Vrbo Avis 

They take a booking and then you are asked to pay by the venue itself, which is a fabulous opportunity for fraudsters….we were contacted with all the relevant details, dates, name of villa, correct spelling of my wife’s name and it was a scammer.

This website is a scam. I have booked a weekend away and I have accidentally mistyped the email address without realising it. I went through payment and everything and got confirmation of the booking on the web page. I waited for the confirmation email but I didn't receive it, so I tried to log in into my account and the booking wasn't there. I called the customer service to check if the booking was confirmed and after 40 minutes over the phone, the assistant told me about the mistake and he said that he can't do anything about it and I will have to contact the host. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU CAN BOOK FOR A HOLIDAY WITHOUT AN ACCOUNT?!?!? I then tried to log in with the mistyped email but it doesn't give the option to put a password, it only asks for a code that you received via email (email that I cannot access). On my other account there are 3 ways to access (email code, password, and code via phone number) while on this one only the code via email. WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THAT?!?! I can't access any information about my booking, and now I don't even want to go there anymore even if I can because this whole situation is just so stressful, also because my husband's credit card has been used for the payment, so there's even him involved who is obviously very angry about the situation. This whole thing has become a nightmare and even IF (so far I couldn't because it was too late in the evening) I manage to contact the host, this holiday is ruined because of a ridiculous customer service full of scammers. Also the customer service assistant doesn't know phonetic alphabet and it was a drama to spell my name and he was very difficult to understand when he was talking and when I asked him to repeat and speak slower he totally ignored me. Don't book with these scammers if you don't want to spoil your holiday and throw away your money!!!

Advertising property that they have repeatedly been asked to remove. so now that have taken the money and say it will be weeks to return. basically crooks. AVOID

Eight hours later still no sign of VRBO sorting out its website. Phoned again got some brainless woman who assured me the website was perfect. Where do they recruit, the local asylum.

Booking through Vrbo is a big mistake. Their system defaulted to reserving a room for one person when I needed it for 2. I have a double room. It seems impossible to make this simple change. Vrbo said I need to contact Expedia as the booking was made by them through the Vrbo site. Expedia say I have to contact Vrbo to make this change. I even contacted the hotel directly who say I have to contact Vrbo. Vrbo don’t take responsibility. I now need to call the USA! I should have booked through booking.com. I wouldn’t have had this much problem.

Booking was OK but when it comes to getting your One Key Cash rewards they're absolutely useless. I spent over £7k on a recent trip which should've got me about £140 in One Key Cash but they haven't paid out. The only way to get in touch is the online chat where they say a supervisor will contact me within 24hrs. This has happened 3 times over the last month and no contact.

I booked a property through VRBO a full year in advance for the Oasis concert on 25th July. Just two days before the event, I received a last-minute cancellation with no prior warning or explanation.

I immediately contacted VRBO customer service and was told that I was covered under their "Book with Confidence Guarantee." I was assured that I would be placed in alternative accommodation and that any price difference would be covered by VRBO. I was told to expect a call or email within the hour to arrange this.

That call never came.

I chased repeatedly—via phone, via web chat, and through every channel I could find—but no one got back to me, and no resolution was provided. I was left completely stranded just hours before a major event I had planned for a year. Trying to find last-minute accommodation during a huge event weekend was stressful, expensive, and completely avoidable—had VRBO fulfilled even the most basic standard of customer care.

To make matters worse, there appears to be no clear way to lodge a formal complaint. The entire experience has been nothing short of appalling, and I will never use VRBO again.

Be warned—their “Book with Confidence” promise means absolutely nothing when you really need it. Absolutely disgusting customer service.

Property reference: p2371478 Gengenbach

Booking process was fine but no check in instructions were sent by the host. Had an ok stay but there were very little instructions for check out. We were also locked out of the washing machine shed one night for no apparent reasons and whenw e messaged the host for support she ignored us. All my messages were ignored by the host. On leaving we did the usual tidying of making beds, dishwasher on, kitchen cleaned, bins emptied, recycling done and general tidy up. Host reviewed us badly with no feedback.

Contacted VRBO as I believe the bad review was because we put her communication at 4 due to ignoring our requests for help during the stay (something VRBO could easily verify for themselves). It was either that or I think she's been in the house while we were out (we didn't unpack and left our suitcase in the apartment hall which she may have taken objection too for being messy) but the apartment was left as we found it on leaving. I was very polite in my review and didn't mention some of our issues so I wanteed to go back a edit but VRBO can delete my review but I can't edit it so she's left with a really good review from us when it wasn't really deserved. My own fault but I was being polite! I think it's massive fialing of VRBO not to allow editing and not to take action when a review is clearly in response to another.

One other thing, they actually did not give an accuarete description of the property, it claims there is a hot tub. This was not something that was mentioend to us so if they do have one, they don't allow visitors to use it.

This was my first booking with VRBO but I will be returning to AirBnB where every review I've had (since 2019) accurately reflects our stays and where the customer service is much, much better.

I contacted our host who said they didn't know how i'd make the booking, they don't offer short term rentals anymore only long term and advised me to cancel my booking. I cancelled the booking, it's been 2 weeks and still I haven't received my refund. VRBO haven't been helpful, this is basically theft.

VBRO only put fictitious reviews on their Website. Our recent review of a Villa in Torre Pacheco was totally ignored.

Hi, My wife & I originally booked reservation id #5697491 property # 551832 Villa ' L ' alivu from 09/06/25 to 23/06/25 - 14 nights. Which on arrival at the site Domaine Alicia we were told by Armand Tumeo was unavailable due to the Hot Tub being broken by the previous occupants children. We were escorted to another villa " Via Ferrata " property # 5520655 without any options. This was meant to be an " Upgrade " as it had listed, Air Conditioning, Fire Place, Beach & Mountain views. The mountain view was only visible from the back of the villa. Well all four listed was not available. Air condition was a priority considering the outside temperature 28 / 30c.
The mega problem was the " Ant Infestation " they were everywhere outside & inside Villa Via Ferrata. On the terrace at the table / front door, around the Hot Tub in the pool at the bottom dead & at the water level, gazebo, far side of the pool, car parking, dry washing area.
Inside the villa KITCHEN behind & around the fridge freezer, cupboards & drawers, dish washer, on the floor around the kitchen units kick plates. They were coming from out from the light switch & electrical sockets. Called Armand several times which he responded to immediately, sprayed Heavy toxic chemical on several occasions to eradicate the ants to no avail, they just kept on coming back. Armand tried so desperately hard to help us, he exhausted his options. We also discovered in the utility room some pink packages of " Rodent Poisons " which were actually opened. But his boss host Jean Francois was not interested in our plight. The Hot Tub plug blew up on the Saturday 21/06/25 Whilst I was in it... dangerously close. Which had tripped the fuses in the villa, Armand to the rescue, again.
This needs to be addressed immediately, so no other client has to go through this ordeal. Either the host is removed from the rental platforms or he cleans his villa up to Holidu / VRBO Highest standards. Simply not acceptable for any client member of VRBO having to pay out large sums of there hard earned money to the likes of Jean Francois. This is not the high service that we are accustomed to from VRBO / HOLIDU Simply not acceptable. Apologies does not come anywhere near resolving this issue my wife and I had to endure.
VRBO / HOLIDU NOT WORTH THE HASSLE OR GRIEVE. RECOMMEND DO NOT USE.👀
It would appear either VRBO & HOLIDU HAVE TAKEN UPON THEM SELVES TO RELEASE A REVIEW 04/08/25 OF 2/10 TERRIBLE against Villa 'L alivu Which we did not sanction or consent to or agree too, We requested that this review is REMOVED Immediately, as we were moved to Villa Via Ferrata NOW THAT IS REALLY BAD, TERRIBLE.. Please STAY CLEAR OF VILLA VIA FERRATA..ANTS

I cancelled my booking well within the free cancellation window, but getting my refund has been a nightmare. Even after multiple requests, I still haven’t received the refund over 10 days later, and the booking still shows as active. Unlike other platforms where refunds are processed automatically, VRBO relies on the host to issue the refund , and if the host doesn’t respond, you're stuck and they keep your payment.
This lack of accountability is unacceptable. I’m now left with no choice but to report the charge as fraud to my credit card provider. I strongly advise others to avoid using VRBO. It’s simply not worth the risk.

I wont be using Vrbo again. I booked a property
this morning for one night during the coming weekend, paid up front and then half an hour later received a call from the host saying they would not honour the booking. Vrbo did refund the amount I paid but said it could take up to five working days.

They (Vrbo and the host) should not be advertising properties that are not available.

As I feared they are now quibbling about the refund.

This company and the parent co in usa should be in court for fraud, the procedure we suffsred was the same as others. The whole operation is fraudulent. The parent co in usa was to phone us at a specific time.No. call, at all. No contact since. They left a 71 yr old woman in a foreign country, late at night alone. Luckily it was Norway, Oslo to be precise.Due to the kindness of sfrangers, it did not end in disaster, but it could have. I am ver angry about this. Y ne t steps include contacting the relevent authorities in that country and asking them to bar this company from there. That is the begining, i am going to make both them and the parent company in the usa famous, by contacting every organisation i canthink of here and elsewhere with our story. A refund, the cost of the replacement hotel and a significant sum for the emotional and physical stress inflicted is the least i require,

I have written a previous post about UK experience and booking a lodge in Devon and informed by the host that it was double booked.

The new problem is that the Bank is now telling me that transaction is still pending by VRBO.

I have had to increase my Credit Card spending and get another holiday booked. The stress has been considerable.

However, I have learned that the bank can either approve or disapprove the pending transaction . It can take up to 30 days.

I now wish that I had chosen a reputable firm and will never use VRBO again.

I have made a complaint already to VRBO. Please can the latter do the decent thing and cancel my pending payment....

If I could, I would give this no stars - I feel that it is a scam company. Expedia should be ashamed to own and be associated with this company. We booked for 4 days in London, VRBO took over GBP900. The owner messaged through VRBO and cancelled the booking within 24 hours. He said he was sorry he couldn't have anyone to stay at this time, even though we had been able to book those dates through the website. No refund forthcoming despite desperate efforts to talk to both VRBO and the owner. VRBO says it's up to the owner to refund, owner says it is the fault of VRBO. Don't book through these scammers.

Booked via Expedia. Accommodation booked didn’t send any access info and uncontactable. Spent 6 hrs on live chat while stranded with 3 children in Liverpool despite escalation. Still waiting for call back . No refund and no follow up up. Absolutely appalling

Vrbo/Abritel are not a reputable company, they are only interested in the income they gain from their hosts which is falsely gained by allowing their host to advertise falsely about their properties facilities and mislead guest. We have lost £1200. They are part of Expedia who also don't take any responsibility, nor do the allow us to contact them. Vrbo are not part of ABTA which makes it impossible to take the issues further so basically they and their host walk away with YOUR money! You have been warned.

**** Jun 2025 update ****
After posting negative comments on Trip Advisor, Vrbo have contacted us and offered us £88, yes £88 in compensation vs £1200 spent!! They still haven't acknowledged the Health & Safety issues, nor that there is no wifi in the property and the other misleading facilities on offer. Again, unacceptable

We've just arrived home from an amazing holiday at Villa Anna in Pueblo Benalmadena that we booked through Vrbo ...it's just unbelievable to see these one star reviews on here..I didn't look on here before I booked as I'm sure it would've put me off booking through vrbo ...but I'm glad I did book as everything about the holiday went smoothy.. from the booking to the fantastic host communicating daily answering any questions that we had..helping with rental cars etc..I'll definitely book with this company again based on my 5* experience..

my booking was cancelled 2 days later.. no reason was given.. very disappointed