I am writing this review not on the Backroads Property Management company but on one of the properties they manage. This summer we rented the Casa Rio River House managed by
Backroads. We were quite disappointed in it for several reasons:
-As we were leaving our home for the trip, the property owner called to "welcome us to her
vacation rental home". Although she tried to sound welcoming, something about her voice made me feel as if I was dealing with an unhappy person with a "pissy attitude". Later on, I found out my intuition to be correct.
-The property description says you can get good cell reception. They just forgot to mention you get good reception if you have AT&T as your cell provider. Unfortunately, we had Sprint and needed to be able to check our E-mail for work.
-The roped stairway to the river is very steep and the ropes are rotten and very loose. Not very
good for providing support if you need it.
-The outside deck does not have any type of covering so don't plan to sit out there during the
heat of the day.
-Being so close to the river, we expected to be able to see the river from the deck. That would
be possible if the brush was cut away from the railing. That's a no-brainer - not sure why this
hasn't been done!
-The mattresses on the beds are very cheap and not comfortable at all. Don't expect an
average-size adult to sleep on the sleeper sofa. There's a bar that digs into your back!
-The living room is equipped with a nice television and couch, however, if more than 3 people
want to watch TV, you either have to sit on the floor, a kitchen stool or a very uncomfortable
wicker chair/stool.
-We're not clean freaks but for the money, we expected the house to be clean. The refrigerator
was dirty and the cabinets had crumbs. The couch was full of cereal-under the cushions and
underneath.
-The kitchen is lacking in utensils. For example, we could only find one picture to mix a drink in. The other utensils are very disorganized and old.
-The website says there is a washer and dryer. They don't mention the washer and dryer are in
the pump house which is about 30 yards from the house!
Beyond the problems we experienced, the best part of this property is the river access. Once
you get down the stairs, the river is great! You only have to drive about a mile up the road for a
put-in point for a several hour float trip back to the house. You only need to find someone willing to shuttle you. The river area directly in front of the house is a nice, shallow place to play in the water. There is also ample shade at the side of the river. There is a fun rope swing across the river that the kids really enjoyed.
Before renting this property, I strongly suggest taking a tour. It's up to you to decide it it's worth the very high price. We have rented many vacation properties and I personally think it's way overpriced! Next time we plan a Frio River vacation, we'll stay at the property next door. It's a much better deal! As for paying over $3,000 for a week's stay at Casa Rio River House, we can get a house that's 4 times as big, brand new and is directly on the beach without brush impeding your view on the Texas Gulf Coast for less money! read more
