HomeAwayReviews 1,748

If you do not want to lose all your money when something unexpected occurs, avoid using HOMEAWAY. Their customer service is awful and way behind that of AIRBNB.
I booked a stay at Temple Bar Luxury Tourist Apartments at Dublin late in 2019 to stay during June 2020. Due to COVID19 all my inbound and outbound flights were cancelled. However, both the Hotel and Homeaway refused to agree on a refund, even partially, of the USD575 I have paid in advanced. The hotel never answered my messages and calls and HOMEAWAY did not have a way to communicate with them. All very strange. I feel cheated.
On the contrary, AIRBNB refunded me 100% of the 3 reservations I've made through them.

I'm a premier partner of long standing. On February 2020 I rang customer services to cancel my annual subscription. I was told that because my listing was an apartment it was now mandatory to pay the annual subscription and that if I did not pay they would hide my listing. I argued and I felt bullied, but they had me over a barrel and I paid. A week ago a man with a rental apartment told me he had cancelled his sub with no problem. I rang customer services to demand a refund and urged them to listen to the recording of the transaction which had been heated.
Monica in customer services agreed that apartment owners are not required to pay the subscription.
Two days later Monica emailed to say that they had not been able to retrieve the recording and that it was too late to get a refund.
It is not credible that they cannot identify the man who lied to me and took my payment
I have demanded that the man be named and punished and that I'm given a full refund of £308.
Has anyone else been scammed in this way by a rogue HomeAway employee in customer services? I intend to fight this through my accountant and the Greek Head of Tourism.

We booked a site in Kefalonia in January, paid a deposit and the Homeaway service fee. We had until may 19 to pay the ballance. However, we have had to cancel the trip because two of our trip suffer from asthma and two are vulnerable being in their 70s as in the virus situation. I know these times are tough for everyone but despite an indication that deposit would be refunded if cancelled before May 19, no such offer was made. All we were offered was a credit note for next year. There was no consideration given to our situation, I would have been happy if there had been a share of the deposit was offered but nothing at all. BE CAREFUL!

I'm only giving 1 Star because you can't give them less SHOULD BE CALLED STAY AWAY WAY AWAY -1,000,000,000,000,000,000,, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000 We booked with Home Away For a cabin it Blue Ridge Georgia only because our friends who own the cabin changes booking companies. They charge a $500.00 damage fee to be returned as soon as the Cabin Owner releases it. The cabin owners released it the same day we checked out, they say 3 to 5 day to return, after 14 days still have not returned it. SO I when on line over 300 BBB complains, and on this site over 1500 1 star rating only because you can't go lower. Tried to call them 20 times no answer called the owner of the cabin they have not been paid either. The Company must be going broke or why would the keep your money. Never Never use this service they are a RIP OFF. I'm calling the office of the Attorney General of Texas on Monday and ask for them to start an investigation into their business practices and operations. Joint together and help me have a class action suit files against them.

If you like getting bent over and taking it up the backside, then, by all means, book with HomeAway/VRBO! Their response to the COVID-19 pandemic is appalling and their "customer service" during this time is a joke. Instead of stepping up and giving customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic full refunds, like their competitor Air BnB did, HomeAway/VRBO just threw their hands up in the air and said "F#$k it, we're not doing $hit. Take it up with the property manager." Guess what the property manager's response was? "F#$k that noise, I'm not doing $hit."

Money ruled over common decency. If you book with HomeAway/VRBO you will get no support from them at all. Customer service is awful, the billing department is awful, policies are asinine. I will NEVER do business with these crooks again. Head my warning, and that of many others, and stay far far away from HomeAway/VRBO!

I made a reservation for a cottage for over a month in advance. No where on expedia did it say I would be charged immediately over 75% of the entire price. Then I saw my bank account drained of $441.20 by "HomeAway". I canceled within immediately and within 24 hours. It's been four business days and no credit! I can't get a hold of anyone at their customer service since they keep dropping my call. I had to cancel my debit card and dispute charges. STAY AWAY!

Booked apartment in Cala Millor Mallorca for May 2020. Unable to travel due to Spanish State of Alarm.
As we are both in our 70's and high risk re the virus, I requsted refund or parcial refund from the property owner. He would only offer a credit for later this year or next year. Given our age we cannot risk travel before a vaccine is available. HomeAway were useless in assisting, obviously happy to continue doing business with the property and to keep their booking fee as well! There are far better agencies out there... be warned!

We reserved a beautiful house@ 3 Kings Highway in Provincetown, MA for an AUG-20 vacation with friends and due to the COVID-19 mess we asked to have our reservation modified to next year, the owner Bethany Tasha Edwards instead cancelled our reservation without our consent and refunded us 50% and walked away with a few thousand dollars in her pocket. Apparently there is a loophole in the way HomeAway does business and this loophole allows owners to cancel reservations for any reason and does not require a full refun be issued.

Beware of Homeaway.com and 3 Kings Highway in Provincetown, MA... Bethany is a con artist and should be locked up

So we booked our dream vacation to via Expedia which goes through Homeaway right before all the Covid stuff went down. The whole family was excited as it was going to be our first time to Honolulu staying at what looked like a great condo on the 9th floor with full ocean views at the Ko Olina Beach Villas Resort.

But then Covid happened and very quickly after Covid started the owner of the condo "Mike" cancelled our reservation without telling us except through email.

And then when the reservations opened back up, "Mike" didn't give us the opportunity to reserver the condo again and just gave it to the highest bidder at the time.

I will never use HomeAway / Vrbo again and I definitely won't rent from that crook named Mike

Sincerely
Aaron

Homeaway takes no responsibility for their hosts. We scheduled a stay in our own city for this past weekend because we wanted to spend time at a private pool amid the Covid-19 pandemic as our apartment's pool has been closed since March and we are sick of being stuck indoors. Upon paying in full and reserving a property, we tried to open communication channels with the host for the week preceding our stay to no avail. We were regularly in contact with Homeaway customer service who seemed like they had no more control over the host than we did.

The morning of our check-in rolls around and we finally hear from the host 5 hours before we are supposed to arrive at the property. Thank god we're local! Apparently, there is an order from the governor stating that vacation home rentals are reserved for essential staff seeking isolation and they cannot accommodate us. Honestly, wasn't completely surprised by this but what is shocking is that they can still charge our credit card $700 if they are banned from accepting reservations! The host offered to refund or reschedule but has since characteristically vanished and is not returning our calls or texts.

Re-enter Homeaway customer service. It is now the week following our "stay" and we have been advised, after countless phone calls, updates, and "case numbers", that they do not control the flow of money following reservations and refunds are at the discretion of the hosts. In fact, they are so hands off they need to confirm with our unresponsive host that our reservation was not actually completed. Good thing we were in constant contact updating them on our situation! We have given both Homeaway and our host chance after chance after chance given the unusual nature of these times. Just know if you book with this site, there is nobody holding the hosts accountable and your vacation is not secure. We have been scammed out of our money. Book elsewhere with a more reputable vendor or you run the risk of being scammed too.

This company appears to be a scam
This company appears to be a scam. I was advised in March I would be able to cancel my booking due to Covid 19 and would receive a full refund. I did this believing Homeaway. Six weeks later and after numerous emails and phone calls each time to be told something different I still do not have a refund. The lovely homeowner has advised me that she does not have the funds and has also tried to follow up with Homeaway.

Terribly disappointing to have this middleman withhold people's money and break customer promises. Will not be using again

My planned holiday to Morocco had to be cancelled at the last minute when the Moroccan Government closed all its airports to holiday flights because of the coronavirus. I immediately asked HomeAway for a refund (on 20 March) which was acknowledged straightaway. I have recently (@ 20 April) had a refund for the full amount paid out credited to the card on which I paid. Good job in the current difficult circumstances. Grateful thanks to Home Away and the property owner who waived the normal cancellation fee. John H. (Herefordshire, UK)

I booked a property for a work conference and had to cancel due to COVID. First off, when I booked, the property was listed in US Dollars but I was charged in Pounds and had to pay foreign transaction fees. Secondly, when I cancelled due to COVID I was not refunded my payments or given the opportunity to pick different travel dates. I contacted the homeowner and Homeaway but got $#*!ty customer service on both ends. DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE!