• VRBO

VRBO

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Overview

VRBO has a rating of 1.13 stars from 1,984 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about VRBO most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and property owner problems. VRBO ranks 109th among Vacation Rentals sites.

  • Service
    436
  • Value
    393
  • Shipping
    112
  • Returns
    200
  • Quality
    336
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 0%
Positive
0
Neutral
1
Negative
72
637
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What reviewers want you to know

Positive highlights

No positive highlights yet

Critical highlights

  • I was disappointed with the lack of customer service and care from both VRBO and the host.
  • Received and email with in the app from property owner Patti Navilio ( Property # 783226) stating " This was blocked.
How would you rate VRBO?
Top Positive Review

“Overton Cottage, Rock Hall, Maryland”

George H.
8/30/22

From planning through departure at the end of our stay this has been an easy, pleasant experience. The Overton Cottage and host could not have been any nicer. The views, quiet setting, privacy and sophisticated casual accommodations were worth every penny. The guest bedroom is separate from the master bedroom. Each had very nice bathrooms and plenty of towels. If you're looking for a quiet place with amazing views and no ambient lights, you just found it. The screened in back porch made for great relaxation watching the birds and the water. The Wi-Fi was not an issue. The Eastern Neck National Wildlife Reserve is just 1/2 mile south and Rock Hall is only about out 10 minutes north with shopping and restaurants. Our sailboat tour added to the experience and was very affordable with Captain Mark of Blue Crab Charters. We like to leave a place nicer than we found it. There was no way to do that. It was immaculate and very welcoming. Bravo to the owners.

Top Critical Review

“Disgusting dirty house”

Collene B.
2/9/24

Vrbo reservation ID: HA-86M0H4 This house was dirty. Bathroom basin was hanging off the wall. Grime in the tile grout around shower. Grime around the kitchen sink. Air conditioner blows hot air. Bed was new apparently, but so hard the floor would have been more comfortable. Owner was nice enough man. He honestly believes the house was presentable to charge good money for a rental. He will not refund me at all. I have video of all my claims. I would not ever recommend this company.

Reviews (1,984)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (390) property owner (224) service fee (174) property manager (126) credit card (178)
Thumbnail of user colleneb4
1 review
0 helpful votes
February 9th, 2024

Vrbo reservation ID: HA-86M0H4
This house was dirty. Bathroom basin was hanging off the wall. Grime in the tile grout around shower. Grime around the kitchen sink. Air conditioner blows hot air. Bed was new apparently, but so hard the floor would have been more comfortable.
Owner was nice enough man. He honestly believes the house was presentable to charge good money for a rental. He will not refund me at all. I have video of all my claims. I would not ever recommend this company.

Tip for consumers:
Vrbo just fobbed us off. Owner would not refund our money. He feels his house is rental worthy.

Products used:
We had to book elsewhere for our holiday

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user zinkat
1 review
0 helpful votes
February 27th, 2024

We went to Italy and rented an apartment through Vrbo. Vrbo advertises that you always have the rental property all to yourself. The message is just you and your people. Well our rental was not private. Anything but private Wedged between 2 other apartments and the owners all living on site. In the same house very noisy no privacy. And Vrbo customer service were very very rude to me and did NOTHING to help. Worst rental experience ever STAY AWAY FROM VRBO

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Thumbnail of user dedddy
1 review
0 helpful votes
January 24th, 2023

Glitches i get, but. E and the lively vrbo community nite that we spend between 3 to 14 hours every month just trouble hung their system.

The assistants always promise a call to an expert which in our collective experience havens about one kn three times.

All 13 of us have had to completely redo our profiles at minimum 3 and at most 9 times in a single tear.

These take hours to do.

They have a good front product but we hire them and we have capital investment at risk - they don't.

They just don't understand the hispitakitybbusiness from an investors point of view, which is their entire clientele

Thumbnail of user joj118
1 review
9 helpful votes
August 14th, 2019

I am apparently one of many that has been scammed by their gift cards. I have tried for over a year now... the phone number goes to a message that hangs up on you and the area on their site does not really accept or enter in any gift card certificate and order numbers. I have complained to the better business bureau and would like to see if there is a way we, the scammed can start a class action law suit. Even getting some funding back is better than nothing and this company needs to go out of business.

Thumbnail of user mattw971
1 review
0 helpful votes
March 8th, 2024

VRBO is a real scam booking platform. They have a one star rating on every rating or review platform only because it's not possible to give zero stars!
Avoid them at all costs.
They host many non-existent accommodation places... you get there and it's just not there or abandoned.
They don't respond to email enquiries and if you try to call them you will find the line disconnected or switched off.
Even if the accomm IS there, it's often filthy or completely different to the description.
They don't remove or pause offending accommodation providers even after shocking reviews.
Go to someone else. Don't be part of the VRBO scam like me!

Products used:
Accommodation booking platform

Service
Value
Shipping
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Thumbnail of user annb434
1 review
2 helpful votes
July 13th, 2019

This place was terrible. The house was very old. It was given rave reviews but certainly did not live up to that. The room was small, the tv didn't work, it was far from town. Construction was going on in the kitchen when we arrived and the B and B smelled from the construction. The price of the room was way too high. Don't stay here unless you want a bad experience. There are many hotels in town that are less expensive and much nicer.

Thumbnail of user christopherk510
1 review
1 helpful vote
March 24th, 2020

We had an expensive two-night reservation in Pahoa, Hawaii. Due to a governor's order to limit spread of COVID-19, it became impossible for any visitors to go through with their travel plans in Hawaii. On all other reservations the we had, we were treated very fairly. BedandBreakfast.com, however, shut down their main phone line (we called multiple times over several days, and they always said "technical difficulties"). It was impossible to even discuss rescheduling or getting a partial or complete refund. Their whole focus seems to have been to keep the money, even though their innkeeper could not have accommodated us even if we could have shown up--the whole island was shut down. We'll never reserve through them again.

Thumbnail of user rayg149
1 review
1 helpful vote
October 3rd, 2019

We have rented 5 listings in Chattanooga through VRBO for the past 7 years. We have consistently had a great experience with them up until they decided to change their payment system. I understand that Air BnB does their payment system the same way, but having the company do it in the middle of the year and still making the users pay when they book seems unethical.
It has completely ruined our book keeping as well as our pay roll. How are we supposed to pay the property manager an administrative fee in a way that is fair without draining our bank account?

We are in desperate need of a company that encompasses the good things of both air bnb and vrbo so that we can drop this company completely and go back to how things were.

If anyone has any idea of such a company please let us know!
Were at a loss as for what to do, since we do get so much business through them.

Thumbnail of user nickj682
1 review
0 helpful votes
February 14th, 2024

Our Spanish villa was rented via Vrbo and they paid the £4,000 rental income to a fraudulent bank account and refused to reimburse us for their error. Their office is based in Dublin so they can avoid being taken to court for this in the UK. Disgraceful and dangerous agency!

Tip for consumers:
Vrbo is impossible to deal with and won't allow you to deal with anyone who can resolve your issues. Avoid them like the plague.

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Value
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Thumbnail of user elizabethb252
1 review
12 helpful votes
February 22nd, 2018

We are innkeepers who have been listed with bed and breakfast.com for prob 15 years. Their new business model of only allowing you to list your B&B if you book through them -so they can take a whopping 18 % - is outrageous. I am not the only B&B jumping ship. Whoever thought this a good and fair idea for the innkeepers is incredibly mistaken. Makes me so angry when companies change things in favor of them making the most money possible and dont care about how it impacts longstanding customers... and we are in the hospitality business. How ironic.

Thumbnail of user lisandrag7
1 review
0 helpful votes
March 7th, 2022

I rented a property thru Vrbo and the property owner canceled right away with no explanation. I called the next day to customer services spoke to Dru who said he tried to contact the property manager with no response he then said someone from claims was going to call me within 24 to 48 hrs. 5 days later NO call. I called back that is when they started the process because Dru did not do his job. Spoke to Darell and he started the claim for the first time. Spoke to a manager name Michael who else could not do anything for me they have no idea when I'm going to get my refund or when the claims department will contact me back. DO NOT AND I REPEAT DO NOT GO THRU WITH THEM. They have horrible customer service.

Thumbnail of user valh153
1 review
1 helpful vote
November 28th, 2023

Too bad we can't rate zero stars. VRBO cancelled our rental 1 hour before we left home. VRBO promised to find us another rental before we landed, but did NOTHING! We spent 6 hours in the Paris airport trying to get VRBO to find us a rental. VRBO kept making promises but all were lies. We had to find another rental on our own. Don't ever rent through VRBO. They will leave you stranded and won't do anything to help you. Customer service is the worse I have ever experienced.

Thumbnail of user michaelb3924
1 review
3 helpful votes
April 5th, 2020

I have a balance on the card, went to their redemption center and submitted the necessary information for a refund on 3 separate occasions over the past 15 months with no results. I have filed a complaint with the BBB but am not confident that this will go anywhere.

Thumbnail of user gavh3
1 review
0 helpful votes
January 23rd, 2024

VRBO convinced me to send money to an outside "managing agent" who represents a property I booked for my Christmas holiday in Cape Town on VRBO. It turns out that the managing agent "southern seclusions" run by Marco Manaman is a fake front capturing unsuspecting travelers. I only was able to figure this out because of the run around I was being given and my brother who kept trying to visit the property. VRBO lied to me saying they had vetted this company. It also refused to refund me my deposit to the managing agent even though they repeatedly told me I was safe to send money to this outside bank account… my bank eventually got me my money back but this has left a very negative experience of this company. I went through Airbnb and had a much better experience. Related to the fact that they only release funds to the managing agent or host once the vacationer has approved the legitimacy of the rental in person!

Products used:
Vrbo holiday rental site

Service
Value
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user chrish101
5 reviews
37 helpful votes
March 3rd, 2018

Horrible functionality. Outrageous commission 15-18%. Poor if at all available customer service. They do not take responsibility for double bookings or other errors. When trying to cancel a booking made months in advance, they tell me to contact guest. Well I did, emailed them. They claim they never got email and discovered 1 week prior when checking in about their arrival. B&B.com off course charged me their commission. That I have to report to them when a guest has checked in in order to get my money is the worst! Are they trying to keep it if I forget? Lousy horrible company. Will discontinue using them soon. Stay away!

Thumbnail of user hyginoc
1 review
0 helpful votes
December 6th, 2023

Worst experience booking accommodation.
Misleading information on the website.

VRBO terms and conditions are not in line with terms of rental with the owner of the properties.

It took me several emails requesting a contract in English ( even though they claim to speak over 10 languages on the site). I was actually asked by the owner to translate the contract myself! Had to insist to get it.

After you make the booking and pay VRBO, you are told by the owner of extra charges to be paid at the property.

For my absolute shock, on the translated contract I was told by the owner of the property, in these exact words: "you must provide bed linen, duvet cover, pillowcase, pillow and bolster towel and bath sheets as well as kitchen towels". Or alternatively, I could opt to pay 54 euros at the property! None of that is mentioned on the site!

I am a frequent traveller and never in any other platform I was told such an absurd thing when renting a flat.

Tried to resolve with VRBO customer services but after many emails, VRBO told me to reach an agreement with the owner and did not take accountability for the booking as this "was a matter of the owner".

I have requested the formal complaint procedure from VRBO and was sent only an internal feedback link. Requested again and I was ignored.

It is awful to have to make this public, but after my various attempts to resolve this fairly and being treated in the utmost level of disrespect, I will go the extra mile to make this public in as many platforms as I can in order to warn people to avoid this untrustworthy company and do not fall on the same trap that I did.

Stay away to avoid problems and stress!

Service
Thumbnail of user paulas836
1 review
4 helpful votes
February 28th, 2022

The property smells of a urinal. Ants and mosquitoes are crawling all over. The fan cannot be turned on unless someone gets up on a chair to pull a broken switch. Grimy refrigerator. The roof has marks of water damage. I paid $200 per night for this. I was on phone with vrbo customer service team for six hours without any resolution! They think this smell is a "not urgent issue". T stay away from St Petersburg Florida properties in downtown

Tip for consumers:
Stay away from this property:1617 31st street, St. Petersburg Florida

Products used:
I could not sleep because of the urinal smell- so I went and slept in my rental car.

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user janem1656
1 review
0 helpful votes
December 30th, 2023

Absolutely terrible company to work with. I am a host and I can't access payment from guests that have stayed at my property. I tried to update my bank details and received an error saying "We're sorry. Payments setup is temporarily unavailable. Our engineers are working quickly to resolve the issue. Please try again later". This was well over a month ago. I have called customer support multiple times, and sent multiple emails and I keep getting told that they are working on it and to be patient. It has been over a MONTH and I cannot access nor withdraw booking payments. This is absolutely outrageous and completely out of order.

Service
Value
Thumbnail of user heatherr200
1 review
4 helpful votes
January 17th, 2019

As a B&B owner, I used to love this website and received lots of guests until Jun 7,2018, when Expedia listed all the B&Bs on the Big Island of Hawaii as "sold out" for years to come. They said they were putting us on a new platform, but they really just wanted us to go away and not be competition for THEM. We have never recovered. Expedia buys up chunks of rooms in large hotel chains and sells them! B&Bs are just in their way. Now, they won't talk to you unless you have more than 10 rooms. They now dominate 70% of the marketplace and have TERRIBLE business practices, even listing B&Bs that don't want to be listed, only to steal their customers by answering the phone. Class action lawsuit against Expedia by Innkeepers in California. More to come!

Thumbnail of user kalap
2 reviews
7 helpful votes
August 31st, 2018

Since this company became part of the Expedia Partners, their accounting and customer service has gone down hill. We've used them as our channel manager and middleman between our lodging facilities and the Expedia family booking sites for over 15 years. The last year we've had late payments, missed payments, rude customer service reps, failed reservations, double bookings, and limited availability. We also use their proprietary PMS (Rezovations) which they control, so if there are last minute cancellations outside of their 9-5 workday, the room doesn't show available for a new reservation impacting our revenue. Sad.

Thumbnail of user michaelr5293
1 review
1 helpful vote
November 10th, 2022

I had a nice little trip planned with my wife and I through the honeymoon suites and VRBO in Tennessee. I live in Florida when storm/hurricane Ian came through it made most roads impossible to drive through. I'm also considered emergency critical for a municipality. VRBO insurance would not cover it nor would the owner Jeanie of honeymoon suites Tennessee.
Plain and simple stay away from both of these companies they are miserable no human compassion

Tip for consumers:
Please do not use the site as the RP I will not back you up don’t waste your money on the insurance as they own it. Thank you

Products used:
I bought insurance to cover the no refund policy but we’re talking about a hurricane here I’m sorry

Service
Value
Thumbnail of user briana658
4 reviews
2 helpful votes
September 21st, 2020

This is more of a question. I have a home I have been renting on VRBO for 2 years. Just recently I had a family arrive late evening, after 7pm, after driving all day from Georgia. The morning after their first night I was messaged by a person claiming they are a neighbor and that they was excessive noise from the property late at night. This could only have been the pool area by the lake. I asked the person where they lived (stating I wasn't asking for their actual address, just roughly, in the same street, across the lake etc). They have still not responded with that information, I have now asked 3 times during each response and they ignore that question each time. I contacted my immediate neighbors (either side, opposite), and they say that there was no noise or issue at all as far as they are aware.

The fact this person knew to look on VRBO and message her complaint that way seems odd. Also odd that a family with children, who had driven all day, arrived in the evening, would then ‘party loudly' until late hours.

I was just wondering if other owners have received suspect complaints, and what the motives might be?

Thumbnail of user lindas393
1 review
1 helpful vote
April 11th, 2017

My husband and I spent two nights at the Williamsburg Sampler Inn. Comfortable room with silky sheets and a large shower. Loved the eclectic charm of the inn. The breakfasts were very varied with fresh fruit, yogurt with berries, eggs with home fries, shortcake with fresh strawberries and wonderful breads and muffins. The owner and staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about the area. We plan on returning again.
Ron & Linda

Thumbnail of user evelynem13
3 reviews
3 helpful votes
February 1st, 2023

What a nightmare company! STAY AWAY. I felt extremely unsafe in my vacation rental and contacted VRBO several times to discuss it, I ended up making arrangements to stay elsewhere instead, because the vrbo location was so sketchy. I called vrbo with documentation, and several reasons as to why I didn't feel safe. They did not care. They did nothing to help. I lost out on $1000. Tried to get a refund. Nope, they steal your money. Stay away

Tip for consumers:
stay away. such a terrible fraud company.

Products used:
rental

Service
Value
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user bettyb92
1 review
0 helpful votes
July 19th, 2017

Mooncussers tavern and inn in Harwich, mass. Caused me to develop scabies. This is a contagious condition caused by unclean surroundings. The inn keeper would not acknowledge my complaint. I requested a refund she refused. Board of health was notified. I received no satisfaction and am appalled that this facility has had no accountability for causing an infectious illness. I will never stay in a bed and breakfast again.

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