Before I start, I want to admit that part of this fiasco was no one's fault but our own. We booked Tiffany Town Care after reading many glowing reports on this board. We usually rent a car, but since it usually sits in the parking lot our entire stay, we were looking at other options. We arrived at the airport and Sam from TTC was waiting for us, card in hand. When we collected our luggage we were very dismayed to see one our cases almost completely DESTROYED - filthy, ripped and dented! Sam directed us to Southwest's Customer Service office and said he'd go retrieve the car and told us where to meet up with him outside. He said he'd be about 10 minutes, and to look for him in a Towncar. SWA was very accomodating about our suitcase - one look at it, and they brought out a new one - bigger than our destroyed one, btw. We had to take the time to unpack our stuff from the old case (which we had to turn over to SWA) and transfer it to the new case, then we went downstairs and outside to find Sam. Right at the curb was a black towncar and my hubby ( who was leading the way) rushed right over to it. The driver got out and popped open the trunk and put our cases inside. My kids and I hopped in the back, and my hubby got up front with the driver. As we pulled away, I started staring at the back of the driver's head, thinking: "This doesn't look like the same guy who was inside" but I'm pretty bad with faces, so I didn't say anything. Mind you - at this point, I totally didn't remember "Sam's" name from him introducing himself to us in the airport, so I asked the driver "what is your name again?" He said, "Luis" and later in the drive mentioned that he was from Columbia. He was very pleasant..pointing out various points of interest along the way, etc. I was a little surprised that he had to ask where he taking us, but we told him that we were going to the Wyndham Orlando, and would he be the same driver who would transport us the next morning to the Polynesian (as was arranged with TTC). "Luis" said yes, he would be the driver and when we arrived at the Wyndham he had me write in our names on a clipboard next to the time we wanted to be picked up the next morning. My hubby handed $102. in cash (which was the fee quoted to us by TTC when I made the ressie by phone) along with a $5.00 coupon printed from their website and a $20.00 tip. We checked in to our room, and about 15 minutes later we get a call from SAM, wondering what in the world had happened to us! We explained that we jumped into the first towncar that we saw outside of the airport, thinking it was him, and Sam immediately said he was coming to our room. He showed up less than 10 minutes later telling us that "gypsy" drivers have been scamming tourists, and he only hoped we'd paid by credit card, or at least had a receipt of some kind with the company's name on it. OF COURSE WE DID NOT!!!!
What in the world we were thinking - I'll never know. Sam told us that the guy would probably not show up the next day, and that he planned to show up, just in case. After he left, the owner or mgr of TTC called our room to express how sorry he was that this had happened, and said that TTC would still honor our arrangement - even though we had paid this "Luis" the full fare - not TTC! The next morning - yep, you guessed it - no "Luis" in sight, but Sam was patiently waiting outside for us. He took us to the Poly, and picked us up again on Friday to take us back to the airport. My hubby still insisted on paying $40. for each leg of the trip that Sam transported us - I don't know if he had to turn it in, or was able to keep it as a tip, but just the offer that TTC made to us to still transport us free of charge endeared them to us.
Sorry for this LOOOOONG post, but I wanted everyone to be aware of what can happen, and to let them know that I believe that Tiffany Town Car has integrity and deserves applause. Thank you to Sam and to TTC!
