Misleading Villa Location & Host Conduct (Sonho Do Algarve)
I had a very concerning experience with a villa managed by Bedzy, booked via VRBO, called “Sonho Do Algarve.”
The villa was advertised on VRBO as being located in the Old Village area of Vilamoura, which was a key factor in booking. After repeated attempts to contact the host (Alexandre) through the VRBO app, I received no responses. Even after he eventually contacted me via WhatsApp and apologised for missing my messages, further basic questions again went unanswered.
Due to the lack of communication, I independently researched the property and discovered the exact same villa (same name and photos) listed on other platforms showing its location as Albufeira, not Vilamoura. When I raised this discrepancy directly with the host, no explanation was provided, and the response was blunt and dismissive. Shortly afterwards, the booking was cancelled by the host.
This booking was for my wedding week, and had I not investigated the issue myself, I could have arrived with a group of guests to accommodation that did not exist at the advertised location. That is a very serious concern.
Based on my experience, I would strongly advise future guests to independently verify property locations and management details before booking. Accuracy, transparency, and communication were all lacking in this case.