After not getting instructions from the property owner on how to access the property as promised, we were left with no choice but to contact VRBO directly. They subsequently tried to contact the owner several times with no success. VRBO then found us lodging (at a location that did not have the amenities we expected and paid for). VRBO gave us the owners number and suggested that we try to contact her once we were settled in at our “substitute” accommodations.
After trying once to get in contact with the owner once by phone and getting a full mail box message. I tried again and was actually able to speak with her. I told her what had transpired and she was not apologetic and was very defensive about our not being properly notified on how to gain access to the property. I wasn’t expecting this to say the least. Instead of apologizing and saying she would look into it and make it right with us, she rudely said she was canceling our reservation and then hung up on me.
After MANY hours of our vacation spent on the phone with VRBO, we had to find lodging and pay out of pocket on our own for the balance of our trip! Over the course of the evening that we were supposed to check in and four hours on the following morning, my wife and I simultaneously were on the phone and more often than not, on hold while VRBO said they were looking into getting what we had paid for the VRBO accommodations at a minimum.
Long story short, after a week and a half and repeated contact with VRBO, they did get us a refund on most of the money spent on the VRBO property.
What we weren’t compensated for was out of pocket expenses for lodging with less amenities than what we expected or originally paid for as well as expenses for food that we had planned to prepare at the original property. I won’t even mention the time or stress that we had to endure to try to get this nightmare taken care of when we should have been enjoying our vacation.
Too bad this owner lacks proper communication and follow up skills much less customer service and common courtesy! Look elsewhere for a quality, stress free vacation!