Southern Resorts

My family and I had booked one of their properties in Gulf Shores, AL for a week-long stay. We ended up coming home a day early because we couldn't stand the idea of spending another uncomfortable night at this property. For reference, it's an almost 11h drive for us. This might be a long review, but please read. We stayed in a 2-story private property, with a private pool.

The unit was called Beachin' Time. Upon arrival, the floors were dirty, dining room placemats still had food caked on. The pool was green and the water level on it was so low that it didn't cover the first few steps. The water was below the skimmer. The grass in the patio/pool area was very overgrown. The AC seemed to not be working upstairs.

We called the company and they were very responsive in sending someone out to re-clean. The cleaning company was a pleasure to work with - they got to work right away and were very friendly and professional. They sent someone to mow the grass, and to address the pool issues. Initially, Southern Vacation Resorts was very responsive to the issues. They sent someone to shock the pool with chemicals, and while it was nice and blue the next day, it was still very dirty. We've heard that it actually hadn't been used in months, and that the vacation rental company was aware that the pool had a leak.

Southern Vacation Rentals denied that the pool had a leak, despite the water levels constantly dropping. The neighbor is the one who ended up cleaning the pool for us. The AC company came out and told us that it would not be possible for the bedrooms upstairs to cool off, since the problem was not an AC malfunction, but rather that the property needed more vents and/or a bigger unit for the size of that home.

There was nothing that could be done. The temp upstairs was constantly 75-78 degrees, despite it being 69-70 downstairs. The heat index in Alabama was 105-111 during our stay. It was a sauna upstairs on most days. This was what we had the biggest issues communicating with SVR about. Every time we called, whoever answered seemed utterly confused. We were told that a property manager would be contacted and that we would hear back from them.

We never had direct contact with the property manager - as a matter of fact, it seems like their calls are outsourced in some way. It's almost as if you're talking to someone from an answering service who just takes your message and passes it along, but you never hear back from a live person, just a text message here and there. On the 5th night, they sent an AC tech to install window units upstairs.

The window units were so loud that we couldn't sleep and had to shut them off. We ended up going home the next day because we just didn't want to deal with this vacation rental anymore. I spent most of the time that I was supposed to be on vacation communicating back and forth with them via calls and texts. They never offered to move us to another property despite having other ones available.

They told me we would be reimbursed for the days that the pool was not swimmable, but only reimbursed for one night. If you want a vacation rental where you can have contact with the actual property managers and not an answering service who will butcher your messages or misunderstand you, then this isn't the one for you. I wish we had booked directly through VRBO, which has a satisfaction guarantee.

We booked directly through Southern Vacation Rentals because it saved us quite a bit of money, but it just ended up being more of a headache. Oh! And we later found out that the previous renters had complained about all of the same issues that we had. Also, the listing said 200yd to beach access, which was wrong. There is water within 200yd but you'd have to cross private property to reach it within the advertised 200yd.

If you want to go to the beach, it's about an easy 10 min walk. In the photos of our text exchange, you can see where I was explaining what the AC tech mentioned, but they completely disregard it and ask us to check if the thermostat is on. We're from Florida, we know how central AC works. I am so disappointed that we drove 11h with two kids just to be let down by this property.

This company is unethical and deceptive. They charged our credit card for damages that we did not do. In fact, we were able to contact the current guests in the unit and they said the damages were nonexistent and nothing had been fixed or replaced. The company told us they could not send any additional photos until the current guests checked out. We had neighbors staying at the property and were able to get in contact with the guests in the unit we stayed in.

They even sent us photos of the current condition. I have the phone number and guest names of the current guests to prove this is fraud. I researched more and found out that they have been known to do this to others. FRAUD. Check out the www. BBB.org and do not rent any properties from this company if you're an owner working with this company beware of their practices. I wouldn't want to be caught up this fraud.

We had a blast here. Condo was exactly how it was described. It did seem bigger then the pictures made it look. Great location. Right across from the beach. Great view of the bay! Pool was extremely clean. We would definitely stay here again.

We have stayed with SR multiple times. My family rented 3 condos w them (6/3/22 - 6/11/22) I'd give a '0' if I could When we walked in, we had sticky counters, hair balls in the showers, food on the family room rug, a dirty kitchen faucet, chirping smoke alarm, wet sheets in the washer, dirty surfaces in the family and dining room Unfortunately, all 3 condos had this theme They are all pretty disgusting Sadly, this is probably my parents last vacation as my mom has a terminal illness. This isn't the experience we want for her. Needless to say, I'm pretty upset. Hence the immediate review

Our condo was just perfect! Clean and beautifully furnished. View from our balcony was breathtaking. Communication and check-in procedures were easy and worked perfectly. We will be back!

I've used Southern Vacation Rentals in the past with no problems. But, beware their policy in the event the owners cancel your booking. Most rental agencies policy states that they will make it right with the same or better swap at no cost to you. SVR offer up some alternate properties but they were not at all similar to our original booking 3b/2b vs our original 5b/5b unit on the beach but any additional cost would have been out of pocket for us.

Very little information provided on the reason for the cancellation. With about a month to go before the rental seems the owners could have fixed whatever issue occurred or worked around their current bookings. A little more information might have lended more understanding of their situation.

This condo was adorable, clean, and had a great view. It was just me and my husband so the size was perfect, although if you had two small children it would still be fine. My only suggestion would be that they add room darkening shades in the bedroom. The lights from outside lit up the whole room in the night.

Family loved the condo. Angie the parking attendant was super helpful and there were plenty of carts to get our stuff unloaded and up to the condo. Elevators worked so that was wonderful and the beach was super close and super enjoyable. The condo was clean had plenty of room for everyone and plenty of bathrooms plus full laundry facility in the condo and a fully stocked kitchen with all the needed supplies, all we had to do was bring food. The views were spectacular. We enjoyed our stay very much.

Our family had a wonderful vacation with them. Everything was well prepared. Very convenient when booking with Southern Vacation. Your booking will be confirmed right after. 1 week before you come, they will send all the information that you need for your trip, very detail and helpful. Their houses are new and very good location, super nice and clean.

You will have free golf car and bicycles. This is my first time go Destin with Southern Vacation but my family will be back many times with them for sure. Thank you so much for taking care of customer.

If I am honest, the booking and checkin process was so easy with SVR that I worried it was a scam. We recently stayed at Beach Resort, unit 502, in Destin, FL. I could not have fallen in love with this property (in general) or this unit any more than I did on this vacation. SVR offers texting services so any question or concern you have goes directly to a live person who answers promptly, absolutely love that feature!

Our unit was modern, clean, fun, quiet, and steps from the beach. Unit 502 came with anything and everything we needed to make our experience feel relaxing and just like a home away from home. The pool was a huge hit with the kids and I loved the views and scenery all around. Couldn't recommend this place enough, we will definitely be back!

Perfect condo! Easy access to pool and beach! Spacious rooms, huge kitchen and a pullout sofa bed. Extremely pleased with this condo! Will definitely return!

Moondrifter #808 condo was a nicely decorated and very comfortable place to stay. Plenty of space for two couples or a small family. Short walk to the beach would definitely stay there again!

Southern Vacation Rental is a horrible company. If I could do 0 stars then I would! We booked our property 8 months ago and they just called to inform us that the house is no longer available to rent but they could let us rent another house that is available for over $1,000 more. I could only get half my deposit back if I cancelled on them so close to the rental date but they get off the hook with an "oops sorry but you can rent a different property for more money that is not as nice as what you rented previously" (hence why it is still available 6 weeks before spring break). Renter beware if you lease from them - a horrible experience that ended up costing me a lot more money because now I'm renting last minute!

This company does not have professional staffing and does not follow through. We rented a home from them that unfortunately had been damaged by a hurricane and not repaired. When it was removed from inventory the choices were limited and we were offered 3 homes that were in no way comparable. I found a home Listed by them and in discussing the home I asked about the elevator.

I was told they did not advertise it but it could be unlocked. Since I am a disabled senior citizen we agreed to rent with their promise that the elevator would be unlocked. I am at the home now and they tell me they did not follow thru and they will not be able to reach anyone until tomorrow. Ask me how I like sleeping in the garage in my vehicle? How professional is this company? If there was a rating below one star I would have used it.

This company doesn't have compassion for travelers. I tried to reschedule my vacation because my husband is a physician and not able to take off now due to increasing covid rates. I didn't want money back just to reschedule but because I was 3 days past my 30 window they only wanted to cancel and refund only 50%. Well they are missing out on the remaining cost of this vacation and my business in the future. It's sad because we visit the Destin/Fort Walton area at least once a year.

I understand politics are in place for a reason but you have to be willing to work with people especially during this difficult time. I wish I would have read more reviews before booking.

Beware! Will never use Southern vacation rentals / Southern resorts again! These are some but not all issues we faced on our vacation. Live bugs (spiders and roaches) in every room including falling from walls onto beds Dust and spider webs under and behind every piece of furniture Mold on indoor ac vents and growing in buffet drawer Thick dust on top of all furniture Lock codes to get in the unit locked us out multiple times leaving us outside in dark for long periods of time Furniture corroded with sand, crumbs, pet hair and old food Fireplace still had ashes and trash in it from previous winter Stains on bedding Pictures advertised on website did not match unit.

Completely different and disgusting. Unhelpful and unprofessional service that makes everything inconvenient Air quality inside caused burning in chests and took days to overcome Broken freezer handle Ac unit never cooled down as they control the ac remotely. Hot and sticky Outside ac unit was at least 20 years old with rust, water in it and vents clogged Southern vacation rentals were unwilling to do what it took to help us.

Finally until 2AM in morning after many complaints and asking for help they eventually put us in a different unit to walk in and find a huge roach on wall even in new unit (never saw roaches again in the new unit). They offered us to extend our stay as we had damage from hurricane Ida in middle of our stay then litteraly 20 min later called us and changed their minds about the extented stay knowing we were stranded.

Then again offered us the extended stay (very stressful). Our entire vacation was ruined as we spent first three days on phone with customer service making things very difficult.

The company doesn't even deserve a 1 star. From the beginning of booking with them, they were absolutely UNRESPONSIVE and rude! I should have taken this as a sign, but instead, continued with our stay. The condo was clean, but the refrigerator and freezer were broken, and NEVER repaired during our month long stay. The AC broke and they took 2 days to get it fixed in the middle of AUGUST! Then, we left the condo at the end of our stay after having to communicate with this company through text messages because their lack of communication over the phone, and did not decide to extend our stay and they CHaRGeD my credit card without my authorization!

I am disputing the charges, gave them the chance to reverse the charges, and they continued to do so without hesitation! Horrible service and company to deal with, please BEWARE!

We loved this condo! Bella Riva 203. Perfect for 4 couples. View was amazing! Condo was beautifully decorated. The kitchen had everything you needed to prepare meals. Building and pool kept clean. Easy access to beach. Beach service was awesome!

This company doesn't even deserve 1 star. I booked a reservation 4 months in advance. First reservation they cancelled claiming the owner had the condo under construction during the time of our rental. And a week later they cancelled the second reservation stating the owner sold the property. After emailing with no response and calling only to have my calls disconnected.

I now have a $557 charge on my credit card. To say this business has little customer service is an understatement. And if you want to speak to a live representative, the best of luck to you.

STAY AWAY! THEY CANCELED OUR RESERAVTION 1 WEEK PRIOR TO ARRIVAL! Worst experience! Bad business! Horrible customer service! They are non responsive to communicating unless they are canceling your reservation!- Horrible management! After my reservation was canceled and I finally was able to make contact with a Manager - which was challenging! He told me due to it being Sothern's error and mistake he would make sure he found me another condo, so my family wouldn't miss vacation - He then also became non responsive- not returning emails or phone calls!

I was told he was off work for a few days and they were unable to make contact with him also! Now 4 days before vacation, I'm left scrambling to find another place at Pensacola Beach for my family and its nearly sold out! The worst Customer Service Ever! I never had this happen anywhere- It makes sense the customer service is so incredibly bad when the manager Wayne is demonstrating the same unprofessional, non-responsive service his team delivers! They learn from their leaders! And all they can say is "Sorry for your inconvenience"

I found out condo online and didn't realize Southern was the property management for this unit until it was booked. I had experience with them before and felt it would be a good experience again. It was! I love the website/guest portal used. Check in was easy-never had to speak to anyone, but he the door codes texted to us. I was able to contact them by text with any issues and they responded quickly. We didn't have any real issues-it seemed the previous renter unplugged the cable and I contacted Southern before I realized the issue and was able to fix it myself.

Such a scam and ripoff, will not honor prices booked. Terrible rental company. Booked a beach trip months ago about 1 year in advance. They send an email more than 3 months after booking was to cancel the reservation, but at the same time inviting me to re-book the same property for the same dates at a price of over $400 more per night! No thanks, will not be renting from this company. Avoid at all costs.

Cancelled our reservation less than 3 weeks before our stay. Claimed "repairs won't be finished in time". They gave us no warning there were even repairs in the works and they've likely been going on for months. Reservations made over 3 months ago and now they left 12 people without a destination and no time to reschedule in the area. Absolutely ZERO repercussions when the host cancels. All they could do is refund money and say "sorry".

I just received an update alert on my yelp review 8 months after posting. This company charged several of us service fees and provided no product for the fee. Couldn't get a return call. Do not use them. Dishonest in their dealings. They probably kept 10's of thousands of service fees without providing the rentals.

We used Southern Vacation Resorts because they were easy to use and make the whole process seamless. We stayed at 34 Herons Watch 5207 in Santa Rosa Beach. It was perfect. The condo was updated, clean and everything that we needed was there. It was a short walk to the beach. and what a beach! There is a fish house next door and a convince store next to that. This condo is quite, peaceful but close enough to everything else. Don't forget to rent a bike, there is a rental place right next door. Thanks Southern!

DO NOT USE. SOUTHERN VACATION RENTALS DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO HOMES THEY ADVERTISE. We booked with Southern Vacation Rentals for a month stay. Got the confirmation and everything. 3 weeks later I get a call that the owner of the home no longer wishes to list the house, which begs the question, why is Southern Vacations advertising a house beyond what the owner allows? You'd think there would be a contract in place for dates Southern Vacations is allowed to list that the owner preauthorized them for.

Their solution was to offer us the only other 5 bedroom house in the area for a 40% cost increase to us with a $300 credit (on a $2k price increase.). Air fare has been bought and they were increasing the cost of our trip by almost double! They reached out to the homeowners of the more expensive home who declined to price match our previous rate for the canceled home.

Come to find out, the new and more expensive home is listed for sale and if it sold Southern Vacations would move us AGAIN! Probably at yet another price increase to us! Why advertise multiple homes that they can't commit to and potentially move guests?! I would not recommend this agency to anyone.