Arrebato: Trouble in Paradise
Casa Arrebato is a private home on the main road next to Embarc. It is listed for rent on VRBO.
Sadly, our Casa Arrebato rental last fall ended up being a disappointment. The house itself is lovely-it is the owner that was quite difficult. Arrebato is her second home and everything in it is personal and precious. Consequently, she kept a close eye on the property at the expense of our privacy. There were 3 staff members in the home daily from 8am until 5pm who reported back to her. She called us on the phone frequently during our stay which quickly became intrusive. There are multiple security cameras inside the house and she monitored the footage. No privacy!
Some specific issues with Arrebato:
• Listing photo included chairs and umbrella on the beach. Upon our arrival we were told that beach chairs and umbrellas were not permitted.
• One set of keys for 4 adults made coming and going difficult
• Private path to the beach has 2 rusted gates with heavy rusted chains/locks on them that you had to open and close every time you went in/out. Easier to walk the long way around to get down to the beach.
• The tap water is non-potable. We were not informed of this upon arrival. The only drinking water provided was 8 oz bottles. No 5 gallon purified water for our use.
• We found Arrebato on VRBO and made our booking there. The owner later proposed that we cancel our VRBO reservation and rent directly from her. With a direct rental, she eliminated all tax/service fees, thus saving us $$. We later learned the downside of direct rental when we got into the dispute over the security deposit and had no recourse.
• 10 days after we left, I inquired about the return of our security deposit. She replied that we had broken a ceramic vase and thus she was keeping the full $500 deposit. No discussion, just keeping our deposit. A vase was indeed broken but we were not responsible. She refused to take our word for it and stated that she would bill us for replacement cost that exceeded the $500 deposit. After weeks of back and forth, her husband offered to refund ½ of our deposit.
This house would be fine if you do not value your privacy and you have little interest in the beach itself. That was our 6th visit to Zihuatenejo and the first time we have been disappointed. It goes without saying that we will return to Zihuatenejo but never again to Arrebato.
Arrebato: Trouble in Paradise
While some of your complaints may be valid, some are not or minor at most. First off the water out of the faucet is really not suitable for drinking anywhere you stay there. Most travelers know this. Second, because of restrictions imposed by local government rules, no one was allowed to bring chairs or umbrellas to the beach. As for only having one key, also very common there. A little adventure to a local hardware store would have solved that. As for the heavily chained gates, security there comes in all forms, including cameras on the property. Others may appreciated it. Because some of your claims seem petty, I'm guessing some are also exaggerated.
Arrebato: Trouble in Paradise
by ZihuaRob 
, Zihuatanejo, México, Tuesday, May 03, 2022, 16:49 (391 days ago) @ El Fantasma
While some of your complaints may be valid, some are not or minor at most. First off the water out of the faucet is really not suitable for drinking anywhere you stay there. Most travelers know this. Second, because of restrictions imposed by local government rules, no one was allowed to bring chairs or umbrellas to the beach. As for only having one key, also very common there. A little adventure to a local hardware store would have solved that. As for the heavily chained gates, security there comes in all forms, including cameras on the property. Others may appreciated it. Because some of your claims seem petty, I'm guessing some are also exaggerated.
I don't find the complaints exaggerated at all, and it's not the first time I've heard complaints about this property (which is one reason it's not listed here on my website). These are the same people who allegedly claim the scenic view of the Mirador de La Ropa, supposedly public land, as their personal garage, and apparently corrupt local governments let them get away with it. The name itself means an outburst or fit of rage, and comes from the same verb meaning to snatch something/one away from something/one. Very appropriate and revealing in a Freudian sense.
Arrebato: Trouble in Paradise
by Craig AKA the cruise ship guy , Tuesday, May 03, 2022, 17:12 (391 days ago) @ ZihuaRob
Cameras inside the house, that’s creepy. Unless they were disclosed in advance, I would have covered the cameras. VRBO would have given you zero protection. Make sure you leave a crap review for them on VRBO.
Arrebato: Trouble in Paradise
by Padrino , San Diego/Rosarito, Tuesday, May 03, 2022, 21:43 (391 days ago) @ Craig AKA the cruise ship guy
The fact that they wanted you to do an end-around the booking agency should have been your first red flag. I have never used that particular service but I have used AirBnB. If someone asked me to do that with AirBnB, I would have politely said, "No, thanks," and found another place to stay.
Arrebato: Trouble in Paradise
I don't find the complaints exaggerated at all, and it's not the first time I've heard complaints about this property (which is one reason it's not listed here on my website).
Not being listed on your website means nothing. I remember in the past when you used to think Francisco was the devil and you would poo poo any mention of La Perla restaurant. I'm sure some of their complaints may be valid, but when you pile on with picky items, it comes across as sour grapes which may just stem a dispute over the security deposit.
Arrebato: Trouble in Paradise
by ZihuaRob , Zihuatanejo, México, Wednesday, May 04, 2022, 09:26 (390 days ago) @ El Fantasma
I don't find the complaints exaggerated at all, and it's not the first time I've heard complaints about this property (which is one reason it's not listed here on my website).
Not being listed on your website means nothing. I remember in the past when you used to think Francisco was the devil and you would poo poo any mention of La Perla restaurant. I'm sure some of their complaints may be valid, but when you pile on with picky items, it comes across as sour grapes which may just stem a dispute over the security deposit.
Well excuse me, mi estimado amigo, but not being listed generally means I can't recommend the property or service.
Regarding Francisco, I've forgiven Francisco for his transgressions, and he and I know what they are though I'll not mention them here. His family and mine have always been friends, and even though he is one of the biggest proponents of the dog ban at La Ropa, we remain good friends and I continue recommending his restaurant. Not the same at all.
I'm not sure you truly appreciate what I try to do here, but in general it's to avoid the kind of experience these nice people had at this vacation rental as well as to steer folks away from other properties and services that offer poor services or that are owned by locals who have profited from corruption while in public service. You might be surprised what an extensive list the latter is and how many of you unknowingly frequent such establishments. This particular property has had a bad reputation with the local community since long before it was ever offered as a vacation rental. I was contacted by this renter after they had paid their deposit but it was too late to get a refund, and I shared by misgivings with them which they graciously thanked me for. So I am grateful that they took the time to confirm what I already suspected and to share it with the public. They aren't seeking to avoid paying anything or to ruin anyone's reputation. I encouraged them to share their experience here because theirs is an experience I would not wish on any visitor. That is part of what this website is all about.
Un saludo.
