I wrestled with whether to leave a review or not because, although our experience at this VRBO rental was very disappointing, I don't like tearing down well-intentioned people. I hope this review serves as a counter to the impression created by the high rental price, nice pictures, and decent rating score.
To summarize the issues with the rental: 1) Cleanliness, 2) Poor Maintainance, and 3) Unresponsiveness/lack of communication.
Our stay was for 4 nights, and our family was eager to settle in and begin enjoying the facilities. When we arrived, we had to wait 20-30 mins for the owner to email us the access codes. These details, along with a house guide and other helpful info, are normally provided days/weeks in advance. When I reviewed what the owner had sent, it was clear they intentionally left the access code and other normal check-in details off the "Welcome" email. I tried calling the owner to no avail. After spending several minutes on the phone with VRBO customer service, the owner finally sent what looked like a hastily typed message with access instructions.
When we entered the house, it was clear that the house was not prepped for us -- it was neat, but it felt very dirty, especially if you looked closely. We spent the first couple of hours cleaning - washing all the dishes and counters, laundering the linens, and washing the shower. There were many things we overlooked, like empty cans in the garage and broken knobs, but it was not the experience we expected.