Pros:
Good location near beach (5-minute walk), mattresses were comfortable, pool support team was very prompt and helpful, nice crow’s nest, back decking was new along with new deck furniture. Bathrooms had great water pressure and shower heads were wonderful. Vacasa representatives responded quickly to texts (but note that it may help to go to the local office if the matter is more urgent).
Cons:
House has a mold smell to it, so if any family members have mold sensitivities you may want to take that into account (it is understandable that mold may be present in a beach rental due to the humidity, but a periodic cleaning beyond the cleaning crew wipe down would be helpful). There were obvious water leaks around windows that were never properly repaired. One bunk room had a heavy mold smell, and we noticed that the bathtub access was behind a dresser and appeared to be the source of the mold smell. The carpeting in the house was very worn.
Pool and patio area: The website picture for the dock and pool area are not representative of the current condition. When we arrived, there was no pool net and the chlorine level was high according to pool service technicians (as stated earlier, the pool company was very responsive). Some of the pool jets were not working or wrongly positioned. The mulch around the pool often found its way into the water especially after a storm; pool filter failed due to an electrical wiring issue (very nice electrician who did fix the wiring fairly quickly, but we lost almost four days of pool usage). The grill was very dirty and in need of a deep clean and new grates – when we turned it on it emitted what seemed to be metal rust fragments. The ramp to the dock was very aged (which just a board between dock and steps). The dock gate and railings were also very aged.
Cleanliness: Cleaning crew was still cleaning when we arrived, and we had to assist them so we could get our stuff in the house. Fan paddles and HVAC returns clearly not cleaned often. We had to request a replacement HVAC filter as it appeared it had not been changed for some time.
Bathrooms: There was mold present in the showers. It is understandable that mold is difficult to control given the humidity and wear and tear, but a periodic deep clean would help to mitigate this issue.
Bedrooms: The bunk rooms did not have ceiling fans which caused them to be warmer than other bedrooms.
Kitchen: Fridge is in a suboptimal location and blocks one of the entry points. The dishwasher is beaten up and difficult to start, and there is no garbage disposal. It would appear that some of the pans and cutting boards were ever cleaned properly. If you like to cook, be advised that this kitchen will most likely require you to go and buy adequate cookware.
Game room: Fridge in game room barely worked (freezer was fine) – we had to use coolers and ice to have cold beverages; we did not care to use the foosball table, but that was not an option as the foosball ball was nowhere to be found.
Electronics & Wi-Fi: Downstairs Wi-Fi signal was very weak – had to use cell data most of the time; we were told the TVs were all smart TV’s, however, no remote was ever located for living room TV (luckily there was cable so we could find shows for the kids).
As this house appears to be rented frequently, we are at a loss to understand why no one previously brought up any of the aforementioned issues. Overall, we expected more in terms of cleanliness and overall condition for a rental in this price range.