Sierra Ridge

TL;DR: We arrived for our wedding weekend to a strong gasoline smell from an improperly addressed garage leak. Despite a $9K booking, the issue disrupted the night before our wedding, and the eventual compensation offered was minimal and still not processed at the time of writing. While communication was present, follow-through and accountability under new ownership fell far short of expectations.

We rented this property for our wedding weekend expecting a seamless experience for such an important occasion. When we arrived in the afternoon to check in, the house that we paid for in our package smelled strongly of gasoline due to a leak in the garage below. While staff attempted to air it out, the issue was not fully resolved, and when we returned late that night after our welcome events, the smell was still present.

At 10 PM the night before our wedding, we were forced to scramble for contingency plans while exhausted and preparing for an early wedding morning. This is not a situation any couple should have to navigate during their wedding weekend.

To their credit, staff did come early the next morning, re-cleaned the space, and aired it out, and by the time of the wedding day the smell had largely dissipated. We were also told they would work with us toward a resolution, which initially gave us some reassurance.

However, the resolution offered afterward was minimal—$219 for two nights lost at nearly $9,000 rental—and we still haven’t received any payment. We tried to reach a solution privately, but they still haven’t sent the money 2 weeks after our wedding, so we feel compelled to share our experience for future couples considering this venue.

We also want to address something that was later raised by management. After we raised concerns, we were told there was “complete neglect of the house,” including claims of makeup on doors and carpet, trash not thrown out, food left, decor moved, and missing items such as a spray bottle.

We strongly dispute this characterization. As is typical for a wedding weekend, there was normal use of the space (including makeup). Myself and the MOH spent time to tidy and dispose of trash before departure. No specific checkout or cleaning instructions were provided in advance that outlined expectations beyond standard departure, which made this critique feel especially unexpected after the fact. Based on general short-term rental hosting standards, the condition we left the home in was consistent with normal, respectful use following a large event.

Most importantly, this issue was only raised after we escalated concerns about the gasoline leak. It does not change the core issue: a serious safety and enormous disruption during our wedding weekend, followed by a lack of meaningful follow-through in resolving it.

We originally signed our contract with the previous owners, and the difference in experience under new ownership has been significant. The quality of service from the previous owners was amazing and they were wonderful to work with. Throughout the wedding weekend, it became clear that the level of care and accountability we expected did not carry over through the transition.

The property itself is beautiful, but future couples should understand that while communication may be present in the moment, it does not necessarily translate into meaningful follow-through or resolution afterward. When you are paying for a high-stakes event like a wedding, accountability matters as much as responsiveness.