My terrible experience with Yalta Apartments

Lyudmila rents apartments at Karla Marks 11 using a site called: yaltapartment.com and booking services like Hostel Brokers.
I contacted Hostel Brokers (Tiggy Bonham at customer service) and they refused any assistance - apparently condoning thievery by their associates.
If you check the Internet you can find several reviews where Lyudmila has upped the price on people AFTER they arrive in Yalta.  Her description for Yalta Apartments usually says something like:  "We offer fully equipped 1, 2 and 3 room apartments in the center of town ..."  Watch out !!!  She does not honor the low prices quoted - usually with the excuse that the prices she quotes online are for "off season" - but it is never off season.

Beware "Yalta Apartments" - I have been to Yalta 4 times - there are lots of other apartments - better, less expensive, nicer people.

I made plans with Olga in August 2008 to go to Yalta for a week or 10 days.  We were to meet in Kyiv on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 and fly to Simferopol on Saturday, September 27.

I contacted Lyudmila to arrange an apartment for the first 3 nights.  Olga and I would look for another place, from somone who spoke Russian, after we arrived, but I made the decision to go ahead and make sure we had a place when we arrived.

I arranged the apartment with Lyudmila by e-mail and in English, which is convenient - a bird in the hand, so to speak.  I stayed with Lyudmila before and, to be honest, she seemed nice enough, although quite old, and there were no serious problems.  I stayed one week in September 2007 and almost 3 weeks in May 2008 when she offered me a reduced rate after the first week.  I also referred at least 2 other guys to stay with her - one that I introduced to her, directly, in September 2006 the first time I was in Yalta.  I was staying with someone else in 2006 but had learned about Lyudmila from another contact in Sevastopol.

I was looking forward to the trip, but Olga got ill.

September 3, 2008 - Lyudmila sends me her info so I can send a MoneyGram deposit for $150 for 3 nights.
September 17, Olga becomes ill and is hospitalized.  On the 18^th, which happens to be her 37^th birthday, she has minor surgery, and is released on the 20th.  She is fine at her next check-up.

September 19, I send an e-mail to Lyudmila telling her that I will not be coming to Yalta - 9 days before we were to arrive.  I know that sometimes there is a cancellation penalty for short notice cancellations like 24 or 48 hours, but this was 9 days before.

I sent her the actual notes from the doctor 1 2.

Her response on September 21:

“David, hi
Pls write me or call from Kiev if your things will be changed and you will decide to visit Yalta.
Lyudmila”

I asked Lyudmila to return my money for the reservation starting September 27.  My e-mail:

“Hi Lyudmila,

I hope all is well with you.  My trip is falling apart - starting with the cancellation of Yalta.  Can you send my $$ to S*** and/or K*** in Kyiv ?

David”

Her response on September 29:

“Hi, David.
It is a pity, but my son George left Yalta yesterday. Now it will be difficult to send them money. It will take me a lot of time and money for sending money. I will be in Kiev from 12th of October. I can meet them and give money. But the rule is minus one day for cancellation. It will be 100$ or you may leave this money for your next visit to Yalta.
Whar about Ksenya in Yalta? Look forward to hear from you soon. L.”

George is Lyudmila’s son and he lives in Kyiv.  Clearly, Lyudmila says she would have sent the money to S*** and K*** in Kyiv with George – why she waited until September 29, the day after George left for Kyiv I don’t know.  In hindsight, I can see that it was just the beginning of the “plan”.

She goes on to say that she will take my money to Kyiv, herself, on October 12 and give the money to my friends, S*** and K***.  She will be in Kyiv a few weeks, she says on the phone.

After this, it became a ridiculous runaround.  The lies and stories Lyudmila came up with just to avoid returning my money are incredibly childish and too stupid to believe.  It is hard to understand why someone would steal $150 from a good customer who would spend much more than that on future visits.  Maybe she is having problems because she is getting so old.

There is a detailed account of communication on PAGE 2  Yalta Apartments

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY

September 19, 2008 - plans canceled for Sept 27 - Lyudmila asks me to let her know if my plans will change and I will come to Yalta.

September 29, Lyudmila says it will be difficult to send money but she will meet my friends in Kyiv on Oct 12 or so to return it.

September 29, Lyudmila will send the money to her son, George, and he will return it without fees or she will send the money to me if I am not in Kyiv.

September 30, Lyudmila will send me a MoneyGram – “now you will lose time and money for my service”  My e-mail had included phone numbers for S*** and K*** but she didn’t want to contact them. 

This was the very last e-mail I got from Lyudmila.

 
October 13, 2008 - I call Lyudmila in Kyiv and she says she will call S***, but does not have his phone number.  I give her the number, send it, again, by e-mail and S*** calls her directly.
October 15, I call Lyudmila – she has “lost” S***’s phone number.  She admits he called her but could not meet because she was locked in her son’s apartment and couldn't open the door.  She said she would prefer to meet me and would make sure to do so on Sunday, October 19, when she and her son would be out together because they had plans to go to the circus.  I told her I did not want to wait until the last day.

October 17, I call Lyudmila from Olga’s phone several times and she does not answer.  When we go out I call from a pay phone.  She says she has been too busy to call S*** but to call back tomorrow (Saturday) and we can make a plan to meet on Sunday, October 19.

October 18, I call Lyudmila from a payphone that evening to arrange the meeting she promised for October 19 and she tells me she is not in Kyiv, she is in Yalta.  She says George is in Yalta, too when I ask if he can meet me. 

Lyudmila says I have to come to Yalta to get my money, knowing I leave Ukraine in 36 hours.

October 20, 2008 I fly home without one cent from Lyudmila.  

Oh, by the way, A friend I had told this story to sent an e-mail to Lyudmila and asked if it was true.  He got a response from her son, George:

Subject: Re: David Cerullo's deposit

Kiss my ass, bitch!

Nice people ;- ) Lyudmila is a liar and a thief.  I wouldn't recommend sending her a deposit for an apartment in Yalta !!!

Update, Nov 6, 2008 - I have been advised by several people who have responded to my story that Lyudmila does not have an office, uses only a cell phone and only accepts cash (except for the deposit if through a service).  It is not a properly "registered" business and I took the risk of dealing with such a person. OK, properly admonished ;-)

Update, Jan 2, 2009 - Lyudmila still does not answer my e-mails and hangs up if I call.

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