Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor Cottage

First the positives:

- The location was really good.

- The property was clean and well maintained.

Negatives:

- Not using the HomeAway platform/tool to it's potential.

Check in details were not within the app/system. I sent a messaging using HomeAway app, no response. I called and she insisted she had already sent them to me. I prefer to use the utility of the HomeAway tool instead of other methods, so that information doesn't get lost. She then texted me the check-in details.

- Disorganized and unprofessional.

I had booked and paid in full for our 3 night stay many months prior to our stay and agreed to the terms for our dog coming along with us. This was confirmed via email. She has very strict rules about dogs not urinating outdoors on property/landscaping/lawn which I agreed to. Then 30 minutes after we enter the cottage, I receive a text from the manager using exclamation marks that I had not disclosed that I was bringing a dog and had not paid the pet deposit. Which brings me to my final, and most disappointing point...

- Creepy surveillance.

When she texted me, and incorrectly accused me of being dishonest, she said that "I just noticed you have a dog"...but she didn't physically meet us at the property. So that either means that the property has surveillance cameras, or the other renters in the main house were acting as her monitors. Either way, my husband and I were so disturbed that we were being watched [and accused] that we packed all of our things right back into the car and left the property that evening.

The renters in the front house had the windows open and were arguing and their dog was barking and running around the backyard, which was also too stressful for the 'relaxing vacation' I had planned. All the more reason for us to leave and let the manager have all of our $$$ after only being there an hour.

In short, if you have a dog and/or you don't like being watched, this isn't the property for you.