The unit at Dunes Village Resort, condo 636
Dead bugs in the lights. Rotten food in the sink. Quite possibly the nastiest chair I have ever seen.
Wash the dishes before you use them. If you only wipe them down you might get sick from the sight.
I don't even want to take my shoes off in this place.
The resort, the beach, and the water parks
The unit was a disaster. The resort around it was not.
The kids loved the water parks. That was the highlight for them.
Mike at the pool bar was a great bartender.
The outdoor lazy river was more of a dead tide — weak flow, not much of a lazy river. Fine to float in if you don't expect much current.
On the beach, the family found over 180 shark teeth during the stay. That part I would do again in a heartbeat.
So: bad private rental through Big Fish, good resort location and amenities if you book direct and get a clean unit. Don't let a gross condo 636 sour you on shark-teeth hunting.
Big Fish Rentals' response
I sent them a link to this review.
Response from the owner
That's a thoughtful way to share the experience. I'll enjoy following along during your stay.
Check-in at 5200 N Ocean Blvd
The host doesn't answer the phone and will only communicate through the VRBO app. Very hard to get ahold of someone.
After finally getting someone on the phone, I was told everything was good to go.
When I got to the unit, I only had a message telling me to enter a code I was not given. So here we were at 11pm, standing outside a unit with no code to get in.
Once someone finally returned my VRBO message, I was sent the link to take pictures of my ID again. Miserable check-in process.
If you want to stay at the Dunes, do yourself a favor and pay a little to get a unit direct. Do not rent private through Big Fish.
VRBO identity and credit-card photo request
Before I could check in, I was told to photograph and send:
- Front and back of my driver's license.
- Front and back of my credit card — including the security-code side.
- A signed sheet of paper.
- A selfie of me holding the license and the credit card.
If someone asked me to put everything an identity thief could possibly want into one envelope, I don't know what else I'd put in it.
I called VRBO customer service expecting them to say it was improper. The representative told me the practice is allowed.
Visa wanted to cancel my credit card once they found out I sent a picture of it. That was not going to be good while on vacation.
I booked a place to sleep.
FAQ — Dunes Village condo 636 via Big Fish Rentals
What are Dunes Village Resort amenities like?
The kids loved the water parks. Mike at the pool bar was a great bartender. The outdoor lazy river was more of a dead tide — weak flow, not much of a lazy river. On the beach the family found over 180 shark teeth during our stay. That part was great; condo 636 through Big Fish Rentals was not.
How does check-in work for Dunes Village Resort condo 636 through Big Fish Rentals?
Big Fish Rentals does not answer the phone and communicates only through the VRBO app. After finally reaching someone by phone I was told everything was set, but at the unit around 11pm I had only a VRBO message asking for a door code I was never given. Once someone replied on VRBO I was sent the link to photograph my ID again. Miserable check-in process.
Was Dunes Village Resort condo 636 clean?
No. On arrival there were dead bugs in the lights, rotten food in the sink garbage disposal, and what may be the nastiest chair I have ever seen. I washed dishes before using them and did not want to take my shoes off in the unit.
How does Big Fish Rentals communicate with guests?
The host does not answer the phone and will only communicate through the VRBO app. Very hard to get ahold of someone. When I sent them a link to this review, Big Fish Rentals replied on VRBO: "That's a thoughtful way to share the experience. I'll enjoy following along during your stay."
Did VRBO require a driver's license and credit card photos for this rental?
Before I could check in, Big Fish Rentals told me to photograph and send the front and back of my driver's license, the front and back of my credit card (including the security-code side), a signed sheet of paper, and a selfie holding the license and credit card. I called VRBO customer service and the representative said the practice is allowed. Visa wanted to cancel my credit card once they found out I sent a picture of it.
Should I book Dunes Village Resort through Big Fish Rentals on VRBO?
If you want to stay at the Dunes, do yourself a favor and pay a little to get a unit direct. Do not rent private through Big Fish.