So bummed we are leaving tomorrow and cant wait to return! thanks for this review, my family tried Plum Guide for the first time on a trip to california usa and booked one villa near Santa Barbara and one apartment in Los Angeles. I am sorry that you did not like the location of your apartment in Paris, and I am guessing that contacting the owner would not have helped in this case? The bedroom, which was a double height room with a beautiful wooden ceiling, featured a large bed on which bath towels had been folded into a swan shape. Im so glad I came across your review as I wasnt sure about using this website. Although a rural location like this might not suit some people looking for a place with more attractions and evening entertainment options, it was perfect for what we were looking for from this stay. This made us concerned about the cleanliness of things in the kitchen, so we decided to wash all the crockery, pans, cutlery, and glasses before we used them. Some properties are ones you can book instantly and some require approval by the host. Your e-mail will not be published or used for any other reason other than those outlined above. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. We were looking for a simple but comfortable apartment located in a central area with a decent view. Our Plum Guide review is based on our recent experiences booking and staying in Plum Guide properties. They said that they were having some issues due to the increased calls due to the coronavirus and staff needing to work from home. I just wanted to thank you for all your tips about traveling in UK on both of your travel blogs, we have had such a wonderful 12 days visiting England and Scotland, using so many of your tips and recommendations. Overall though, we really enjoyed our 3 night stay in the apartment as it had everything we needed. Really unresponsive customer service after a bad stay (apartment had cockroaches, rugs/upholstery were very dirty, etc). The team at Plum Guide are working hard to expand their property listings in the coming years. When the time of our stay came we arrived at the apartment, our host was waiting to greet us and was very gracious. If you stand to lose a lot then you either need to bite the bullet and lose financially or take a chance that all will be well. On the date of our checkin-in, we arrived early and had lunch at the local pub which we later learned was just a couple minute walk from the property. The Plum Guide already has a good filter system in place allowing users to narrow down their search results by basic things like date availability, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, parking, whether pets are allowed, and whether it is recommended for families with children. Laurence and I live near Bath in England, and we were searching for a property that was within relatively easy driving distance to have a break after weeks of self-isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic. How much does it cost to book vacation rentals on Plum Guide? Let me know if I can be of any further help! There was extremely little inventory to choose from at such late notice. However, this was made very clear in the property listing, and honestly, we dont normally watch a lot of TV when we travel, so this wasnt a problem. There were a few other minor things like one of the light bulbs was out in the dining area, there was no nightstands in the bedroom, and there was limited space in the bathroom to hang towels. The property was also once owned by artist Peter Blake, who designed the Beatles Sgt. The entire booking fee is due at the time of booking, so be sure to read the propertys cancelation policy carefully. In addition to our walks, we also spent time watching TV, cooking meals, enjoying the sauna, and spending time together in front of the lovely fireplace. We have since talked to folks at Plum Guide about our issue of not being able to reach them by phone the evening we had made the booking, and they have apologized and said that this shouldnt have happened. Customer service asleep. It is nice to know what people think of things like using the washing machine or info about the shops or public transit located nearby which is not always something you can find out from the listing. The bed was large and comfortable, the living area was spacious, and there was a separate dining space where we could have coffee and meals. The properties are managed by the property owners and the owners set the prices, arrange the cleaning and maintenance, and act as hosts. There were walking paths for us to follow that took us out into the countryside. This means that the property has been booked before and has been approved by a Home Critic. The apartment was also spacious, comfortable, and well decorated. This was filled with all kind of fun curiosities, from movie posters to old helmets. Guide to Visiting the Titanic Belfast & Other Titanic Sites in Belfast, Quality of guest toiletries and linens provided, Whether basic pantry items are provided in the kitchen (e.g., pepper/salt, oil, coffee, tea, sugar). We love it when a host makes the effort to do little touches like this, and we really appreciated it. The Somerset property we stayed in has an interesting history. Being your first time, I am sure it was quite an adventure. For the most part everything about the apartment was great. The other was a detached property in a small village in the rural county of Somerset in England. Some kitchen pantry basics like salt, pepper, sugar, oil, coffee, and tea bags were also provided. We only ask for your e-mail so we can verify you are human and if requested notify you of a reply. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences of using Plum Guide while traveling in California. Most listings seem to have more photos and better quality photos than the average Airbnb listing. We didnt spend the night there but would have loved to do so if the weather was a bit warmer. However, there are not too many budget-oriented places, with most of the listed properties falling in the mid to premium range. For more information on how we work, you can read ourCode of Ethics.**. We love hearing from you! Now heading back to the kitchen and outside, an exterior staircase leads to the main room of the old signal box which sits above the kitchen. The most notable companies in the peer-to-peer vacation rental space are Airbnb and Vrbo. Thanks for sharing. We messaged the host after our stay to let them know, and they said theyd replace the lighter and matches. For those with booking inquiries and issues, there is also a phone number you can call to get assistance from Plum Guide staff. We chose Plum Guide because they seemed to vet the management companies and homes so carefully and only represent the best of the best but the fact that they would continue to represent a homeowner who was so unprofessional in the way they treated us seems very contrary to the service they advertise that they offer. But I am sorry you were not able to get in touch with them quickly and were not happy with your apartment. The lack of reviews is likely to bother some folks as user reviews are very influential in a lot of tourists booking decisions. I think finding a nice rental is most important now, since you never know what will be open and available once you arrive! We do agree that it would be helpful for guest reviews to be made public for future travelers. There were several apartments in Paris that sounded interesting and we kept track of them by adding them to our favorites list on the platform so we could easily find them again. I think this is an area where the company will need to continue to improve, especially as it continues to grow. You can also filter by more specific amenities like whether the property has a washing machine, swimming pool, bathtub, or fireplace. Would you recommend them or a different company? Plum Guide Review: Our Plum Guide Experiences, Overall thoughts on our Plum Guide experience. Our apartment was exactly as pictured. I am glad that your first experiences were good ones. The last big difference between the Plum Guide and the vast majority of other booking websites is that there are no peer reviews on the platform. I don't know what else anyone could suggest. Want to keep up to date with us and our latest travel tips? Currently having a horrible experience with Plum Guide. I did find a really cute place and Im trying to decide between using this site or the VRBO one. As always, this article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. Never again. however I agree that they should allow people to post public reviews of individual properties, I find the tips and advice from people who have stayed before invaluable when planning travel. It also allows for communication between the host and guests, and has a dedicated customer support team to provide assistance to hosts and travelers. Hi There are 150 criteria and the Home Critics who visit the properties will gather more than 500 data points. There was also coffee, a French press, and tea. We have a tentative trip to Europe planned this summer but I think it only has about a 50/50 change of going ahead. As of right now (do check for the COVID-19 travel policy when you decide to book), the policy basically allows you to cancel for a full refund if you cant travel from your own region due to COVID-19 restrictions, travel is not allowed in the region you are traveling to due to restrictions, or you test positive for COVID-19 and need to quarantine. **Disclosure: As travel writers, we were invited to write this review by the Plum Guide who reimbursed us for our stays. Very sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with the apartment you rented via Plum Guide. Thanks! First, I am very sorry to hear that. If you have any questions about Plum Guide or booking a holiday home online, just ask them in the Comments section below. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Wed definitely consider staying here again. There are also no user ratings of any kind (e.g., 4 out of 5 stars). Our first experience booking with Plum Guide didnt actually go as smoothly as we had hoped. Harry Potter Studio Tour London Gift Shop, Inexpensive, but good, restaurants near Victoria Station. Please check your e-mail to confirm your sign up. We also note how it compares to other vacation rental websites like Airbnb and Vrbo. Luckily, we had (to our happy surprise!) The companys website says that only about 3% of all properties evaluated make the cut and are listed on the Plum Guide. Some of the criteria that are tested as part of the Plum Guide test are: These are just a small number of the things that a Home Critic will check, but it gives you an idea of what Plum Guide looks for in its properties. Plum Guide did nothing to try to make it better, the apartment is still listed/available through Plum Guide (and shows as being nominated for an award! There was also a large flat-screen TV on the wall in the bedroom. Good luck with your trip and hope you find a wonderful vacation rental for your family vacation to London! This was because the lighter for the wood stove was out of lighter fluid and the provided matches were damp. Both came with multiple failings. The biggest issue we had during our stay was lighting the stove. We ran away after a single night and booked another hotel, in the middle of high season. Yes, I am not sure why they dont allow for public reviews. It didnt have a TV (as it is not that sound proof), but it was a perfect place to sit before and after dinner. Despite it being located in an apartment building in central Paris, it seemed to be well soundproofed and we didnt hear the neighbors much at all during our stay. But these reviews are not posted publically.