Absolutely disgusting airbnb would not recommend going through them. Cathie was rude and did not…read morecare about our mold concerns. The condo was absolutely not inhabitable and disgusting. We couldn't even stay there for more than 13 hours due to the amount of mold. We got in late so we had no choice but to stay until the morning, everyone woke up sick. When we asked for a refund airbnb will not directly credit the funds they are making us choose a host payout method that will force us to fill out tax papers and takes 1.5% of the funds. The host is only offering a partial credit because she has determined the condo was clean. Appalled and disgusted that they will take advantage of families and put them in potential health risks. I have pictures and proof of all the mold, the toilet not working, the dishes caked on with food, the sliding glass door had no handles and what was there was broken off. Everything was covered in dust and overall grimmy. Cathie has stated that it is professionally cleaned and that she also has allergies so to her it was fine. I do not believe cathie has been in this property in months. It did not look anything like the photos. The condo needs to be reported to the health dept due to the amount of mold.

We always have a great experience booking with Cathie and/or Donna with My Galveston Getaway!! Our…read morestay was wonderful this year, same as past years.....so good booked again for next year already!! You gals do a GREAT job and it is always a blast to talk to you!!

Beautiful location, but significant management, elevator and privacy issues…read more I've been coming to Galveston every year for the past 11 years, and this trip was especially important because we were celebrating my mother's 70th birthday. I rented through Ryson last year and had an excellent experience, so I felt very comfortable booking with them again. Unfortunately, our experience with Sandcastle was very different. The problems began before we even got inside. After a six-hour drive, we could not figure out how to enter the property. There was no keypad or obvious lockbox at any entrance. When we called Ryson, we were told the lockbox was on a post in front of the stairs. It wasn't. After approximately 30 minutes, we eventually found two lockboxes ourselves, in separate locations in the back of the property . The elevator was the biggest issue. I specifically chose this three-story home in large part because it advertised a private elevator. My mother has significant knee problems, and having an elevator meant she could comfortably enjoy the entire house with our family during her birthday trip. This wasn't simply an amenity that would have been nice to have. It factored into my decision to rent this particular property. On our first evening, we could not get the elevator to operate. After several calls and considerable time troubleshooting, Ryson ultimately told me that the elevator was not available for guest use. They knew why I had hoped to use it, but I was told it simply wasn't an option. This was particularly confusing because the property listing specifically advertises a "private elevator" and states that it makes it easy to move between floors with groceries or gear. Later that same evening, Ryson retracted that information and confirmed that guests were, in fact, supposed to be able to use the elevator. Unfortunately, the next day we essentially went through the entire process again. More calls, more troubleshooting, and more vacation time spent trying to determine how to use an advertised amenity. Maintenance eventually came to the property, but even the maintenance representative seemed unfamiliar with the elevator and ultimately advised us not to use it. We never had use of the elevator during our stay. The lack of privacy was another major surprise. The listing describes Sandcastle as offering "comfort and privacy," yet several bedrooms and bathrooms have no window coverings at all. Large uncovered glass doors/windows allow direct views into bedrooms from the main deck area. An upstairs bedroom has an uncovered window beside the bed that can be seen from outside, and the upstairs bathroom has a very large uncovered window facing the upper patio. For a four-bedroom vacation home designed to accommodate up to 10 guests, the lack of privacy was uncomfortable and something future guests should know about before booking. Several exterior doors were also extremely difficult to lock and required repeated attempts and a lot of patience. We encountered a bug issue during the stay as well from locked pantry and laundry area. After the maintenance visit, I contacted Ryson and explained our experience. They acknowledged my concerns and said management would review the reservation regarding a credit. After returning home, I received a text stating that a $300 refund had been processed. I appreciate that Ryson provided a credit. However, after the amount of time we spent dealing with these issues over multiple days, I was disappointed that there was no personal follow-up call or email regarding our experience. What stood out most throughout the stay was how unfamiliar the people assisting us seemed to be with this particular property. We were given incorrect information about the location of the lockbox, conflicting information about whether the advertised elevator was even available to guests, and ultimately had a maintenance representative who did not appear comfortable with its operation either. That was very different from my previous experience with Ryson, which was excellent. I don't believe this experience necessarily reflects every Ryson property, but Sandcastle needs attention. Better arrival instructions, knowledgeable guidance regarding the elevator, reliable door locks, pest control, and appropriate window coverings are all very fixable issues. The house has a beautiful beachfront location, and our family still enjoyed celebrating my mother and spending time together. But based on our stay, I would not recommend Sandcastle to anyone who is relying on the advertised elevator or who expects normal privacy in the bedrooms and bathrooms until those issues are corrected.

Renter Beware. We rented a house through Ryson Vacation…read moreRental on Galveston Island for $600/night (5 nights)! We were having issues as soon as we arrived. We could not get in the house and tried calling the number provided and no one answered, just stated you called after hours, but was NEVER CONNECTED TO ANYONE. We were finally able to figure out the problem ourselves. After settling in that night, we noted the following issues in the next couple days. Called customer service on 1st full day due to the following issues: -AC downstairs stopped working -Ceiling fan in LR stopped working -Ant issue in the kitchen (on tables, cabinets and cooking utensils when cooking) -Reported a broken chair that was placed at the counter, and foot bar fell off as soon as someone sat down on it. -Light Fixture Over kitchen table -DECK - I pointed out to maintenance that the sign on the desk upstairs had "rusty nails" sticking out on the inside of the railing and someone was going to get stuck with a rusty nail. He did fix this right away. I also pointed out to him that the railing is "rotting" and is not real stable. We were concerned if someone leaned too hard on the railing, it might break. He agreed that it was not stable. -Water damage on deck where a faucet was left on causing the rotting issue. I asked maintenance about water that was dripping down on the level where the air conditioners were. He found a faucet was left on by someone. Looks like it has been on awhile and boards are rotting. -Windows - chains broken, no chain there at all, or backwards on the windows. -FINALLY while we were packing to leave, one of the ladies found a bag in the drawer in the upstairs bathroom. When she opened this, she found a crack pipe and a container that had some meth or crack in it. It also had some pills in a bottle that stated "Excedrin", however it was not marked, so I'm not sure that it was Excedrin and it sure did not look like it. This was VERY concerning to us since we had 6 children ranging from 10 to 17 that all used that bathroom. Other Miscellaneous Issues: -Ceilings and walls that need repaired. -Looks like "mold" in the corner upper wall going into the bedroom upstairs with 2 beds. -Door upstairs cracked in the room with bunk beds. -Bathroom upstairs - unfinished light in shower and wall damage. -Refrigerator bottom drawer broken. -Caution: Outside parking area, needs to be painted a different color to identify the raised concrete. EVERYONE that came in stated they tripped multiple times, me included, and I am 73 yrs old and this would not be good. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I was told the property manager will be called and she will let me know when she will be stopping by; NO ONE EVER SHOWED UP OR CALLED. I had to call twice, 2 days in a row. The second time I called they stated they did not see the order and would put it in again and would have this assigned. Called the next day at 12:00 and was told it was assigned. I explained AGAIN about AC downstairs not working and it was getting pretty warm. I told her I have called multiple times and what about the property manager. She stated that she had called her 3 TIMES and left a VM; she never answered her phone or called them back. AC was finally taken care of after 2 days. Sent these complaints to Ryson and they reviewed this with a $213 refund for our problems. I asked them how they came up with this figure and this was their reply: "Good afternoon. I am sorry to hear about the inconveniences you experienced during your stay. The refund amount was calculated based on a percentage taken off the base rent. When the calculation is completed, the refund amount provided is correct. Since you booked through Airbnb, they have their own fees and pricing structure. The refund issued from our end is based only on the base rent amount and does not include Airbnb's additional fees. Please note that after reviewing your case, this is the final amount approved and provided by our Refund Committee." I replied and asked them twice for the contact info to Airbnb for a complaint and they stopped responding to me. They were prompt in responses prior to that. These places all look nice on the Internet until you get in there. I understand some wear and tear, however, this place apparently DOES NOT INSPECT these places between rentals. I'm not sure what the cleaning people do either. How can someone miss this bag with drugs in it, in a drawer in the bathroom. I will never rent from Ryson Rentals again.

Stop taking money for a house that's filthy.Trashed out house and grounds, sewer overflowing. Water…read morefrom the faucet was blackish in color . I do not recommend this place or management

Beach Bunny - Thanksgiving 2013 - 1 week stay, family of 4, from Austin, TX…read more We've stayed here before, and knew essentially what to expect: CLOSEST house to the water! So, it's not the fanciest of accommodations: it's a no-frills beach house in Surfside (which is not a "luxury" area). If you know Surfside, then you know the area. If you are expecting luxury, pick a different beach. Beach Bunny: yeehaw, some nice improvements since our last stay! The kitchen is SO much nicer after renovations - it's usable! Great fridge, oven, & microwave. Coffee pot: annoying break in the pour spout made for dribbled messes. Other than that, kitchen is totally in working order, and well-equipped with the essentials. They have added a kitchen table, which is nice BC we brought our kids this trip (previously, there was only a bar). Living room: yea to the nice futon-couches! If you've seen pics of wicker furniture, be happy that they've been replaced! Nice coffee & end tables. TV in good working order with Satellite. Bedrooms: where you sleep & keep your clothes. Absolutely nothing fancy, but the beds are comfortable & the dressers/wardrobes were plenty for our week's stay. I call it a bonus that there's a TV with Satellite in the master bedroom. Bathroom: all in working order (although a big "#2" might need some help! LOL! Plunger provided, but wasn't needed). Nice amount of space for toiletries. Cleanliness: I, saw 1 roach (not a"billion," as I read). Have no complaints. I didn't inspect deeply: this is Surfside! I washed what I thought should be washed, trusted what I thought could be trusted. Didn't take notice to any cobwebs, or notice anything gross (per other reviews). Porch/deck: AWESOME! I really miss the porch swing! Be sure to bring chairs: the built-in bench faces the house, not the water. Nice picnic table! Be aware of the entry rug: it WILL be wet (seaspray), but nice to wipe off feet! (Tip: bring a wash-tub & keep a towel handy to lessen the sand coming into the house!) The portion that wraps around was a welcome respite from the biting cold wind! Our bag of linens was there as promised: I chuckle that it's all just left together in the bag (sheets, pillow cases, towels, etc), but no matter! Our challenge: it was frigid the first 2 days of our stay. I had verified there was heat (via window units), however, none of them worked (to provide heat). Thankfully, there were 2 space heaters, but needed a 3rd for each of the living areas. Since we arrived late, we were given extra blankets (to make it thru the 1st night), and a nice custodian arrived the next day with another space heater. (also used the oven to heat up the place "ghetto-style" for 1st night - thanks for the tip! Odd to me, but functional!) Water: do NOT drink, threatened illness/death! Ok, it's brown & foul-smelling; wash clothes at your own risk (it's a nice thought to provide washer & dryer, and they are nice units!). The water: not the fault of the Beach Bunny, & we were well aware of this before we arrived (but signing the part about "possible death" for drinking the water is daunting)! Kinda funny: my biggest disappointment = no one informed us we couldn't park on the beach! Last time here, we parked right next to the steps leading up to the house. Apparently, the beach was washed away - 50% gone from our last stay, and no driving on the beach this time. That means: you park "far away" and must hoof-it over the boardwalk to the house...makes for an exhausting unloading & loading! But, this is Mother Nature, not Beach Bunny/Beach House Associates. Kinda cool to have to trek over the boardwalk to your house, vs. trekking over the boardwalk to get to the beach! Though some may not find this desirable (but as a mom, I did!): this house is"kid-central!" The location is PERFECT for kids to gather, as the main boardwalk leads from a houses farther back, so there are quite a few passers-by next to the house. I'm all about welcoming kids to play, so the Beach Bunny became "the place" for gathering (this was all my encouragement, BTW!). If privacy is important: just don't invite anyone up! (last stay here was our anniversary, so no kids, & we had no problems!). What else? This is by far the BEST beach house on Surfside to be in! From the proximity of the beach, to the cozy but simpleton accommodations, if you want to be close to the water: this place rocks! Hope ya'll have a great stay at the Beach Bunny, we sure did!!!

Spacious unique beachside retreat! This vacation rental in Playa San Luis features over 2,500…read moresquare feet of air conditioned space and over 1,000 square feet of deck making it perfect for your large group of family and friends. Custom-made juniper dining tables and imported furniture pieces make this a special vacation retreat. The large high-end kitchen features granite countertops, double electric-convection ovens and an ice maker. After your dinner of fresh Gulf seafood, enjoy the built in home theater with a LCD flat screen TV in the enormous 26' x 33' living area. When you're ready to retire for the evening there are certainly plenty of options. In the main house there are two bedrooms, one with a queen bed and the other with queen, twin, and trundle beds. A central sleeping porch with ceiling fans features two twin beds. The separate bedroom bungalow (connected to the main house by the sleeping porch) houses the queen master bedroom, a bunk bedroom and a shared bathroom with a garden tub and separate rain shower. The best part? The beach is only a short walk away!

I think we should keep my love of this place on the DL, for sure…read more This is a little local travel agency that's basically run out of someone's apartment inside the Century Apartments in Chinatown on the southside of Bellaire. If you need someone to help you get over to China or Japan or Taiwan or Vietnam - really anywhere in the world - it's a good option, although personally I don't use travel agents anymore. But this one is friendly enough for sure. And if the prospect of booking travel details is too much for you, then an agent might be the way to go and this is a cheaper one for sure.

Dependable, smart travel agent who can help you find the tickets you want and need-- cheap and…read morefast! The lady here can be a little scary because she means business, but she's always been nothing but sweet to me and has always been very helpful.