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We have done VRBO twice for cabins and it went very well. But it all comes down to the owner! At work, we did VRBO a couple of times for traveling to week long events. We rented a house for one and some apartments for another. It seemed to go well. But again, it is all the luck of the draw on the owner. I would never do one where the owner is living in half the house and you rent the basement or something though. Screw that
That is really crazy. Sometimes the airbnb rentals have a better cancellation policy than VRBO, which has worked out for me. When I cancelled our trip to Canada recently, I wasn't expecting a full refund but the owner was really kind and sent a full refund.
I never book a rental without some kind of refund policy, and I realize if I have to cancel last minute, I can't expect a full refund. They have lost business. I've never seen a listing requesting a deposit, must be a real popular place, or they want to discourage the party people.
I figured they were burned by people in the past to have a $3,000 deposit. I tried to get the Kuerig coffee maker to work and couldn't so I called the owner to tell him that, and let him know that I didn't break it. I didn't want to buy him a new one. He told me how to get it to work, and we were good. Still I took photos of things like burned out light bulbs and I told him that his fancy wooden ti-tac-toe game was missing two pieces, so I didn't get charged for a new one.
..I just got off the phone with VRBO and my $3,000 refund has been initiated by the owner. Evidently, he didn't know that he could release the deposit so the VRBO agent called him while I was on hold. Yay.
Oh, and I have never stayed in an Airbnb although my kids do it all the time. I need to look into that next time.
I have a friend with a riverfront studio stye A frame that's small but very nice inside. He has it contracted with a rental firm. They book it.
The clientele using it seems to be for clandestine evening meetings.
The rental company keeps it spotless and always pays him on time.
He's stuck in his rental contract for a couple more years but I know he'd like out of it.
We have used AirBnB in the past while looking for places to live in FL. All of them were standalone houses dedicated to us (no owners onsite) and were very nice. We actually wound up moving to a house we found near one of ABnBs we stayed in and have been FL residents for almost a year now.
3 weeks ago, we went back MD for a wedding and stayed in an AirBnB. It was the top floor of what was once a barn that had been converted to a Single Family Home (basically, the loft area). The family had 3 or 4 kids who were up very early every morning and a chicken coop with the most anemic sounding rooster I have ever heard. The real kicker were the beds -- they felt like sleeping on pool tables! I had back surgery about 10 years ago and was told then that it was not a permanent solution. I've had bouts of pain before, but they always seemed to clear up when I got back to my bed (I call it my "Magic Bed"!) but this time it has taken all of 3 weeks for me to feel better. Between that and the kids I'm not sure we will ever stay in one again.
We have had excellent results at the few B&B's we have stayed at and have returned to them when in that area. I have no issue with the owners being on site and waking up to a great breakfast. The cost of a cancellation is tough to swallow and I did get charged for a night when we never made it.
I've done VRBO quite a few times, zero issues with either the house or the host.
No interest in AirBnB unless they've changed their options, I don't want to stay in a room of someone's house while they're there, that's just weird to me.
Oh, there is no way we do that. Separate building, separate apartment...we only book from "Super Hosts" which is supposed to mean fewer issues, or so they say.
We have had excellent results at the few B&B's we have stayed at and have returned to them when in that area. I have no issue with the owners being on site and waking up to a great breakfast. The cost of a cancellation is tough to swallow and I did get charged for a night when we never made it.
Rick has zero interest in a B&B. We did see an inn today with an interesting sign. I'll post a pic later.
I think I could talk Rick into a B&B, here's one we stay at in PA.
But you are staying with people. Rick doesn't like people. Except for you guys! Still we prefer a free standing place. However, an exception may be made.......saw this place today!
10-18-2023, 08:48 AM
Except for you guys! Still we prefer a free standing place. However, an exception may be made.......saw this place today!