absolutely the most awful company to deal with. we drove 13 hours to be removed from our reservation twice traveling with two dogs. we ended without a pool. we packed and unpacked and ended up in a place with construction all around us. horrible experience. We checked out 24 hours early to drive 13 hours back home read more

I gave them 2 stars because they did get back to me when I left a messages. I recommend avoiding renting for this company. I rented a unit in Rosemary Beach on VRBO. They told me it was taken off the rental market by the owner. I didn't check but now I see it is on several other metal sites. They either lied to upsell another place or were fired by the unit's owners. They sent me other properties that I assumed were at the same beach, but when I went to plan outings a few weeks before the trip I realized the unit was not where we wanted to stay. I'm pretty sure they jacked up the price on a less desirable location so the unit was the same price as in Rosemary Beach. The place was ok, but not near the amenities we wanted and shouldn't have been the same cost. Plus they should have been upfront about the change in location. read more

We stayed at a property managed by Benchmark and it wasn't a great experience. The home and location were perfect but we had several issues arise during our stay that were never addressed or taken care of. The pool was never cleaned the whole time we were there and there was no pool net for us to clean the pool. I reached out to Benchmark and it took them days to respond I got a generic response when they finally responded. The wifi in the home never worked and the service in the home was horrible. We reached out the first day regarding that and we never had someone come out and correct the issue. It took them days to respond once again and they told us to just unplug it and plug it back into the. Which we tried before even considering them. We had a federal agent in our group and he had zero access to any of his work within the home. I understand it's a heavy travel time with Spring Break, but good customer service goes a long way and no resolution to any of the issues is not acceptable. We will not be staying at another Benchmark Property due to these issues. read more

Condo 17 - Date of Stay 3/12-3/19 Very disappointed that the pictures on the Benchmark website didn't match what was actually there. I booked this condo because of what it had furniture wise. The island in the kitchen was gone and so were the overhead hanging lights. I cook every night, so missing that countertop space/lighting was important. No TV armoire, no rug, wooden chest coffee table replaced with a cheap smaller item, lamps replaced with cheap versions of a desk lamp in both den and bedroom. Also, the sofa sleeper was broken and didn't function as it should. The springs were missing on the frame and black support cloth was broken, unable to hold the mattress on properly and it was horribly uncomfortable. No one is able to sleep on that bed and it should not be marketed as a sleeper but simply a sofa. That was a selling point so we could have another spot to lay down and watch tv in the den. I have stayed in Condo 19 before and our friends that joined us on this trip stayed in Condo 16. They chose to stay here because we picked the location. read more

Worst service I've had when it comes to a vacation rental company. Told days before our trip that pool and hot tub were broken and no refund or change option would be available. Essentially "too bad, so sad" response. Won't ever book through them again. read more

RUN don't walk away from this management group. I booked with them 6 months ahead of time and they cancelled 30 days before our visit.They offered me more expensive options or really lousy rentals.They didn't even offer to help reduce the cleaning or booking fees. Once I told them I wanted my lawyer to look at the contract they told me the owner was a lawyer and they refused to offer me any help. DON'T use them... HORRIBLE!! read more

Office was incredibly rude and unprofessional. I would recommend anyone other than Benchmark.

This is absolutely the worst rental management company I have ever encountered. The worst customer service I have ever experienced. We had several....and I mean several issues that affected the entire length of our stay. We go to 30A almost every year and this is the first time dealing with them...needless to say we will never be renting another property through them again...and shame on AirBnb for contracting with them...it does not reflect well on them either. DO NOT rent through this company. read more

We reached out to them everyday regarding our cable and internet being out. And every person had a different response for us. Would have just preferred to have been told from the get-go that the cable company, mediacom, was very behind on service. Would have just preferred to have been told from the get-go that the cable company, mediacom, was very behind on service. read more

Easy process. Have used Benchmark for years. Location of condo was great. Very clean.

Benchmark Management was great to work with in securing a condo for our vacation. They were communicative and thorough with their email communication. I would definitely rent through them again. We even saved more $ booking with them over other popular booking sites. read more

We have been using Benchmark/Garrett Realty for 25 years. They are great to work with and have always been on top of any issues we have had. We highly recommend Benchmark. read more

Bad company in Sea Grove! We rented Coastal Living on Suzanne Dr. Missing towels and no internet. I must have called them 7 times to get it fixed and they just made excuses. I needed this access for work. They wouldn't even provide a ticket number for the internet company. I visited the internet provider that is almost across the street and they said no ticket existed! I would not trust this company or the homes they rent. Taking advantage of people in Covid times. Awful! read more

We had the worst experience with Benchmark Management. My 82yr Mother and I rented a condo ( Palms C11) through Benchmark .We arrived really late on Mon. Sept. 20th and went straight to bed. When my Mom woke up the next morning she said that the toilet ( guest bathroom) wasn't flushing and she had to open the toilet lid and pull the chain for it to flush. We both went to the patio to call Benchmark and noticed the metal chairs on the patio were completely rusted and the bottom of 3 out of the 4 chairs legs were completely rusted off. This really worried me about one of us falling on the patio floor if we sat in one of the rusted chairs so we proceeded to call Benchmark whos said they would have someone out right away to fix the toilet and bring new chairs. We called in the early afternoon so we thought someone would come before 5pm to fix the issues. We were wrong. NO ONE showed up so for the rest of the evening we had to flush the toilet with our hand ( gross) and stand on the patio. The next morning I called again and was assured they would have someone come out. My Mom and i went out for the day and came home to a maintenance letter stuck on our door that read: Picked up 2 of the 4 chairs. Working on replacements checked toilets the toilet had a stuck seal .Toilets flushing Brought 2 loner chairs ...Jack...So we thought great toilets fixed and we wont fall through the rusted chairs. My Mother goes to use the toilet and IT DOESNT WORK..IT was just as broke as it was when called and complained. The two loner chairs he brought were small and plastic. We called Benchmark that next day ( because they were already closed by then) and AGAIN the secretary Ashley said they would send someone out A.S.A.P..We had two more days left on our vacation and NO ONE SHOWED UP to fix anything. I called Benchmark the night before we left and said don't bother sending anyone now because we leave tomorrow morning ( in a sarcastic tone) and the secretary said ok..OK? That was her response.?? Spent alot of money for a broken unfixed ( for 5 days) toilet, broken rusted dangerous chairs, and a dirty Palms C11 condo..SO my review is to stay AWAY from BENCHMARK MANAGEMENT and condo Palms C11 !! read more

I've stayed at several Benchmark properties and been treated well at each one. The team is helpful in initial bookings and needs as well as attentive to any questions or issues that might arrive during your stay. read more

Horrible and unethical. This company cancelled my reservation 22 days in advance of my trip and left me with no options. The worst rental management company I've dealt with. I'm still in disbelief over the whole situation. I have been renting on the Gulf coast for 30 years and have never had an experience like this. I am posting in hopes of saving someone else the heartache and headache I have experienced today. read more

Benchmark always communicates well and is responsive to our needs. We use them in 30 A every time we visit. The properties are high end and expensive so I recommend in the future that they assign one specific contact person. Every time I call, I get someone different. They keep good bites in discussions in their system. read more

Recently purchased a property managed by Benchmark, who our realtor constantly advised their seller to fire due to the poor management, poor quality, and poor performance which had garnered bad reviews. i can only assume most people maintain their services because of convenience. The unit had been updated with floors and furniture and decor that Benchmark never posted which caused low booking and low rates. Beyond their incompetence to properly advise and manage, they have horrible attitudes and get dramatic at the slightest chore. They make everything a big deal when no one who is inconvenienced is even upset. They CAUSE problems But what was absolutely abhorrent was when the property was sold, confirmed by the realtor and the title company, they showed up with ignorance; without doing due diligence and checking with proper parties, involved themselves in a situation where they were had no place and tried to take back keys in a disgusting and public display at the property even after the information was confirmed, they would not recognize it and continued to fight. i think its basic knowledge that At every closing signing, keys are brought to the table and exchanged. Not only did they not do that, but hours later they still argued the right to keep them from owners and attempted to throw us out. Again, without making a simple phone call and finding answers before acting recklessly. It honestly became harrassment the way she wouldn't listen to anyone and wouldn't speak with the people confirming the legitimacy of the sale. Interference after interference. She was ignorance on fire. They dont know how to educate themselves on matters before reacting, they are arrogant and seem to lack basic common sense, and are incapable of distributing resolution or apologies. they only cause a situation to intensify. They charge a premium for low rate service and are more of a liability than an asset read more

Well all I can say is this company does not care about customers and anyone's health and safety for that matter. Upon arriving (7-31-21) with my family and my sons friend, at first glance the room looked amazing. Minutes later my sons friend yelled gross. After further review, we found fresh stains on two of the bedspreads looking like feces. Opening the closets we found brown and yellow stained pillows. Now I have a 11 month old, so as you can imagine I was devastated with the filth. To make matters worse, the kids noticed layers of sand and food under the couch. Obviously, by the ocean I was not too surprised until I took a look and noticed it looked like many weeks, months etc of no cleaning. After all this the couch and rug was grossly stained and looked hideous. I called every bit of a dozen times in desperation upon arriving, which I'm sure they have recorded because I didn't want my 11 month old even walking/crawling around. We debated leaving after arriving, but didn't want to make the 14 hr drive back so we took matters into our own hands and cleaned. As mentioned, we arrived Saturday morning and by the time we did finally get a call it was Tuesday stating we will send a cleaning company to clean the couch. The time wasn't good for us after wasting a whole day cleaning ourselves earlier, our baby's sleep schedule and trying to turn a negative into somewhat of a good vacation. No offer of other accommodating times. By not being available on that one recommended time, that was their out now, as they have said they did everything to accommodate. They reviewed these pictures and said the case is closed no questions, they've repeatedly hung up on our family members reaching out, been very rude, and stated they aren't allowed to give the owners contacts. I've requested he call me with no luck and even called again today with we told u case closed. I've personally worked in retail over 15 yrs and this is unacceptable and not to mention just poor customer service. It's evident they don't care and we are just another sucker to generate revenue. We paid around $2600 for about a week, so take a look at the photos and you be the judge. I will ensure everyone I know understands to stay clear of this place as it could happen to anyone. I'm just flabbergasted at the lack of care or service and would have had better service at a motel for that matter. Doubtful, but if the owner reads and has the courage to call please do so. read more

See all

This condo is outdated and the furniture looks dirty. The flooring is in bad shape. Also even though beach access is close, you are only allowed on about 20 feet of sand. This means everyone staying here has very little room to lay out. Also Deer Lake public beach was closed for renovations. The tennis courts lights stayed on all night for 2 nights and shines right in to the condo. The price is a little high considering the condition of the condo. Although, the beds are somewhat comfortable with cute bedding. The condos location is close to great restaurants and shopping. read more

The house was fine, but Benchmark Management is terrible. The locks didn't work when I arrived, so I had to call to be let in. I had no tv service or internet during my entire stay. I had to tell the 8 boys I brought they couldn't watch the NCAA tournament. I also had to leave the house to conduct business since I had no service meaning I didn't even get to use the house that I paid so much to rent. When I finally got someone to answer at Benchmark regarding the tv and internet service, they were no help. I called on Saturday when I checked in. They finally got around to send a maintenance man on Monday. He was nice, but had no idea what he was doing. There was a service applying chemicals to the lawn while kids were playing yard games. The hot tub leaked, so I had to fill it ever day. The dishwasher lower tray was broken. The steam shower didn't work. And even though I was not allowed to check in just a few minutes early, they made sure to have their cleaning crew at the house before check out time and before we were out of the house. If the property you are considering is managed by Benchmark, I strongly suggest you keep looking. They don't care about you or your experience. They only care about your money. read more

Stayed at 'Driftaway' on Inlet Beach (Florida Panhandle) for a week long respite October 2021. The oceanfront house wasn't in perfect condition, but was perfect enough. However, one major flaw that could not be ignored was repaired immediately after a 2nd call notification was made to Benchmark Management. One of the exterior back doors off the kitchen and overlooking the beach would not close after being opened and left the door in a fully open position (the bottom hinge was broken). This left the house unsecured, warmer than preferred, and open to black flies during a black fly invasion on the beach. The remaining imperfections were minor housekeeping and structural issues which we did not mention and had no bearing on us having a great time. For us, the best feature of this house was the privacy and solitude we enjoyed on the beach... and would absolutely be the selling feature for us to return. Overall, I would stay at 'Driftaway' on Inlet Beach again and would lease through Benchmark Management as well. read more

Benchmark Management - Our beach chairs and umbrellas with no one else around (except for the occasional beach walkers). - Vacation Rentals Near Me - Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

The unit at Emerald Hill number 5 is a dump with multiple issues. There is mold on the ceiling in the bathroom, the sink does not drain, and water leaked under the sink soaking the items stored under the sink. There was paint chipping on the walls and ceiling of the unit and a dead bug on the floor. The ironing board was unusable. The kitchen layout is narrow and not usable for more than one person at a time. The furniture is dated and uncomfortable. I brought my daughter and her friends down for Spring Break and tried to work during the day; there was a disclaimer the Wifi could be slow and most days I couldn't get proper connection. Luckily the girls did not mind the unit and the location was the only plus but I was footing the bill and was very disappointed with the accommodations. read more

Great experience with this company, quick response to any questions we had both via email or a phone call. Special thanks for providing the Wine glasses that our property was missing. They went out of their way and delivered promptly so we could enjoy our dinner:) read more

The unit is just as shown in photos. The location and view from the deck are the best aspects of this condo. However, we booked it through VRBO even though it is operated through a Management Company. We will not do repeat this mistake in the future. Be well aware you have to bring beach towels and purchase all paper products, soaps, dish soap, etc. It is like staying in a hotel without the cleaning and basic items provided. The worst part was construction taking place right above our unit all day Saturday and a couple hours Monday--literally a jack hammer removing tile flooring. Benchmark was NOT helpful or responsive to this matter at all. Our advice, book a place owned and managed by a true condo owner on AirBnB or VRBO. Steer cleer of Benchmark Mgmt. They are impersonal and not responsive. read more

What an amazing place. Tranquility 310 was one of the most comfortable places we have ever stayed that felt like home and had the beach experience. The condo was big enough to share with another couple and a 3rd room for kids. The layout allowed everyone to have their own space. The kitchen was stocked for a feast. The cook of the family will find everything they need to prepare a meal. Additionally, everyone can hang around a big dining table for 6, a cozy living area with 2 couches, or the porch that has a table for 4 and other chairs. You can see the beach from each of these areas too! We highly recommend coffee or cocktails on the porch (be ready for a beautiful sunset experience!). If you ever decide to leave the house, the heated pool and access to the beach are only steps away. We seldom got in our car, but shops, restaurants, and a Publix grocery store are very close. We highly recommend Tranquility 310 for a wonderful getaway for 2 or for a family/friend experience. read more

We absolutely loved your condo. Everything about it was perfect. We had plenty of towels, cookware, blankets, and the bed was so cozy. The condo was beautiful with a wonderful view of the ocean. I would recommend this condo to anyone. read more

Sand Marino was a great option for our group of 10. However, I would caution if traveling with seasoned family members as the main bedrooms are on the 2nd floor. We managed fine, but there are a lot of stairs. The home was clean with a well stocked kitchen (no keurig but we always bring one). The laundry room had an issue with the vent on the dryer. It was disconnected. We contacted management and they quickly came out and fix the problem. It was a pleasure working with benchmark management. Also, I would recommend renting a golf cart. read more

actually, you did receive notification that the house smelled musty. there was nothing to be done- that's steeped into the studs of the house read more

The condo was great! Everything we needed! We had a tv issue and they came right away! There was a lot of rain and they had to bring in sand on a bobcat like thing. Our condo was around the corner, and we had no idea they would be operating this equipment. This was the easiest way to access our condo. My 3 year old grandson, knew right where our porch was and was running ahead of us by a few feet. Thank God the machine operator saw him as he rounded the corner. I know this work had to be done. But this could have been tragic. I think there should have been sone fore warning of this equipment, a flag man, or maybe a call from management. Otherwise a great trip!! read more

Everything was wonderful! Enjoyed it so much!!! All good!!!everyone was so helpful! Plenty of room for all of us! Loved the location to everything!!! read more

The unit smelled musty. Two asthmatics in our party. Not good. Draperies in master need to be replaced. Lining shredded. The place needs updating. Location terrific. If we can find a newer unit we would return to the building. read more

Asked for an HOA proposal for our condo development in Destin. Kayla said they were interested and they would get back to us. Over a month and a half later they have yet to get back to our management board. We would not recommend this company based on their poor customer service. And apparently I'm not the only one with this opinion based on other reviews. read more

Read the reviews. Management always has excuses! When we had issues with our condo no help at all. Stay someplace else...

The condo was very nice and clean. Great location to the beach but we won't be staying in this condo again do you the beds. The were horrible. We are not picky people but these mattresses looked like they were from my great-grandparents generations and some of them didn't even have box springs under them. We all had back aches mid week and did not sleep well. We also couldn't get the wifi to work even after calling maintenance, so my kids couldn't work on homework. Maintenance was quick to respond once called but router in condo never worked and they tried connecting us to another router and it didn't work. read more

Do NOT book the property THIN MINT in Seagrove or better yet don't book with Benchmark at all. We booked our trip in May for fall break in October, we specifically booked THIN MINT as we were traveling with another family and wanted to stay in the same neighborhood. Two weeks before we were to leave, Benchmark called and said the owner wanted their property and they were going to cancel our reservation. How nice, right?! Not like the owner could stay in a hotel since their property had been booked for 5 MONTHS, seems they need a lesson in business management and customer service 101 or don't rent your property at all. Benchmark offered us an awful house with a body of water in backyard that my two year old could walk right in to. No thank you, unacceptable. read more

Terrible customer service. I emailed about several issues yet no response. They finally emailed me when I asked for one night refund because we left the establishment earlier because the master bed squeaked every time you moved, there were ants, and overall not a clean unit considering my stay was in the midst of a pandemic. They quickly responded stating they would not be compensating me for my troubles but please come stay with them again. NO THANK YOU! Please stay somewhere else. read more

They cancelled our house rental 6 days before we were supposed to arrive. We had planned this trip with family coming from 3 different states. They called us to say that they were constructing a pool on the property and it wouldn't be ready in time for our trip. A pool wasn't even mentioned in the house description. They offered zero help in finding another house, zero regret, and zero professionalism in our interactions. They even took away the promo code for our bikes so we had to pay a penalty on cancelling our bike rentals. We understand that unforeseen circumstances happen, but it's common courtesy to offer an apology and make amends when that happens. If we had cancelled 6 days prior to the trip, we would've been responsible for paying for the entire thing. They can just cancel our rental at any point without reason. I would highly recommend staying away from their properties. read more

We've stayed with Garrett numerous times in the past, but since ownership/managment has changed, they are not focused on making guests the priority. They make money the priority. We arrived to our booked unit and entered to find someone else there. After a huge fiasco with manager, Wendy, we were put in a temporary unit for the night which was not comparable to our initial unit and then moved the next day to something more similiar. Throughout our stay, no one ever reached out to us, we were constantly given false promises that we would get contacted by management and compensation would be made for our disasterous lodging mishaps and yet no one tried. Even after driving to their office location, we were put off and told "they'd pass on the message" Horrible management. Very unprofessional. Will NEVER use BENCHMARK again. read more

We arrived at Driftaway (Inlet Beach) to find the place in need of regular cleaning, deep cleaning, and repairs, some minor and some major due to a water leak. The staff acknowledged it was time for a deep cleaning, wasn't sure of why it was dirty, and knew of the water leak but didn't disclose it to us prior to our stay. We were left to clean on our own initially because check-in falls during their "after hours." The answering service failed to explain that, so we waited a couple of hours before rolling up our sleeves and cleaning just to feel safe enough to unpack. The next day we were offered cleaning and maintenance. Maintenance could only deodorize the damp, musty, and moldy looking sheetrock and do a few minor fixes. He said repairs were overdue and were awaiting an open slot in the schedule. We found feces on a few surfaces along with blood in some linen. There were even boogers on a headboard, crumbs in the beds, etc. The staff delivered fresh linen, said a deep cleaning was soon to come, and apologized for the experience we were having. We let them know we also found roach droppings in kitchen cabinets and drawers and was told it had been recently sprayed. Sadly, these were only a few of the issues we encountered. Pictures were sent to make management aware of the extent of things. A member of management never personally came or even spoke to us. After continually reaching out to the company, they eventually emailed and said they would allow us to have most of our cleaning fee back. We obviously were expected to pay full price for a place that clearly wasn't in the condition advertised and a health hazard! Over 20 years of vacationing in this area, and this was the most disgusting and disappointing experience yet! I would have expected better from a "professional" management company. read more