Gulf Highlands

The only thing that worked well was the air conditioning, though the vent was filthy with lint and mold. We paid two weeks in advance, and when we contacted the owner about the condition, he laughed and refused to refund us, leaving us unable to find somewhere better. The unit is listed for $350,000, but in this condition I wouldn't say it's worth $35,000. Save your money and go elsewhere. This place stinks. At check-in, there was dog poop on the front bedroom carpet, the kitchen was filthy, and dishes and utensils needed washing before use. The tub wouldn't drain because it was clogged with hair, and the shower curtain had black mold. The patio was nasty and the grill needed cleaning. We had to adjust the hot water tank ourselves. The enclosed sunroom called a “balcony” smelled so bad we couldn't use it. The toilet in the bathroom off the master bath didn't flush right; under the lid we found a lot of black mold and a tangled chain. Thank God the stand-up shower worked, but it was hard for four adults to share. The pool across the street was dirty and had something floating in it. The pull-out sofa was so hard you couldn't sit on it. The upstairs beds had lumpy mattresses, and all the furniture seemed used. The remotes for all three TVs needed batteries, and we had to buy batteries and porch light bulbs. The kitchen appliances were old, and the ad's claim that the unit was recently “renovated with NEW furniture and amenities” was obviously a lie. It was meant to have two king beds, but had two queens. The laundry room was decent, and the machines worked well.

We were very pleased with this Gulf Highlands condo we rented through Verbo. It was neat, clean, and comfortable, with plenty of space for our small family. There's a little patio out back, a balcony off the king bedroom, and one and a half baths. We really enjoyed staying here this week.

Gulf Highlands is a nice gated community, and the house had everything we wanted. It was clean and everything worked as it should. We even talked with a Vacasa employee when we arrived, and she was very informative. From booking online through checkout, it was a great experience. The beach is about a 10-minute walk or a 2-minute drive.

We lost most of our anniversary trip dealing with the condo and finding somewhere for our family and dog to stay. We paid $800 for four days, plus hotel costs, and got only about a day and a half there. None of that time can be given back. We were laughed at, and the $100 in gift cards didn't make up for it. At first they offered only $50; I had to lose my temper to get the other $50 left on the counter at the hotel. For all I know, the cards aren't even activated. I won't return. Sorry for the long rant, but people need to know what this RealJoy vacation with Vrbo was like. We booked 141 on west Leslie lane through Vrbo. Check-in was May 24 at 4 pm, but at 2 pm we got a call saying there'd be no AC until Tuesday, May 25, our anniversary. We'd traveled since 7 am with two teenagers and a dog, after looking forward to taking off our masks and enjoying the sun. We'd also had flooding back home the week before. Management went back and forth with us, refused a refund, and offered a $100 gift card instead. We arrived after 4 because checking in even a minute early would cost $300. The heat hit us at 89 degrees, and the condo smelled of shrimp and dog pee. The floors were so dirty that wiping up our dog's drool turned the towel black. We scrambled to find a hotel that would take us and the dog. We couldn't return until 11 am Tuesday, still without AC while it was being installed. The work finished at 1 pm. We then had to get groceries and find our way around an unfamiliar area, leaving the teens with the dog so he could cool down. We made it to the beach at 4 pm so the kids could get some time in the water, then came back at 6 pm to clean and get ready for anniversary dinner. We had only the next day before checkout at 10 Thursday. A better stay may be possible for others, but this one took away time we can't replace.