Semiahmoo Retreat- Unit A

THE VIEW

Our group recently stayed at this property, and while the location and views are absolutely beautiful, our overall experience was disappointing due to several issues that significantly impacted our stay. First, the property itself is in a stunning location with amazing scenery. Unfortunately, the accommodations did not meet the standard we expected. We found several bath towels that had clearly not been washed but had been folded and placed with the clean towels. That was concerning from a cleanliness standpoint. There also were not enough patio chairs for six guests to sit outside together, and no patio table which was disappointing considering the home accommodates that number of people. The biggest issue, however, was the kitchen. We arrived with groceries planned for three days of meals, expecting the stove and oven to be fully functional. They were not, the was a peice of notebookpaper taped to the oven "Don't use gas leak". We received no advance notice that the stove and oven were out of service. Had we known beforehand, we would have planned our meals completely differently. The only cooking options available were the microwave and a small single-burner appliance we eventually found in a cupboard. Preparing meals for six people under those circumstances was simply not realistic. There was also no barbecue available as an alternative, so we ended up spending a considerable amount of money eating at restaurants instead of using the fully equipped kitchen we had paid for. As someone who works as an Office Manager at a resort, I understand that equipment can fail and unexpected problems happen. What matters is communicating those issues before guests arrive and responding promptly when concerns are raised. Unfortunately, neither happened in this case. I contacted Vacasa 4 times after our stay and asked for the opportunity to resolve the matter before leaving a review. While customer service acknowledged my concerns and apologized for the delay, I have yet to receive any communication or meaningful resolution. This property has incredible potential because the location is truly beautiful. However, until maintenance issues, cleanliness, and guest communication are addressed, I cannot recommend it without reservation.

We loved the size of the home, there were 3 of us, and there were 3 bedrooms and and 2 full baths. The house was pet friendly, which was very important to us. And of course, the views from the home and deck were spectacular!

The views from the house are gorgeous. The house is being prepared to go on the market and this is fairly obvious in terms of the removal of most of the exterior amenities. There are some minor issues with appliances (eg dishwasher rack wheels are broken), but nothing that made staying here unpleasant. The house is dated, but was clean and we had a nice time. The biggest issues we had was that 30 minutes before check-in, I was contacted by the local Vacasa property manager (Teresa M) and told that the house would not be ready at 4pm (scheduled check in). There apparently was an issue with contractors who were working/staying on site. The house was ready by 5pm, but it definitely threw a wrench in our afternoon/evening plans as we had to change our meal plans for the evening. I am still waiting for the credit offered to me to be applied for our stay, but - assuming this happens as promised - I would say it was handled as professionally as could be expected (although was frustrating).

There’s no outdoor bbq like listing says. There’s no propane for the outdoor fire pit. The bathroom soaking tub has slimy stuff on the jets. The warm water for the soaking tub is brown. The freezer/fridge doesn’t keep anything cold. The outdoor furniture that’s described isn’t there. The front door rug isn’t there. There’s no fire extinguisher in the unit. Views are the only nice thing at this property.

I had went with my family and we all enjoyed our stay so much. The views were immaculate and the home was beyond gorgeous! We could see Canada right across and my dogs loved the access to the private beach. My favorite feature was definitely that it was dog-friendly and the windows!!! Everyone enjoyed their time and would definitely want to come again one day. Perfect stay for a vacation for family and friends.