Portoro Reviews 

We stayed at Sea Esta 30A Condo from October 6–10. Due to a hurricane and a mandatory evacuation, we were forced to leave the property for our safety with two nights remaining on our reservation.We contacted the property manager, Portoro Homes (also known as 850 Vacation Rentals) to request a refund for the two unused nights. They refused. We then contacted Vrbo for assistance. Vrbo confirmed that our situation qualified under its Extenuating Circumstances Policy and reached out to Portoro Homes on our behalf. The host did not respond. Despite acknowledging that our circumstances qualified under the policy, Vrbo ultimately told us to contact our financial institution to pursue the matter further.This is unacceptable customer service. We were dealing with a serious weather emergency and a mandatory evacuation, yet we were left to fight for a refund for two nights we could not safely use. Portoro Homes refused to work with us, and Vrbo failed to provide a meaningful resolution even after confirming that our situation qualified under its policy.A company’s true character is revealed by how it treats customers when circumstances go wrong. We will never book with Portoro Homes again and this experience has significantly damaged our confidence with Vrbo.

Update: Portoro Homes ended up refunding me the following week. Even though it was still a stressful experience, I appreciated being called and apologized to, and ultimately getting the resolution I deserved. It sounded like a lot of miscommunication between all parties with the craziness of the hurricane, and they solved the problem in the end.

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Horrible communication and no refund during a mandatory hurricane evacuation and property damage and no power.

Our family vacation was derailed by a major hurricane and a mandatory evacuation in the property’s zone. Vrbo’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy addresses mandatory evacuations, and Vrbo told me the host is responsible for following the guidelines and issuing any applicable refund. Yet 850 Vacations by Portoro refuses to refund us.

The communication from 850 Vacations by Portoro was appalling. They never proactively contacted me to discuss the hurricane or our situation. I had to initiate every conversation, yet they continued sending automated emails asking how my stay was going and whether I was comfortable—even though a mandatory evacuation was in effect and the neighborhood had no power.

The company later confirmed a tree was leaning against the house, the golf cart windshield was cracked, and the neighborhood remained without power. Still, no refund.

This is not how you treat customers facing a natural disaster. I would not book with this company again and encourage other travelers to understand the risks before booking.

I am not one to give a bad review but feel it is needed. Although the location of the home and the Magnolia Cottages neighborhood is wonderful, this visit was a bit disappointing. We were not informed that the beach access was closed and “under construction” by management. It came to our attention that this is an ongoing “issue” from an owner. The management acted as if it were a surprise when we questioned the closure. We did use public access not too far down the street, but I have a permanent foot injury and it was an inconvenience. The back door to the home would not lock which is an obvious issue. Although the screen room is lovely, as with the home, both smelled of mold. We realized it has permeated the cushions and could not enjoy the use of the screen room . We had to re-wash all of our clothing upon arriving home. Unfortunately, we discovered sand in two of the “cleaned” beds and both went home with a multitude of sand flee bites even after washing the bedding. I mentioned some of these concerns to the management, I’m still waiting to their reply from “looking into it.” We have been vacationing 1-2 times per year in this area for 16 years, mostly staying in this neighborhood. Sadly, this was the first and last time we stay through Portoro.

Confusion with confirmation of rental even after forms signed and drivers license and even selfie provided. Was frustrating to determine where to obtain code for check-in from text and emails. Communication from rental company could improve. Facility nice but had an few issues which were brought to their attention.

This property was very nice and clean. Convenient to the shops and few blocks away from the park and beach.

This beautiful home is located directly on the beach and has a private boardwalk access. Plenty of space and comfortable beds for 10! The floor to ceiling sliders give you a picture perfect view of the waves rolling onto the sand. We collected some pretty shells. The host was readily accessible by phone and to help solve technical issues with the WiFi and TV’s. A 5 star home!

Very professional and appreciate the level of service provided.

Quechee Club has two very nice golf courses - and the people in the pro shop are helpful and nice. The unit we rented has two master suites, which is very nice for two couples on a golf trip. The condo was well provisioned for four people, but not more than that. Our unit felt like it hadn't been used in a long time, so there were cob webs, particularly around the windows. The unit only has portable air conditioners, which were not even used by us. The way they were set-up allowed bugs to get into the house. I would recommend just removing them this time of year and then make sure the place is cleaned directly before renting it. This place is dog friendly and we brought our dog. Since the unit has light couches, we brought some towels to place on them, which is easy if you are driving there.

The check in process was scuffed from the onset. The host never sent a request for payment and did not have their systems configured to receive information from Vrbo. This meant that I had to call directly when I arrived to the property and go through a manual effort. We were never given a key to the property because the host did not know the correct code to open the lockbox and the keypad was not keyed to the correct entry code so an emergency code had to be used. When we entered the home, the entire downstairs smelled rancid. The smell was so strong and wafted through the house meaning if we wanted to be in the home then we had to be on the upstairs level. So no kitchen, no dining room table for games, and we had to stay upstairs.The property itself was “nice”, but it’s clearly aged and has not been kept up with. The baseboards were dirty throughout the home and there were stains and marks everywhere. And what is probably the weirdest and creepiest thing I’ve seen in a Vrbo, the master bathroom has a window facing the interior of the house. Super weird and super gross.After complaining to the rep about the state of the home and the smell, a maintenance person was sent out to deal with it. The solution we were told was “use Lysol wipes in the meantime.” Shocking.After complaining, Iasked for a discount and was told they’d escalate my case and follow up but nobody ever reached out. Poor follow through from the management company. For the price we paid? I expect more

Responsive, clear, kind, concise. 10/10.

They felt like a third party company who values their customers vs a personal individual who you work with with their own charm/warmth or idiosyncrasies, which was not a negative or positive, rather, a neutral experience.

clean condo, great location

Great location and cozy place for two.

Everything was great. Well supplied with what you need.

Location snd scenery

Too difficult to communicate with them re concerns or problems.

The price charged was high for what we received. The unit was cramped in certain areas, there was minimal counter space in the kitchen and bathroom, the lighting was insufficient, the toaster and broiler unit was not adequate, the oven broiler did not work, the television was very difficult to select desired programs. The small back porch was dirty and not cleaned adjacent to the eating table, even after the return of a cleaning girl..

Portoro has always been professional, courteous, and extremely helpful. Thank you Portoro for always doing what is right and helping. You are a fabulous management company and I truly appreciate all you do.

We recently rented a vacation home in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, anticipating a relaxing family getaway. Unfortunately, the property fell significantly short of acceptable standards for a vacation rental, resulting in a highly disappointing experience marked by poor maintenance, unsanitary conditions, and inadequate customer service.
Upon arrival, the house was in a filthy state, covered extensively in dog hair with a pervasive dog odor throughout. The floors were littered with crumbs, requiring immediate and thorough cleaning on the first day to make the space habitable and avoid wasting valuable vacation time. Additional hazards included a dead frog discovered in the freezer, cockroach-like insects in the bathrooms and closet, and dirty laundry from previous guests left in the master closet. These conditions raised serious concerns regarding cleanliness and pest control.
Basic provisions were notably absent or insufficient for a week-long stay. There were inadequate supplies of dishwashing detergent, trash bags, and laundry products. Essential kitchen staples such as salt, pepper, flour, sugar, and coffee were not provided, further complicating meal preparation for our family.
Safety and functionality issues compounded the problems. The golf cart, included with the rental, lacked a seat belt, necessitating the signing of a waiver and presenting an unacceptable risk, particularly with young children. In the master bathroom water closet, the light fixture was non-functional, preventing the door from being closed properly.
Throughout our stay, we submitted multiple complaints detailing these deficiencies. Responses from the rental company were limited to acknowledgments requesting patience while awaiting management input, with no meaningful resolution provided. We remain unresolved on these matters as of this review.
This rental property and management company failed to deliver a clean, safe, and well-equipped vacation experience. We strongly advise against renting from this company and recommend prospective guests explore alternative accommodations with verified high standards of cleanliness, maintenance, and responsive support.

They lieeeeee. They tell you the minimum your home will bring in a month is 2,600 and then you sign up and then it doesn’t happen. You ask what’s going on. They say oh… there’s a 4 month ramp up period… what?? Ok. Then 4 months goes by and still bringing in $800/month. Then they say it’s the economy and the current times etc. They are just liars. Then you say you want them to get your permission before buying anything for your house and they buy it and bill you without asking anyways. And the cleaning staff used my vaccume to the point where they broke it! And didn’t want to pay me to fix it! Awful awful awful. Roll the dice with someone else