I booked a 4-night stay in a 3-bedroom home on Anna Maria Island to celebrate my 65th birthday with my family. It was a special occasion, and the home was certainly not inexpensive. Unfortunately, from the moment we arrived, it was clear the property was not being maintained to the standard that was advertised. Before my family came inside, I did a quick walk-through. The landscaping was overgrown, the front steps felt unstable, and the front door and railing were dirty and worn. Inside, the house was disappointing. There was sand on the floors and couch, broken lamps, stained furniture covered with dog hair, a closet door hanging off its hinges, heavily scuffed walls, worn rugs full of sand, glitter across the wood floors, and kitchen pans with dried food still on them. The primary bedroom mattress had a noisy plastic cover that made it very uncomfortable to sleep on.For a beach house, the amenities were also lacking. We were provided only six bath towels and six pool towels, one for each guest. There were no beach chairs, umbrellas, or a beach wagon. The pool contained sand, and long black hair was floating on the surface. We were also told we would have garage access but were never given the access code. The most concerning issue came on Wednesday when I discovered the kitchen range was infested with small ants that were traveling across the stovetop and disappearing into a hole in the wall.
