Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Ocean Reef Resorts, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Ocean Reef Resorts, Inc.

  10221 Emerald Coast Pkwy W Ste 2 Destin, FL 32550-4966

• 

  Ocean Reef Resorts, Inc.

  15 Pine St Grayton, FL 32459-5849

• 

  Ocean Reef Resorts, Inc.

  9961 Scenic 30A Seacrest Beach, FL 32413

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/18/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We made a reservation through **** to rent a home through Ocean Reef in Florida on 1/15/2023. We paid $5359.92 up front as a deposit for our 2023 vacation rental. We found out about a new law in Florida taking place on 7/1/23 during the time our vacation was due to start about the no immigrants being able to enter into Florida state lines. I contacted **** and was transferred to Ocean Reef at the time and spoke to a gentlemen and explained out situation about not being able to cancel due to cancellation policies but I was able to reserve for a future date. I advised the gentlemen at the time that we didn't have any plans to enter Florida due to the new law taking place and there was no point to reschedule for a future date and if I could get a refund. He placed me on hold and asked his boss. He came back to the line and stated that there have been several other families who have called in regards to the same situation and I was told that they are not granting any type of refunds not even given the gravity of the situation. I contacted my bank and filed a complaint as it was due to services I would not be receiving. My bank granted me a credit and we reserved a new vacation rental in Alabama which I have also added to my docs. My bank did a reversal on the funds and advised I needed to contact the Ocean Reef. I called 877-202-2262 and Andrew connected me with Chase in the chargeback dept. Chase proceeded to tell me that it was my fault for carrying illegal immigrants and that was against the law and that also stated we are only having this conversation because my bank denied my chargeback. I asked Chase if due to my bank not approving my chargeback if they are not going to refund me even if I just paid a fee and he stated no, that they are not refunding me anything due to me traveling with illegal immigrants and that it was illegal. There was no need for the racism. I would like your assistance and to get my refund of $4,483.92. I would greatly appreciate your help!

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2023

  We have received your complaint concerning your booking and the unforeseen challenges stemming from the recent legal changes in Florida. We understand the frustration and disappointment you must be feeling due to these unique circumstances, and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
  
  At Ocean Reef, our topmost priority is ensuring customer satisfaction, especially during unexpected scenarios. While our conventional policy does not usually permit refunds, we understand that the new immigration law has led to a precarious situation for families of illegal immigrants.
  
  In response, we allowed an exception to our typical policy, offering customers affected by this development the option to reschedule their bookings to future dates. This was designed to provide flexibility to our valued guests, given the uncertain implications of the new law.
  
  We acknowledge that this resolution may not fully address your specific concerns. In terms of the refund request, it's important to clarify that our policies (signed by you) are primarily to ensure fairness and protection for all parties involved.
  
  Regarding the conversation you had with one of our staff, we apologize if the tone or content gave the wrong impression. Our intent is always to communicate with the utmost respect and professionalism. We take such feedback seriously, and we have addressed the issue with the employee involved to prevent similar instances in the future.
  
  As for the refund of $4,483.92, it's regrettable to inform you that it is not feasible within the boundaries of our contracts with you and our homeowner. However, we value your patronage and reiterate the opportunity for a future stay.
  
  We understand that this may not be the resolution you hoped for, and we deeply regret any inconvenience caused. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/19/2023

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 20298880, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Teresa ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/30/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We stayed at B Happy, Miramar Beach, June 18-24, 2023. We stayed 6 nights and was charged $5799 for our stay. It was a 3 bedroom house with a detached garage with an apartment up above. My husband and I stayed there while our family stayed in the home. The first night we barely slept because of the horrible mattress. We noticed some bugs also. My husband called and complained about both the very next day and within the day, we had another mattress and they brought us a can of Raid. We slept one more night in the apartment but woke up with bugs on us the next morning. My husband called again and was informed they were winged ants and that they were migrating but there was nothing they could do. We then asked for a portion of our money back since that room could not be used because of the infestation of the bugs. I felt like a refund of 25% would have been a good compensation since we booked that house for the four bedrooms and one room could not be used. Myself and my husband have sent emails and have called them only to get a small refund of $478.78 which I feel is an insult.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/30/2023

  
  Thank you for sharing your experiences and voicing your concerns. We acknowledge that your recent stay didn't meet your expectations, and we extend our sincerest apologies once again for any inconvenience caused.
  
  We deeply regret the discomfort brought on by the mattress and the unexpected encounter with ants. We promptly responded to your concerns, swiftly replacing the mattress and providing an insecticide for immediate relief. Despite our swift actions, we understand that the remedies weren't entirely satisfactory and adversely impacted your overall stay.
  
  Concerning the winged ants, it's important to clarify that this was an unforeseen issue, primarily driven by external factors such as open doors/windows and lights that attracted them. Although we cannot entirely control natural insect behavior, we acknowledge that their presence caused discomfort and disrupted your stay.
  We provided total compensation of $700, an amount we deemed fair under the circumstances. However, we understand that you perceive this sum as inadequate. Our intent was to address your dissatisfaction as promptly and effectively as possible, and this compensation was reflective of the costs associated with the affected apartment.
  
  With regards to your recent social media posts, it appears they may not fully depict the actions we undertook to address the issues encountered during your stay. We highly respect and value all our guests, striving to ensure their stay is comfortable and enjoyable. However, considering your recent public response and continued distress towards our staff, it seems we may not be able to meet your expectations. Therefore, it might be in the best interest of both parties to pursue separate paths for future accommodations.
  
  We wish you all the best in your future travels, and once again, we appreciate your feedback.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/03/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 20257502
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because you did not address our problem during our stay, you merely brought a can of Raid for US to deal with the problem, not you. I can assure you no windows or doors were left open.  "It appears they may not fully depict the actions we undertook", SERIOUSLY?? The pictures of the bugs I posted are just a few that my husband and I picked up around the apartment, several more were still on the floor!!    I took pictures to show you so hopefully Ocean Reef would make things right!!  If you would have given us a better compensation, then I wouldn't have had to go to social media for my concerns.  I hope no one has to encounter the bug situation we had, hence, the reasoning I went to social media.  And don't worry, we will NEVER go through Ocean Reef for any of our stays ever again.  Lesson learned.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Gina *******

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2023

  We appreciate your response and understand your ongoing concerns regarding your stay at our property. We take all feedback seriously as it aids us in improving our services.
  
  Upon your initial complaint, we acted promptly to rectify the issues, providing an immediate solution for the discomfort caused by the mattress and the unforeseen issue with ants. The provision of the insecticide was meant to give you immediate relief while we assessed further actions. We acknowledge that this may not have completely resolved the problem, but it was intended as a proactive measure, not a final solution.
  
  Regarding the intrusion of ants into the apartment, it's unfortunate that this occurred during your stay. However, it's important to note that such situations can often be beyond our immediate control, as insects can find their way into properties through the smallest openings, even with no apparent gaps like open doors or windows.
  
  In terms of compensation, we have already addressed this issue twice, providing a total of $700 in consideration of the inconvenience you experienced. This amount was calculated based on our standard procedures and the direct costs associated with the affected apartment.
  
  We empathize with your frustration, and your pictures indeed provided a clear understanding of the situation you faced. However, the depiction of our actions and our willingness to resolve the issues you encountered, as portrayed on your social media, does not fully align with our efforts.
  
  After taking into consideration all the steps we have taken to address your concerns and provide compensation, and bearing in mind your continued dissatisfaction and public portrayal of the incident, we have decided that no further action will be taken on this matter.
  
  Our intention has always been to provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for our guests, and we are truly sorry that we were not able to meet your expectations on this occasion.
  
  We wish you all the best in your future travels.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/05/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 20257502
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Regardless if the bugs were migrating or not, Ocean Reef should have already hired a pest control company to come and spray before their guests arrive.  $700 refund was insulting, considering we spent $1000 a night there and stayed 6 nights.  When you pay that kind of money, you expect a bug free sleep.  I am glad I posted on social media.  I hope people see the management who runs Ocean Reef and will go elsewhere seeing the results that were given to my family.  Lesson learned the hard way!!
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Gina *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/27/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I rented a condo at Ariel Dunes II unit *** from Ocean Reef Resorts and upon check in at approximately 9:15pm on June 26, 2023 the condo was found unsanitary. I called the after hours number and the OnCall service put me through to Buddy who claimed to be the housekeeping manager. Buddy was informed of the unsanitary conditions as well as emailed pictures of the findings and he stated it would have to wait till morning. I explained to him that we drove 6 hours and had no place to stay the night. He sent the maintenance guy 2 hours later to drop off sheets in a plastic garbage bag. I called the answering service several more times and 4 onCall employees for Ocean Reef never responded. Finally at 1:35am the lady informed me that they wouldn’t take anymore calls and then at 1:50am Fern with the onCall said that it would have to wait till morning. Working all day then driving 6 hours to sleep in the car while I paid good money for a condo that is a health risk is not acceptable. Ocean Reef apparently has no concern for their customers or their health and want them to stay in unsanitary conditions as they lack no concern as long as they take your money. I have pictures of the conditions available upon request : mold growing in air vent, bug in the kitchen, blood on sheets and pillows in twin bed bedroom, dust everywhere, walls scratched and beat up, hair in shower in master bathroom, hair in tub in 2nd bathroom, hair on pillow under pillow case, balcony glass door nasty, purple stain on mattress pad in bunk room, booger dried on the wall, nasty carpet in bedrooms and living room with multiple stains, stains on mattress pad, urine on toilet, nasty kitchen stove & black stuff on roll of toilet paper. Ocean Reef needs to be investigated immediately for renting condos that are unsuitable, unsanitary & unsatisfactory which puts customers at risk. I also have pictures of what they advertise to rent the condo and it sure doesn’t look like this in the pictures.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/27/2023

  We are extremely sorry to hear about the unacceptable experience you faced during your recent stay at Ariel Dunes II unit ***. At Ocean Reef Resorts, we strive to provide the best accommodations and service, and it's clear that, in your case, we fell short.
  
  Upon receiving your complaint, we initiated a thorough investigation and reviewed the pictures you sent. We agree that the conditions you found in the condo were not up to our usual standards, and for that, we sincerely apologize. We deeply regret the inconvenience and distress caused to you and your family, particularly after a long journey.
  
  In light of this, we have already issued a full refund for your stay. Additionally, as a gesture of our sincere apologies and in recognition of the significant discomfort you experienced, we have provided additional compensation. We're also offering a discount should you choose to give us another opportunity to better serve you in the future.
  
  As for the conditions of the condo, we are working closely with the unit owner to ensure necessary updates and improvements are made promptly. We want to reassure you that this incident has been taken very seriously, and steps have been put in place to prevent such issues from occurring in the future.
  
  Regarding your concerns about our staff, Buddy's response to your situation is not indicative of the level of service we aim to provide. We have addressed the issue with him directly, as well as with our entire housekeeping team, to ensure they understand the importance of timely and effective responses to customer concerns. We are also reviewing our after-hours support system to avoid any similar issues in the future.
  
  Once again, we apologize deeply for this experience and appreciate your patience as we work on rectifying the situation. We hope you will consider staying with us again in the future so we can provide you with the high-quality service and accommodations we're known for.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/27/2023

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 20241686, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Jennifer ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/30/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a vacation am at the time of booking it gave me a date for when I could no longer get a refund or make changes. I call them to upgrade within 72 hours of booking. They say I can’t upgrade, can’t get a refund, and they act like they have no idea what their website says.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/07/2023

  We hope this message finds you well. We understand your recent request for a reservation upgrade and appreciate your patience as we navigated through our policies.
  
  At Ocean Reef Resorts, we value our guests, particularly those like you, who choose to return and enjoy our properties. We acknowledge that each property we offer is uniquely owned, which can limit our flexibility in certain situations.
  
  However, given your history with us, we are willing to make an exception to accommodate your request. We've attempted to contact you multiple times directly to discuss this, but we've been unable to connect.
  
  Please accept our apologies if any part of our process seems unclear or frustrating. We are committed to improving our communication.
  
  If you are still interested in upgrading your reservation, we would be more than happy to assist. If not, we look forward to hosting you in your originally reserved property.
  
  Please feel free to reach out to us at your earliest convenience so we can ensure your vacation meets your expectations.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/12/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We stayed at one of their properties over Thanksgiving week. Such a beautiful and convenient location. That’s where the positives end. The house was dated with decorations that still had price tags hanging on them. The internet did not work for the majority of the week. There were cable guys over at the house everyday for the first 4 days. Super inconvenient and cut into family time. We had family in from New York, Maine, south Florida and Alabama. Several of us work remotely and not having internet interfered with work meetings and getting reports done. Back to the appliances, the refrigerator ice maker made dirty, brown ice that contained rust particles. The stove would not boil a pot of water. We cooked Thanksgiving dinner, and the alliances made this extremely difficult. Both dryers took 2 days to dry a small load of laundry. It was so bad we only washed one load. It wasn’t worth the extra time to keep restarting the dryer. It truly took days to dry our clothes. We had several young children staying as well. The broken window in the dining area malfunctioned and slammed suddenly, almost landing on the two-year old’s arm. With so many amazing housing options to choose from in Destin, do NOT pick this house. The dated furnishings, dirty walls, dusty floors, poorly functioning appliances and safety issues should make you run. We do not get to vacation often because of work and school schedules. This was a waste of our money, and we will never use this company again. Oh and yeah, they reduced $1000 from the $10,000 that we paid. Absolutely embarrassing.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/16/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I called on sept 16, 2022 to alter location of existing reservation for travel in Destin Florida to Ocean Reef resorts that's more than 45 days from occurring. I booked in July and they informed me that I only had a 24 hour change in location policy. They informed me that they have an agreement with the homeowner that I would not be allowed to change anything after 24 hours. This was not discussed with me and in fact you'd have to go to a completely different policy page to see the policies that say NOTHING about this agreement. This is fraud in a sense. Here is the kicker. I am not canceling-just altering the same companies reservation to Same date range but different location with the company. They denied for me to do so because of an agreement I am unaware of with the homeowner. Please help me with this

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2022

  There are certain complexities with renting a vacation home versus a hotel, as an individual homeowner privately holds each unit. Our agent was trying to explain why we could not simply move you to another property. Sorry for any confusion this additional information may have caused. What's not confusing is that on September 16, 2022, at 1:00:22 PM, you signed a rental agreement outlining our policies. We are very transparent and hate that you were operating under an assumption that is simply not true. The good news is you selected a home right on the beach and are sure to have a good time! Again, we are sorry we could not accommodate your request, but we are looking forward to accommodating you on vacation. See you on the shore soon!

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2022

  We are truly sorry we are not able to go outside of our terms to better accommodate you. You did indeed digitally sign the rental agreement. This step is in place to prevent this exact scenario. We've had nearly 200K guests stay with us this year, and they've been able to understand the process. Since you've executed a binding contract with clearly presented terms for your beachfront home, you may want to shift focus and start planning all the fun you will have here along the shore. See you soon.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/27/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  
  Again- the binding contract mentions nothing regarding this policy that you've enforced. It needs to be in the binding contract. Thank you again.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/27/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  
  I still believe they need to make accommodations in including this information of not being able to move to a different one in their policies as it is not. Also I did not sign anything on sept 16 because I wouldn't have messaged the BBB. You're right that you're not a hotel but you're not correct in your advertising as companies who appear exactly like you don't have this policy and you fail to mention it in yours. So the fault is you need to update your policies and procedures, as I would've never booked with you if I knew about it. So case will be resolved when you do complete this step.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/27/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  ROACHES & BED BUGS - 307B
  We stayed in Building B, 307B and immediately smelled a strong musty odor. We submitted a maintenance request and they came the next day to clean mold from vents. During our second day we began to find roaches in the restroom and bedroom. Prior to bedtime we found a roach in our bed. I immediately left at message for the owner. During the night I felt a bug crawling on my back and swatted it off. I called the owner the next day and requested a new unit and said we would be leaving if they did not make this right. She assured me that if we left we would not get a refund, but she would try and locate another unit. She also said that Ocean Reef is a huge company and will make this right at the conclusion of the stay. They never called back about an alternative, and had the room sprayed the next day(while we were in it). We continued to find roaches and I developed bite marks on my hand and arms. We would and should have left but we drove 18 hours to get to the rental and had several prepaid events. We ended up leaving a day early, being absolutely disgusted. By this time I developed bites on my face, neck and limbs. I sought medical attention and was diagnosed with bed bug bites...which we were not even considering! I summarized this via email and shared pictures with the owner, also requesting a refund. I followed up with a phone call, and awaited a response for three days. When I finally got a response they offered $400 (15% of our stay). I shared that was not acceptable and that I would be filing a complaint with the health department, which I have. The rep stated "if it was that bad you would have left". This was and has been a horrible & traumatic experience. We have sought legal counsel and hope that this review helps expose terrible customer service.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/19/2022

  We want to offer our deepest apologies once again. Ocean Reefs strives to meet or beat your vacation expectations; in this case, it sounds like your stay with us fell short of that.
  
  
  
  What was referred to as "mold" in your account was actually mildew caused by the AC blowing cold air while the sliding door was left open. This creates moisture and is common in gulf front condos where vacationers can accidentally leave doors and windows open.
  
  
  
  Roaches can be quite a shock. The palmetto bugs in this area are very common, and though they can occasionally manage to enter a home, they are harmless. For your peace of mind, we confirmed with experts that this was not an infestation. This building does have a monthly pest control program; unfortunately, this is not a 100% fix for pests. We confirmed, additionally, that this property does not have bed bugs. The bites may have been from mosquitos, gnats, or no-see-ems. They did not come from inside the condo where you were staying.
  
  
  
  Finally, we wanted to assure you that the Health Department did indeed inspect the unit. It passed inspection with no derogatory remarks. Again, we apologize for your experience, which you were sent a partial reimbursement for. We are unable to offer additional compensation at this time.
  
  
  
  When you are ready to return to our area, please contact us with your reservation number; we would like to offer you special preferred pricing and a chance to surpass your expectations. Until then, best of luck in your future travels.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/20/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  
  Hello,
  
  I appreciate the response. I was diagnosed with bed bug bites from my medical provider which appeared during and after the stay. I spoke with the health inspector, Marc ********* and he informed me that a dead bed bug was found in the room that I stayed and was documented. Noting the inspection was 3 weeks after we left, you had plenty of time to have the room exterminated prior. If it is acceptable to your company that we had roaches in bed with us, and I went home with bed bug bites all over my body, that is unbelievable. I DONT care if roaches are common, we paid thousands of dollars to stay in your suite with some baseline expectations of health and cleanliness. I am a person of integrity, and would not waste my time or energy if this was not our experience. I only hope that others read this and know that this is your approach to a disgusting and unhealthy circumstance. I am glad the problem has been taken care of, at our expense, so that someone else does not have to go through this. I have never filed a complaint with the BBB, or called a health department, requested a refund for a stay or contacted an attorney for anything outside of this incident. This was and is very real for my family, and it is a shame that you all would not do the right thing. You very openly boast of having hundreds of thousands of rentals, but can not stand behind an experience like ours.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/19/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Ocean Reef/Luna Mermaid - Reservation 437769
  Date of Stay: 8/10/22 - 8/14/22
  Amount paid: $4026.85
  Property: 3 bedroom - 3 bath main house, 3 bedroom - 3 bath guest home, pool and patio area
  Request for compensation for misrepresentation and use of entire property
  The property is not properly maintained, and we had several issues during our stay. Upon arrival the pool had not been cleaned and was unusable. The toilets in the guest house would not flush at all and the one in the main house that would flush was very slow and the handle had to be held down for an extended period. There was a strong sewage smell on the back patio. We immediately reached out to Ocean Reef with our concerns. On the second day we discovered the kitchen faucet was leaking after washing dishes when the entire countertop was flooded with water and our food was saturated. We know the leaking sink and plumbing issues related to the toilets were not new issues. The underneath of the kitchen sink had severe water damage and the plumbers spent three hours replacing an old, cracked seal on the main house septic tank. During this time, we could not use any water or toilets and had to smell the open septic tank that is located under the back deck. The kitchen sink was not fixed until the third day. Of a 4-day vacation we lost two days of pool use, had a day and a half of plumbing issues and over two days of sink leaking. Our vacation was disrupted over and over with maintenance workers in and out of the house for 3 days of our stay. We lost time with family at beach and did not get full use of the property we rented during the full time or our stay. In addition the overall property needed a deep clean and freshening up. I submitted a more than reasonable compensation request to Ocean Reef based on their misrepresentation of the property and received an insulting offer in return.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2022

  On behalf of Ocean Reef Resorts, we would like to apologize that you experienced issues during your stay for the dates of August 10th - 14th.
  
  
  
  According to our records, these matters were reported on August 11th. We sent our maintenance team and vendors over to resolve the problems the same day.
  
  
  
  We understand that some of this could not be resolved immediately, and you were compensated more than adequately for that.
  
  
  
  Our logs show you threatened our staff with attorneys and credit card disputes. We took everything into account for your stay and credited you a fair amount of compensation. Ocean Reef was there to handle the coordination of repairs, your presence was not required, and the inconvenience was minimized.
  
  
  
  Once more, Ocean Reef sincerely apologizes for the issues you incurred during your stay. Best of luck in your future travels.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/12/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  
  This response could not be more inaccurate. I reported the issues as soon as we arrived at the property on August 10th. The issues were corrected late afternoon and evening of August 11th and the morning of August 12th which disrupted our vacation for three days. Ocean Reef representatives were not on the property when repairs were being made to coordinate and we were uncomfortable with outside vendors in the house with no one present. I did not threaten anyone at any time. After a conversation with J.P. I responded that I had consulted an attorney, which I did to understand my rights in this situation. It was not a threat it was a fact. The biggest issue with this response is I did not receive ANY compensation or credit. I was offered $359.00 after paying more than $4000.00 to rent the property. I rented a property that had 6 bathrooms and a usable swimming pool and kitchen. We had 1 fully functioning bathroom for the better part of 2 days, a kitchen sink that leaked and caused a big mess not fixed until the morning of the third day and lost two days of pool use. In addition, I recently saw a review of the property (that was submitted after we booked) that clearly shows Ocean Reef was more than aware of the toilet issues and leaking kitchen sink and did not bother to fix those issues before our stay. The statements in the response from Ocean Reef are simply untrue and I want to reiterate I received $0 compensation.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/13/2022

  This is an unfortunate response. Compensation was issued to the card on file in your name on Aug 18, 2022. We have full documentation of everything stated on our end. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience, but we consider this matter closed.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/16/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  
  I am providing my records to show the inaccuracies in the statements in your response:
  
  
  
  "According to our records, these matters were reported on August 11th. We sent our maintenance team and vendors over to resolve the problems the same day"
  
  
  
  I had to submit my first message via the portal however your first response to me clearly shows August 10th:
  
  
  
  On Wednesday, August 10, 2022, 11:43:20 AM CDT, Ocean Reef Maintenance wrote:
  
  
  
  Hi Tracey,
  
  
  
  We have received your submission! We have dispatched our maintenance rep to further assist and/or troubleshoot to provide a solution to your issue.
  
  
  
  You state all issues were resolved the same day as my first complaint, however the message below show we were still experiencing issues on August 12th the third day or our stay:
  
  
  
  On Fri, Aug 12, 2022 at 8:20 AM Tracey wrote:
  
  
  
  As an fyi. The maintenance person that was supposed to come last night to fix the kitchen sink did not show up so it is still unusable.
  
  
  
  This review from a guest that stayed in the house in July shows you were aware of the plumbing and kitchen sink issue and did not rectify the problems prior to our stay:
  
  
  
  "Great location, easy walk to the beech, the pool was awesome. The internet not so much. Had a few maintenance items we had to call about all in the pool house and they were responsive, the fridge being frozen up, the fire alarm batteries needing changed at midnight. never responded to one of the toilets not flushing in the pool house. The house needs some updating. the room we stayed in needs a new mattress, The kitchen sink in the main house leaks. Overall we had a fantastic time. We will probably look for a different location next year."
  
  
  
  In regard to the compensation credit, I spoke to J.P. on the phone and told him in no uncertain terms that I did not accept the $359.00 offer and to not credit my credit card in that amount. I then followed up in email stating this amount was unacceptable. I had no reason to believe that he would process this credit. I have since reviewed my statement and see that a credit in this amount was processed. I did not approve this activity on my credit card, and this was an unauthorized transaction that should not have been submitted. Receiving this credit does not change my position that this is an unacceptable amount of compensation for the issues we experienced.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/08/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We rented a property in Santa Rosa Beach reservation 429768 for one week arrival date of Jul 23, 2022
  
  We were informed that the property had some maintenance issues and we would not be able to check in at our check in time of 4pm. Very inconvenient, but we kind of took it with a grain of salt and moved on. We called about 5pm and they said the home was ready and the inspection team had cleared the home and said it was clean and ready for use.
  
  Upon entry, we noticed that there was some floors that needed mopping, but again kind of just shrugged it off. On day 2 of our vacation we started noticing dead roaches on the floor and a few crawling around in the bedroom areas. We've taken some photos and attached them here. We immediately called the management and they sent someone over with some bug spray poison to spray in the home. We have small infants and DID NOT want poison sprayed inside the home where our children could posibly injest and be poisioned. He said yes I guess that makes sense and set some roach traps around the property inside. We realize this is florida and bugs are around but this is not just a few bugs. Cock roaches are known to spread disease and backteria and pose a SERIOUS health risk. This home should have been treated and verified that it was ready for rental before anyone is allowed in the property. Obviously, this roach issue must have been the "maintenance" issue that delayed us getting the property on time. We have been offered nothing in the way of compensation or anything, even though we did bring this up numerous times to management. Because there were already roach traps in this property, management was well aware of this issue and rented it to us anyway saying NOTHING about the issue. We feel this is very deceptive and unethical.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/17/2022

  We'd like to apologize that we were unable to exceed your expectations. Although we do our best to help guests arrive before the standard check-in time, we have a limited window to fully prepare the property for your arrival. Fortunately, we did get you in right at the start of check-in time. We have everything timestamped, and it appears you may still have been on the wrong time zone when you began your trip. Your property is highly-loved and frequented by repeat guests - in fact; this is the first complaint we've had for this home all year. It's also under contract with a professional pest control service. As you mention, bugs are more common in Florida, and rain does draw them out. We did our best to accommodate you while in-house, and understand your personal preference of not being around pesticides. We did not receive a compensation request while you were here with us (or even afterward directly), or we would have already provided compensation and avoided this complaint altogether. We are crediting your account now for the inconvenience. Your experience is outside of the norm. Please do consider us again for future visits.