We thought we had booked the perfect spot—until safety issues forced us to move. Here’s what went wrong and how we made the best of it.
If you’ve ever booked a vacation rental, you know how much the right property can shape your experience. We just returned from Aruba, and even though we’ve stayed in dozens of Airbnbs and own several ourselves, this trip didn’t start smoothly. It served as a reminder that even seasoned travelers can encounter problems. As a result of this experience, we learned several important lessons. If you book vacation rentals, these tips can help you avoid stress and protect your trip:
1. Don’t let one bad night ruin your vacation. We arrived at our Airbnb, and right away, something felt off. The doors didn’t lock. Not just one, none of them. Then we discovered there was no hot water. When we contacted the property manager, we were told that cold water was typical in Aruba. That hadn’t been our experience in over a dozen stays there. At that point, we knew we had to find another place. We didn’t dwell on what went wrong. We opened our laptops and phones and started searching.
2. Have a backup plan ready. It was summer, and places were filling fast. We reached out to several companies and scheduled visits before making any bookings. That made all the difference. Eventually, we found a home on another part of the island. The property manager responded promptly, met us in person, and encouraged us to take a look around before making a decision. It checked all the boxes, and we moved in the same day.
3. Your guest reviews matter. One thing we didn’t expect was that the new property manager looked up our reviews before accepting our request. As Airbnb hosts ourselves, we always pay attention to guest behavior. On this trip, we also saw how important it is from the guest’s side. A poor review history could prevent you from booking the place you want. Always leave rentals clean and communicate clearly. It goes both ways.
4. Be flexible and act fast. Even when things go wrong, you still have options. Focus on your next step instead of the problem. Keep your standards, but move quickly. That shift in mindset helped us salvage the trip and enjoy the rest of our time in Aruba.
We turned a frustrating situation into a positive experience. The key was staying calm, staying focused, and being ready to pivot. If you ever need an Airbnb in Arlington or Alexandria or you have questions, feel free to call or text us at (571) 210-1818 or email us at info@ajteamrealty.com. We know what it takes to deliver a great stay because we’ve been on both sides of the experience. So, reach out to us and we’ll help you.
