Complaint Review: Izumi Von Hardenberg

In June of 2008 I sent a $450 deposit to Izumi for a 2 bedroom apartment in Manhattan. I found it on vacationhomerentals.com. I received no document of any kind, my only receipt was my activity with paypal.

I ended up paying the entire amount in full before my scheduled arrival on Aug. 14th. Two days before I left she told me she had double booked me on my first night and the other people weren't checking out until Friday and would I get a hotel room when I arrive.

After being very angry about that I went ahead and did it. She called back the next day and said everything was ok and I could check in as planned. That should have been a huge red flag. But when you plan for months for a vacation and are leaving in 24 hours, you're not looking for problems. Big mistake on my part!!!!

She didn't even meet me with the key or check me in like her ad says. She gave the key to the gentleman who picked us up at the airport. When I opened that door, I was mortified.

The apartment was nothing like the pictures and I was scammed!!!!!!!!!!!
I called her and her response was "what would you like me to do about it?"

I asked her to put us up in another of her properties and she said that wasn't possible. So here I am with my husband, my 21 year old daughter, on her birthday trip and her girlfriend.

I'm embarrassed, to say the least and mad as hell. We ended up having to stay for 3 nights because it was the weekend and there were no affordable rooms available on the weekend where we were.

I got a room for the last night of our vacation so the girls could leave with a good memory of where they were. I did contact her after I got home, because she avoided my calls all weekend, and she said she couldn't give me my money back.

What A Loser! I won't see a dime of my $1000+ but I encourage you to research anyone you are about to send money to in the future and don't let it be her.

Ticked off in Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
U.S.A.