Our recent houseboat stay was profoundly disappointing, falling far short of basic expectations. We anticipated a cool experience, not a luxury resort, but found the property in disrepair, making it both unsuitable and unsafe, and entirely unprepared for guests.Key issues: broken furniture (e.g., shoelace-repaired chair, torn upholstery), hazardous lighting (extension cords, poor switches), and a kitchen filled with old food items. Opened liquor bottles and a bin 2/3 filled with empty bottles.There was no space for our things; it was cluttered with the owner's items. The outdoor area was overgrown and unusable. This clearly felt like someone's hastily vacated primary residence, not a guest-ready rental.We immediately left due to these unacceptable conditions. The host, Lionel, refused a refund despite VRBO's support, intervention and our photos. VRBO could only refund their fee.WarningsDuring early messages, Lionel tried to bypass VRBO fees by instructing us to book future stays directly with him. He provided his private email to do so. We strongly advise against this as it offers no refund recourse if you find similar conditions. Also - Be warned the VRBO photos do not accurately reflect the current, poor conditions (see photos - I could only post 8)RecommendationThoroughly review VRBO's "Book With Confidence" guarantee, follow all stipulated steps BEFORE vacating, regardless of its condition. This will maximize VRBOs ability for a direct refund if needed.
