Consumer Warning: AvantStay
— Advertising Accuracy, Escalation Limitations, and Refund Rigidity
Summary
This post is shared as a consumer warning based on my direct experience with AvantStay. Prospective guests should carefully evaluate how the company responds when a property no longer aligns with or offers its advertised features and whether escalation within the organization meaningfully changes outcomes. Based on my experience, it does not.
Background
I booked a property managed by AvantStay via VRBO that was explicitly advertised as ski-in / ski-out. This was not a secondary amenity or a footnote — it was the title and defining feature of the property, and the primary reason the property was selected.
We planned this trip for months. It was positioned as a once-in-a-lifetime family experience, and we saved deliberately to make it happen.
Subsequently, a ski patrol strike resulted in the mountain being closed. As a direct result, the property no longer functioned as ski-in / ski-out, eliminating the very feature the booking was based on.
What Happened
The reservation was made through VRBO.
VRBO reviewed the circumstances and agreed to refund their portion of the booking, acknowledging that the property was no longer as advertised.
AvantStay, as the property manager, declined to offer any refund, credit, relocation, or accommodation of any kind.
This decision stood even though:
The defining characteristic of the listing was no longer available
The change was outside the control of both parties
The third-party booking platform independently recognized the mismatch
Attempts to Resolve the Issue
I engaged with multiple members of the AvantStay support organization and escalated the issue through management and executive channels. At each level, the response was nearly identical — appearing standardized, scripted, and policy-driven.
From the first support representative, to management, to executive-level contacts, the message never changed:
“We do not make exceptions.”
No additional review occurred. No discretion was exercised. Escalation did not alter the analysis, the tone, or the outcome.
We explored multiple compromise options, including:
Moving to another AvantStay-managed property at a resort that still offered ski-in / ski-out access
Partial refunds or credits
A 50% adjustment acknowledging the material change in circumstances
Each option was summarily rejected using the same templated language.
What made this especially notable was that every other merchant involved — equipment rentals, lift tickets, travel arrangements, restaurant reservations, ski lessons, and even VRBO itself — demonstrated flexibility and good-faith accommodation. AvantStay was the only party that offered ZERO flexibility.
Customer Experience Impact
Beyond the financial implications, the interaction itself was deeply frustrating. The repeated, canned responses felt dismissive and belittling, as though judgment and context were intentionally removed from the process. Rather than engaging in problem-solving, the experience felt transactional, rigid, and indifferent to guest impact.
The contract we entered into was for a ski-in / ski-out experience. Once that condition no longer existed, the purpose of the trip fundamentally changed. AvantStay showed no willingness to acknowledge that reality.
Key Concerns for Consumers
Advertised features may become unavailable without corresponding adjustment
Escalation paths that do not materially change review or outcome
Heavy reliance on templated responses in situations requiring judgment
Strict policy enforcement even when third-party platforms acknowledge a material change
Corporate ownership structures that prioritize policy adherence over guest experience
Why This Matters
Ski-in / ski-out was not a peripheral amenity — it was a value-defining characteristic and the title of the listing itself. When that feature is unavailable, the product delivered is materially different from what was marketed.
Consumers should be aware that AvantStay’s resolution framework may not account for this distinction, even when the issue is elevated internally.
Recommendation to Prospective Guests
Assume limited or NO flexibility if a core advertised feature becomes unavailable
Capture and retain listing details at the time of booking
Consider third-party booking protections
Evaluate whether rigid, corporate policy enforcement aligns with your risk tolerance
Consider properties hosted by individuals rather than larger management firms
Pattern and Broader Context
It appears this experience is not isolated. A comment on a now-removed AvantStay Instagram post described a family facing a documented, life-threatening medical emergency involving their child — with the same outcome: zero flexibility.
Additionally, AvantStay appears to actively remove negative comments from social media, including removing entire posts rather than individual comments, and blocking users (including myself) from commenting or mentioning the brand. From a consumer perspective, this raises concerns about narrative control and transparency.
Public records further reinforce this pattern. AvantStay’s Better Business Bureau profile reflects dozens of consumer complaints over recent years, many of which echo similar themes.
Closing
This post reflects my personal experience and is shared for consumer awareness. Others may have different experiences. The intent here is transparency and informed decision-making — not exaggeration or speculation.
Consumers deserve to understand how companies respond when reality diverges from marketing.
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