VIP ESCAPES, VE HOLDINGS, STANDOUT DESTINATIONS, VIP ESCAPES, VE HOLDINGS, STANDOUT DESTINATIONS, Mikael Frank Audebert Unethical business practices. CEO would not follow agreement. Wrote us nasty email. Dream Vacation turned into nightmare. Orlando Florida

With the following emails, you can tell what a bullying demeanor he has. He agrees to the $300 only if this is taken down. So, he agrees that the $300 is owed but will not pay. These are all his emails: (I have not altered any of his emails...like he implies in his rebuttals...he is just a bully)

On January 2, 2008 Mikael wrote the following:

Lucky you the IT guy has not blocked you off yet..I would have never seen this email.

1- The picnic figures are wrong. Through our vendor, we pay 56 euros minus 10% commission..lets just say 56 euros for the sake of it, or $84. No clue where you got your figures from but those are off. I am not paying the price you found on some random website or charged by the hotels with a 25% mark-up.

2- Dinner is reasonable.

Ill do this. Completely remove the posting on the website (I mean GONE for good retract, do whatever you have to but have them remove it so it cant be found or read anymore) and I will send you a check for $290.32. Ill even round it up to $300. You seem to need more than I do.

Unless ALL postings are removed from that website, we are at an impasse. The picnic refund will be sent to charity since you made it clear you dont want it, and I will wash my hands off of this matter.


You will sign an agreement stipulating the amount refunded closes ALL MATTERS and that you will not talk about this online, or anywhere in a public forum.

Its reasonable considering you also received 2 free lunches and upgrades to overwater bungalows in Bora (yea, what a terrible vacation you had).

M.
On March 25,

He wrote back the following:

I am sorry but short of a full removal from rip-off report, I will not send a refund for the requested amount. And please do not communicate with me anymore unless you are willing to fully remove the report. I do not need to look better. Your request and your report is so shameful and out of line with reality that it is not affecting me. I put a note on there asking people who read it to contact me if they have any questions. When they do and get the whole picture and the full version of the story, they are all good. Ill handle BBB the same way. I have proofs we have sent checks and you never cashed them. From that moment, my will to resolve the issue has been proven and thats all they want to see. They have no powers to force corporations in doing something against their will.

You are rather pitiful asking for $300 especially since checks were mailed out and everyone but you and your mother have cashed them.

Ill meet your demands if you meet mine (full removal of rip-off quite simple). Otherwise, stop wasting my time. If you really want that money (times must be difficult), you will simply remove it.

On March 26, He wrote the following:

We never negotiated anything. You never agreed to anything except your own terms which I turned down many times. SO there is no negotiation. please go over all of our email exchanges before making such statements.

I continue to maintain you are the ripp off artist. No report gone, no 300. End of discussion. You don't even deserve the 300. I would only do it if you remove it. And since they won't, maybe this will teach to open negotiations first and foremost.

Once again, I have to ask you cease and desist any direct communication of any form or shape with this company. I have retained and attorney to look into a deffamation lawsuit focused around the word rip off and the lack of full disclosure on the website. Be on the look out.


From another response:

Do whatever you want.

Charlotte, you dont scare me. Remember that. I deal with bigger fish and more interesting people. I have absolutely NO RESPECT for you. You are an opportunist and a scam artist. And a pitiful one at it. I am not going to cave like most businesses do by fear of losing business and I do not need to be scared. May I suggest you get a life? I am sure you will take great pleasure in posting this on your rip off report. And again, I am not scared of that either. I think people are starting to realize you are an opportunist as they read your comments. We did our part and refunded what was not received (the picnic). You not cashing the check is YOUR problem, not mine.

So if you want to waste your time and money filling a report, please go ahead (I wonder how people who read the report are going to see thatshe wants money but waste some on filling a case that has no chances to be won).

On March 27, 2008,
He emailed the following:

The offer I made to you had a condition..the removal of the posting. Your REFUSED, hence why we went back to only refunding the cost of the picnic which was fair since you had not received that part of the trip. I dont see where I broke my promise since the removal of the posting was a condition for that promise to be kept, and once again, you refused to do so.

You remove it, or sign a removal promise, and we can talk. Until then, leave us alone.

I wrote to him on March 28, 2008:

Mikael,

You can't keep the money. You never refunding anything to me. You owe us $300. Until I receive the money, you are ripping me off more. The only condition is that you owe this money. It's quite simple. REFUND THE $300.

Okay, at this point, I'm left with adding to my ripoff report. I would like to add that you refunded the $300; however, it's so clear that you refuse to do so. At this point, you are clearly ripping us off more everyday. I am allowed to post on whatever website that I want when there is a clear case of a ripoff. I can even create a myspace if I like, put it in the newspaper..etc. You can't get away with ripping people off and treating them the way you do.

We went by your itineray and were made to go on two extra hotel tours that were not in the contract. We abided by it, why won't YOU?

I still can't believe that you are saying you refunded me anything when I never received anything. Or did you send it to charity like you said you were going to?

So, your emails really show how you treat your clients. Again, you have 10 days to refund the money. You've already had three months...it's way overdue.

He wrote back the following:
Waste your time, I don't care. I build a bigger case against you everyday.
So pathetic yet so sad, that's the way you look to the eyes of the world and all the people I spoke with after they read your report. So you are not harming me and will get nowhere with all your threats. Not with me. Haven't you established that yet? Should I file a complaint for harrassment now? What part of cease and desist didn't you get?

I wrote back the following:

What kind of case could you possibly be building against me? What? The fact, that I, as a consumer is trying to get her refund and you refuse? What part of "You must refund me $300, do you not get? I'm not being hurt at all in trying to get my money refunded and I'm not harassing you. I just want my refund. However, you threaten and bully me in most of your emails. Your bullying tactics will not work against me.

Are you going to refund or not? It's clear that you don't intend to make this right!

If you want a REAL and FULL transcript of my email exchange between our company and Charlotte Sluder, please contact me directly at mikael@vipescapes.com.

I will also provide a copy of the contract she signed showing that NOTHING is owed to her to the exception of a refund for a picnic, refund she refused to cash because she disagrees with the amount.
This company has not ripped her off, or anyone else as a matter of fact and our record speaks for itself.

Finally, I will provide a list of references and clients comments to anyone asking for it (note Mrs Sluder WAS NOT a client, she was part of a travel agent educational program, traveling for less and obligated to abide by rules of conduct).

Thank you

Mikael Frank Audebert
CEO
VE Holdings, Inc.
VIP ESCAPES / STANDOUT DESTINATIONS

Today, I received an email from Mikael stating the following:
Charlotte:

Still missing the mailing address for your refund.

Please send to my accounting department so they can mail it (I did request it in a previous email)

accounting@vipescapes.com

Mikael

First of all, Mikael never requested my address. He only stated that accounting will be in touch with me for the figures. Accounting never contacted me.

I then emailed him back and asked how much the refund will be. He wrote back the following:

$71.45/pers. for the picnic. In the envelope, I included proof of what we would have paid to the local supplier since I am certain you would have requested it.

No refund on the dinner since it was not included in the contractual agreement (nor were the 2 lunches you received at the BBN and ST REGIS. Yet, you did receive them).

Had you been a bit patient in resolving this issue and not slandered our name on a consumers website, I would have been willing to make an effort for the sake of good customer service. Got no incentive to do that now do I?

Your check will leave today to the address provided below.

Thank you

Mikael

I then, emailed him back the following:

Do not send the check to this address. Actually, do not send the check since I do not find this amount acceptable. It would have cost us much more to reschedule this on our own and now, we will never be able to get this picnic. At this point, I would really like proof of where you scheduled it in the first place. BTW- you could have really made this right. But, you chose to attack us just on hearsay. You weren't even around us during this whole stay. BTW- you slandered us by saying we were dishonest. Oh..................BOY!


He emailed the following back:

Fine. Ill send the check to a charitable organization, and make the donation in your name. I am sure they will appreciate it and on our end, we would have made good of what was owed.

I dont have time to waste on you or your mother over $71 and will certainly not consider a penny more since we gave you two additional lunches and upgraded you 3 nights in overwater when that was not even included You want to refund me for that? Honestly. This is becoming ridiculous and truly your demands are laughable.

Anyway, have a good year and a good life.

Mikael

I emailed the following back to him.

Wow, you have great public relations. BTW- How were we not considered full clients? You really made us feel like VIP Clients......especially with the nasty email that you had for us when we came home. I'm still curious how you felt like that was justified. Almost everything was based on hearsay since you were not there.

You are not the one that upgraded us and you are not the one that gave us ( the entire group) the lunch at the BBN. The BBN comped us on that because they were embarrassed that you had it on the itinerary but would not pay for it. You really owe them an apology for that.


He emailed this back:

Listen, I truly have a lot of work and although there is so much more I would like to say to you, I will be the grown up this time and just let it go. I only emailed to get the address, not to fight.

SO, do you have a charity of choice? Because if you dont want it, its going to charity, so you might as well chose which one. Otherwise, Ill donate to an AIDS organization in Los Angeles. Ill give you until 5pm today.

I emailed this back:

I never said that I did not want the reimbursement.....We need to negotiate the amount. We are still owed for a dinner also. This is not a unilateral decision as it takes two parties to negotiate. I do not feel like you are trying to make this right. Also, we are owed an apology for the way you treated us. You never had the right to treat us as you did based on hearsay only. You are able to turn this around. As your clients, and yes, we were you clients, you had a duty to us and you did not fulfill that duty. The contract stated only three site visits but the Itinerary had five...does that mean, that the Travel Agents were not contractually obligated to attend those site visits?

He emailed the following:

Negotiate what Charlotte? You have no bargaining power since you posted your comments on the internet. You had one before. In the art of negotiation, you usually threaten people to do what you have done before actually acting on it. Not the other way around. Now, you have absolutely NO bargaining power.

If your comments and your posting on the rip off website go, we can start talking. I mean the comments and posting together must completely go. Not just a correction. When I type vip escapes in google, I dont want to see that link anymore. THEN, and only then, we can talk monetary compensation for your last dinner. Until then, there is nothing to negotiate. You were not ripped off and your posting is completely incorrect and taken out of proper context. You were OFFENDED for the email I sent you and that I can understand. But thats far from being ripped off. Being ripped off is not receiving what you have paid for or receiving less than what was promised. And based on our agreement, its far from being the case. What you have not received and should have based on the contract (picnic) is being refunded. There is no rip off in your matter. Wrong choice of website Charlotte.

I am not going back and forth on this. Too much time has been wasted. You have my position, and it stays as is until the posting is gone. If it stays, then its fine. But dont expect me to say anything more.

I am not refusing to refund you for what you have not received.No meals are owed. Where in the travel agreement does it say I owe you meals? Just show it to me.

On the picnic, the refund is leaving. Please give me another address or it will go to your work address.

Thank you

Mikael


I emailed the following back:

From your first email: (Hmm, this is before we even got home........why would you think we even wanted a refund unless you thought we should have gotten one. We never contacted your regarding it) However, you knew it was coming.

"Needless to say I am not going to entertain any request for refunds for the missed picnic because of the weather and flight schedule changes, nor will I care to read any complaints you have because none can be justified in lieu of your un-excusable behavior."

From another email:

Please dont email anymore Charlotte. Its pointless as we both disagree on substance and solution.

With these emails, it is very clear that you did not care to negotiate and accounting never contacted me to even discuss figures. I have all of your emails Mikael. You did this...not us. You could have handled this so differently; however, you chose to handle things your way. You still have the opportunity to make it right before I file a complaint with the BBB. I have given you every chance to make this right and you choose to continue to belittle us. Is that how a CEO of a corporation should behave.

Mikael, you were not on the trip with us. How dare you accuse of anything that you were not a part of.

BTW- Negotiation is not a threat. Negotiation is where two parties come to an agreement on terms. Again, you have the power to make this right. You have the ability to shine. Show the world that you can shine.

Again, do not send the refund until there is an agreement. Yes, we were ripped off. We should not have had to ask the Hotels to follow your itinerary. When one sends out an Itinerary, both parties shall follow that itinerary.


He wrote the following back:

You want the refund, but you dont want it, but you want it make up your mind.

I wonder what your boss would think of all that taxpayers time and money spent arguing with me instead of working.

When people look over your case, they will realize you are a disgruntled woman with nothing else better to do than b***h over a few dollars. So I am not worried about shining. My conscience is clear and I have all documents to show anyone who ask to prove it. And if your comments on the website mean some people wont buy through me, thats fine. People who make decisions solely based on some random posting online coming from a disgruntled traveler who did not get satisfaction to her unreasonable bitching are not my clientele. For every 100 customer happy, I have one complaining and never letting go. Its OK. Its a good ratio.so this time, its you. For every one like you, I have 100 letters of compliments and praises from clients I can send to anyone who asks so you see, I am not worried about what you are doing right now (which seems more like what a con artist would do), or about shinning or showing the World I am a good CEO. (and please, go ahead and post this..make sure its the integral version).

I offered you a fair refund for the picnic that had to be canceled, and you will not get a penny more. As I said, if you dont want it, I will send to a charity and keep the proof. I just dont want that money in our account anymore. Maybe some good will come out of this. Someone more worthy will benefit from it. Ill send you the receipt when it has been received by the charity, and Ill make sure to post a scan on the website you have introduced us to.

This is our last communication Charlotte. You have showed to be unreasonable and instead of offering a solution (like the amount you would like to get) and negotiate the removal of the posting, you simply go on and on about how you and your mother are right, and we are wrong. Great negotiating skills by the way..that and the acting before threatening..that was smart, really!

Your email address is being blocked by my IT staff effective now. I have no time to waste with you any longer. If you have time on your hands and your life is that pathetic, good for you. I simply have too much work for this. (how is that for belittle?)

Thank you for the donation.

Mikael


I then emailed him what I thought was a fair amount:

Okay, here are the figures for Tahiti trip:
Motu Picnic (from Moorea)
9850 xpf = $122 US X 2 = 244.00
Dinner at Radisson =
$61.16/per person US X 2 = $122.32
Your harassment in Emails: Priceless.

Therefore, the amount you owe us is $366.32

That's not much to ask for considering we will not be going back anytime soon and you ripped us off on those.

For all the harassment, it's unbeleivable that this is all I am asking for. But, thank goodness for rip off report. But, as you can see, he'll only negotiate if this is taken down.

Charlotte

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s). Before doing business always check with the BBB. This is something that I failed to do prior to this trip. I will never make that mistake again. Please note that BBB records are Public Information. You can copy and paste the following link into your browser for VIP information.

http://www.orlando.bbb.org/newsearch2.asp?ComID=07330038000240

Also note, that I am not a travel agent and that my Mother, who is the travel agent abided by the terms of the agreement. Also note, that there was no such thing as "Rules of Conduct" in our seven page agreement. We were clients that signed up for a "Published FAM" in which all fares were published on the internet to all interested parties. This is how I, as a non-travel agent, found this trip.

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s). Before doing business always check with the BBB. This is something that I failed to do prior to this trip. I will never make that mistake again. Please note that BBB records are Public Information. You can copy and paste the following link into your browser for VIP information.

http://www.orlando.bbb.org/newsearch2.asp?ComID=07330038000240

Also note, that I am not a travel agent and that my Mother, who is the travel agent abided by the terms of the agreement. Also note, that there was no such thing as "Rules of Conduct" in our seven page agreement. We were clients that signed up for a "Published FAM" in which all fares were published on the internet to all interested parties. This is how I, as a non-travel agent, found this trip.

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s). Before doing business always check with the BBB. This is something that I failed to do prior to this trip. I will never make that mistake again. Please note that BBB records are Public Information. You can copy and paste the following link into your browser for VIP information.

http://www.orlando.bbb.org/newsearch2.asp?ComID=07330038000240

Also note, that I am not a travel agent and that my Mother, who is the travel agent abided by the terms of the agreement. Also note, that there was no such thing as "Rules of Conduct" in our seven page agreement. We were clients that signed up for a "Published FAM" in which all fares were published on the internet to all interested parties. This is how I, as a non-travel agent, found this trip.

Dear Readers:

Amazing how the truth can be turned into ugliness.

Our company provides travel packages to individual consumers AND travel agents.
Thie individual filling this report was, and applied for a highly discounted trip, as a TRAVEL AGENT. This means they are bound to abide by certain rules in the industry, including not disclosing how much they have paid for their trip (the trip they took cost over $6,000. Obviously, as travel agents, they enjoyed a huge discount). One of the requirements is also to attend site inspections and be courteous to their hosts.
TRAVEL AGENTS paying discounted packages are not considered full clients and MUST abide by the rules of conduct set forth in our agreement.

Without going into details online as to not fall in the same ugliness (I would however gladly answer any questions sent to me directly), Charlotte and her mother broke all the rules of conduct and honesty when attending that trip.
VE HOLDINGS, Inc serves thousands of satisfied customers every years and those, you rarely hear from. Our company is in business, doing amazingly well, and the record speaks for itself.

Charlotte and her mother expect a refund of less than $100, and shall receive it for the picnic excusion they have not received because of bad weather.
My harsh words towards her and her mother were justified and shall not be confused with the way we treat each and every individual. It was well targeted and well deserved.

Questions? please send to our Public Relations office at pr@vipescapes.com

Yes, a law suit will be filed in California against Charlotte for defamation and slandering.

Mikael wrote in an email the following:

I do however regret accusing you of faking the theft of a piece of clothing. That was crossing the line as I have no proof of the contrary and for that, I apologize.

However, in another email, he wrote the following:

Read your contract..There were NO Dinner included whatsoever, which is why no one else has asked for a refund on dinners. You want to play the contract card? Lets!!!

Please dont email anymore Charlotte. Its pointless as we both disagree on substance and solution.

Accounting will be in touch with figures for the refund.

Mikael

Okay, looks like I may get a refund. But, according to him, it will be based on his negotiated prices. Should be interesting. And, we never disagreed on substance and solution since we had not even gone there yet.

I would never deal with this company or person again. You may get what you pay for if he accompanies you on the trip; however, if he doesn't, don't expect to get what you pay for. And, expect nasty emails if you don't spend anything at the hotels.

Mikael wrote in an email the following:

I do however regret accusing you of faking the theft of a piece of clothing. That was crossing the line as I have no proof of the contrary and for that, I apologize.

However, in another email, he wrote the following:

Read your contract..There were NO Dinner included whatsoever, which is why no one else has asked for a refund on dinners. You want to play the contract card? Lets!!!

Please dont email anymore Charlotte. Its pointless as we both disagree on substance and solution.

Accounting will be in touch with figures for the refund.

Mikael

Okay, looks like I may get a refund. But, according to him, it will be based on his negotiated prices. Should be interesting. And, we never disagreed on substance and solution since we had not even gone there yet.

I would never deal with this company or person again. You may get what you pay for if he accompanies you on the trip; however, if he doesn't, don't expect to get what you pay for. And, expect nasty emails if you don't spend anything at the hotels.

Mikael wrote in an email the following:

I do however regret accusing you of faking the theft of a piece of clothing. That was crossing the line as I have no proof of the contrary and for that, I apologize.

However, in another email, he wrote the following:

Read your contract..There were NO Dinner included whatsoever, which is why no one else has asked for a refund on dinners. You want to play the contract card? Lets!!!

Please dont email anymore Charlotte. Its pointless as we both disagree on substance and solution.

Accounting will be in touch with figures for the refund.

Mikael

Okay, looks like I may get a refund. But, according to him, it will be based on his negotiated prices. Should be interesting. And, we never disagreed on substance and solution since we had not even gone there yet.

I would never deal with this company or person again. You may get what you pay for if he accompanies you on the trip; however, if he doesn't, don't expect to get what you pay for. And, expect nasty emails if you don't spend anything at the hotels.

Mikael wrote in an email the following:

I do however regret accusing you of faking the theft of a piece of clothing. That was crossing the line as I have no proof of the contrary and for that, I apologize.

However, in another email, he wrote the following:

Read your contract..There were NO Dinner included whatsoever, which is why no one else has asked for a refund on dinners. You want to play the contract card? Lets!!!

Please dont email anymore Charlotte. Its pointless as we both disagree on substance and solution.

Accounting will be in touch with figures for the refund.

Mikael

Okay, looks like I may get a refund. But, according to him, it will be based on his negotiated prices. Should be interesting. And, we never disagreed on substance and solution since we had not even gone there yet.

I would never deal with this company or person again. You may get what you pay for if he accompanies you on the trip; however, if he doesn't, don't expect to get what you pay for. And, expect nasty emails if you don't spend anything at the hotels.