We only stayed 1 (of 6) nights, and that was only because we had to arrive/check in very late due to travel and other commitments that day. We made alternate plans the next morning because we weren’t comfortable with the standard of cleaning. The home is cute and in a convenient location for walkable activities, which is a big part of the reason we chose it. We also have two little ones, one of which with some food allergies, so we wanted separate bedrooms and a kitchen.
Unfortunately, the most notable aspect was the poor cleaning standards. The sandy sheets were the first thing noticed because we tucked our boys in right away and our oldest noticed immediately. He wanted to sleep on the couch, but we worked on brushing it out, then he put on long pjs and socks. Our bed in the other room was the same way, so we stripped the bedding and worked for a while to brush out as much as possible.
In the morning, we found the kitchen and living room to have some cleanliness issues with food. There were easily visible crumbs under the furniture in the living room, including a pistachio shell. There were also crumbs and dirt on plates in the cupboard and in the silverwear tray in the drawer. Shelves in the fridge were also sticky from food. As a family with some food allergies among us (including tree nuts), we weren’t comfortable using the the stuff provided in the kitchen.
We used the first morning of our vacation figuring out what to do and found an alternative solution. I communicated via message starting that morning (Saturday) and that continued for a couple days. To date, I have been informed that we could get a refund of any dates THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SELL TO SOMEONE ELSE. So, our refund depends on whether they can rebook the nights.
To clarify, our choice was to rent, for a couple thousand dollars, the place described by the listing and the standards of VRBO for cleaning. We were not hoping to have to find another option so that my family was comfortable using the beds and dishes.
We have not received a response to our messages since Monday (today is now Friday). I have followed-up, but they have stopped responding. Despite the reservation being cancelled on Monday, I received the email from VRBO asking if we enjoyed our stay on Thursday (the day we were scheduled to check out), so I’m providing feedback. Look elsewhere.