Deer Harbor Inn

I stayed at the Inn for two nights and it was quite memorable, albeit not for good reasons. Ferry dropped me off after 11 PM! It had also started snowing. Google Maps directed me past a fire station to a steep downhill that I didn’t dare going down because of the icy conditions. There were houses around, and I saw lights in the windows, but no one answered when I knocked on the doors for help with directions. Finally, someone came out and told me to get back on the main road and the Inn would be on my right. Having arrived at the property, I was confused where my room was. From the pictures I had seen, it seemed like the room would be in the lodge but the front door was locked. I called Vacasa, and had the distinct displeasure of speaking with their dumbest and rudest CSR, who kept insisting that I put in the passcode I had received in email, although she couldn’t say where because there was no keypad in sight. I found the office at the center of the property, and there were numbered boxes with keypads on the exterior wall, but my code didn’t work on the one that had my room number. The Vacasa CSR gave me a “backup code” that opened the box, but when I tried the key at the door, it wasn’t the right key! At that time the Vacasa rep hung up saying her job was done. Never mind the key was useless. I then went around and tried the key at every door of the property, at every cottage, and it didn’t open any doors. By this time, it was snowing heavily and past 1 AM. 2 hours had passed since my arrival. I had no cell phone reception except for the front (locked) door of the lodge. As a last-ditch attempt, I went into the office one more time and found a phone number for a Craig Carpenter on the bulletin board. Upon calling several times, Mr. Carpenter answered and identified himself as the owner of the property. As I explained to him the situation, he said he was going to call the local Vacasa manager, and call me back. After about 10 minutes, he did call me back and said that his son, who lives nearby, is arriving to help. Once the junior Carpenter arrived, he was instructed to take a bunch of keys from the office and try them all at the door! Which he did as I shone a light, but none of the keys worked. He called his dad again and was told to try and get a window open. He was able to remove the screen from a window and force it open, then climb through it and open the main door! The room actually was on the 2nd floor and did have a lockbox beside the door, which opened when I put on my passcode and presented the room key. The next morning, I received a call from the local Vacasa manager who told me that the main door wasn’t supposed to be locked. He apologized profusely and refunded me the room charge for the 1st night. He also said he would change the locks on the doors so that no one is locked out again. Here are the things I see wrong with this experience: 1. I understand there’s no resident manager/caretaker at the property but there *needs* t

After seeing the plethora of fees that this property was charging, I went elsewhere. It is abusive to show one price and then tack on about 30% for a destination fee & property service charge and daily water fee of just under $19 and a $68 cleaning fee. These fees would practically double the cost of the advertised stay. These kind of practices are deceptive, abusive, and misleading. Buyer beware.