Vrbo

We have used VRBO for trips to New York City, St. Thomas, and Myrtle Beach. Great security and easy to get in touch with owners. I feel very secure using this to find some great homes in other areas. Makes travel much more fun!

We booked the original stay 2 weeks in advance, flew to our destination, and then at 3:59 pm (1 minute before check-in) our host cancels. We were on the phone with customer support, on hold that is, for over an hour trying to get help with the situation and find another stay. (YOU CANNOT BOOK THE SAME DAY THROUGH VRBO) So either way, we were screwed for the first night. We thought we lucked out by finding another Vrbo listing and the owner said we could arrive a day early no problem. What a relief... Only to arrive after dinner and find that there were already people staying there, so we left... and the owner wanted to refund only 50% of the $1,300 bill even though we were no longer able to stay there. My boyfriend and his army vet brother ended up having to get two hotel rooms at a Holiday Inn instead. After the second bad experience, I started writing reviews to warn people and he is still on the phone with support... going on 58 minutes. Not only that, but the refund is not immediate... it will take several days to get the $2,000+ back which will be hindering our overall vacation. I don't understand how this 'company' is in business at all. Terrible experience. We will stick to hotels in the future. It's not worth the stress of not knowing if you have a place to sleep when you get off the airplane.

I just started to use Vrbo this year. I rented a place in the Thousand Islands, NY area and changed my mind several times, necessitating that cancellations & new reservations needed changing. There was never a problem doing either. The customer service they provided was terrific. I plan to use them for my 2022 vacation next!

Vrbo is a great resource for finding affordable vacation housing and we use it all the time! Every time we have booked through them, the experience has been pleasant, the unit well taken care of, and overall a great experience.

I have loved almost every place we've every rented through VRBO. We usually always have a kitchen which also helps to make travelling easier. I feel like we always get better places when we use VRBO as opposed to staying in hotels.

If you have no issues with the property, VRBO is fine. If there are ANY issues, you are out of luck (unless your travelers insurance covers the issue). VRBO is basically non-existant if there are any problems - all they care about is that you made the payment, after that, everything is between you and the property owner. I would STRONGLY recommend that if you find a property you like on VRBO, that you try and search for the same property on other websites; ones which actually help and suport the travelers. As the name of the company states, VRBO is vacation rental by OWNER. The owner has final say in everything once you have paid for the reservation.

Had an amazing experience with VRBO! Rented a beautiful home in Austin Texas for a girls weekend, and the property was incredible! The interface with the app made communication with the host easy and check in and check out through the app and website was great too! The properties listed on VRBO are a level above other home rental sites!

Unable to get money back from trip planned prior to COVID. Flights and island canceled and yet VRBO does nothing. Their canned statement saying they encouraged the property owners to refund at least half fell on deaf ears when our property owner refused to even consider it. I was given the option to visit again at a later date for half the rate. But no refund to the sum of over $10k . Numerous complaints to VRBO and still they would do absolutely nothing. I don't feel that I should pay any money to either their fees or the property owners. Those owners had a mortgage to pay whether I was renting their space or not. Not only that, but regardless of having to cancel the trip, there was no way they could rent that place out to anyone else due to the pandemic. VRBO had every ability to force the property owners to refund funds and yet they would not. I absolutely, emphatically would never use this company for any travel plans. They DO NOT stand by the traveler. They are difficult to get on the phone, the customer service is contracted with people outside of the country and even if you leave messages to return the call, you never hear from them. DO NOT USE VRBO!

I had just had a really bad experience with Airbnb (an issue mainly due to lack of cleanliness) so I decided to try Vrbo for the very first time. I finally found a space that was a new listing, but had one 5-star review so I figured I would be ok trying it out. I arrived 3 hours earlier than my check in time just to see the location of the house. I wasn’t happy with the location, since it felt unsafe for me as a woman on her own, to drive at night. However, after the bad experience at Airbnb, I really didn’t want to make a big deal of things or create any kind of conflict. I arrived and saw one woman, who I later found out was the owner of the house, cleaning. I stayed outside of the property for 15 minutes while I made a phone call, then decided to leave since I had arrived too early. I did notice that throughout my whole texting conversation with the owner she kept mentioning that she had a cleaning & repair crew that would go replace the washer (and that’s why I had to wait to check in until 4pm). I noticed the whole time I was there that I only saw her, one person, and thought it was odd that she had felt that it was necessary for her to lie about having a “cleaning crew”, but again, I didn’t want to create any conflict. I just needed a clean, safe space to spend 2 weeks in quarantine before heading home to my grandparents. When I finally checked in, the owner was still in the garage. I immediately felt uncomfortable that she was there at the property because I had been very specific about going out of my way to isolate before heading home to my 80-year old grandparents. Again, I didn’t make a big deal out of it. I also noticed that there was a washer and a large amount of trash right by the entrance. Not a good view, it immediately felt like a very lack-of-class move and like she didn’t’ even actually bother making the place look nice for her guest. Again, I didn’t say a word. The driveway and entryway were full of dead leaves, grass was overgrown, it just felt cheap and like the owner had not even made a small effort to make the place look decent for me. I walked inside and took a quick tour of the place just to check if I saw anything crazy. 1. Kitchen zinc still had a piece of cilantro on the side. (Not a big deal, but big warning flag that maybe she had not cleaned the space as well as she promised). 2. One of the toilets still had brown spots all over. I immediately took a picture, since I’m assuming that was feces that she didn’t bother to clean. I went to the other bathroom and even though it wasn’t super clean, I didn’t see any feces so I decided to just use that one. I didn’t want to create conflict and I brought my own cleaning supplies so I figured I could clean myself. I went back outside and started unpacking. She was still there for another 2 hours in the garage, which she said she used as storage. Again, I didn’t make a big deal about it. But it did bother me that I felt that she was invading my space. I know that it is her property, but I had paid a lot of money just to have privacy and it felt like she wasn’t respecting my space. It felt intrusive. Since day 1 I wasn’t able to sleep well because there was a very loud noise coming from outside or the walls right by the bedroom. Eventually I got up and searched for an animal outside or in between the plants but I wasn’t able to find anything. The noise kept on going and I was just so tired that I passed out and didn’t find out what it was. Next morning, I woke up and tried to watch the TV. It wasn’t working. I texted the owner and she was nice enough to come take a look. I asked her to please stay outside since I was quarantining. She did stay outside for 30 minutes but since she wasn’t able to fix the TV, she eventually came in. Again, I didn’t feel comfortable having her come inside, but I wanted to have a TV, so I allowed her to come in and stayed in my car for a little over an hour until she fixed it. I thanked her for helping me solve it and for wearing a mask like I had requested, but I did feel disappointed that she had not had the TV and space fully ready before my arrival and that I had to allow her into the home, when the whole purpose of me renting that space was to be able to avoid any kind of human contact. That night, I couldn’t sleep again with the animal noises, but she had been annoying the last time she was there, and I didn’t want to unintentionally open another window for her to come back in again, so I didn’t text her about it. About 2 days after this, there was a tornado warning and the alarms were ringing. I had not experienced this before and I immediately texted her since I didn’t know where to seek shelter or what to do. She only responded after the alarms and alerts were over. I understand that she doesn’t control the weather. However, I was disappointed that as a Vrbo Host, she didn’t have a safety manual or some kind of guideline letting people who didn’t grow up in the area know what to do in case of a tornado. Apparently, it was tornado season in Irving, TX so she would have been aware that a tornado was likely to happen. Up to this point, it’s all issues that bothered me but since I don’t like to create conflict, I simply let them go. However, the real horror story starts on Sunday, Nov. 29. I was very cold that day and decided to turn up the heater. I pressed the heater about 6 times but the temperature wouldn’t stay at 76, so I decided to text the owner very politely and ask her if the thermostat was working. Long story short, she went completely crazy after this. She started sending me screenshots of the current temperature of the home; that’s when I realized that she could see and control the temperature of the home from her phone. It’s not that the thermostat wasn’t working, but every time I tried to put the temperature above 70 (this is in late November), she would immediately turn it off. Then she started texting me non stop for hours, like a completely crazy person. She texted that she would come to the home next day and fix the thermostat because it was broken. It wasn’t broken, she just wanted to set it up so that I wouldn’t be able to set up the temperature at any point higher than 70. I was freezing and upset that I had paid so much money and this crazy lady didn’t even let me turn on the heater. In addition, she started sending me nonstop screenshots all evening and night letting me know that she was monitoring the temperature. She started sending me condescending texts saying that if I didn’t take care of the energy there wouldn’t be anything left for our children. I was in shock and immediately called Vrbo at least 20 times throughout the night because I kept on getting transferred and/or disconnected every single time. At one point I was even considering calling the cops because I honestly got so freaked out by her constant texts. At one point I begged her twice to stop texting/sending messages through the app. because I had to wake up early next day to work and she was still texting me screenshots of the temperature after midnight. She also kept on saying that she was going to show up next morning to “fix” the thermostat even though I very politely asked her to please not come during the day since I was busy working from home and in meetings and that I was also trying to quarantine. That’s when she proceeded to threaten me and tell me that she was going to just cancel my reservation and not issue a refund if I couldn’t keep the temperature under 70 degrees. She also said that I was lying and not quarantining because SHE HAD FOOTAGE of my boyfriend coming to visit me one night. I was creeped out, I felt like my privacy was being disrespected, the way she stated it as “having footage” really made me feel like I was being watched and it was such a disrespectful and condescending way to address a guest. I was shocked! I don’t know why I proceeded to politely explain that he was also quarantining, when it was none of her business. She was so offensive and I honestly felt a little threatened that if I said the wrong thing she would just show up. Her constant texts at that time of day and her previous behaviors the few times I had observed her in person made me feel like she wasn’t very balanced psychologically and I just didn’t’ want to risk it. I called Vrbo and let them know about the situation. One of their representatives even suggested I call the cops when I released access to the conversation that (thank God) was mostly texted through the app. However, with my plan to quarantine and how uncomfortable I was staying there and thinking about not wanting to trigger a psychologically unbalanced person, I let Vrbo know at 3 am Monday morning, November 30 that I was in the process of packing and I was going to leave first thing in the morning. I explained the situation, gave them access to the conversation, told them if she texted me one more time I would file a police report, and demanded a refund ONLY for the nights that I wouldn’t be staying there. I got one hour of sleep that night and at 6am packed everything into my car and left the property. While I was on the road driving for 10 hours, she started texting me. When I got a chance to stop at a gas station I simply blocked her number. This has honestly been the worst experience of my life. One could argue that I overreacted but as a woman alone (my boyfriend lives in another city 2 hours away from Irving, TX) a woman of color, a foreigner in Texas, I really didn’t want to risk it with the current social and political climate with someone clearly psychologically unbalanced. I consider writing reviews or complaints a waste of time. However, I am taking the time to write this because I’m in shock and I truly believe this situation was completely unfair and unethical. I felt threatened and Verbo not only was completely useless, but they’re still refusing to issue a refund for the transaction. This has been the worst experience of my life and no one that crazy and disrespectful should be allowed to rent/manage their property on any of these platforms and, most importantly, Vrbo shouldn’t be allowed to simply get away with horrible hosts, terrible bad customer service, and just keep my money without a fight when it’s simply unfair. I’m not even being unreasonable in spite of all the issues and requesting a full refund. I’m requesting the bare minimum, which is a refund for the 7 nights that I didn’t get to stay in the property because the owner made me feel threatened and a refund for the cleaning fee since she didn’t even bother cleaning the feces from one of the toilets. I’m still in shock and it’s unbelievable that businesses allow these situations to happen. Hopefully by submitting this to the Better Business Bureau, Vrbo will conduct an investigation and stop allowing her to rent or at least manage the property herself because she’s not equipped to do so with her disrespectful, controlling, condescending and threatening ways. Vrbo should also be investigated for not reacting properly, proving absolutely terrible customer service (I counted at least 30 phone calls within a 24 hour period and they were completely unable to help me in any way. I also kept on getting (perhaps intentionally?) disconnected and placed on hold at least 20 times) and for not accepting to issue a refund in a situation like this. Most importantly, I hope other consumers learn from my experience and decide to use a hotel instead of Vrbo. I will never use their services again and have already told my coworkers, family members and friends about this terrible experience. Unfair business practices should not be allowed and at least I wanted to fulfill my civic duty and report this owner/host, this company and share my terrible experience. Thank you for your time!

I have loved using vrbo. It makes vacationing so much nicer! They have added extra fees which is lame. We have also used vrbo to rent our vacation home out, which was really great.

I have used VRBO to find venues for family reunions. It is very convenient but when I used it a few weeks ago, I was disappointed in the service fee. They are charging more than seems reasonable for the service one receives. The fee is making me reconsider using them.

I have always had a very positive experience with Vrbo. We used it in Utah when my son got married and also in Colorado and Washington. No complaints. Acomidations were always wonderful and i feel i can trust them.

It was a great vacation. The only negative was the miniature coffee pot that did not make but two cups. The coffee did not get hot or stay hot while making. It did not meet the standards of the rest of the rental. Thank you. Never a customer of turnkey but Vrbo yes.

VRBO is awesome. As new industries develop, VRBO has become a safe and trusted property rental source. It offers great properties, good on terms, contracts are easy, and communication with property owners is simple. I love using VRBO for the vast selection in properties available for any event or vacation.

vrbo.com is the industry leader and standard. I have been with them for 15 years.....4 different properties through the years in two states and two countries. No one produces results that come close to vrbo. I have seen the evolution, growth, change they have gone through and responded to. Thank you for all my bookings - don't know what I would have done with out you vrbo!

We have used VRBO for several years! They show the property accurately and list numbers and information for the owners. Pricing is listed and insurance is available and usually have several units at a complex listed. We don't look anywhere else!!

I have used VRBO for several years now to find vacation homes and properties to rent. We usually have more than 5 going with us, so we cannot use hotel room...it would cost too much to pay for more than one room a night...SO for us, it is much better to get a whole house or condo...with plenty of room, a kitchen, grilling area, and our own porch. Also, it is great for larger gatherings of family members!

Horrible company. Reviews at their website are FAKE! Had a terrible experience in Julien, California. No response from VRBO or property owner. Do not do business with this company.

I made a reservation with VRBO in Sept, 2019 on a listing by Better Beach Rentals, Oak Island, NC and made a payment. COVID hit in March. In April I contacted them and they said send a letter and cancellation and I would get a full refund. I sent the letter and received a verification on May 20th, 2020. I have had to follow up continuously since then. It is Nov, 2020 and I am still trying to get my refund. BBR says they never got the money from VRBO and VRBO says they sent the money to BBR. All I know is that it came out of my account.

Terrible company. First I rented and paid for a Hawaii rental- got a confirmation number. Then 3 days later said price was wrong so had to pay more!!?? Vrbo would not budge to meeting in the middle or taking the blame and giving us the listed price or the responsibility for messing up! Just said find another one! Now I found a place to rent for next summer paid for it and received confirmation it was booked. The next day I got man email saying it’s not available so find another one basically! The dates were out there!!! Now I am stuck again without a place It was hard to find in the first place. What is the deal with VRBO?!? It sucks lately. Vacations are being ruined!!!!!!!

Great selection of homes at great prices. I was not a big fan of their COVID policy. I had to give up half of my deposit because i was not able to travel during my booking secondary to COVID.

Vrbo is a competitor of Airbnb and has similar listings. It has many of the same properties as Airbnb. My main complaint is that it is difficult to find your reservations on the website.

The booking experience went smooth and the property owner was great to work with. We had a great rental experience. My dissatisfaction is with VRBO's policy that limits the time I can post a review. I am a busy person and the review was not a top priority. When I dedicated time for the review, about 5 weeks after my stay, VRBO gave me a message that my ability to write a review had expired. I called customer service, who contacted the property owner, The property owner was great to work with again, but could not over ride the VRBO policy. I just got off the phone again with VRBO customer Service and Mark reiterated the policy. I asked them to over ride the policy, but they would not. My property experience was great, but my VRBO experience was terrible. VRBO does not know how to take care of customers who have simple requests.

I have used VRBO my first time, I had to go to Florida for a family reunion, it was wonderful to rent a home for the amount of time I stayed and I would do again. I had everything I needed for my vacation. Thank You!!!

I have vacation rental property listed with VRBO and also have rented vacation property through their site IMHO they are # 1 in customer service..highly recommend to everyone... Totally 100% pleasure to do business with...

I was referred to you through a friend. We have not took the trip yet but have it booked. The condo owner has been very helpful and it was easy to work with the company to complete the arrangements for payment. I found a good variety of condo's to match my needs and it was easy to search your site. I will follow up after our vacation. Annie

This is the best way to find accommodations for large families. And I love that there are prive points for every budget

I like that VRBO has an easy platform and a lot of different places to look at. It is quite easy to find somewhere to stay on this site.

I always like to review what listings Vrbo has when I am looking for vacation rentals. It is a great site for comparing prices and finding the best fit for our family.

As per Government orders & Global pandemic dictates, we cannot travel. VRBO & Owner refuses to change our travel dates or refund or help out at all. After connecting with THOUSAND upon THOUSANDS of other travelers online in the same situation, it is clear that VRBO does NOT care about public safety and is more concerned about short term money gains versus long term reputation. This will be the end of them. AIRBNB did the right thing and changed their policy to serve their customer base in this emergency. Does VRBO think they are immune to social media? The airlines refunded us, the tours we booked were no problem, the ski resorts, the lifts, the rentals, the car rental company, etc. VRBO is the only one giving us problems. We are currently out $5k! We have saved for years for this. STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY!! THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMER BASE. WE WILL NEVER EVER BOOK WITH THEM AGAIN, AND WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE WORD.

We rented property in Galveston, TX over a month ago. The property owner did NOT send us the code to enter the property. We call her all night long, with only options was sleep in our rented vehicle or pay last minute price for a hotel. We opted to pay for the hotel, assuming the owner would offer to at least reimburse since it was her fault completely. We owner finally contacted us the next morning with the code. Upon arriving at her property, while watching TV in the bedroom, the 9'TV picture turns off but the audio is still there. NOPE no timer is set and nothing in the setting was set either. We for her to reimburse for our hotel room, she informed us that she wasn't making any profit on the property...BLAH BLAH. Our nightly rate at her property was $68.33 and she offered to refund $65...HOW is that acceptable? I want Cleaning, Service Charge and Taxes reimbursed since we did NOT stay the three (3) nights we paid for. We have contact VRBO numerous times with no explanation or resolution. I travel at least 4 times a year and will never use VRBO again. Do your research, check and double check there are people that refused to do what is right so I publicly let other know.

VRBO withholding guests $3000 security deposit for 40 days! I have been an owner advertising on VRBO since 2001. Customer service is ABSENT for owners and renters. I rented to a repeat guest over Christmas. The guest paid a $3000 security deposit held by VRBO. As of today, over 40 days later, the guest has still not received their refundable deposit back. I have made 5 calls to VRBO and my guest has made 7 calls to VRBO and they continue to tell us there is a problem with the system. I have asked for a supervisor to call me 5 times and no one has called. VRBO is ruining my rental business. Do no use VRBO, they have no customer service.

I booked a condo in Asheville NC on Oct 29th for the month of November. condo was available on line and VRBO accepted my money for the monthly rent. I called the owner - property manager on Oct 30th for the access and he told me that condo has been rented till March!!. it has been 2 weeks now, i am calling VRBO everyday to collect my money back, explain everything from scratch to call center employees everyday, so far no real action taken. The owner took the property off the web site, sent a message to me and them saying he doesn't work with VRBO anymore and VRBO is saying they still need to talk to him before they pay my money back.!!!! Horrible set up, worst call center. DON'T USE VRBO OR HOME AWAY!! AirBnB is way better.