Luxury Simplified Retreats — Hotel in Charleston

I recently stayed at a property owned by this management company — the Seagrass/Coral Hudson Retreats in Folly beach in Charleston. I am writing this review because of a serious safety concern.

While I was there, both myself and my two daughters, ages six and eight, received electric shocks while swimming in the backyard pools. This was caused by stray voltage — a known and potentially deadly concern — if a pool is not constructed properly, which I know now. This happened while touching the metal hand rail in both pools on the properties. When it happened to me, my girls then reported that they had been feeling the “tingling and stinging” too.

I called that night and left a voicemail message for the mgmt company, expressing extreme concern, but never heard back by phone.

We texted again the next day, and they said a pool technician would be sent. He did not arrive the next day, despite texts telling us he would. We had to follow up again when our property manager didn’t respond. He did not arrive the next night, despite texts telling us he would. He finally arrived at 10am Saturday morning, an hour before our checkout time and said he did detect stray voltage coming from the ladder.

This could potentially be a deadly oversight, and the management company just asked “if the problem was still happening.” My arm was tingling and numb until the next night. I had to explain that I was not about to grab the metal pole and test it again to verify.

As a result, we were unable to use the pool again before we left. I debated whether to get checked out by a doctor. I do not know if the problem on the properties will be addressed. I rent vacation houses frequently, all over the country, and have never had an experience like this. Renters, please be aware.

I am updating my review based on the response of the owner of the company below:

If a company prioritized the care and safety of their guests, I would have at the very least expected a return phone call from the property manager after I left a message explaining I had received an electric shock in the pool on their property that left my arm numb. Instead, my call was not returned. Our text messages were not returned, and we had to follow up. At no point has anyone from this business showed concern for the fact that I or my young daughters were shocked as a result of faulty wiring with their pool. This could have been a life-threatening event if a larger electrical surge happened, and my family was indeed in danger. My arm was numb for 12 hours.

-When the pool tech arrived, he measured and found stray voltage around the handrail at the pool. As he couldn’t determine where the stray voltage was coming from, he recommended that the owners potentially replace the metal pool ladder with a non-conductive material. The very fact that there was stray voltage puts any guest in danger. I would hope at the very least that these handrails would be replaced. But my review is reflective of not only the fact that the incident occurred, but the deplorable manner in which this company has handled it since. I wish I had read other reviews stating similar concerns...

Book elsewhere! I rented Seaclusion the week of 7/20/2024. Our pool was not in a usable condition for the first 4 days of our 7 day stay and is the very first thing mentioned in the advertisement. Furniture was old, peeling, stained, and not maintained. There were bugs and an exterminator had to come out two times during out stay. Dust on ceiling fans and cold air returns making it evident that these items are not part of even a monthly regimen for cleaning of the home. The price for this property and renting it for a week is not justified, not even half the cost of the place would be justified IMO. We had two pool technicians, two exterminators, and 5 members of the Luxury Simplified Retreats team stop during our stay, each of them commenting on the conditions of the home. Two gentleman even stated they advised the property manager to have the pool looked at three weeks back. We had a leak from the bathroom upstairs in the adjoining rooms and zero response from our maintenance notification. Toilet water was running throught the floor into the ceiling of the kitchen flooding the vent over the oven and into the canned lights in the kitchen. 3 of the couples that came on the trip left days early due to bugs crawling on them while they were trying to go to bed. Pictures and videos attached. When attempting to reasonably obtain some type of refund we were offered an insulting amount. In an attempt to give LSR the opportunity to do the right thing I waited for their response to my complaint. Offers of a discounted next stay is ridiculous, why would I want to do business with your company after our experience? Offering 20% off a future stay.........and 1000.00 refund is unacceptable. When spending nearly $20,000 to rent a property there are standards to uphold and Luxury Simplified Retreats is seemingly unaware of how to meet these standards. 0/10

Videos of bugs and leak...

I wish I could give zero stars. This rental company is extremely slimy and only care about money. We booked a house on VRBO through this company for my bridesmaids and I before my wedding, over a year in advance. The company called us a couple weeks after booking and told us they had to cancel our reservation because they were doing “pool work” that they coincidentally scheduled a year in advance on the only week in May or April 2022 that was booked at that point, our week! They claimed they would help us find another property. They only sent us properties that didn’t sleep enough for the guests we needed and were much more expensive than the property we booked in the first place. The original property is now available on VRBO for our dates again but for DOUBLE the price we booked it for. Pool maintenance, yeah right they just wanted more money!! It might seem like these properties are nice, and they provide good services but this is unacceptable and disgusting business practice. DO NOT GIVE THESE...