Vrbo Vacation Rentals | App Report, Store and Ranking Data

I booked a trip with VRBO and my stay was cancelled 6 days before my departure date. The reason I gave 1 star instead of 0 is because I did get a refund (although had two guests flying in and a long road trip already planned so needed a place to stay) and after calling and being on hold/transferred around for an hour, someone did “help me” (put me on hold while I found a new place myself) rebook a new stay. I was told I would be refunded for the difference between the two trips since I booked very far in advance and now 6 days out there were minimal comprable stays available. Besides the fees being astronomical and DOUBLING the cost of the stay, I was told over the phone I would be refunded for the difference. I asked for this update in writing so I would know exactly what my refund would be and was told it would be approved and I would be contacted within 24 hours with that update. It has now been 5 days and I have called every day, total time on the phone being almost 6 hours, and continue to be put on hold and told I cannot speak to anyone directly who can answer these questions. On two calls I was able to be transferred to a “resolution specialist”, who could not give me any actual answers, but told me the case would be escalated (nothing happened), and on three calls I was told transferring to a specialist is “not possible” and that I could not have been transferred. The customer service has been inconsistent with one resolution specialist even telling me that “the stay is already on my card and past the cancellation window so what does it matter if I get the refund now or next week.” As someone who is depending on that refund, it does matter to me to at least know that it is coming. Such an extreme waste of time with no actual answers. Booking so far in advance and so easily made it seem like VRBO was a great service, until 6 days before when the entire stay got cancelled and now it is unclear if I will be able to afford the new one I was told would be approved (although still not confirmed). With these prices and lack of helpfulness in the team I would recommend staying at a hotel. UPDATE- it got worse!!! Upon arriving to our stay the host declined all calls/messages for arrival information. We were in a city we did not know, stranded on the side of the road with no access to our stay. After another hour on the phone with customer service at VRBO, they told us they can book us ONE night in a hotel since our host has disappeared. We spent the entire first day trying to figure out where to stay for the remainder of the trip because VRBO “policy” is they can only assist with one night. After this disaster of a booking, resulting in never actually staying at a VRBO property, you would think they would cover a two night stay. If I could change my review to 0 stars I would. I will never use VRBO again after this nightmare.

Tl;dr Our host cancelled because of a serious plumbing leak at the last minute for a 4 night stay. VRBO customer support promised to find us a new place multiple times and did nothing, even though this is part of their “Book with Confidence” guarantee. This review is about VRBO, not the app or the host. We were on our way from Texas to the Grand Canyon with our 4 kids and meeting extended family coming from other states. A few hours before check in time, our host had to cancel because of a significant water leak in the house. We assume that this was a real issue and this review is not about the host - he immediately refunded us the whole amount. This review is about VRBO’s response. First, we called VRBO to find out what to do. I had to call 5 times because the call kept dropping and even though I gave them my number in case the call disconnected, they never returned my call. So I had to call back and get in line at the end of the queue each time. I had to wait another 15 to 30 minutes for every call. Each time I called back I had to explain the situation to them again, even though I had done it to the previous times, and I provided them the customer support case number. Second, I found out we qualified for “Book with confidence guarantee”, so they said for the first night of our 4 night stay we could find a hotel and they would reimburse us. This was fine, although I haven’t gone through the reimbursement process yet. However, we had a bunch of refrigerated food that was hard to find a spot for in the hotel. Third (and worst) as part of the “Book with confidence guarantee”, they said they would also find a comparable property for the remaining 3 nights of our stay and they sent it to the rebooking dept and I was a stranded customer so it had been escalated and said I should receive an email about it. After 4 hours, I didn’t hear back - I was a bit anxious because there weren’t a lot of properties available that week. I called back and they said they couldn’t transfer me to the rebooking department and that they would contact me. At this point I lost faith in them doing anything and we needed a property urgently, so we found one on Airbnb. I never heard back from VRBO, the rebooking department never emailed or called me - despite the fact that I was told 3 times they would and it’s in their “Book with confidence” guarantee. We found a great property on Airbnb - 5 stars for that experience. Last note, VRBO policy doesn’t have a penalty for hosts who cancel last minute, even though guests typically can’t be refunded. This doesn’t leave me feeling confident.

I booked a trip with VRBO and my stay was cancelled 6 days before my departure date. The reason I gave 1 star instead of 0 is because I did get a refund (although had two guests flying in and a long road trip already planned so needed a place to stay) and after calling and being on hold/transferred around for an hour, someone did “help me” (put me on hold while I found a new place myself) rebook a new stay. I was told I would be refunded for the difference between the two trips since I booked very far in advance and now 6 days out there were minimal comprable stays available. Besides the fees being astronomical and DOUBLING the cost of the stay, I was told over the phone I would be refunded for the difference. I asked for this update in writing so I would know exactly what my refund would be and was told it would be approved and I would be contacted within 24 hours with that update. It has now been 5 days and I have called every day, total time on the phone being almost 6 hours, and continue to be put on hold and told I cannot speak to anyone directly who can answer these questions. On two calls I was able to be transferred to a “resolution specialist”, who could not give me any actual answers, but told me the case would be escalated (nothing happened), and on three calls I was told transferring to a specialist is “not possible” and that I could not have been transferred. The customer service has been inconsistent with one resolution specialist even telling me that “the stay is already on my card and past the cancellation window so what does it matter if I get the refund now or next week.” As someone who is depending on that refund, it does matter to me to at least know that it is coming. Such an extreme waste of time with no actual answers. Booking so far in advance and so easily made it seem like VRBO was a great service, until 6 days before when the entire stay got cancelled and now it is unclear if I will be able to afford the new one I was told would be approved (although still not confirmed). With these prices and lack of helpfulness in the team I would recommend staying at a hotel.

The VRBO we booked had a host who did not answer all of our questions. We tried to communicate with the host when the roads stated they would be closed into March 16 when our trip is on March 10. VRBO and the host made us wait until two days before that they didn’t allow cancellations because the roads might open. Lots of us had to take vacation days and we couldn’t even book another place because they strung us along, making us wait to see if the roads will open sooner. There is a single road open now, which is completely out of our way and will make this trip twice as long in regards to drive time. We, as guests, are upset that we would not receive a refund when we tried to cancel based on the city’s concerns not to have travelers go up to Big Bear right now due to the emergency crisis with the residents who live up there. As we prepare to go on this trip, we understand that there will be a lot of non-residents who will be contributing to the massive congestion of the only way in and out of Big Bear if you are not a resident. In addition, the conditions are still icy. The gas stations and grocery stores are not stocked. We are extremely upset that VRBO and the host of our reservation would not allow us to cancel our trip with a full refund for the good of the Big Bear residents and their emergency crisis. Please let us know if there’s anything VRBO will be doing to compensate for this issue otherwise I will have no choice but to continue to elevate this issue up the chain. Respectfully, Mrs. Lopez & guests.

I paid for 2 nights for a “elegant guest suite in Asheville with fire pit” owner Brandon property number 275024. Yes I made a mistake and put the wrong dates 15-17 should have been 16-18. So I immediately went back in to see if I could change my dates. Owner said no it was already booked but he had another place for$120 but we didn’t have that much. We were going to a wedding in Asheville and really didn’t have the money for that but it was family (my stepdaughters ( 16 years old) who was the brides… her sisters…maid of honor). So I asked to cancel thinking I would get all my refund (from the time I made the reservation to when we were going to be staying was less than 2 weeks). But NO it clearly states if you cancel between the 7-14 days you only get half your refund! But I didn’t even have 14 days! So I message the owner and he said he was at a wedding and would look into it the next morning ( I did not know he was at a wedding until he told me ) so I didn’t bother him and waited. He said I continued to bother him but I respected that he was at a wedding so I definitely did not. Bottom line! Read and reread your reservation BEFORE you pay and book and make SURE you will have the 14 days in case you need to change or cancelled. Yes this was all my fault but I don’t think the owner Brandon has a heart or he would have refunded all my money. I hope you enjoyed your wedding, Brandon, because you ruined ours.

I arrived in NOLA on 3/14/23 to find out that the property I rented appeared to be a scam. (The rental was $3,000.00 for a week.). Upon arrival, someone else was in the property and after looking in the window, it did not match the beautiful pictures from the listing, except for the front door. The listing owner did not answer the phone nor respond to text messages or messaging in the app. I frantically tried to get assistance from VBRO. The only option was text messaging from the Help section in the app. After making it clear that we were two women alone in a questionable area with darkness descending at 6PM, I was provided with a phone number that was not functioning "due to system difficulties." I then asked that the matter be escalated and was told someone would call me very soon. It is now 2:20AM and NO one from VBRO has made contact. We were left scrambling to book a hotel. I was originally a customer of Travelocity now VBRO. Needless to say, after 10 years, I will NEVER use this service again. It is very clear from my experience that you are on your own and will not receive any assistance from VBRO should there be any problem with your rental. You will not be able to reach them via phone, and they hide safely behind text messaging. BEWARE.

I stayed in a condo that was not as advertised and unsafe due to the balcony railing being out of codes. Vrbo promised me a full refund and to move us to a new listing. I was told to leave my unit and await further instructions to check into the one they were moving us to by 4pm. I called multiple times and no help was given. I ended up sitting at a Burger King, a single mom with 3 young kids until 9pm scared that we would be sleeping in our rental van! They finally sent an email saying that we needed to “self lodge” and would be reimbursed for one nights stay. The next day due to “no other available units” we were told to go back to the original unit where they agreed was not suitable for us to be in!! It was been nearly 2 months of hours and hours of phone calls and emails. Horrible customer service, never clear answers and very rude, threatening responses from their “guarantee team.” We still have not received either of the full refunds we have in writing that we would receive. I will never use this company again nor will I recommend that it be used. I will be warning everyone I know to choose a different way of lodging!

I booked a stay and then needed to cancel. I did so well within the full refund timeframe. The host acknowledged the request to cancel but didn’t cancel the reservation. I called vrbo for help every day until they told me to stop calling. then I called every other day. They told me they escalated internally. Then they said they escalated to the wrong team. Finally I was told it would be refunded with 48 hours. I called 72 hours later and the ‘customer service’ person said I should have contacted my credit card company and had it canceled that way, there is nothing vrbo can do. Thanks for having scam artist hosts and not helping with legitimate refunds vrbo. I’m sure that 800 dollar refund really would have bankrupted you. Keep letting scam hosts have multiple listings and not having more control over them. Beware they have anyone host and don’t care when they steal your money and run. Customer service is a joke. Three weeks of being put on hold and no progress. This app is a joke

For the last six years I have lived by VRBO. It’s convenient and makes so much sense traveling with a family. Over the last year, though, it has become awful. Every time I book, I immediately get contacted to sign some clickwrap overbearing multi page legal document selling my firstborn child that I HAVE TO SIGN NOW to keep my booking. Then, rather than taking payment through the app, the owner then starts demanding me to email them my credit card information so they can charge me, insisting they need personal information of everyone staying with me—all in all it feels like an identity theft set up scheme. VRBO should not allow this. What is the point of the app if I just transact directly with all the companies?? Starting to think I should just stay at hotels again as it has become ridiculously complicated and dangerous to identity theft to try to book with VRBO. Very disappointing as this was a company I swore by and used constantly.

I have been trying for weeks to get a refund due to legitimate cancellation. I’m well within the full refund period, but I’ve had to make several calls and emails and chats to both the property owner and VRBO. Just now I was finally connected with someone and gave him all my info and case number and the the call disconnected. The funny thing is he asked for my phone number in case we got disconnected but he never called back! I would have to call and be on hold for twenty minutes again and give the whole story again to someone new! I’m just going to call my credit card company at this rate and ask for a charge back. The merchant will receive a service fee but I think they should. I’ve never had this problem with AirBnB. Will not go through VRBO again. This was my first and last time.