Here’s another one : provide knives that cannot slice ANYTHING; 2 pots, 5 frying pans, 7 lids that fit NONE of the pots or pans; 3 boxes of salt, a sugar bowl ALSO filled with salt (thank goodness I thought to taste it before I added it to my coffee!); no soap for washing (neither for dishes or for personal use). 🤦🏼♀️
Ah, the sugar bowl filled with salt—I haven't encountered that yet, but will be on the alert. Thanks for the heads-up! Apparently one can never have enough salt. As for the rest, true, true, true!
Brava for telling him! I swear some of them just dump the stuff they don't want or that's barely functional into their rentals. I suppose I should say bravo to him, but really, providing knives that cut seems like the least he could do.
Loved this! But I think I have you beat! We reserved a house for a dream beach vacation. First alarm bell that I should have heeded was that it was a new listing with no reviews. I’ll never do that again! Pictures where gorgeous with giant windows and ocean views. Let’s book it!
Not mentioned was the fact that the “giant windows” were actually not windows at all, but just a giant open air terrace with no protection from the elements (rain, wind, sun). When I say giant open air terrance, I mean all the common rooms were actually outside —kitchen, living and dinning were all exposed to the elements. If you wanted to keep the wind or rain out you had to manually bring down giant and very heavy canvas and vinyl walls and secure them to a railing. which made the entire area dark, and hot like a greenhouse. Why have A/C if you live outside? The bedrooms and bathroom were two vaults with NO windows or natural light AT ALL. Want natural light? Step outside. But the big surprise and deal breaker was the sea water coming out of every single faucet. Why shower off with sea water after a dip in the ocean? Ever try brushing your teeth with salt water?
I raised such a fuss that they actually refunded our money (minus the one night we slept in the vault). That left us with no where to go but home.
Oh wow, that is unreal! Glad you raised a fuss and got some money back; that's true misrepresentation. I can't believe the sea water in the faucets! Did they stock the place with bottled water (I hope)? Thanks for sharing your stupendous nightmare!
Oh, and I didn't include the patio in one place that was below ground level, in basically a dark hole, with a lovely view of the building under construction next door. Plus what in photos looked like a river rock wall turned out to be wallpaper. Ugh!
Plus fill the tiny kitchen cupboards and available storage with old /broken cutlery and crockery you can’t bear to throw out. Plus old and ugly Knick knacks everywhere
That was so true of my first (furnished) apartment in Italy. The place was tiny, yet had enough glassware for 60 people. Every cupboard was packed with stuff and there was nowhere to stash it. I couldn't buy so much as a wineglass—absolutely nowhere to put one!
This is so funny. Loved it! (Do not mention the creaky elevator the size of a postage stamp and the narrow stairs that go straight up for, oh, 5 or 6 floors.) :)
Last time in Florence we were given three sets of keys to get us through three massive wooden doors (at least a century old) that finally led us to our room. Ah, Italy. I do love it. :)
Here's another-make sure that the pictures on VRBO of the back yard in no way resemble the reality-to wit-not a blade of grass in sight, the yard covered in rocks, shells and thousands of acorns, so that our dog had literally no comfortable place to lay down AND developed vaginitis as a result. Come to think of it....not all that funny. YOUR article, however, was hilarious! :)
Thanks, Linda! You do realize, though, that you must take some responsibility here. ;-) Clearly you failed to realize the photos were merely suggesting the possible, the ideal, the . . . the neighbor's house, maybe? Joking aside, I'm sorry your dog (and you) suffered—not much of a vacation.
Absolutely hilarious Cheryl! Hope all is well with you!
Thanks, David! All good here; glad you and Chris got to reconnect recently. Let me know if you're ever in Italy, would love to see you!
Here’s another one : provide knives that cannot slice ANYTHING; 2 pots, 5 frying pans, 7 lids that fit NONE of the pots or pans; 3 boxes of salt, a sugar bowl ALSO filled with salt (thank goodness I thought to taste it before I added it to my coffee!); no soap for washing (neither for dishes or for personal use). 🤦🏼♀️
Ah, the sugar bowl filled with salt—I haven't encountered that yet, but will be on the alert. Thanks for the heads-up! Apparently one can never have enough salt. As for the rest, true, true, true!
To be fair, he went out and bought knives after I told him! 😂😂
Brava for telling him! I swear some of them just dump the stuff they don't want or that's barely functional into their rentals. I suppose I should say bravo to him, but really, providing knives that cut seems like the least he could do.
You left out “leave a condom hanging out of the trash bin.” That’s still my fave. 😂 At least there was a bin in the bathroom...?
Oh, gag me, that is truly unbelievable! But yeah, better (half) in the bin than on the floor, I guess.
Loved this! But I think I have you beat! We reserved a house for a dream beach vacation. First alarm bell that I should have heeded was that it was a new listing with no reviews. I’ll never do that again! Pictures where gorgeous with giant windows and ocean views. Let’s book it!
Not mentioned was the fact that the “giant windows” were actually not windows at all, but just a giant open air terrace with no protection from the elements (rain, wind, sun). When I say giant open air terrance, I mean all the common rooms were actually outside —kitchen, living and dinning were all exposed to the elements. If you wanted to keep the wind or rain out you had to manually bring down giant and very heavy canvas and vinyl walls and secure them to a railing. which made the entire area dark, and hot like a greenhouse. Why have A/C if you live outside? The bedrooms and bathroom were two vaults with NO windows or natural light AT ALL. Want natural light? Step outside. But the big surprise and deal breaker was the sea water coming out of every single faucet. Why shower off with sea water after a dip in the ocean? Ever try brushing your teeth with salt water?
I raised such a fuss that they actually refunded our money (minus the one night we slept in the vault). That left us with no where to go but home.
Oh wow, that is unreal! Glad you raised a fuss and got some money back; that's true misrepresentation. I can't believe the sea water in the faucets! Did they stock the place with bottled water (I hope)? Thanks for sharing your stupendous nightmare!
Bottled water? HAHAHA! Not even toilet paper! Really!
oh geez, what was I thinking? As for the semi-subterranean patio, there was no way we would have used it even if it hadn't been cold and rainy!
Oh, and I didn't include the patio in one place that was below ground level, in basically a dark hole, with a lovely view of the building under construction next door. Plus what in photos looked like a river rock wall turned out to be wallpaper. Ugh!
Wow! That would give me some serious anxiety.
Hysterical and scary at the same time! Thank goodness I’ve not experienced such an adventure but hope your readers benefit from these observations.
Glad you liked it, Mignon! It sure is a "buyer beware" market!
Plus fill the tiny kitchen cupboards and available storage with old /broken cutlery and crockery you can’t bear to throw out. Plus old and ugly Knick knacks everywhere
That was so true of my first (furnished) apartment in Italy. The place was tiny, yet had enough glassware for 60 people. Every cupboard was packed with stuff and there was nowhere to stash it. I couldn't buy so much as a wineglass—absolutely nowhere to put one!
This is so funny. Loved it! (Do not mention the creaky elevator the size of a postage stamp and the narrow stairs that go straight up for, oh, 5 or 6 floors.) :)
Thanks, Alana! Some of those elevators seem to be working so hard that I'm afraid they'll give up midway. I almost—almost—prefer those narrow stairs!
Last time in Florence we were given three sets of keys to get us through three massive wooden doors (at least a century old) that finally led us to our room. Ah, Italy. I do love it. :)
I had that in Lucca, my very first AirBNB rental! 🤦🏼♀️
That's peak Italy, love it!
Here's another-make sure that the pictures on VRBO of the back yard in no way resemble the reality-to wit-not a blade of grass in sight, the yard covered in rocks, shells and thousands of acorns, so that our dog had literally no comfortable place to lay down AND developed vaginitis as a result. Come to think of it....not all that funny. YOUR article, however, was hilarious! :)
Thanks, Linda! You do realize, though, that you must take some responsibility here. ;-) Clearly you failed to realize the photos were merely suggesting the possible, the ideal, the . . . the neighbor's house, maybe? Joking aside, I'm sorry your dog (and you) suffered—not much of a vacation.
OMG! This is so accurate and hilarious!
Glad you enjoyed it, Lorena!
Argh and no mirror above the sink!