I've lived here in the North Sound for 6 years and absolutely love it here.

I have never made a post like this before but do need to now to make the community aware of my recent reservation experience at Saba Rock.

Unfortunately, my experience with Saba Rock's Food and Beverage Manager Ciro Gentile was truly appalling and I am ashamed a newly reopened resort in our small community would operate and treat any guest in such a manner.

I am making this post to hopefully help anyone else making a reservation at Saba Rock avoid my experience. And to more importantly hopefully help Saba Rock change their communication policies moving forward so none of our other residents or tourists are affected similarly.

My family (a group of eight) is currently visiting me and renting a villa for a week on Virgin Gorda (for the first time since Hurricane Irma) and I was very excited to show them everything which has been rebuilt since the storm.

With this in mind, on last Thursday, March 17th, I made a 10 person dinner reservation at 7:00pm for this Tuesday, March 22nd. Ciro Gentile (again, Saba Rock's F&B Manager) emailed me back asking for a filled out CC authorization form to guarantee the booking.

No where on this booking does it state anything regarding a cancellation policy or associated fees for a cancellation (screenshots of email and CC Authorization form attached for reference.)
As I was away from my computer when I received this email from Ciro (which I was already surprised about as I had made my reservation over the phone and they had not asked for a CC) I did not fill out the form but instead emailed back asking if I could send them a picture of my card instead to secure the reservation.
I sent them a picture of my card and they confirmed the booking.

**Note - yes, I know this is obviously not safe. And silly me for trusting a business in our normally honest, understanding and accommodating Virgin Gorda community. Because I certainly got taken advantage of.

Come this week when my family is here, and on Monday, March 21st as vacations often do, my family's plans change and we instead decide to come to Saba the next day for lunch instead of for dinner.
25 hours ahead of my dinner reservation at 6:00pm on Monday, March 21st, I send Saba Rock an email to cancel my dinner reservation for Tuesday, March 22nd . I then receive email confirmation of my cancellation (screenshot attached).

Fast forward to this afternoon, Wednesday, March 23rd, and I receive an email notification from my bank of a $300 charge from Saba Rock!

Shortly after I also receive an email from Ciro Gentile - again, Saba Rock's F&B Manager - stating they have charged me $30/person for my "No show reservation" and attached their 2-hour cancellation policy, which I am seeing for the first time (screenshots attached for reference)

I immediately call Ciro directly to dispute this charge as I have confirmation of cancelling my reservation 25 hours ahead of time and he proceeds to argue with me on the phone and refuse reimbursement.

I have since had to call my bank and report this charge as fraudulent. They have refunded the amount, cancelled my card and will be sending me a new one. Which will take a month to get to me here on Virgin Gorda.

I have also attempted to call Saba Rock's General Manager Alain Prion to talk about my experience and have not received a call back.

Saba Rock has spent too much time, money and effort to create the beautiful venue they now have for guests to be treated like this. I sincerely hope the management of Saba Rock takes this review to heart and improves their policies moving forward.