TripAdvisor is not in the business of long term rentals, but Haley Cline was unaware of this fact. So when a friendly “TripAdvisor-approved owner” emailed her about a spectacularly discounted year-long beach rental, no alarm bells went off. The scam only came into focus after Cline sent her initial $1,721 deposit via Bitcoin to the online predator. Read more “I lost $ 1,721 in the “TripAdvisor” long term rental scam”
Is an extended-stay hotel better than a vacation rental?
When Kathryn Valdes travels somewhere for more than a week, she skips a hotel and rents an apartment or vacation rental instead.
“An apartment has a kitchen and a sitting area to gather,” says Valdes, a retired program manager from Mahomet, Illinois. “A hotel has no private area to relax with others.”
Another must-have amenity: a kitchen. Valdes loves to visit farmers markets while she’s on vacation and prepare her own meals. Most hotel rooms don’t have kitchens.
With the summer travel season just ahead, there’s good news for travelers like Valdes. Hotels, in an effort to keep long-term guests who want a more home-like experience, are adding amenities that may make Valdes and others rethink their plans to stay in an apartment. Read more “Is an extended-stay hotel better than a vacation rental?”
How can I return these La-Z-Boy recliners for a refund?
The La-Z-Boy recliners Bryan Curran and his fiancée ordered aren’t the ones he expected. Why does he have to wait 12 days for a resolution that may, or may not, be to his satisfaction? Read more “How can I return these La-Z-Boy recliners for a refund?”
Can you stay in a terrible hotel and then get a refund?
Wendy Rutkowski stayed in a terrible hotel, and she wants a full refund. But can you get your money back when you accidentally booked a room at the No-Tell Motel? Read more “Can you stay in a terrible hotel and then get a refund?”
I think this is a dangerous vacation rental. I want a refund!
What should you do if you check into a dangerous vacation rental? That’s the problem Shui-man Tong faced when she arrived in Lisbon — and found her TripAdvisor rental was “uninhabitable.”
It was early December, and the temperature inside the rental had plunged below 40 degrees. What happened next forced Tong to find alternate accommodations and ask TripAdvisor for a refund. Read more “I think this is a dangerous vacation rental. I want a refund!”