Spacious McGaheysville Home: Hot Tub & Pool Table!

Reviews

• JMU Family Weekend

  5/5

  Great place to stay for JMU football weekends.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Hope to return

  5/5

  We stayed as part of a large group, 8 adults. This home easily accommodated such a large crew. It was comfortable, spacious, and clean. The owner was very communicative and responsive.

• Think twice before staying here

  1/5

  Starting with the positive, the location is nice. There's a lot to do in the area and the house is spacious with comfortable beds.

  The problems, however, started as soon as we arrived. They an undisclosed security camera in the driveway facing directly into the property and were surveilling us as we arrived. We brought our dogs but didn't realize there was a pet fee (I take full responsibility for that oversight). However, the owner, Evan, texted me shortly after arriving that they had spotted dogs on the camera and that I owed a pet fee. He then called me and asked me to send $200 to his personal Venmo, which I now realize is against VRBO and Evolve's (the property management company's) policies. He charged double the $100 pet fee listed.

  The next day I got a call and email from Evolve saying that they had also spotted dogs on the cameras and that I owed a $120 fee. Then I got a voicemail an hour later saying "ignore that, the owner assured us this was an error." Clearly, Evan didn't want to disclose that he had already over-charged us for the pet fee under the table. Before checking in, he had also requested a direct Venmo payment of $150 for an early check-in or $250 if we also wanted a late check-out.

  Even more concerning than these shady deals, however, was the state of the property. There was an angry hornets nest on the lower deck that swarmed three of the guests and one of the dogs. Luckily no one was severely allergic or the situation would have required a visit to the ER. Evan offered condolences but no immediate action was taken to remove the nest or offer us assistance.

  Last but not least, everyone who entered the hot tub developed an extremely itchy "hot tub folliculitis" rash resulting from an improperly cleaned hot tub. Not coindicentially, those who didn't enter the jacuzzi have no rash. Three days after leaving the property, at least 9 of us still have this chicken-pox-like rash which is likely to leave scarring.

  Evolve has opened an investigation but as of yet, nothing has been done to redress this subpar service.

  As a final note, I'm not sure what the hefty cleaning fee goes towards because they require guests to do the majority of it (including dishes, trash, and sweeping) before checking-out, and it's clear that the hot tub, grill, and other areas hadn't received professional cleaning.

  I'm really disappointed to have to write this review, but I want other guests to be aware of the risks. It made for an interesting bday.

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Casey, thank you for taking the time to leave your review. After reading your feedback, the homeowner would like to provide some clarifications:
  - We're sorry that the security cameras caught you off guard. They are in place for security purposes and do not face interior spaces. We'll ensure this is noted clearly on the listing moving forward.
  - Our listing clearly states the pet policy, including the fee and maximum number of dogs allowed. We initially agreed to an additional fee for the extra dog, but the presence of a fourth dog was not communicated to us.
  - We apologize for the confusion regarding the payment methods for the pet fee and early check-in/late check-out options.
  - Regarding the hornet's nest incident, our cleaning staff did not find a nest on the deck, but we will continue to monitor and address such issues promptly.
  - About the rash, we always ensure the hot tub is thoroughly cleaned and have not had any issues like this before. Our guests can rest assured that we would've readily remedied the situation had the rash been caused by our hot tub.
  - Our cleaning fee covers professional cleaning, but we ask guests to complete basic tasks before check-out, as it's common in the vacation rental industry.
  Thank you for sharing your feedback. Our goal is to continue providing excellent stays to all our guests.

• Wonderful stay

  5/5

  Had a great long weekend with friends. Lots of room and amenities. Many things to do nearby and host had excellent communication and service.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Family Getaway

  5/5

  Everyone had a great time. They are already planning a trip for next year.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo