Desert Dahlia Retreat

Hi Charlene, First, thank you so much for choosing my home and for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. I read every word, and I'm truly heartbroken that your stay was so disappointing. You and your group deserved a clean, welcoming, fully functional space with clear instructions, and I fell short in major ways. I'm deeply sorry. The lack of any instruction booklet or guidance on things like the TV, closing up, sheets, and garbage was completely my mistake - I should have provided a clear printed welcome packet from the start. Moving forward, I'm now leaving a detailed printed packet on the kitchen counter for every guest, covering TV operation, checkout procedures (including sheets, trash, and anything else), and all house basics so nothing gets overlooked again. The cleanliness issues are my biggest regret and completely unacceptable. The expired food in the fridge (including the 3-week-old milk), dirty floors needing mopping, and leftover items/boxes in the garage/pantry should never have been there. While I do use a professional cleaner, I failed to do a thorough personal final check, and that's 100% on me. As a single mom with no support network, I'm handling this entirely on my own, and this rental is literally my only source of income right now while I work through a steep learning curve to get every detail right. I've already upgraded to a deeper-clean specialist for every turnover (with extra focus on fridge/pantry/garage checks), arranged professional yard and garage maintenance, and I'm personally doing a full walk-through inspection before each check-in to catch anything missed. I know none of this undoes the frustration and inconvenience you experienced - especially dealing with expired food, dirt, and no TV or closing guidance - and I feel awful about it. To try to make this right, I'm working on issuing you a 20% refund through VRBO (once complete, it should appear in 3-5 business days). I'll follow up with you the moment it's submitted. I wish I could do more, but as a single mom this is truly everything I can manage right now. Charlene, I'm genuinely committed to becoming the host every guest deserves, and honest feedback like yours is what helps me improve faster than anything else. If my response, the refund, and the changes I've already put in place make you feel I've taken your experience seriously, I would be incredibly grateful if you'd consider updating your review to reflect that. It would mean the world to me and my little family as I keep building this. Thank you again for giving my home a chance. I hope one day you'd feel comfortable trying us again - I promise it will be a completely different (and much better) experience. With sincere gratitude, Anna, your still-learning host 😊

Hi Jamie, First, thank you so much for choosing my home and for taking the time to write such a detailed review. I read every word and my heart sank because I can see exactly how disappointing your stay was, especially after you traveled with your group. You deserved a smooth, spotless, well-stocked experience and I fell short in several areas. I’m so sorry. The check-in instructions arriving late was completely my mistake - I should have had everything ready well in advance. Moving forward, I’m now leaving a printed welcome packet right on the kitchen counter for every guest. It includes clear check-in details along with straightforward checkout instructions so nothing gets missed again. The kitchen and bathrooms are my biggest regret. I did hire a professional cleaner but I should have caught the fridge spill and old coffee grounds during turnover. The hairs in the tub and insufficient dishes/toilet paper are also 100% on me for not checking. As a single mom with no support network, I’m doing this entirely on my own, and this rental is literally my only source of income right now while I navigate a steep learning curve to get everything right. I’ve already arranged for a deeper-clean specialist for every turnover, purchased full place-settings for 8 people, stocked extra rolls of toilet paper in every bathroom (and cabinets), and I’m personally doing a final walk-through before check-in now. The yard maintenance is also scheduled professionally on a regular basis starting immediately. I know none of this changes the inconvenience you experienced - especially having to clean the fridge yourselves - and I feel terrible about it. To try to make this right, I’m working on issuing you a 20% refund through VRBO. Once complete it should appear in 3-5 business days. I will follow up when I have submitted it. I know this doesn’t change your experience and I wish I could do more, but as a single mom this is truly everything I can manage right now. Jamie, I’m genuinely working hard to become a great host every family deserves, and detailed feedback like yours is what helps me improve the most. If my response, the refund, and the specific changes I’ve already put in place make you feel I’ve taken your experience seriously, I would be so grateful if you’d consider updating your review to reflect that. It would mean everything to me and my little family as I keep building this. I hope one day you’d feel comfortable giving my property another chance - I promise the experience will be completely different. With sincere gratitude, Anna, your still-learning host 😊