Vacasa - Sugar Mountain: Complete Failure in an Emergency Situation…read more
I have never written a review like this, but what we experienced with Vacasa in Sugar Mountain was not just poor service -- it was dangerous.
When we attempted to leave the property on Sunday, the real feel temperature was -15°F. One of our diesel trucks froze in the driveway, leaving us stranded and unable to leave the property. Tow trucks could not assist us, and in those temperatures, frostbite can occur in under 30 minutes. This was a legitimate emergency.
All we needed was temporary access to the garage to push the truck inside and attempt to thaw it -- or to re-rent the home for one additional night so we could safely deal with the situation. We were more than willing to PAY. Vacasa refused to help.
We contacted Vacasa multiple times throughout the day, only to be passed back and forth between the national call center and the local branch. The national branch repeatedly told us they "could do nothing" and that we had to contact the local office -- which was closed because it was the weekend, despite the fact that Vacasa rents properties THROUGH the weekend.
We were promised callbacks that never came. Hours passed. Then days. At no point did anyone take ownership of the situation or offer a solution. We were literally told there was nothing Vacasa could do while we were stuck on their property in subzero temperatures.
When we finally reached the local office the following Monday to voice our concerns, we were told to leave a voicemail for a manager -- who never returned the call. Shockingly, we were also advised to "contact the national branch," which we had already been doing ALL weekend while getting nowhere.
Because of Vacasa's complete lack of support, we were forced to leave our truck behind for three days and pay $1,000 out of pocket for a company from our hometown to drive back to Sugar Mountain and retrieve it. Vacasa offered no assistance, no accountability, and no apology.
As if that weren't enough, I accidentally left my Apple Watch on the charger. I can actively track it, and eight days later it is still showing at the house. Despite calling Vacasa five separate times and giving them the exact location of the device, I was told someone "checked the property and couldn't find it." That is simply not true.
This company has no emergency protocols, no weekend support for serious issues, and no concern for guest safety. If the power had gone out, if the house had caught fire, or if someone had been injured, it's terrifying to think how Vacasa would have responded -- because in our case, they didn't respond at all.
This experience ruined our trip and put us in an extremely dangerous situation. We will never rent through Vacasa again, and I strongly urge anyone considering them to think twice. When things go wrong -- especially in an emergency -- you are completely on your own.
Please do not make the same mistake we did.