Salamandre Cottage

The manager's response in bad faith made an already awful experience worse. We didn't turn up expecting to pitch a tent in your garden. Our boat reached the port of Saint-Malo two hours late, my wife was injured, night was coming on, and a storm was expected. With young children, we were desperate to find shelter for the night, even though our holiday home was 30 km away. We first asked your colleague whether there was a room, or at least somewhere to rest. A tent was our last resort. You never told us the room price, and frankly, the cost didn't matter to us. You said a room was available, so we wanted it. Then your colleague explained that we could only rent it for at least two days. I felt I had to explain our predicament, but given his lack of empathy, I decided against booking two nights. I understand that your place isn't a campsite. We weren't asking to camp, only for one night's shelter in an emergency. And your advice to “minimize your travel” doesn't interest me. Our family recently finished a round-the-world trip across several continents, and everywhere we went, people from all walks of life gave us a genuinely warm welcome. That makes your obvious lack of empathy all the clearer. Even with perfect planning, unexpected things happen. You've probably had the flu or gastroenteritis at some point, or experienced a car breakdown despite careful maintenance. You say, “Family is very important to us, and our home does everything to ensure they are cherished.” Madam, sir, a pretty fake smile and a few games don't prove that you value families. When you talk about cherishing them, it sounds more like money matters to you than people. Even the children can see that. We'll choose encounters with people who care about human connection over material things, and avoid the “adventure” of meeting you. I'm not in financial need, but I've learned that life's essentials can't be bought or sold. Please don't sign off with a ludicrous “best regards” after refusing to help us when we asked. I sincerely hope you won't have to face hardship yourself before understanding that love for your neighbor matters more than love for your neighbor's money.