Stayz Reviews 

We have booked our Christmas holidays with stayz back in 2024 In June so that we can enjoy a good family Christmas holidays together due to the bush fire that occurred in Victoria, in December we didn't have any information with what was happening so we got in to contact with property manager of the site and told us to go through stayz app or website to claim a refund because the town that we were supposed to stay was closed to the public. it been six month now and we are still waiting for a refund of our money we will never use stayz again

Easy to use, stayed at Closetoreef accommodation at Turkey beach.
Was perfect in every way, cheap but perfect.
Fully air conditioned, freezers , linen even mozzie repellant

We are a registered provided of short term accommodation in Western Australia who provided shared guests 30 nights. Even though these guests paid nearly $4000 to VRBO 4 months ago now, none of this money has been paid to us. Their acceleration department has blocked us from talking to Billing which handles the accounts. How can we continue partnering with such a company?

The customer service of Stayz/Vrbo is just.. Appaling. As an owner, the platform is useless, there keep being bugs and other issues with the site. I just got an e-mail asking for more information on a problem I had, urging me to reply to the e-mail asap. But the e-mail was sent from a donotreply address. When I bring this up with the customer support the reaction was "I am a new agent, so can you just explain what you want help with", not even listening to my advice about the donotreply addresses... I mean... What is up with this platform?

I am a property owner. My property is illegally listed by an agent, with incorrect information. The agent has no authorisation from me to advertise the property. I contacted Stayz to have it removed, but they refuse to do so, as I am not the person that listed the account. Apparently, the only person that can have it removed is the one that listed it, not the property owner. Now I have to waste my time with legal action to fix up this mess. I asked them to contact the person that has my listing, but they refuse to do that too.
WARNING! As a prospective tenant, you may be paying for a villa that is not authorised to be rented out. Stick to booking with the property direct, or use one of the big-name companies.

Disgusting customer service for guestsAbsolutely no customer service for guests. We booked a stayz accomodation, only filter word WI FI. We needed wi fi during our 4 night stay. When we arrived hostess said … we have very bad reception so you’ll have to use your own data or head into town to the cafe. Description said network Optus and a password on arrival. They had obviously lied about wifi b4 based on the welcome letter, just to get more interest. When we called Stayz, they basically said tough luck. Girl on overseas help desk said we only write the descriptions the host gives us. If they don’t deliver, nothing we can do. DISGRACEFUL Stayz. NEVER AGAIN!

We booked the accommodation "Aquamarine" on Kangaroo Island via Stayz. Upon arrival in the afternoon, we discovered two out of three bed sheets had blood stains and yellow marks on them. So, we enquired very respectfully to the host whether the sheets been changed. The host insisted to send her cleaner to the property next morning.

However, the cleaner arrived the following day, we were verbally abused, assaulted, and threatened for nearly an hour. From the moment the cleaner entered the front door, she's been yelling, shouting, swearing with "f- " words, waving arms around offensively, etc. We were extremely concerned about our safety especially due to her multiple threats on us. So, we decided to search for alternative accommodation, and we found one that day early evening and booked. The next morning, we checked out 4 days prior to our official check out date. We also sent lengthy message to the host and told her the reason, how we were being abused and threatened, and due to our personal safety concerns, we had to check out earlier.

Then, the host ignored our message for days, until we left Kangaroo Island, she sent us a message, shockingly she had a completely different story from the cleaner. She denied everything we experienced horribly, and our personal safety threat (which we nearly called police on spot but didn't due to we simply wanted to continue our holiday). We tried to elaborate more with the host, we also had half an hour video recording which captured cleaner's abusive language, threats on us, body language, etc. But the host was still in denial on everything, instead she changed to subject into the property was never suitable to us, it was our fault we booked it, she would never approved our stay because of our dogs, etc.

We booked the accommodation with our pets specifically as we have been doing for years and never had any issue. The host approved our booking at the time without any issues.

After returning home, the host sent us another message based on the cleaner's story and said she's going to charge us hundreds more. She made false accusations on our dogs damaged property, none was true. She even said we left dogs at property unsupervised whole day, while we stayed in the property less than 24 hours and never had our dogs out of our sight.

We also took a video on exit to demonstrate we maintained property so well. It is hard to believe how some people can be so nasty out there and go above and beyond to make people victim of crimes.

We have not only spent thousands booked new accommodation, also our mental health been seriously affected. We raised to Stayz platform to Vrbo, they asked us to send all photos we took, part of the videos (due to whole video is too big), they said the investigation team is investigating but dragged the whole issue for weeks, and the host is even making false accusations (which is a crime) and trying to charge us more.

We also discovered the host been duplicating multiple advertisements of their property, one advertisement would say pets allowed, one would say pets not allowed.

Vrbo has acknowledged the misconduct behaviour from the host and the cleaner, but nothing has been done regarding to it. Being as the management of the property owners, they have failed to putting any action in to bring justice to right place, and prevent future victims. People's personal safety come first, verbal assault and personal threats are criminal offences, Vrbo has failed to put in action on protecting guests' safety as they claimed on their website.

The host has also managed to take down our genuine review by taking advantage of the loophole with Vrbo's automation tool.

We have also discovered almost identical stories from previous reviews. Surprisingly recent years the property had decent reviews, once again, if the host knows how to use loophole of Vrbo's automation tool to take down bad reviews.

We were originally only after an acknowledgement and apology from the host about our horrible experience, but now given the host's attitude, we are not only after refund, but also compensation, and formal apology.

We don't want more people to ever experience this again in this property, especially knowing some people in the past already been victims like us. Nobody should ever put up with having their personal safety being threatened, especially the worst part is being away from the home during holiday in a strange place, and then with no choice but searching for alternative accommodation.

Booked expensive Freshwater beach house property for New Year Cancelled with less than 48 hours notice and no support Some nonsense about maintenance problems given as excuse AVOID They will ruin your holiday

A review about stayz misleading conduct - not the lovely host. In summary - zero days for stayz to take the money for my booking, and 28 days plus to get it back, despite cancelling within the required timeframe.

Booked a place on the 20th Nov 24 which was fully refundable. The booking was for 17th jan 25. Full payment deducted from my account on the 20th November 24. I wasn’t aware this was going to happen - perhaps I didn’t read the terms carefully enough, but other sites make it obvious if you’re going to be billed immediately. I had to cancel. Tried to do this on the 23rd December and the ai bot said “I’ve initiated the cancellation process”. Checked again on the 30th December and the booking still showed as current. Messaged again on the 30th December and the ai bot again said the cancellation process had been initiated. I contacted the host directly at that point who was helpful and said it was cancelled from his end. Contacted stayz on the 1800 number on 3rd jan and was told the cancellation hadn’t come through to their system yet, and would take about 14 days from the 30th December. It would then take 7to 10 days for the refund to be processed. Nice cash grab stayz! Hopefully I’ll see my money then but very poor process.

Unit ID: 9091480
Property: 20028315 Unit 111 is 3 bedroom &117 2 bedroom
Reservation ID: HA-W8QPYM
This property advertised on Stayz @ Surfers Paradise "Unique ocean front" "Amazing Views" operated by Ryan apartments (there is no such body) is a total SCAM. The advert is the first apartments when you look up surfers Paradise for 10-14 people. Booked this 4 bedroom 2 bathroom for 6 adults and 5 Children, for 20-24 Dec, owner offered extra 2 days for Xmas for $1000. We accepted. Then she cancelled our booking and a refund commenced on the 17th Dec. We were to pay her in full on the 20th when we arrived. Cut a long story short, we payed for $1000 and agreed to pay the rest when the refund came through during the week. We got to the apartment...3 bedrooms that slept 6 and the rest were to sleep in the lounge on on 3 small lounges. 1 bathroom, glass doors to balcony wouldn't close, the glass wasn't the correct size for the doors leaving gaps. Found a cockroaches in the kitchen. This woman is a SERIAL SCAMMER. This apartment is in the Focus building but NOT managed by focus. It was disgusting apartment for the price of $6500. She ended up cancelling again as she then said we only booked for 2 adults and 1 child and she couldn't have 11 guests. So we are out of pocket $1000. We found 4 star accommodation elsewhere. She owns Units 111 & 117 in Focus. Be aware. Im reporting her operating as Orion Trust She is now sending Invoices from Orion Trust for $7304.85 for 1 hr to unload and reload our car.
Orion Trust 114 Esplanade Surfers paradise Qld 4217 which is a false address as its Focus.I am reporting her to every booking agent, The ATO, police ETC ETC

When Stayz receive a negative report on a property they appear to ignore it on the property’s site.

I booked and paid for a room on level 40 Copacabana Jomtien Thailland it has a pool on that level and my girlfriend likes high floors the host advertises level 40. I informed the host while in Australia that we would arrive after 7pm on the 11 October 2024. When in the car my girlfriend contacted host and advised our arrival 8 pm we arrived at 802 pm. At 830pm the card arrived, 30 minute wait, the card was for level 31, not what I paid for, (banks and PayPal policy, did you receive what you paid for, pay with Pay Pal you have a much better chance of getting your money back)? I contacted the host Peter Praveen via sms requesting level 40 as we paid for that level he refused to move us into that room he eventually phoned me and said it was having maintenance, he did not know at exactly the same time my girlfriend was talking to his assistant and she said it was booked and people where in the room. Peter Praveen is a fraud he sells level 40 then delivers a key not on that floor hoping people accept it, he actually said to me 31 is ok you will enjoy the building. On the phone call he started screaming and abusing me to the point I terminated the call at 902 pm all documented. My girlfriend was still talking to his assistant and she said she would get us into level 40 the next day this did not happen two days later we moved into level 40. While on level 31 we had no hot water and the shower flooded the room. Host did not respond to any calls to rectify the hot water or flooding I have pictures. I messaged host Peter Praveen that the internet was not working he did not reply. I asked reception they said the building was having trouble the next day I asked reception they said it was working host still did not turn internet on. I messaged him and eventually he turned it on. I tried to cancel my next booking with this host through Stayz UK the lady said she did not deal with this area. I eventually found an Australian number I forwarded the email I sent to UK I would like to cancel the booking I have from 27th for 6 days. I forecasted this host would cause problems he is argumentative aggressive and rude. I had a woman knock on the door during my stay she was demanding 2000 Thai Bart for a fine (cash) Stayz do not deal cash, host was going against policy, assistant showed me a swift code with little to no details on it I did not know who she was, I refused to pay and wet to reception they said they do not fine people for being sick. I contacted Stayz Australia and they spoke to the host and only then did he send a proper swift code, I went to reception and got to the bottom of this it was a cleaning bill I paid the bill I have no problem paying if I know what it is for.
The 23rd October, how would you feel if you returned to your room around 3pm to find two people going through your bags? Initially I thought they were thief’s I had a lot of cash in the room watches passports etc. I had a check out date on the 24th Stayz confirmed this, not the 23rd. I showed his assistant on my computer she phoned host Peter Praveen and I spoke to him he started abusing me and threatened if I did not leave he would have me physically removed, to not upset my girlfriend who was in the hallway upset, I did not now the assistant abused her in Thai, until later. It’s not acceptable that I did not receive a refund I paid for the room and could not use it. I have documented everything expecting this to occur from his attitude from day one. I have been informing my colleagues in Australia to protect myself, is this person going to come into my room and assault me like he has threatened. I have more information snapshots pictures etc.
To Stayz what I request, you to cancel the booking with a full refund for the 27th for 6 nights it’s not going to get any better with this host Peter Praveen he is hostile, do you honestly think I will receive a key at check in? Refund the accommodation for the 23rd when he threatened to physically remove myself and my girlfriend; I appreciate your assistance thanks Greg.
A big thankyou to Ballepu Vrbo assistance I received a refund when Peter threatened to remove us physically and a refund for the 6 day booking.
Peter Rraveen


SMS from host Peter Praveen over the week period:
40th floor room was closed due to large ceiling leakage.
Had there been no maintenance problem we would have not changed the room.
I am sure you will have a good time, they allocated B3101.
card works just fine a guest checked out this morning.
You have a problem you get out of room or else I am going to cut the power and water supply also disable the access card for the lift.
don’t act smart I will block your card and stop your access.
we will cut off electric.
Hay you a--sshole. I am coming to you now don’t make me show myself up.

Note- I am not reviewing any home listed on Stayz. I am reviewing Stayz the shifty booking company.

Tried to book a home for a family event. Home manager declined the booking, which is fine and their right. However Stayz took a non-refundable deposit of just under AU$1000 within the accept/decline 24hr window, and kept it. Surely it’s not honest or ethical to take a deposit before the place is even booked? And of course, no-one can be contacted or held accountable.
I contacted the host, who said she never even received notification of the booking and has none of the deposit. Stayz said it’s gone to the customer minus their commission, and it’s out of their hands. Clearly someone isn’t being honest.
If this is an acceptable business practice, then I’m renting my home through them. I’ll make a mint just declining all bookings and keeping the deposit. I wont even have to sweep the floor! Thanks for the money making hint, Stayz.

The accommodation in Istanbul was sub standard. One of the bathrooms stank of cigarette smoke. We were told to leave the exhaust fan on - we did - still stank. Had to buy air freshener & spray the bathroom before use. No power points in the kitchen, you had to plug in appliances in the loungeroom. No instructions for any appliances, Leg of one of the beds broken. Linen was synthetic & scratchy, no blankets, just a throw. The lights were too dim to read by and we were told they were normal globes for Turkey, so we went to a shop and found stronger were available everywhere. We bought our own. We booked for 4 weeks and stayed 4 nights at a cost of US$2531. We had to argue to get a 50% refund - they initially refused. We had to pay for a hotel for the rest of our holiday. I left a bad review but it's not on Stayz/VRBO website

We booked 4 nights at an apartment in Tropea, Italy, Oct 2024.
The apartment was very poor. The hot water stopped working after 30 sec.
My wife needed me to help open the shower door to get out, due to very old shower and being stuck closed. Bed very uncomfortable.
I left a property review and wrote to the host. The host dismissed this, saying it’s our fault. Stayz won’t put up our review.
Never using Stayz or their related companies, Hotels or Expedia, for any future travel

Id like to address the conditions regarding the property 9 Cedar Street , Evans Head and the reasons our planned relaxing holiday turned into a horror holiday !

We knew friends who had a family reunion at 9 Cedar Street earlier in the year, and who took their dog , so we asumed this house would be ok with dogs as the listing did not state otherwise .

We chose 9 cedar street particularly for the access of Deb’s Aunty who had mobility issues. Every other house was either not suitable or booked .

Deb’s aunty couldnt attend as her husband took ill , so Deb arrived on Wednesday evening and commented that the house was pretty dirty , particularly the windows which had dog paw marks and dog lick marks on the sunroom windows .

Deb had 3 small house trained clean chihuahuas. She was sitting outside in the sun Thursday morning when a Drift and Stay representative, Anna, saw her and told her there were to be no dogs in this house. Deb replied , well clearly there were dogs here before as the windows were all smudged with dog paw marks. Deb mentioned we were professional cleaners , the house was putried , and we will clean it even better than we found it before we departed .
The cleaner said they must have missed the windows and she will have to contact the owner to see if Deb was allowed to stay .

Anna , from Drift and stay emailed Deb and said it was fine to stay but Deb would have to pay an extra $150 for cleaning .

We took before and after photos before we cleaned . The amount of rubbish we found under the couches was terrible ! The windows , televisions and glass cabinets were all smudged and dusty . The walls had fat marks over them , the wardrobe shelving looks like they have never been wiped out , we also cleaned the fridges that still had crumbs in them . Just so we could have a clean house to stay in .

The bathroom contained black mould as well as the entire inside the carport was covered in toxic black mould . We were now starting to be concerned about health issues .

We noticed small holes in the walls with torn up plaster on the floor . That evening we saw mice scurrying around the kitchen floor !!! OMG what could be worse !? Then noticed cockroaches in the main shower !

Deb sent an email to Anna to inform the owners of the mice problems and that they were destroying her walls ! The mice obviously had a steady flow of food to substain themselves whilst there were no visitors !

Deb then noticed that Anna had taken the entire $400 bond that was being held from her bank ! They hadnt even inspected the place . Again Deb emailed Anna , Anna explained the owner wanted the bond and if they were satisfied, that the remaining amount would he retured ! We have rented many holiday homes and this simply is not how it works ! Deb demanded the $400 be replaced immediately and also gave Anna an update on the mice and cockroach issue , as well as the whole day we spent cleaning the house . Anna did not reply .

My sleep at 9 Cedar street was always interupted by what seemed like prickly things in my toes . The last night I stayed there , I felt what seemed like biting on my toes . I kept waking up and moving my toes .
That morning , when I woke , to my horror , there was a mouse in my bed and it had been biting at my toes all night , and the other nights ! It was smaller than the ones we saw in the kitchen …. there must be a whole colony of them !!!! OMG !!!!! I felt sick ! What diseases could come from mice bites !!!
Deb said she also found mice droppings in her bed !!

Our supposably restful get together of friends in a once lovely family home turned into a unforgettable horror show !!! The least of this companies problems should be the 3 very small very clean dogs !!! How devistating ! I would rate this house’s condition lower than a fishermans shack as far as cleaning and im probably sure the fisherman’s shack would be rodent free! Im now upping my vit C intake just incase I caught some infection from either the toxic black mould or being nibbled on by mice in my sleep!
I would never want anyone else to endure the disgust we had to deal with and waste of time and money spent on a holiday that should have been enjoyable!

I booked a Cottage in Nelson Bay for the long weekend. It was my son's first time and we were looking forward to this holiday. I didn't get the access code before the trip. I tried to contact the host but couldn't get through. Contacted support and they said we will be transferred to the resolution team and will try to find another accomodation for us. Didn't happen. The host finally rang me and gave the code. We went to the house and we were greeted by a dog at the back. The grass on the backyard was not mowed. And there was somebody else inside the house!!! We travelled for 3 hrs and no place to stay that night so we decided to go back home again!

Never, ever book with Stayz!!!

The apartment was clean and beautifully presented.Great location, opposite the beach and close to all amenities.
Our host was always available for any assistance if required. We had a lovely experience and we'll definitely come back.

Out of pocket and Stayz are unhelpful. We booked and paid for a place in KL. Host did not reply to messages, and it was too late to cancel and receive a refund. Ended up booking another place through Booking.com which was seamless and as advertised. But Stayz are procrastinating on the refund, claiming they have to contact the host to get the refund. But neither they nor we have been able to contact the host. And after reading that someone has been waiting 10 months for a refund, I'm taking it further. First, Consumer Affairs, then one of the TV programs, lastly lawyers.

I stayed at Yoga Villa in Seminyak. The property is fantastic and is a short walk to everything you need. Wati; who runs the villa is an absolute legend and was so helpful with everything. Highly reccomend!