Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/04/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  A few months ago, we rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee through Bear Camp Cabins Rental so that we could have our dream Christmas vacation in an amazing cabin in the woods. We had reserved Big Sky (cabin name) from 12/24-12/29. Around 5PM my family and me arrived at the Cabin, unloaded our luggage and groceries purchased for our stay only to learn after that the Cabin had no water and therefore was uninhabitable. I called Bear Camp Cabins, and a lady by the name of Maureen (I believe) told me that they knew the situation, that because it was too cold the water froze underground and would not come into the cabin. Meanwhile all the other cabins around us were inhabitable and had running water. I was getting anxious because it was about to be sundown and we had no place to go. I had to call Bear Camp Cabin three times and they kept telling me to wait, they would not transfer me to a manager, as I requested to speak to one several times. No one ever called back from Bear Camp Cabin, after around an hour I received an email from them with an address to another Cabin and a door code to get in, but only from 12/24-12/26. This other Cabin by the name of Smoky Mountain Loft, was a lot smaller and nothing like what we were hoping for. At this point it was Christmas day and I was not able to get a hold of anyone at Bear Camp Cabin Rentals, I did speak to someone from their answering service and left a message with all my concerns but no one ever returned my call. On Monday 12/26 I spoke to their front office again, they took a message and refuse to transfer me to a manager. By 10:30AM I called again and Maureen answered the phone and acted as if she couldn't care less in regard to our situation, she told us that we were not the only ones with a Cabin problem, I complained about the terrible service that I was receiving, and I asked if my original Cabin, Big Sky, was ready for us to return. At this time, she changed her story and told me that a plumber had installed a pipe above ground that the water had frozen and therefore there was no water in the cabin. At this time, she asked for us to pick up and leave Smoky Mountain Loft because someone else was supposed to be checking into in on 12/26. I asked, where are we supposed to go with all our luggage, little kids plus all the groceries we had purchased, she told me to drive around town and wait to receive a call from her, and that they could not guarantee that Big Sky water situation would be fixed that day. At this time, we did just that, we left the cabin feeling unsafe and vulnerable, in a frigid cold environment. We were feeling nervous and taken advantage of. At that moment I decided to rent a hotel room to guarantee our stay somewhere. The next day 12/27, I visited Bear Camp Rentals again, because NOONE would reach out to me, and they did not have a cabin to give us. I spoke to Genie in their front desk, I requested a manager, the manager was in a small office behind their front counter and would not come out to speak to me, her name was Jennifer. I was telling them that they were not able their end of the deal and that I had to go rent a hotel room and I was requesting a refund. Jennifer said, through the window, that the only one that could authorize a refund was John. They promised me that in about an hour they would call me to let me know what John had said. They never called me. We had to move to another hotel room because the hotel that we were staying at did not have vacancy until 12/29. We kept missing time out of days because every hotel check in time was at 4PM. On 12/29 I contacted Bear Camp Rentals and they told me that John had authorized a voucher. I did not want a voucher because I am not planning on coming back any time soon; they had managed to put me and my family through hell in they were not able to provide us with a safe and reliable place to stay as we had hoped they would have. We were never able to open our suitcases and put our belongings in a closet because we were going from place to place, they were unreliable. Some of my family members were crying, our dream vacation was a total disaster. On 12/29 I emailed Bear Camp Cabins and asked them nicely to please refund our money, and they never answered me. I feel like they are scammers and that they do not hold their end of the deal and still want to get paid for nothing in exchange. Please help me get my money back and send a message to this terrible company, that this is no way to treat a consumer in Tennessee. Thank you
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/18/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2023/01/12) */
  I am so sorry that we had the freak 40 year storm this christmas. I have to follow the contract so that everyone is treated the same. I know it isn't the outcome that anyone wants when there are problems but I hope we have the chance to see you again with your 3 night voucher.
  
  
  Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2023/01/13) */
  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  All I know is that we were not able to enjoy our dream vacation because the cabin that we had reserved did not have any running water. Your employee admitted to me that you were aware of the situation, that a plumber installed a pipe above ground and the water froze, you were not able to find another cabin for the rest of our stay and you cannot charge me for the same fee for the little cabin that you forced me to stay for two nights, that was not a place that I would have chosen to stay. I am not planning on returning to Pigeon Forge anytime soon, we all had had a terrible experience and no one in my family wants to come back. Please refund my money and make this situation fair for us, we had to stay in FOUR different places in a 5 day vacation. I hope that you put yourself in my shoes and make it right.
  
  
  Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2023/01/16) */
  As I stated I am so sorry about the weather and how it affected the cabins here. We were aware of the situation after we sent a plumber out. I can't refund all I can do is offer you the voucher because of the contract that was signed. I am truly sorry about your stay.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/04/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Stayed 12/28-12/31/22 paying $657.35 for a king bed, outdoor jacuzzi, fireplace, pool table, and indoor jacuzzi. On 12/29/22 I emailed, using the email address provided in their email, relating the fireplace had a six inch view at the bottom only, the pool table was ripped and pool sticks had no tips, and outdoor jacuzzi's fiberglass was broken off into little pieces floating in the water & resting on the seats making it unusable. No email response, so I called the next available time, 12/31/22, and reported the aforementioned. The woman was not the manager & said no managers work on the weekends. She told me to call during the week. I called today, 1/3/23, & was informed no email was received, it was an incorrect email, so nothing could be done since the problems were only reported at checkout. I did not type the email address, just clicked what was provided by the company & now am out a lot of money for things that were not received. The person I spoke with said that, while I could send her the email now, there was still nothing that would be done since it was not previously received.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/18/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2023/01/12) */
  I am enclosing a file
  
  
  Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2023/01/13) */
  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  I did respond to the email the business sent me to initiate the complaint on the day we discovered the issues. The link was bad which I suppose is my fault. We pulled out chunks of fiberglass which we recognized. It was not calcium. The contract is the contract so there's no contesting it apparently. They have lost a customer and I'm sure they don't care.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/29/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Reservation number 136111, cabin rental from 12/22-12/27/22.
  
  The heat was not functioning for three out of the five days of our stay. We called multiple times each day and they kept telling us they would call us back. We were freezing with no blankets and single-digit weather outside and the cabin in the mid 50s. On Christmas morning it was 51 degrees in the cabin.
  
  When they finally sent someone to look at the heat on the third day, he told us that the wires were actually installed backwards so it was impossible for the heat to run. Obviously, there was no check of the vital components prior to our arrival and check-in. It's not like it failed due to power outage or bad part... it was installed improperly and the rental company should have known this.
  
  I have written them, to encourage a discussion but they refuse to discuss and respond that we signed a contract. However, they broke the contract when they inappropriately rented us a cabin that was unsafe, only for us to find out after the fact that the heating unit was installed improperly. The customer service department is seriously lacking empathy, goodwill, and a sense of urgency at a time of the year that normally makes people act with kindness to others. Apology and refund for 3 of the 5 night stay is expected.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/17/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2023/01/09) */
  I have enclosed my response
  
  
  Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2023/01/11) */
  The response is not accepted given there are many false statements in it. As you can see, the screenshot cuts off the many, many times we called on 12/23 & 12/24. We started calling every 30 minutes, so there records are truncated. There was no act of God or power outage causing the heat to not work, as the contract requires. It was a mis-wired HVAC unit which never worked, from the start. I have the name of the A/C company that installed it, if needed. They did not follow appropriate check-out procedures in accepting a cabin into their inventory without first checking to make sure systems worked properly. That is squarely on them and the reason I am asking for the refund. As far as threats (as they perceive them).... I reserve the right to contact agencies that can help me when they refuse to talk reasonably... so there were no threats, only attempts to correct the situation. I did write to the owners, pending response. I did reverse charges on my credit card, pending investigation. I did contact the chamber of commerce and the Gatlinburg Hospitality Association (which is listed on their website) and they are not associate members, so the mid-information continues. This is shady, and I can't wait to read all the other complaints when the BBB web-site is fixed.... The profile is blocking all of the reviews, so I hope that is fixed soon.
  
  
  Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2023/01/12) */
  I have to stand by the contract that was signed by your husband. We don't refund for anything act of god or anything. We got the heat fixed the next day I am sorry your family didn't have a good time I really am but I have to follow the contract for everyone.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/19/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I tried canceling my reservation for next June. I was told i can not cancel because i dont have the protection plan. I explained i didnt realize i had to click the button. I am new to online reservations. I was told absolutely no refund. Their computer system doesnt allow it. I am a single mother who recently lost my husband. I can not afford to be out almost a $1000 dollars. Please help me.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/09/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/12/23) */
  I have enclosed paperwork
  
  
  Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/12/27) */
  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  I miss understood the cancelation policy. I thought you had up to 60 days without the cancelation policy. Then after the 60 days the insurance would kick in. I'm very sorry I had to cancel. I cannot be without this money. I have lost my husband and I am a single mother. There has got to be something we can figure out.
  
  
  Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/12/29) */
  I understand the frustration but I have to keep the same policy for everyone. I know that makes me the bad guy but I have to do my job and make sure everyone stays unified especially in this day and age. I am very sorry once again

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/06/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We were to arrive on 9/27/22 for my girlfriends birthday she wanted to go to Dollywood, on the 27th a hurricane was approaching and the airport had closed, no flights out, I had called asking for a refund or to reschedule was told NO putting me out $1500. The girl answering the phone said they have a zero refund policy with 30 days of arrival, which would have been impossible seeing we booked on 9/19/22 a week before we were to come. The girl answering the phone is the most rudest person I've ever spoken to, she basically told she did not care. I would like my money refunded, we lost everything here in Fort Myers and I could really use the money right now. It was a national disaster and their are exceptions to every rule. Have a heart people.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/15/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/10/19) */
  Thank you for the chance to answer this It isn't that we don't care it is that we have to follow the same rules for everyone. You live in Florida where there is chances of hurricanes just like I know growing up in Indiana there are chances of tornados but if I choose to go on vacation in tornado season I have that risk. We are so sorry that there was a hurricane we know about trauma in the area so it isn't that its that we have to make sure we stick to the same policy as everyone else we can't have anyone saying that we were bias because of one thing or another. We are truly sorry for the hurricane and your loss.
  
  
  Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/10/20) */
  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  That is a unacceptable response, what your saying is people shouldn't plan vacations or getaways during certain parts of the year do to unexpected weather events. Apparently you have never experienced a cat 4 hurricane and 7 feet of water in your home. Thank you for your response, next time I'll choose and plan with a reputable business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/07/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We rented Tiny Barn Cabin for an anniversary trip. The bedroom was full of bugs (dozens, if not hundreds) when we got there. I'm not sure what they were, but they were smaller than flies, but bigger than gnats. They appeared to be coming in the window of the bedroom (I'm guessing there is a bad seal somewhere). We spent all three nights on an uncomfortable pull out bed in the living room because of this. I emailed bear camp cabins on Saturday and got a call on Sunday, but no one could come out until potentially Monday to treat for the bugs. I'm not sure if anyone came and sprayed while we were out on Monday, but the bugs were still alive and well that evening. BearCampcabin's policy says they don't offer refunds due to bugs, and I emailed them and asked them to reconsider given that we were unable to use the bedroom we paid for. Dozens of bugs flying around and crawling on you while you sleep is different that a spider or roach crawling across the floor (I live in rural, NC, and we get bugs inside occasionally too). I received no response to that email. There was a bad storm Sunday night, and water started leaking through the AC unit onto all of our stuff that we had moved into the living room due to the bug problem in the bedroom. They hide behind this policy, but it would never hold up in court. Imagine showing up to a cabin and there being bed bugs, and they say "Well you signed the policy that said no refunds for bugs!". It's laughable, and shameful, that someone would run a business this way. Of more than a dozen trips to TN over the years, this is the first with a problem like this.
  
  BearCampCabin's knows that this is a problem, and they purposely suppress negative reviews on their site. They did not post the text I included above, because they know it would stop some folks from booking this cabin. It's a deceptive business practice, and what we received in renting this property is not what any reasonable person would consider to be acceptable.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/21) */
  I am sending in the file
  
  
  Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/09/23) */
  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  Nothing in BearCampCabin's response addresses my concerns. As stated previously, they deceptively suppress negative reviews to trick people into renting their cabins and hide behind their generic policies as if that somehow exempts them from offering an acceptable experience regarding stays at their cabins. *A tornado rips through the cabin the day before you arrive* - "Sorry, our policy says no refunds due to acts of God". *It's 100 degrees and the a/c doesn't work* -"Sorry, our policy says no refunds for a/c. Try not to have a heat stroke". *You show up and find a bed bug infestation* - "Sorry, our policy says no refunds for bugs. Welcome to the Smoky Mountains!"
  
  
  Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/09/26) */
  I am not going to argue over our contract we don't force anyone to rent with us they have the contract before they even make a reservation then they have the contract after they make a reservation to sign stating they have read the contract. If there is something as in a tornado in the area and tears through a cabin the guest would be moved or refunded and if there is any A/C problems the guest is refunded or credited whichever they prefer. Bugs are a part of our world living here in the mountains there is a bug portion in the contract for this reason. This guest wasn't offered a refund because there were some bugs. Once again I am sorry but I have to stay true to the contract.