2/10
Here's the gist - booked this property three months prior to travel. Everything was confirmed, card was charged.
Driving to Lyon late on the night of arrival and messaged the host about on-site parking. She messaged back that the apartment was not available. So we arrive in Lyon at 10:30 pm with 7 people and no place to stay and zero advance communication from the host. The only reason I heard anything was because I messaged her with a question.
Here's what I expect happened - Coldplay, the rock group, was in town doing a show that night and EVERYTHING was sold out. I can only guess she had failed to price that in when I booked months in advance. Upon realizing she could get a higher rate, rented the apartment to someone else and never bothered to let me know. She cited a 'bug' in the system to me, but told VRBO support the apartment was flooded.
So we were stranded in Lyon with no place to stay.
I will say that while these messages were going back and forth, we did arrive at the property as we were already in route. Did not see the inside,but the exterior was poorly lit, poorly maintained, and grounds unkept.
Access instructions are a little sketchy too - keys to the apartment are in a lockbox hanging in a tree a few blocks away. No kidding. Doesn't feel like the most secure way to manage a nightly rental. Are they changing that lockbox combo for every guest? Or does every previous guest just know how to get the keys?
Book at your peril.
Jake M.
Overnattede 2 nætter i juni 2024