Vrbo Reviews 

We have gone through vrbo numerous times for years! That being said, we have NEVER been charged outside the total price for a rental and blindsided by a hidden fee by vrbo until now! VERY, VERY disappointed and will be looking for a different means of booking our future vacations!!!

We reserved a 3br 2bathroom property on Nettles Island from 4th of Sept through the 8th. Did not recieve any check in instructions after multiple text and calls to VRBO supervisors. Who could not get the host either. Past the check in time and they offered to credit our $850.00 and add another $850.00 for a different reservation. None were available at this time. We were stranded. It appeared they credited the $850.00. However today they billed us $328.57 after not staying anywhere. Worst possible experience. Never book with VRBO!

I rented an apartment on the island of Ischia, paying over $800 for a three night stay. When raw sewage bubbled up through the shower drain after the first night, I moved out. VRBO took the host’s side and refused to issue a refund. Instead they offered a small credit toward a future stay, which I refused. I thought they would stand behind their rentals, but they do not. Beware!

My family and I rented a vacation property on Cape Cod from Nauset Rental for a week this summer. One of the things that convinced us that the property was "excellent" was the average review of 9.8 on the Vrbo listing. When we got there, though, it was in terrible shape. Urine stains on the bedding, other stains on the mattress covers. All of the furniture was stained and dirty. That was just the beginning... We documented all of this and posted our review to the Vrbo website, with photos to document the conditions. When I checked the review later, however, it wasn't there. I called Vrbo and they informed me that the listing had been deactivated. But, I could see the listing on Vrbo. It turns out that the owners created multiple listings and just deactivated the one(s) with negative ratings. Helps to understand the high rating! Vrbo did not seem concerned about this misleading practice, and is allowing the property managers to maintain the current listing without the review. We will never rent through Vrbo again.

We made a reservation with Barbara Davis,host, in Shoreline Towers in Destin Florida and talked with her about details. Then days later she asked to raise the rates over a hundred extra a day and says if we don't like it we can cancel the trip. We already paid deposit days ago mind you and already agreed on the date with Barbara Davis. We brought this up to VRBO because on their own site it say to if a host does this. We did and VRBO did nothing and lies and changes their own policies if each case needs to. They told me this was a rare case scenario but they didn't penalize the host and VRBO actually declined our trip on our behalf even though we never did accept the price increase or say we declined the trip. We already paid so it's a binding contract. But....it's VRBO
We saved all the text messages and recorded all conversations to show VRBO lies and does not follow any policies or rules. VRBO is only taking care of the host and we don't count.
So if you find a good deal on VRBO just know the host can raise the rates and VRBO has the hosts best interest. I would suggest AIRBNB or anything, I mean anything else besides VRBO.
SCAM AND SCAMMERS

EDIT 9/5/26 - VRBO responded to this review asking us to contact help center for ‘further’ assistance… we already did that (before posting this review) the call was escalated to a supervisor and they did not resolve the issue or provide any meaningful support. Being directed back through the same channel we already used is not resolution and is why we posted this review.

VRBO advertises “all fees included” and then they slap you with a $58 fee at the end, which they say is added into the per night amount… but the math doesn’t add up! I had to chat with a rep to tell me where to even find the receipt for the $58, since it was charged separately - they told it was for ‘relocation services’ and ‘cannot be removed’ - I did not want a relocation service… why charge up front for something the majority of people will not use? They also advertise ‘OneKey Cash’ - and say that you can use it twd booking, they email you constantly telling us we have this benefit and should use it twd future booking… so when you go to actually use it, it doesn’t get applied!! We called to have them manually apply it, but instead they blamed the property owner and told us “this property probably doesn’t accept OneKey Cash’ - so PSA to anyone reading this…If you find a property you like on VRBO, copy the name and search it with booking dot com and use booking dot come instead!! Terrible business practices VRBO, shame on you! You’ll never take my $ again.

I got to Miami and the host scammed me. VRBO is refusing to help me get a hotel and only offered me $100 out of $520 that I paid

We booked thru vrbo June 27 thru July 5th. Grand alantic 2007 ocean blvd myrtle beach sc. When we arrived the penthouse 1&2 was not worth it outdated poorly cleaned broken items then finding BEDBUGS ON JULY 2ND! VRBO DID NOTHING FOR 10 PEOPLE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY. JANET WAS THE HOST OCEAN WAVE RENTALS.
VRBO IS A JOKE, MAYBE THEY SHOULD LOOK AT THE RENTALS THEY BOOK YOU IN
OUR LESSON BOOK DIRECTLY AND READ REVIEWS NOT ON VRBO THOUGH, OUR PENTHOUSE WAS 9.6? WASNT EVEN A 1 STAR

I made a booking with Expedia for holiday accommodation in France. I tried to cancel within an hour of making the booking and told by Expedia that the booking was with VRBO. I contacted VRBO and they eventually responded after 24 hours, in German, that the cancellation was in progress. Also, the price quoted was in pounds sterling but when the confirmation paperwork came it was in euros. Despite contacting Expedia again to cancel the transaction has still gone through and my bank have charged a foreign transaction fee! Update: I have just spent 2 hours trying to get through past VRBO's virtual help. I get to speak to a live agent and they try to pass me on to a 'specialised' agent who can help but that person does not engage in conversation and cuts off straight away Their help line is diabolical

Booked a house in Sardinia in August26, paid, confirmed — all good.
Then just a week before the trip, the host casually tells me the house was sold. Vrbo? Completely silent. No warning, no update, nothing.
They refunded me only after I asked, which tells you everything: either they don’t care, or they have no idea what’s happening. Both are equally impressive.
If you want a holiday packed with chaos potential, Vrbo is the perfect choice!!!

Promotion opt out . VRBO have sent a note to hosts asking if they wish to opt out of promotions with much hiked discounts that single businesses can ill afford. The opt out option on the email doesn’t even work, yet another poor rollout from VRBO and little
point sending global blasts if the technology is flawed

I would not recommend Emerald Bay Gateway ground floor condo and LoveRentals host especially based on our experience.

The accommodation we received was materially different from what was represented in the listing. Check-in was also delayed by approximately two hours by the host.

When we arrived, the property was in an unacceptable condition. It had clearly not been properly cleaned: the carpets had not been vacuumed, the floors had not been mopped, and there was dust and food debris throughout the apartment. Other people’s belongings and children’s drawings were also left inside.

There were numerous maintenance and accommodation issues as well, including gnats inside the property, broken furniture, a faulty kitchen tap, a leaking shower, a toilet valve that stuck, and a missing lock on the screen door. The property also did not match the advertised/expected amenities — there was no bedroom window or TV, and the swimming pool had reportedly been closed since 2024.

We immediately reported these issues to the property manager and gave them an opportunity to resolve the situation. However, no alternative accommodation or adequate solution was offered, and no meaningful compensation was provided.

As a result, we had no reasonable option but to leave after only two nights. We subsequently received only a partial refund, without a clear explanation of how the refund amount was determined.

This was not simply a matter of personal preference or a minor inconvenience. The property was not properly prepared for guests, had multiple unresolved maintenance issues, and differed significantly from what we had been led to expect when booking.

I would strongly recommend that prospective guests carefully verify the actual condition and amenities of any property managed by LoveRentals before booking.

Long wait times, poor customer service. Platforms and policies that make it difficult to use.

Rented an apartment in downtown Indy. Our check in time got pushed back by 2 hours. Poor communication with the host. When we finally took position of the apartment, there was food in the fridge and cabinets from other people's previous stays. The closet shelves were full of dust, no spare towels or toilet paper. One of the bedrooms didn't even have pillows.
And, what was NOT disclosed on the lisiting, was that EVERYTIME you used the elevator to go back to the apartment, you had to text a number, tell them what elevator your in, then they release you to the floor. It was so INCONVENIENT! The host said she would refund me $40 for the late check, its been 2 weeks, no refund.
I contacted Vrbo, told them I deserve more compensation, they reached out to the host, with no luck. I asked them to pause her listing until, until she got back with them and agreed to a fair compensation. I was told they could not do that. And because Vrbo pays the host their money upfront, I am pretty much screwed. If your ever in Indy DO NOT rent property#5341356/UNIT ID#5915517

I decided to try Vrbo after using Airbnb successfully for many years. That decision cost me an astonishing amount of time and frustration.

I needed to make a straightforward date change that the host had already agreed to approved. Over two days, I called Vrbo customer service five times. Every representative proposed a different solution. Several assured me the dates would be changed and that I would receive email confirmation. The reservation never changed and none of those promised confirmation emails arrived.

Each call also involved an extended hold while the representative attempted to contact the host. Rather than resolving the matter and calling me back, Vrbo required me to remain on the line, listening to particularly irritating hold music, only to return without a solution. Communication with several representatives was difficult and the entire support operation felt disjointed and unreliable.

Eventually, Vrbo suggested that I contact the host and resolve the problem myself! I was shocked at first, but that turned out to be the only useful advice they provided.

The host was wonderful. She and I agreed that Vrbo’s customer service left a great deal to be desired. She told me the same property was also listed on Airbnb and offered me a full refund. I canceled the Vrbo reservation and booked the identical property for the correct dates through Airbnb, seamlessly, painlessly and immediately.

To give Vrbo credit, its automated telephone assistant is remarkably good, possibly the most natural and effective automated customer-service system I have encountered. Unfortunately, once a human representative took over, the quality collapsed.

The host was not the problem. The property was not the problem. Vrbo’s system and customer support were the problem. A simple, host-approved date change consumed five telephone calls, hours of my time and considerable aggravation, yet was never completed.

Vrbo’s app should allow customers and consenting hosts to handle a basic date change without this ordeal. After this experience, I will return to Airbnb and will not use Vrbo again. Adios friends.

Terrible company, I don’t know how they are in Expedia. If you come across this company choose another one. They do not value customers.

As a host, I have found VRBO increasingly difficult to recommend compared to other short-term rental platforms.

My primary concern is the review and rating system. In my experience, VRBO appears willing to accept ratings that are entirely subjective, even when a property, its amenities, and its condition match the listing exactly and the travellers indicate an excellent experience, but leave less than 5 stars. In my case, nearly all of my reviews were perfect. However, one guest chose to lower the score because the property did not provide more landscaping/outdoor features that were never advertised, never shown in the photos, and never described in the listing. Despite clear photos and listing description, the host still selected my property and mentioned an excellent experience (excellent cleanliness, excellent location, magnificent service from hosts). The guest never communicated any concern during the stay, or desire of additional (non-advertised) amenities, despite multiple reminders that I as host was available to assist (our house guide indicates it, all my messages through VRBO platform indicated it, etc).

When I contacted VRBO support, I was essentially told that because the traveler was expressing a personal opinion, the review and score would stand. While I understand that guest opinions are important (I'm also occasionally a traveller myself and could not agree more to the principle), I do not believe it is fair to penalize hosts when the guest's disappointment stems from expectations that were never part of the advertised offering and that were never expressed by the traveller. VRBO told me: ''the traveller expressed their personal opinion, therefore the score and review they gave is accepted. the only thing you can do is to respond to the traveller on VRBO platform.''

This approach creates an uneven playing field. Hosts who happen to avoid highly subjective travelers and maintain a 5 star score, receive better visibility and ranking, while hosts who encounter a single traveler with unrealistic or uncommunicated expectations can see their ratings negatively affected despite providing exactly what was promised.

I was also disappointed by the quality of support provided. Rather than assessing whether the review was consistent with the facts of the listing, VRBO's position was simply that the guest's opinion is valid and that the only available remedy is to publicly respond to the review.

From a technology perspective, VRBO also feels behind competing platforms. Airbnb provides a more intuitive and integrated experience. VRBO relies on separate applications (for hosts and travellers) and a user experience that feels less streamlined and less efficient for hosts managing their properties.

To be clear, VRBO does generate some bookings and most guests are excellent. However, until they provide a more balanced review system, stronger protection against ratings that are disconnected from reality or from the actual listing, and a greater commitment to fairness when disputes arise, I would not score more than 1 star. A review system should help travelers identify misleading listings, not penalize hosts for not providing features that were never advertised in the first place.

Until those areas improve, I believe VRBO remains a useful platform, but one that falls way short of offering hosts the level of fairness, support, and technology available elsewhere.

I am a property owner. Talk about useless - Vrbo that is. Impossible to upload important data. Impossible to talk to someone at Vrbo - they ring me then hang up. Why therefore would I place my property with them? Why would any property owner put their property with them? An incompetent company staffed by incompetent people who clearly work from home in some far flung place anywhere on Planet Earth judging by the strange accents.

3 bookings in 2 days, all cancelled a few hours after booking, took the money they said wouldn’t be charged until the actual stay.
Now down $6360 (we have to wait for 7 - 10 days for a refund) and nowhere to stay

Hours on the phone still no resolution