Due to the heat we weren't able to use most of this house and communication with the host was terrible. We emailed them immediately moments after arriving in the home. The downstairs thermostat read 85 degrees and upstairs was so hot it felt like an actual sauna (not an exaggeration). It was mid-afternoon. No response and hours later it was still 85 downstairs and so hot it didn't even feel safe to let our two kids go upstairs. We called VRBO and spent hours on the phone with them - the homeowners did not answer when VRBO called twice (we were on the line when they made attempts - it's a married couple and neither answered). Still no response via the VRBO site/email from homeowners. VRBO ended up giving us their cell phones (since it doesn't come in the long packet, which is it's own mess - see below) - still no answer. Finally Mr. XXX (Goldman?) called us back.
At first he was defensive, but admittedly my wife was quite upset. He maintained that there was no issue and blamed the pending heat wave. If he was aware of a heat wave, why are there no fans? We are used to not having an AC and the property doesn't advertise AC, but not even 1 fan and no way to cool down the property at all? Ridiculous. We begged to receive a refund for the following two nights (willing to pay the first night since it that point it was almost 10pm when we finally got them on the phone) - they refused. At best they were willing to refund us getting fans (in Tahoe, 45min away - because that's the nearest town/place to do so).
So in the end we paid a lot of money for a big house that we couldn't use most of. There's an old ceiling fan in the living room so that's where we were almost the entire time and that's where our children had to sleep! Not on pullout couches, but regular couches (one even has a midsection for cup holders so was especially awkward for our younger child). The owner told us the house cooled down at night, but it didn't even begin to cool down until maybe 10pm - by then our children were long asleep and it was still too hot for anyone to sleep upstairs.
We kept all shades closed at all daylight times - opened every possible window and/or door to create cross breezes (left windows open overnight, etc.) and still the home was too hot. Beautiful yard and deck, but terrible experience - would never go back in the summer. Also note the checkout instructions that you receive after you book state that you must take all trash or pay $30 per bag.