Stupid Things in Vacation Rentals

[Pauline]

I love this apartment we rented in Uzes, but they went a bit too far decorating. This piece of "art" hangs over the trunk in front of the sofa at eye level and we smack our heads into it frequently. I wanted to cut it down but Steve came up with a fix we could remove when we leave. We tied it up higher.

Anyone have some other examples of stupid things in vacation rentals?

 

[Terry]

Good solution! I do like the all white look - seems incredibly soothing, but maybe annoying if you have to live with it?

We just came back from Tel Aviv, where we rented a corner penthouse 2 BR apartment with my SIL/BIL. It was perfect, in a great location, and quite the bargain (less than $300/night, divided by two couples - unheard of in TA). But one incredibly annoying thing was the windows in the living room. They were wrap-around, floor-to-ceiling, with blinds inside two panes of glass that had to be operated by remote control. Problem was there were about 10 remote controls in the apartment, each to operate different windows, and ceiling fans, air conditioning, and TV. We finally figured out how to keep the blinds open (great light), and then hid those remote controls for the rest of our stay - didn't want to change that setting! Then to figure out the rest of the remotes - that got my stupid award.

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

Good solution! I do like the all white look - seems incredibly soothing, but maybe annoying if you have to live with it?

We just came back from Tel Aviv, where we rented a corner penthouse 2 BR apartment with my SIL/BIL. It was perfect, in a great location, and quite the bargain (less than $300/night, divided by two couples - unheard of in TA). But one incredibly annoying thing was the windows in the living room. They were wrap-around, floor-to-ceiling, with blinds inside two panes of glass that had to be operated by remote control. Problem was there were about 10 remote controls in the apartment, each to operate different windows, and ceiling fans, air conditioning, and TV. We finally figured out how to keep the blinds open (great light), and then hid those remote controls for the rest of our stay - didn't want to change that setting! Then to figure out the rest of the remotes - that got my stupid award.

OMG, that would drive me crazy!

 

[Pauline]

We rented a lovely house in Hawaii and they had a canoe hanging from the ceiling in a hallway with the sign "do not touch". A) why would I want to reach up and touch it? B) the sign made me leap up to touch it every time I went by. C) if something is that precious, don't put it in a house that you rent by the week!

 

[Kathy]

Our six-month rental in Bonnieux 10 years ago had a wooden rocking horse... unexpected but quirky and kind of fun.

What I really hate are signs hung up in various places... to me these are really stupid! I want a rental to feel like a home and so I don't want any signs telling me what to do or not do . At our place here in Bonnieux everything is in the housebook, except for the "cheat sheet" on oven temperatures, which I have taped inside the drawer next to the oven.

 

[Pauline]

I think a few signs can be done in a fun way. I am tempted to have them at home because we change house so often now Plus I am always changing where I keep things and then I forget. But, you are right - it is odd to have information signs about.

 

[Pauline]

We complained to the manager about that dangling thing and said the apartment had been done by a decorator and that thing had a long string and was designed to let you pull it to the side on that hook I used, but the first renters shortened the string by putting knots in it and they haven't been able to unknot it. I still think they need to get rid of it.

 

[Valerie]

I'd prefer a guest book to signs scattered about; signs would make you feel less at home. We stayed at one place in Arizona that had labels on the kitchen shelves to remind you where to put things back, which was kinda helpful, but then no instructions on how to work the A/C system or turn on the hot tub!

Stupidest thing I encountered was in a cool tower in Tuscany that had been renovated, but the bathroom had total sleek and modern fixtures; the light jutted out from over the mirror with a spaceship like globe that we hit our heads on frequently (and we're not exactly tall) until one groggy morning Bryan bumped into it too hard and the glass globe tumbled and fell and shattered in a thousand pieces.

 

[Anne]

Perhaps not a stupid thing, but a matter of taste but...the apartment we rented in Barcelona had a glass topped coffee table in the living room. I kept banging my legs on the edges that stuck out a fair distance from the table frame itself...I just didn't notice them because, well, they were clear glass!

 

[Margo]

Perhaps not a stupid thing, but a matter of taste but...the apartment we rented in Barcelona had a glass topped coffee table in the living room. I kept banging my legs on the edges that stuck out a fair distance from the table frame itself...I just didn't notice them because, well, they were clear glass!

That's what table cloths / throws are for.

 

[Margo]

We rented an apartment on Lake Como once, and couldn't work out how to turn on the hot water. Fortunately, the agent was till with us, and she couldn't manage either.

It turned out that we needed a plumber and half the locals from the village to get it all working. It helped people recognise us, but seemed rather silly in a holiday apartment!

 

[italian excursion]

One trip to Venice when I visited Shannon and followed her around from bar to bar, updating "Chow Venice" we stayed in funky apartment with a bathroom that was more like an afterthought. It was about 2 ft by 2 ft (seriously) and the toilet was placed in a strange, sideways position, just in front of the sink. If I remember correctly one could hardly stand in front of the sink as the sideways placed toilet was just behind you. Very odd though the best they could do I suppose with the space available.

Ciao,
Cheryl
www.italianexcursion.com

 

[PokeyMindy]

Stupidest thing I encountered was in a cool tower in Tuscany that had been renovated, but the bathroom had total sleek and modern fixtures; the light jutted out from over the mirror with a spaceship like globe that we hit our heads on frequently (and we're not exactly tall) until one groggy morning Bryan bumped into it too hard and the glass globe tumbled and fell and shattered in a thousand pieces.

Oh no! but it is rather funny. I hope the owners learned from Bryan's incident and replaced it with something less "jutting".

 

[EllieWill]

The most stupid/ annoying thing I encountered in a vacation was a dead coffee machine that occupied half of the cooking space. I think the hosts should monitor such things and take away if they don't work. It was in Vienna and after some alterations I was able to cook quite comfortably. However another apartment in Florence I rented through 110apartments.com was very good and without any silly or annoying things I could mention. Now I do all vacation rental booking only through this engine.

 

[Parigi]

I abhor big religious art work in rentals. Whatever your religion, please forgive me. I don't want a big buddha or a big Virgin Mary or a big Jesus bleeding from his thorny crown, presiding over my everyday life.
Once I had to dismantle a cross and hide it under the bed, only to have the landlady call me weeks later delicately asking me why I had stolen it. I had the choice of telling her, yes, I had stolen it, or that I had hidden it from eyesight and had forgotten it.
The first time I came to Europe, our hotel in Oberamergau in very religious Bavaria had a statue of a profusely bleeding Jesus in the hallway. Gave me nightmares, yikes !

 

[Pauline]

I abhor big religious art work in rentals.

I agree!!