lots of facts about ****** and the culture, including that **** has the highest concentration of native Hawaiian blood anywhere in the world except for ******. I dont have much knowledge on Niihau so I couldnt answer most of their questions about the island. They brought up the questions about sustainability, which is when I made the Alabama joke. Wrong crowd on that one I guess. By size of Maui, what they asked was how long it would take to drive around the whole island via the coastline. I said likely around 8-** hours depending on how quick you drive.
  
   It's hard to prepare for such a wide array of questions, especially when 95% of said questions were not related to **** or the road to **** in any way. I think I did a fair job of answering a whole lot of questions that day which is not mentioned in their email. To me it seems like **** is highlighting the few questions where I was uncertain on answers.
  
  
  3. You mentioned periods of silence during the day, would you say those happened more in the first half or second half of the day?
  
  
  
  Q3 Response: There were more periods of silence after the altercation at the beach, partway through the first half. Nearly the entire second half was silent, and it was very awkward and uncomfortable.
  
  
   There was definitely a fair bit of silence on the drive back, and they did not want the windows down, which added to the silence.  I tried starting conversations many times but after the altercation at the beach, I think a wall wouldve been easier to get a response from. It seemed to me that neither of them wanted conversation, so I eventually chose to respect that.
  
  
  
  4. Can you describe the conversation regarding choosing a spot for lunch?
  
  
  Q4 Response: This was a bit of a weird conversation. He asked if we liked pizza and salad, and I said I don't eat pizza (I am lactose intolerant) but I enjoy salad, and my partner enjoys pizza and salad. ****** said there were plenty of options, but his favorite recommendation was the pizza and salad farm-to-table place. I said let's just try it since I'd eat a salad and ******* and ****** would share a pepperoni pizza. When I realized that lunch was not catered, I did not order anything. ******* and ****** split the price of a pizza, and ******* got a salad as well (his total was around $35). I felt uncomfortable eating anything, so I did not eat, since I was already upset about the altercation, lack of care in answering questions, and now I have to spend more money on a nearly $1,300 tour to eat when I thought I only needed to bring money for, "small denominations for roadside fruit stands, ****, snacks" as the email sent to us said, not full meals, and we were not told to pack a meal since lunch wasn't provided by the company.
  
  
  
  That is an accurate description of the lunch conversation. When the younger one informed me that he was lactose intolerant I said we could go to other spots, such as the food trucks. They seemed pretty set on the idea of farm to table at ***********
  
  Two side notes on #4. At this point, while sitting alone at the table with the ***********************, he stated that he wished to go straight home and wasnt interested in more stops. When the older **** returned to the table he made it clear that he was interested in stops on the way back. I decided that short stops close to the road would be the best middle ground.
  I also realize in hindsight that it may have been a good idea from a customer service and experience standpoint, following the altercation at the beach, and with how shaken up the *********************** was, I could have offered to buy them lunch to make up for the unsavory situation. If a similar situation ever arises during a future tour, I will certainly have that idea in my mind to possibly save the tours energy.
  
  
  5. What was ******** response when you requested bug spray/sunblock?
  
  
  Q5 Response: After a brief look into a small patch of bamboo forest, I was covered in mosquito bites. I swatted a few on me, and so my hands and legs had blood on them in multiple spots. I asked him if we could go back to the car so I could clean up and get some relief, but by the time I cleaned myself with my own tissues and water, he had walked away toward the beach area to sit on a tree and text. So no response was really given since he just walked away as I cleaned myself up. We were never offered sunblock, but we did not spend much time outside at all, so I think this may be why it was not offered.
  
  
  Bug spray and sunblock were never requested. Im not sure how he would expect me to help him clean up from being bitten by a mosquito. I find it perplexing that he says I went somewhere to text, especially considering we were at ************ with no reception. In reality, I walked them to the beach, told them about the valley and its historical significance, then informed them that they could enjoy some time on the beach together if they wanted to. They walked to the far end of the beach together so I sat on the low palm and waited for them.
  
  
  
  6. In regards to the confrontation at ***********: Can you give me the sequence of what happened? ***************** was talking to the guy out of the van window, then stepped out while the conversation continued? Did he lock the doors with the key fob after stepping out and closing his door or were the doors not unlocked after parking? Any details greatly appreciated.
  
  
  Q6 Response: We parallel parked into a spot, and a man knocked on ******** window when we parked. ****** rolled down the window and the man said our van hit his car. We did hit the curb a bit, but I do not believe we hit his car at all. Neither my partner nor I felt an impact, and the reverse camera didn't make any noise indication either. Once we said there was no impact, the man asked if we were a touring company, and ****** said yes. The man started to tell ****** that tours like this are culturally appropriative and are disrespectful of Hawaiian culture and Maui citizens. ****** rolled his window up and got out of the car and then locked the doors to the van with his fob. They got into an extensive conversation about Hawaiian culture, tourism, bloodlines, residency, how people like us ruin the culture and beauty of the island, and more, while we were locked inside of the van. It was a very bad experience. After the altercation, I told ****** how I can understand where the man is coming from with unkind people in general mistreating nature and taking advantage of sacred culture, and ****** replied by saying that he doesn't think the man even knew where he was coming from. I tried to open a conversation to learn about how multifaceted tourism is and how it could negatively impact the lives of some residents, but this conversation was shut down immediately by ****** and did not progress further.
  
  That is a fair summarization of the situation. I locked them in because I could tell they were shaken by the local guy and I didnt want them to feel unsafe. In hindsight perhaps I should have left, taken them to koki, then returned to ***** after the guy had left. At the same time I also did not want to put the idea in that guys head that he could push the tour around if he ever sees me out there in the future. When he left it was with mutual respect, and not in an angry way, so hopefully he is never a problem on a future tour. I answered a few questions they had related to the confrontation but did try to steer the conversation away, as I did not want our clients thinking about/dwelling on that encounter all day.
  
  
  
  7. Can you describe the driving throughout the day for me: in particular: Did the van pass any cars aggressively or that didn't pull over for ****** to pass? Did you feel like you were going too fast around turns (swaying from side to side inside the car) or was it more excessive speed on the straightaways? Did you feel like the engine sound got too loud at any point in acceleration (i.e. "floored it" or "pedal to the metal")?
  
  
  Q7 Response: The beginning of the day didn't seem as fast as later in the day, but once we approached the second waterfall, we were really speeding along turns. We did not pass anyone that wasn't in the process of slowing down, but we did pass them very fast before they turned off the road. Straightaways were where the engine really revved to the point where the water bottles in the holder got loose a few times. We definitely floored it throughout the first and second part of the trip, but the second half was more prevalent. As we made the journey home, we really whipped around turns and accelerated beyond the speed limit and point of comfort. I could not even get pictures of most waterfalls, plants, and nature (even the ones that he said to get pictures of) because we were going too fast. I've never experienced a tour that tells me to look at something and take a picture but doesn't give me the opportunity to because we were speeding. There was a even point where a family was crossing the road and we did not slow down and the family had to move back quick and the van went between members of the family crossing the road.
  
   I dont think there was any excessively aggressive or scary driving during the day.  Although we frequently had vehicles behind us that I was pulling over for, I still stopped for quite a while at the bridges crossing three bears and *********. I gave them advanced notice to have cameras ready for these as well. If they did not get good photos, then Im not sure how else I couldve helped them obtain photos. I think the situation they are referring to about a family crossing the road was likely out front the lava tube, as there were a ton of people walking back and forth from their vehicle to the cave. If that isnt the situation they are referencing, then Im not sure. They certainly make it sound dramatic but I can guarantee no families were put in danger that day.
  
  
  
  8. What was ******** response when you asked to see black and red sand beaches?
  
  
  Q8 Response: He told us that, like the Seven Sacred Pools, they are in *********************** so we would be turning around before being able to see any.
  
  
  They never asked to see black or red sand beaches. They mentioned the bamboo forest hike at the seven sacred pools, but I informed them that tours cannot go there, and that the hike alone is worth dedicating a whole day to, if they have the time.
  
  
  9. Please describe the conversation leading up to ****** saying stopping near the end of the day to see turtles would be redundant and anything said immediately afterward.
  
  
  
  Q9 Response: There wasn't much of a conversation. As we were approaching the stop for the turtles, he did not slow down the car at all. Instead, he said that, since we already saw the turtles there was no point of stopping to see them again. We didn't have time to say we wanted to see them, he made the decision for us and drove past it without asking us and he dropped us off.
  
   One of the first things they talked about in the morning was how they had gone to see the turtles ad Hookipa. They never made any hint at wanting to see the turtles again during the conversation. Again, by the end of the day nobody seemed interested in conversation or replying to conversation starters, and again, the ******************* had made it clear that he was uninterested in making any stops on the way back, so ******* seemed like a stop that would not add to the tour in any way.
  
    Is there anything else you would like to add confidentially between you and I that wasn't mentioned before, including overall impression of ****** as your guide, attitude or personality wise? 
  
  
  Q** Response: My partner and I both feel that there was a complete lack of a personalized experience. ****** mentioned the many times he's stopped along the stops along the road since he grew up here, and it dulled the experience and made it seem like he was very uninterested in anything other than him swimming, cliff jumping, and talking about his private life. I can honestly tell you I know more about how he shoots and hunts deer, his family's construction business, and his girlfriend's photography than historical facts about ****. There was no conversation at the beginning of the day about what the possible stops could be, so it seemed like he would show us whatever we said, but that is not what happened. I am more than happy to get to know my tour guide, but when the majority of the tour was talking about personal life and the majority of our questions were answered with "****** it" followed by awkward silence is not what I paid for. It did not seem like he had an interest in educating us or allowing us time on the road to sightsee. I also know plenty of people who have hiked along the road, but he told us there were no opportunities to and that we would have to go back ourselves to the national park to do hiking. During one of our last stops, he sat on his phone the whole time and barely answered questions or talked to us. I saw a little save along the shoreline and he told me it wasn't worth checking out. I walked over by myself anyway and found some cool stuff and a back part of the cave which I told him about and he said he never knew that was there and didn't bother to make any more conversation about it. From speaking with our family who did the trip, other people we have spoken with about this on our trip, and locals in ***** where we are staying, every single person told us we were scammed. I am deeply upset that I spent nearly $1,300 on an anniversary and birthday present only to have everyone tell me I was scammed and that I, and my partner, honestly feel like we were misled and mistreated. I'd like to note that every other excursion we did at least said happy birthday (every place gave us something special as well) and anniversary, and nothing was even said to us even though I wrote it in the booking form on your website. I feel totally shafted and that the trust your company's promise and advertising was not upheld and was falsely advertised based on the experience we had. Having a guide that didn't care much about us was hurtful. This was the worst experience I have had with any touring company around the world, and this was also the most expensive. I saved money for an anniversary gift and a birthday gift we would remember for the rest of our lives, but this will not be remembered for the better.
  
  *I summarized and condensed some of the ideas you put forward for #** and this was ******** response:
  
  
   Im not sure what more information they were looking for.. I gave them loads of historical facts about ****, ***************, and different stops along the way, even including Hawaiian legends about Moo living in the waterfalls. I gave lots of modern facts as-well, such as details about **** ranch, its sale/price, Oprahs property, locations that have been on *************************** uncharted show, etc. I would say almost all, if not all personal information I shared with them about my interests or my family was in direct response to their questions. I dont like to share much about myself on tour and dont typically share any facts about my family if it can be helped.
  The stop where he says I sat on my phone is again referencing honomanu bay, I wasnt on my phone at all but I was sitting on the low palm waiting for them, only after telling them about the beach and the valley. It seemed like they wanted alone time; especially since they were barely talking or responding to me in any way. The cave he is referencing is the small indent on the right side of honomanu bay. I certainly wouldnt consider it a cave, but since hes calling it that, I guess he got a sea cave after all?
  It is a bit ridiculous for them to claim that I didnt care about them. I think we started off strong, they were very happy, then a situation out of our control shook them up to an unreasonable degree. Beyond that, I still offered different options for stops and things to do on the way back. I made the most of the return trip as I could considering one of them said they wanted no stops, and the other was still interested in stops.
  
  
  As part of the review process, I appreciate the time you took to respond in depth to the topics as it helps us become a better tour company and assess any areas that need improvement, especially concerning safety and quality of the tour, thank you. If there's anything more you would like to add, please include it as a brief response below the bold text. I'll keep an eye out for your response and will be in touch shortly after.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ********************;<*********************>
  Wed, Jul 3, 6:**?AM
  
  
  
  to me
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dear *****,
  
  
  Thank you for taking the time to speak with ******. Every story has multiple sides, so I am glad to see his.
  
  
  To clarify a few points, tidepools, meditation, and sea caves were all brought up in the trip after the first stop at the waterfall before we discussed anime and also at the second waterfall when I was talking about my time studying abroad in college. We actually didn't know that he didn't go to school in ****, we thought he was raised on the island, so we are just finding that out now. The black and red sand beaches were also discussed, since he told us that, along with the bamboo forest and seven sacred pools, they are beyond the limits of where the company can go. Also, when we were at ************, my partner asked if that was a black sand beach and ****** said no. I am not sure when we saw Frog Pond, because neither my partner nor I remember him saying it. I'm not saying we didn't see it, we just don't remember something called Frog Pond talked about. Also, you can tell someone to have their camera ready, but if you speed past the majority of waterfalls/sights, someone cannot take a picture, roll down the window, or even ask many questions when we can't see what we are looking at and aren't provided with much if any information about it. 
  
  
  Also, having windows down does not detract from the ability to converse with clients. The silence and lack of conversation would still be there. I put the windows in the van up because we were driving so quickly. Very little conversation was had throughout the day, especially after the altercation. Saying I was upset to an "unreasonable degree" is a bit unkind and judgemental considering we were suddenly locked in a van listening to a heated argument, and any attempts to discuss the details and significance of the argument were quashed. In reality, he said he didn't even know that we were locked in the van, so for him now to say it was intentional is interesting. At lunch, I told ****** that speaking about conflicts helps me calm down, but he continued to tell me "don't let it get to you" rather than answer my questions about topics brought up in the argument. He knew I was shook up but he did not attempt to help calm me down. This is poor service, and now to judge me for it is hurtful. My being upset that our tour guide got into an altercation, locked us in a van, and refused to answer questions about it should not be a reason for a tour guide to judge me and make the trip uncomfortable and silent.
  
  
  Your company says to leave the work to you, so when we were asked about specific sites and stops and given no options or references, I could not say where exactly I wanted to go. I specifically chose this touring company since, as advertised, I put my trust in your hands to create a personalized experience. We were not talked to at the beginning of the day about possible sites or options so we could not say specific locations or sites along the tour. Your company advertises that your specialty is tailoring a day that makes everyone happy, but we were not given options for places to go until the journey home after lunch when some options were told to us. Only when we were at lunch and I said I wanted to go home did he give us options of places to go. I said I was willing to go to all of them, and I made the most of it, even with him ignoring me in the car and at some of the stops. The majority of our stops were on the way back, because, even with what seemed like a lack of care from our guide, my partner and I tried to make the most of it and salvage the tour. I would not expect a customer to salvage a tour gone awry due to circumstances out of the customer's control and a lack of communication from the guide.
  
  
  The passive-aggressive tone of some of his replies, notably the sea cave comment and being easier talking to a wall, are good representations as to why we eventually stopped asking him questions. It also feels ageist to discriminate us by age when there is a foot height difference between us, so it could easily be the taller and shorter client. Most people do not take kindly to being called old. Many of our questions were answered by telling us to ****** things. He even replied to one of your questions saying "it seemed like a stop that would not add to the tour in any way" which tells you that he didn't discuss with us a possible stop we noted interest in and changed a decision to go there without consulting us. A tour guide shouldn't disregard the wants of a customer, especially on a personalized tour and after a series of incidents that made the tour uncomfortable and not what I paid for. I guess I didn't get to see a sea cave after all.
  
  
  Requesting things with specificity is a theme among the reasons why this tour was unsuccessful. A tour guide, especially one with the level of service I am paying for, should know what someone mentioning needing relief from bugs means and asking to go back to the van for him only to walk away. Improper planning and communication from the tour guide should not be blamed on the customer who hired them to teach them about the specifics. Both my partner and I do not feel that we were given the level of service that was expected. Having many of our questions answered with "****** it" did not make it seem like we were getting much and/or accurate information. While I completely understand someone doesn't know everything, I'd expect a guide of a personalized tour worth this amount of money to know facts about the island and culture, rather than generic information we could have gotten from a free guided audio tour. We did not feel like there was an attempt to personalize the tour for us, which could have easily been solved by giving us possible locations and sites to stop at the beginning of the day, and also by listening to our requests and not disregarding them. 
  
  
  *****, I can honestly say that I know more about his family's construction business and his life than about ****. He talked a lot about your business, like how you spend money (I believe he said it was about $500 yearly) to advertise on ****** and how he wants to own his own company. This was the bulk of the conversation in the morning. I enjoyed talking about things other than ****, but there was more of that than information about ****. I understand ****** may feel differently about this, but both my partner and I feel that it's true. We really tried to make conversation, but the atmosphere did not allow it, and when there was conversation, it was fleeting, despite efforts throughout the day. We also tried to let him know our interests, but he said there is no hiking along the Road to ****, only in the national park, but a recommended ****** search shows a ton of hiking opportunities. We weren't provided with options until the journey home, and I feel like I am being blamed for a lack of specificity that your company advertises it offers and tells the customer to trust you to provide. I am sorry that he feels the need to be passive-aggressive and rude toward me, but this demonstrates a lack of care which is disrespectful of a client who is trying to provide feedback and better understand how a situation went wrong. I truly wish ****** well and would never say he is a bad person or aim to disparage his character, I just do not feel like we received what was expected.
  
  
  
  Ultimately, I would like to come to a mutually satisfactory resolution together. I did not receive what I paid for, and I hope that both ******** and my responses help better illuminate the overall experience and why I feel this way. I appreciate your time, and I look forward to speaking with you on a resolution.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *******
  
  
  
  
  
  ************* to **** **** Company <********************************>
  Mon, Jul 8, 3:02?AM
  
  
  
  to ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **************, 
  
  Thank you for participating in this review process. I appreciate the time and effort you have graciously shared on this.
  I believe I have as good a picture of what went sideways as possible. 
  In consideration of all the information presented, and your dissatisfaction with the tour experience, I am willing to refund a portion of your tour cost. 
  What do you think would be a fair number we can agree on? 
  
  
  
  
  
  *********************
  Tue, Jul 9, 8:47?PM
  
  
  
  to me
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Hey *****,
  
  
  Thank you for putting time and care into understanding the situation. I greatly appreciate your willingness to refund a portion of the cost.
  
  
  Based on the account of what happened during our unsatisfactory tour and the continued unprofessional (and some insulting) re****s made in our guide's response, I think a fair number is at least between 60-70%. You have been more than fair in your role as mediator, and I thank you for that.
  
  
  Please let me know what you think. Thank you again for your continued time devoted to understanding what happened and for your care to help remedy the situation.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *******
  
  
  
  
  
  ************* to **** **** Company <********************************>
  Wed, Jul **, 1:38?PM
  
  
  
  to ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **************,
  
  
  I'll be completely transparent here: I see some instances and examples that make me suspect you have a propensity for being offended, for example: In ******** comments, he refers to the "older ****". When you recount that, you change it to "old ****" and take offense, mentioning "ageism". Another person could easily make the same argument about being referred to as "shorter" or "taller" as a form of physical discrimination, which is a slippery slope to darker/lighter/white/black/brown/green. There is a huge difference between referring to someone as being older, as opposed to calling them old. The fact that you changed this to match your complaint narrative degrades the validity of your testimony. I have seen this in the past with other tours, and clients truly have a huge effect on how their day's experience goes: people who are excited and enthusiastic about the experience tend to have an amazing day. Likewise, clients who lean towards the negative tend to have a lesser experience. I see some areas where you made assumptions and then took offense when those assumptions did not come to fruition, for example having lunch paid for. You made a point of saying you didn't have lunch because of this, however ****** and **** both enjoyed lunch together. This shows me that while lunch was available and happening, you chose to not partake out of feeling offended. Nowhere on our website or in conversation do we say that lunch is included. The irony here is that if you had enjoyed lunch and contacted me post tour, saying you thought lunch would be included, I likely would have reimbursed you and then some. The turning point in the day seemed to be the incident at ***********, which we have no control over and sounded like it never escalated past conversation and de-escalated by the end of the conversation. In life, I have learned that when you make assumptions, you set yourself up for disappointment, and find yourself in a negative reaction, which is what i believe happened in your case. Another example is when you guys were at ********, and ****** thought that the two of you would appreciate and enjoy some quality time alone walking the beach. In your recounting, "****** sat on his phone texting" and ignored you. I wasn't there so I have to go off the facts, and I know for a fact that there is no service reception at ***************, so it is impossible that he was actively texting. This again indicates to me that you tend to find offense when the opportunity is there, at least in pursuit of building a case for refund. In your initial email, I get the impression that you were reviewing our website looking for points to complain about, and I think that because you quoted directly from the website multiple times within your complaints. If you would have simply got in contact with me and said you didn't have a good tour experience, I would have been much more amicable to a substantial refund. I would like to point out that while you seem to have found many things to be offended about, you were disparaging our company, and by association, me personally, to "paia locals", the people you were staying with, and other tourists.  This was before you even contacted me and gave me a chance to remedy the situation. As you have seen, I take this situation very seriously, and have conducted this review process as transparently and professionally as possible for your benefit. I built this company from scratch, and fought tooth and nail to stay afloat through covid and the lahaina fire while almost all other **** tour companies had to close and go bankrupt. We have never missed a tour, not refunded a client due to cancellation, or ever received less than a perfect review in eight years. No other company can say that. So it is *extremely* offensive to me that you were spreading libelous and defamatory statements about us being a "scam" and "scamming you" on a small island where everyone knows everyone else. This is where we live and work, and I guarantee either I know those people or they know of me.  For reference, the tour immediately preceding yours took the time to write me, thanking ****** for an amazing day, and the tour immediately after yours left a considerable gratuity. So again, based on just the facts, it seems like clients are getting extraordinary days with ****** as their guide. I want you to know that every single tour that has ever had an issue outside of cancellation, I have refunded all but the guides pay for the day; however due to the discrepancies in your story, the disparaging of our company, and the manipulation of the facts you put forth, this will not be the case here. All that being said, you did not have a good day with us and regardless of the reason or your behavior, I am going to refund $300 of your tour cost. This brings the cost down to the cheapest private all day **** tour on maui with zero interaction from the guide. I hope this is to your ultimate satisfaction, as I deem this to be fair all things considered. I'd like to thank you for your time during this process and I truly regret that you personally did not have a good experience with us. I wish you the best.
  
  
  
  
  
  *********************
  Wed, Jul **, 6:21?PM
  
  
  
  to me
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dear *****,
  
  
  First, I would like you to know that I never spread libelous or defamatory statements about your company to anyone on the island or even our family. After I described the events of the tour (without mentioning the tour company, the tour guide's name, or any information specifically regarding your company), other people were the ones who told me I was "scammed" and that I should reach out to the business owner to talk about what happened. I emailed you the same day as our tour, so that we could resolve this quickly and fairly. I want to reassure you that I never mentioned your touring company to anyone, and I hope that you understand I was not the one who brought up the word "scam", it was other people (which is what my original message said). It is not true to say that I spread defamatory statements about your company to others, especially locals. Please know that I said nothing defamatory or libelous about your specific company to any locals. I have tried my hardest to be as respectful as possible from booking this tour until now, and I hope you understand that and do not feel offended anymore knowing that your company's name was not disparaged. The claim from others about us being "scammed" was solely based on the experience we had during our tour and the price we paid with no names or company information being brought up.
  
  
  Please know that I did reach out to you directly after the tour (the same day), and mentioned approximately how much we paid for lunch. ****** himself said that our day started strong, so I did have a positive attitude and did not set myself up for disappointment. I feel you and I have had a good rapport throughout this process, and this reply really caught me off guard. I used quotes from your website so that I could compare what was advertised to the experience we had. I did not mean it in an offensive way, I only meant to look at it and compare what I paid for based on what was advertised and what I received. I hoped that this would give you a more thorough understanding of how my, or any, client's perspective from an unsatisfactory tour could be the way it was since these were things that were advertised but we did not receive them.
  
  
  If the main discrepancy in my story that you are bringing up is that our guide was on his phone texting. He was on his phone throughout parts of the trip, especially the second half. While he was driving he was getting texts and app notifications from people, so I may have wrongfully assumed he was texting while he was on his phone. From my perspective, when someone is sitting and typing on their phone, it looks like a text of some kind, so I apologize for assuming this. It is still factual he was on his phone during multiple parts of our tour typing, so if the only discrepancy is "texting" it doesn't detract from the lack of conversation and wall it put between us during our tour. 
  
  
  I am glad that other tours got a better experience than us, but they had a very different experience than us, so it is unfair to compare situations, especially when each tour is supposed to cater to the individual group and give a personalized experience, which I did not receive.
  
  
  I also didn't say the words "old ****". You mentioned in your previous emails that this process was important for future tours and training, which is why I said most people don't take kindly to being called old. My partner and I also go by different names, ******* and ****, so this is also a distinguishable factor. I said taller and shorter to give an example of an adjective that does not revolve around age, since discriminating against someone due to age is unlawful. Again, while this was hurtful to read, I mentioned it so that for future training, you could use other examples than age to discern clients.
  
  
  Please know that I did not disparage your company. I did not manipulate any facts to my knowledge or intent. If these are the reasons you list as to why I am not getting a refund all but the guides pay, this is not a true or fair justification. We also tipped ****** cash at the end of the day. 
  
  
  After knowing you would have been willing to refund all but the guide's pay, and the reasons for this were things I did not do, please let me know if you reconsider the refund amount. I sincerely apologize that it came across as if I, or anyone, had spoken ill of your company. No one did, and I hope you understand that I chose your company to support local companies, which is why I took immediate action to contact you about what happened so we can work together to rectify it. I am also sorry you feel as if I had manipulated facts to substantiate my claims when I was only aiming to provide my accounts and feelings and how they relate to our experience, future training, and customer service. I also apologize for the discrepancy about texting, but I genuinely thought he was since it appeared as if he was a few times throughout the day. I did my best to give an objective account of the tour, how I felt about the things that went wrong, and also reply to the comments our guide made. 
  
  
  I hope you have an understanding that I did not speak ill of you and I respect your business, which is why I came directly to you the day of, and have done my best to be truthful and respectful throughout this process. Please let me know about your reconsideration so we can reach an agreement together.
  
  
  Thank you.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *******
  
  
  
  
  
  The Maui Road to **** **** Company <********************************>
  Fri, Jul 12, 9:40?AM
  
  
  
  to ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **************,
  
  
  I appreciate your reassurance that our company and name was not disparaged in the conversations you had with people, I appreciate that. Ultimately the conclusion that I have to come to from your side of the story and your guides, is that you received a full tour experience, possibly even after requests to cut the tour short and not have those experiences, especially the second half of the day. I believe the situation at ***** tainted the rest of the day for you personally, however that is outside our control, and in my opinion, a confrontation that begins and ends with respectful conversation is not a deal breaker for enjoying the day. From what I can gather, your partner was excited to see other experiences during the day, and you expressed to ****** that you wanted to cut the day short. ****** did his best to tailor the day to you both, including the first and second half of the day. I believe that you made stops along the way back despite you expressing your desire to end the tour and go back during lunch while your partner was absent. ****** outlined the stops and chronological itinerary of the day multiple times to me under review, and from those stops I can tell he went out of his way to show you a great day, even after the hamoa incident where you expressed that it had killed the vibe and you wanted to head back. All things considered, you received a full day **** tour with more stops than any other company would offer (the best stop of the day, your first hike/waterfall) is somewhere literally no other tour companies go to or offer. There are companies that offer longer hikes such as Hike Maui, but that is one location, and any road to **** tours have to balance timing with activities, and I hope you trust me when I say we spend multiple decades of experience and trial and error fine tuning what gives people the best experience. I don't think there's many mechanics that get off a ** hour shift and then discuss how their spark plug change could have gone better for years on end. We do that with our tours, which is one of the reasons I took offense at some of your responses. In conclusion, given all the facts presented, I truly believe that ****** tried to give you the best tour he could while taking into account your interests and requests. The $300 I refunded already more than covers lunch plus some emotional distress. You guys received the same tour that has resulted in hundreds of nothing but 5 star reviews when you look at the stops made and service provided, so being as professional and impartial as possible, I believe that is appropriate. This closes the inquiry. 
  
  
  
  
  
  ************* to **** **** Company <********************************>
  Thu, Aug 8, 4:36?PM (7 days ago)
  
  
  
  to ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **************, so I take it a $300 refund is not adequate for your satisfaction? As it sits now, it seems that you are requesting a full refund, which means you received our full day service and want to value that at $0 for you, and a negative $350 in guide pay and expenses for our small tour company reeling in the wake of the Lahaina Fire? I hope that you reconsider and cancel your dispute with your credit card company. I remember you accusing us of scamming you, yet in the end, it seems that you will be the one taking advantage and scamming something for free, even after a generous refund. I will be contesting this with your bank, and if the dispute lands in your favor I will pursue every available avenue pursuant to that decision to collect your tour fee in full, including a summons to small claims court in maui and any other available options. I would rather not spend the time and energy on this but I will pursue it out of principle. Hoping you reconsider - Sincerely.
  
  
  
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  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 22132314
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I am willing to work with the business owner so that everyone can move on from this situation. This filing does not need to be public record and I am willing to negotiate with the business owner. Below is a written form of the .pdf file I submitted.

  Thank you for providing the opportunity to respond to the business owner's reply to my complaint. I am deeply troubled by the personal attacks and baseless accusations made against me and my partner in his response.

  My experience with this business has been disappointing, not only due to the unprofessional conduct of the business owner throughout our correspondence, but also because I did not receive the advertised services I paid for.

  The business advertised several services and experiences that were either not provided or were significantly different from what was promised. For instance, the tour was supposed to include visits to key locations like tide pools and the black and red sand beaches, yet these, among other advertised locations, were not part of the tour. When I raised these concerns with the owner, he initially seemed open to negotiating a refund. However, he later retracted this offer and instead issued a partial refund without negotiation, stating it was for emotional distress, which I found dismissive of my actual concerns.

  Throughout our correspondence, the business owner has repeatedly made derogatory remarks about my mental health issues. I find these remarks not only inappropriate but also an attempt to discredit my legitimate concerns and divert attention from the core issue: the inadequate services I received. This behavior crossed the line from being merely unprofessional to feeling like harassment. I believe these comments are intended to intimidate me and undermine my complaint.
  The owners response includes further derogatory remarks about my character, even going so far as to accuse me of being a "talented scam artist." These accusations are entirely untrue and irrelevant to the core issues of my complaint regarding the services I paid for but did not receive. Furthermore, the owner's claim that my partner "exposed himself to our guide" is a complete fabrication and another attempt to distract from the legitimate issues I raised.
  

  I genuinely want this situation to be resolved. I did not receive what I paid for or what was advertised, which is why I reached out to the business owner in the first place. Initially, he was willing to negotiate a refund but later changed his mind. In our email exchanges, he even mentioned that he would have provided a full refund, excluding the guide's pay, as he has done for every single tour that has ever had an issue, but not for me. It's clear that his decision not to refund me appropriately is driven by personal feelings and bias, rather than maintaining the professionalism and fairness expected of a business owner in these situations. The situation has shifted from addressing the poor quality of service and false advertising to personal attacks and fabricated claims intended to shift blame, distract, and delegitimize my concerns.
  

  Despite everything that has happened, I am still willing to work with the business owner to reach a fair resolution and close this case. My primary goal is to resolve this matter amicably and avoid any further escalation. I am concerned about the direction this situation has taken and hope we can come to an agreement to bring it to a peaceful conclusion. I simply want this issue to be resolved, and I hope we can come to an agreement to put this situation behind us.

  Thank you again.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************