Unfortunately, I was unable to stay at this property due to a serious last-minute issue. Although I paid for the stay well in advance, I received an email—not a message through the booking platform—less than 24 hours before check-in warning about the possibility of tar in the water and on the beach. The message also stated that if any tar got onto the property or their items, I would be financially responsible for the cleanup or damage. This caused me significant concern; I had never heard of tar on a beach or in water!I googled and learned that tar is more common in warm, rainy conditions—and rain was in the forecast. I emailed and messaged the owner, but received no reply. Eventually, I got a phone call asking me to sign the agreement, but my concerns about tar were completely ignored. When I brought it up again, the owner said I received an automated message, claimed they hadn’t seen any tar yet, but still said I would be billed if there was any damage and refused a refund.My husband has a bad back, and we rely on our beach cart to transport our items. The risk of tar ruining our equipment—and potentially theirs—was too much. At 2:45 PM, just 15 minutes before check-in, I canceled. We had a 5-hour drive ahead and no resolution. VRBO said they’d follow up but never did, even after multiple calls. I strongly urge the owner to post a clear disclaimer about this issue before booking, so guests aren’t blindsided at the last minute. I feel taken advantage of; was anniv wkend
Unfortunately, I was unable to stay at this property due to a serious last-minute issue. Although I paid for the stay well in advance, I received an email—not a message through the booking platform—less than 24 hours before check-in warning about the possibility of tar in the water and on the beach. The message also stated that if any tar got onto the property or their items, I would be financially responsible for the cleanup or damage. This caused me significant concern; I had never heard of tar on a beach or in water!I googled and learned that tar is more common in warm, rainy conditions—and rain was in the forecast. I emailed and messaged the owner, but received no reply. Eventually, I got a phone call asking me to sign the agreement, but my concerns about tar were completely ignored. When I brought it up again, the owner said I received an automated message, claimed they hadn’t seen any tar yet, but still said I would be billed if there was any damage and refused a refund.My husband has a bad back, and we rely on our beach cart to transport our items. The risk of tar ruining our equipment—and potentially theirs—was too much. At 2:45 PM, just 15 minutes before check-in, I canceled. We had a 5-hour drive ahead and no resolution. VRBO said they’d follow up but never did, even after multiple calls. I strongly urge the owner to post a clear disclaimer about this issue before booking, so guests aren’t blindsided at the last minute. I feel taken advantage of; was anniv wkend
