Our stay at Duane & Sherry’s was enjoyable. We found the property to be clean and decently stocked. However, our stay was overshadowed by several events on behalf of our hosts.
To begin, Sherry exclaimed, "NO body fluids on the sheets," which we immediately found disrespectful, presumptuous, demeaning, and worrisome on our walk through. It was disrespectful to assume that your guests would treat your home like a cheap motel. After all was said and done, our group had spent about $5,000 (we booked both apartments) for a week's stay at their property. We felt like we were renting rooms in a low-rent boarding home because of Sherry's behavior.
For example, we had limited access to heat and hot water, which we could not regulate during our stay, leaving us all to freeze for our first night. As a result, we requested additional bedding, as a single blanket is insufficient for most people. Sherry, on the other hand, denied it, claiming that the heat was adequate...
Furthermore, we found Sherry’s continued use of the Ring camera to be extremely intrusive. Sherry should not contact a visitor to complain about an open window! Sherry should also not be scolding a guest via the Ring camera at 2:25 a.m. for ANY reason (especially not on Christmas night). The Ring camera was also used to keep track of garbage tasks, as well as multiple text messages and email reminders about trash collection. Guests should not be burdened with garbage disposal responsibilities. Someone should be compensated for that responsibility. Should trash duties be a priority for accommodation if guests are in town for a wedding or funeral?
Upon checkout, we discovered that the cleaning crew arrived at 10:30 am, and sat on the porch. It's as if they had come to make sure that we left on time. We were really disturbed by this.
Notwithstanding, the house is not in the nicest neighborhood, adjustments should be made to make guests feel welcome.
Overall, the actions of the host(s) revealed that they are just in this business for the money, and that making their visitors feel welcome and comfortable is not a concern for them. Their behaviors made us doubt their sincere intention to provide guests with an exceptional experience, which is thinly veiled by their desire to make the most money possible from each visitor.