Hotel Lautner

We stayed in Units 3+4 4/23+24/2025. Check in is with key code and no staff or cleaning is provided during your stay. There is a strict "no early check in" policy so don't come a minute before 4pm. They expect you to hand wash all the dishes so the dishes are only as clean as the last guest left them. We found out from seeing our credit card statement that they withheld $100 from our $250 "Damage Deposit" without communicating with us, giving any justification or notification! It was quite sneaky and sleazy, which I believe is because they have done this before and most people don't notice. When we texted the owner Tracy to find out why, she went on a rant text about how lucky we are to have stayed at a Lautner and should be ashamed to complain. I will quote her response, "I expect the unit returned exactly as it was found at the time of check in". Well, other than washing the sheets, moping the floor and washing the dishtowel, we did leave it as we found it. We never used the shower/bath towels, we hand-washed all the dishes we used and returned them to their shelves, wiped down the counters and we took out the trash. She was trying to bully us into accepting the charges as an "extra cleaning fee". I am not easily bullied and as a landlord myself and a person with an excellent rating on AirBnB, I know a scam when I see it. She has been nothing less than hostile and attacking when I attempted to reason with her about the charges and refused to return the money. I filed a report with Better Business Bureau (see ID#:23291502). In her later response, by her own description it was for cleaning towels, moping the floor and wiping down the couch, no damage was done that would warrant a Damage Deposit Fee. Seriously, BEWARE, the owner has issues. If you see this and she has done it to you, please contact me.

The owner Tracy is a crazy and deceptive. We stayed in Unit 4 4/23+24/2025 and she withheld $100 from our $250 "Damage Deposit" without communicating with us, giving any justification or notification. I happen to notice it on my credit card and texted her on 5/3. She was sneaky and sleazy about it, which I believe is because she has done this before and most people don't notice. It is fraudulent. When we texted her to find out why, she went on a rant about how lucky we are to have stayed there and said the kitchen floor was messy, the furniture had been moved and vase was on the floor. None of which are reason to charge a damage fee. When I sent videos of the AC leaking and told her and we had cleaned it up so the vase had to be moved to dry the furniture, and the kitchen floor was normal cleaning, she went ballistic trying to bully us into accepting the charges as "extra cleaning fees" and wrote literally, "I expect the unit returned exactly as it was found at the time of check in". I am not easily bullied and as a landlord myself and a person with an excellent rating on AirBnB, I know manipulation and scamming when I see it. They require the guests to wash the dishes by hand and put them back (so beware if you stay, because those dishes are not sanitary!) so we washed/dried every dish by hand and put it away. She said the towels were dirty, we never used the towels! She said the furniture was moved, we turned 2 chairs to face the couch so we could play cards! She has been nothing less than hostile and attacking when I attempted to reason with her about the charges. I filed a report with Better Business Bureau (see ID#:23291502) because I'm sure she has done this before and I'm not sure what recourse a person has against this kind of fraud. By her own description it was for cleaning towels, moping the floor and wiping down the couch, no damage was done that would warrant a Damage Deposit fee. She admitted it was an "extra cleaning fee". The first picture below is is the leaking AC unit I sent her telling her why the vase was moved. The rest are from the video she sent to me as her justification for keeping $100 of our damage deposit for the "moved furniture" (she is talking about is the chairs are turned towards the coffee table). The couch was a used old soft leather couch and had many natural scuffs when we got there, we did nothing to it. Take a look her video of the kitchen and tell me if you think we left it a mess? Seriously, BEWARE, she is stealing from guests because most won't go to the effort I have to try to prevent it. If you see this and she has done it to you please contact me.

Beautiful architecture to experience. However we were disappointed to find a sheet listing all the things that weren't working but were on the agenda to get fixed. Windows beautiful to let in the stars and light but smeared in cleaning. Instructions to buy your own ice but no freezer to keep it in. Makes the price seem a bit over the top since not supposed to be second rate. But worth the stay for the architecture.