2/10 Terrible
Colton C.
31 January 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Disliked: Check-in, communication
Disappointing, Dangerous and Stress-Inducing
The cabin itself was fine and matched the photos. However, there were some details that made us wish we had just gotten a hotel. Properties like this are the epitome of the poor STR offerings that are now commonplace.
First: This property is managed by a professional company. It is weird and inconvenient that they require guests to have to first visit an offsite location during their available office hours to check-in.
Second, the amount of messages and forms we were subject to after booking was dizzying. Once we had already booked and paid on VRBO, we were forced to fill out pages of additional forms via links with extra signatures and personal information, and then fill that information again in-person during check-in. They even prompted us to install another additional app altogether just for a 2-night stay. There were house rule sheets fed to us at every turn: in the emails, forms, on printouts, on the contracts, hanging in the home. I felt unwelcome by the end of it. The point is: booking through VRBO should be the sole source of our registration info and the house rules. All this extra stuff felt very unwelcoming.
Third: the home entrance itself was difficult to access. I wish I could post a photo, because the narrow stairs leading to the front door had at least a 3-inch thick later of slippery ice on top. It was almost comical how difficult it was to walk up the steps without assistance. We had to tag-team bringing in our bags because it was so dangerous to walk up. We couldn't have dealt with the ice if we'd wanted: all they provided was a cheap plastic snow shovel that couldn't come close to busting the ice. I can't believe they didn't clear the walkway and salt the steps before admitting guests.
Fourth: the instructions call for guests to take their garbage to the dump, after charging a cleaning fee! As paying guests (and as a short-term rental host myself), I had to laugh that these people require their guests to go run errands for them around town just to go check out. These hosts are a local company -- they can go make the garbage run to the dump themselves.
Needless to say, we won't be coming back to Big Bear anytime soon and I do not recommend Big Bear Vacations.
Colton C.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
