Reviewing a VRBO villa
Sep 15th, 2015, 01:53 AM
#1
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Reviewing a VRBO villa
We recently stayed in what was described as a "luxurious" villa near Dubrovnik.
The villa was hard to find as the address given to us was not correct. The location was not exactly how it was described and neither was the villa.
The most troublesome things were that the villa was not thoroughly cleaned (except for bed linens - they were crisp and clean - and clean bathrooms), lights didn't work in several places in the villa, microwave oven was broken, dead bugs on furniture,floors and under sofa and chair cushions, huge cobwebs with dead flies dangling from them in most rooms, dusty furniture, lamp shades, etc, a used baby diaper left on the patio from the guests prior to us, there were only 3 glasses for water, none for wine (but 12 or more huge beer glasses), about 5 cups for coffee, a very dirty plastic coffee maker (person who greeted us said she would buy a new one) and more.
The person who greeted us tried to make things right as we walked around the villa. She was dusting the furniture with her hands. She finally realized it was too much for her so I requested that she contact the person who does repairs, replaces lights, etc and get the cleaning people in to do a thorough cleaning. She took the coffee maker home with her and brought it back about an hour later - not a new one, but washed as best she could.
I contacted the owner about the lack of cleanliness and items that were broken or not working. I told her about the lack of glasses. She said it will all get done.
The man came and replaced all lights that were not working. The microwave oven was removed and replaced a day or two later. We were asked to leave the property the next day and not return until after all the cleaning was done. I noted the places that needed attention and asked that trash be removed since there was no place to put it to our knowledge. So, we stayed away for about 4 or 5 hours and returned to a clean villa - the way it should have been upon our arrival.
Glasses were brought in the next day. The used diaper was not picked up (I did it myself) and some of the trash was left in the summer kitchen (perhaps by prior guests) which we did not use as it did not have AC and was extremely hot during the warm days. We only used it to go out to the pool and back inside the villa.
With the first few days behind us, we started to enjoy our vacation. The villa was just okay - certainly not "luxurious" as described. It was not inexpensive either.
My question is this - I would like to write a review about this villa to VRBO about the good and the bad, but I am hesitant to do so. I do not want it published on their website. The owner was a nice lady during our contacts for the reservation but she did not present accurate info about the villa (condition and location) and, although she said she checked the villa a few weeks prior and all was fine, it did not seem she checked it carefully enough, considering all the lack of cleanliness and other problems upon our arrival. I feel that since I contacted her about the problems and most were taken care of and told her that the location was not as described that should be enough. VRBO keeps emailing me to write a review for them to put on the villa website. I hesitate to do this.
What would you do?
The villa was hard to find as the address given to us was not correct. The location was not exactly how it was described and neither was the villa.
The most troublesome things were that the villa was not thoroughly cleaned (except for bed linens - they were crisp and clean - and clean bathrooms), lights didn't work in several places in the villa, microwave oven was broken, dead bugs on furniture,floors and under sofa and chair cushions, huge cobwebs with dead flies dangling from them in most rooms, dusty furniture, lamp shades, etc, a used baby diaper left on the patio from the guests prior to us, there were only 3 glasses for water, none for wine (but 12 or more huge beer glasses), about 5 cups for coffee, a very dirty plastic coffee maker (person who greeted us said she would buy a new one) and more.
The person who greeted us tried to make things right as we walked around the villa. She was dusting the furniture with her hands. She finally realized it was too much for her so I requested that she contact the person who does repairs, replaces lights, etc and get the cleaning people in to do a thorough cleaning. She took the coffee maker home with her and brought it back about an hour later - not a new one, but washed as best she could.
I contacted the owner about the lack of cleanliness and items that were broken or not working. I told her about the lack of glasses. She said it will all get done.
The man came and replaced all lights that were not working. The microwave oven was removed and replaced a day or two later. We were asked to leave the property the next day and not return until after all the cleaning was done. I noted the places that needed attention and asked that trash be removed since there was no place to put it to our knowledge. So, we stayed away for about 4 or 5 hours and returned to a clean villa - the way it should have been upon our arrival.
Glasses were brought in the next day. The used diaper was not picked up (I did it myself) and some of the trash was left in the summer kitchen (perhaps by prior guests) which we did not use as it did not have AC and was extremely hot during the warm days. We only used it to go out to the pool and back inside the villa.
With the first few days behind us, we started to enjoy our vacation. The villa was just okay - certainly not "luxurious" as described. It was not inexpensive either.
My question is this - I would like to write a review about this villa to VRBO about the good and the bad, but I am hesitant to do so. I do not want it published on their website. The owner was a nice lady during our contacts for the reservation but she did not present accurate info about the villa (condition and location) and, although she said she checked the villa a few weeks prior and all was fine, it did not seem she checked it carefully enough, considering all the lack of cleanliness and other problems upon our arrival. I feel that since I contacted her about the problems and most were taken care of and told her that the location was not as described that should be enough. VRBO keeps emailing me to write a review for them to put on the villa website. I hesitate to do this.
What would you do?
Sep 15th, 2015, 03:23 AM
#2
I would write the review. You can certainly say that you found the owner cooperative, but the villa was not as advertised and you were put to considerable inconvenience. Others should be warned, which after all is the point of reviews.
Sep 15th, 2015, 07:52 AM
#3
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I would probably not write the review, the main reason being that I would not want to spend any more time dealing with it. I personally do not feel a duty to write reviews at all, nor any duty to warn other travelers unless the situation is dangerous or seriously fraudulent. And n that case I might call the cops instead!
But if you decide to write the review, you could--and should--include that the problems were ultimately fixed and that the owner is a nice lady.
But if you decide to write the review, you could--and should--include that the problems were ultimately fixed and that the owner is a nice lady.
Sep 15th, 2015, 12:25 PM
#7
And I consider it talking trash.
How is it being a "taker" to decide not write a negative review? It's called freedom of choice. I personally do not care to bad mouth a small business that could be destroyed by bad comments online.
How is it being a "taker" to decide not write a negative review? It's called freedom of choice. I personally do not care to bad mouth a small business that could be destroyed by bad comments online.
Sep 15th, 2015, 01:18 PM
#12
There is no requirement in life to post your thoughts about every single thing online.
And if Marianna posted what she wrote above here as a public review, yes that would be "bad mouthing" this woman and her rental property.
And if Marianna posted what she wrote above here as a public review, yes that would be "bad mouthing" this woman and her rental property.
Sep 15th, 2015, 01:30 PM
#13
Bad mouthing implies malice or falsity. An accurate review is just that.
If bad reviews aren't published there's not much point in publishing good ones. That's a problem with AirBnB, people are too afraid of the host's review to say anything bad.
If bad reviews aren't published there's not much point in publishing good ones. That's a problem with AirBnB, people are too afraid of the host's review to say anything bad.
Sep 15th, 2015, 02:32 PM
#16
Exactly, suze doesn't read reviews, doesn't use review sites, and doesn't really travel anywhere other than the Mexican equivalent of Fort Lauderdale. So I'm not sure why she's even a part of the conversation.
Sep 15th, 2015, 02:48 PM
#18
I'll be as rude as appropriate in calling BS on someone who thinks an honest review based on facts is "bad mouthing".
Especially when you have repeatedly said that you neither write nor read reviews on tripadvisor.
Especially when you have repeatedly said that you neither write nor read reviews on tripadvisor.
Sep 15th, 2015, 02:55 PM
#19
<Especially when you have repeatedly said that you neither write nor read reviews on tripadvisor.>
WRONG again. I'm very active on Trip Advisor. More in the various destination forums, but also for hotel and restaurant reviews.
WRONG again. I'm very active on Trip Advisor. More in the various destination forums, but also for hotel and restaurant reviews.
