My group rented the Blue Heron house. The place was lovely, and we enjoyed our weekend. I will continue to return to the Russian River near Healdsburg for annual trips, as I have every year for the past several.
I would not, however, under any circumstances, rent from Wine Country Getaways again.
We had a big group, including several small children, and one family coming up all the way from Southern California, so we asked if it would be possible either to check in a little early or to leave a little late. The answer: absolutely not.
OK, fine, no problem.
As soon as we arrived at the house, though, my wife and I noted the list of rules. it read like military marching orders that had been poorly translated from the original German. We were, for example, expected not only to do all the usual things like strip the beds and straighten up, but also completely clean the kitchen, including a wide variety of chores such as unloading the dishwasher. This is the kind of thing that one expects at a scientific research station, not a pricey wine country vacation home where you are paying for cleaning services on top of your rent. But still, no big deal.
Then came the kicker.
I accidentally left my camera behind, with some magical pictures on it of my 3-year-old son and I floating down the river. I called Debora to explain to her exactly where I left it (by the phone in the kitchen) and ask whether she would be willing to send it to me. She claimed not to have found it, which is possible, I suppose, though a bit odd considering that I knew exactly where it was.
Then, without warning, she launched into me about the state of the house when we left. I've stayed in many California vacation rentals over the years, and never, ever had a problem with the management. (My family and I, for example, return to the same house every year in Palm Springs.) We left the Blue Heron house in a perfectly respectable condition, ready to be cleaned and prepped for the next folks. But enough is not enough for Debra, who verbally assaulted me over the phone to the point at which I could not reason with her and actually had to hang up.
The only way to describe it is that the interaction left me feeling slimed.
Perhaps this is just her nature. Perhaps she's had bad experiences in the past. Or perhaps this company makes its money but selling used cameras and overcharging for cleaning bills. I don't know. What I do know is that Debra should not be in this business dealing with customers.
If I were you, I would steer far clear of this nasty person and find another delightful home, run by another property management firm, just a few doors down. read more
