For Guests At Cute Little Cottage
AGREEMENT TO THE TERMS
OF BOOKING
CUTE LITTLE COTTAGE
ON BEAVER LAKE ARKANSAS VACATION RENTAL
I have found that full and open disclosure is the best way to ensure that all parties involved have no miscommunications. Outlining fully, the rights and obligations affecting both you (“Guest,” or “You”) and me (“the Owner,” or “I”) in a written Agreement will establish, throughout our entire relationship, from start to finish, that we share a mutual understanding of what each of our responsibility are. This is a condensed Human Readable Version of Cute Little Cottage Policy Terms and Conditions. The full version is available at CuteLittleCottage.com, in the folder in Cute Little Cottage, and may be requested via email. Agreement To The Terms Of Booking Cute Little Cottage Rental is a part of your rental documents.
It is my consistent intention to deal with my Guests fairly and with complete integrity, to help relieve the stress often involved in arranging for lodging in a far away place, and to offer the most positive lodging experience possible throughout the entire course of your stay. I regard the opportunity to host you as a privilege, and genuinely want to meet or even exceed your expectations.
I ask that you carefully review the following terms, and also Cute Little Cottage Policy Terms and Conditions, and to please immediately bring to my attention any questions or concerns you might have, no matter how small. If a matter is important to you, it is also important to me. I cannot ease your concerns if you do not make me aware of them.
This is intended and understood to be a legally binding agreement.
1. CHECK-IN & OUT
Check-in is after 3 P.M. CST, and check-out is before 11:00 AM CST. If any adjustment to these times is required by circumstance, I will try my very best to be flexible, but nevertheless, ask that you please let me know at the earliest possible time. Since I must often clean and prep the places completely after “back-to-back” rentals (some of them longer-term), and it is only me (one) and I have my high standards for your satisfaction and enjoyment, early arrival tends to induce stress! Please give me time to present the cottage the way I’d like. It will be well worth the wait.
If you need a scheduled early arrival, however, just ask. I would be happy to oblige when possible. Arrangements can easily be made for check-in at absolutely any hour after the above time that may be convenient, around the clock.
2. SMOKING OUTSIDE ONLY, PLEASE.
No smoking is allowed inside the Cottage. Smokers are welcome to indulge anywhere they might choose, away from the Cottage. Please dispose of smoking materials, butts, packaging, or paper in the trash. Do Not dispose of these items on the Grounds. If you are a heavy smoker, please prevent smoke smell from coming into the cottage on your clothing.
3. MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY/ NATURE OF USE.
Occupancy is limited to six adults and two children under 5, primarily to realistically enhance your experience during your stay. Requests for larger parties will be considered only on a case-by-case basis. I would like to accommodate you if possible, but have put a great deal of time and thought into these guidelines. Approval for larger groups must be in writing.
I have found it a useful and mutually beneficial practice to invite my guests to enjoy the home exactly as they would their own. I would like for you to relax in and enjoy the place that way and take care of it that way. Larger social gatherings (say 10 or more), including parties, are only allowed with written permission, in order to avoid damage to the home or its contents and to contribute to peace and quiet in the neighborhood. This includes Bachelor Parties, Prom Night, Graduation Parties, or Kegs. Depending on the nature of the gathering, it may be no problem: by all mean, let’s please talk about what you have in mind.
4. PETS:
a. No pets are allowed in or on the premises unless I have expressly authorized each. Approval is at the discretion of the Owner.
b. The Cottage is a pet-friendly place and is set up for your pet when you come. Pet towels, rugs, dishes, and off the back door is a 6-foot high fence with 2-inch x 4-inch wire, one locked gate, and water. The flooring is a hard surface.
c. Please cover the furniture and beds if your pet gets on them.
d. Please pick up after your pet. Place poop in a plastic bag, tie shut and place in the trash bag.
e. A non-refundable Pet Setup and Cleaning Fee as posted is required.
f. Our full Pet(s) Policy is provided at www.CuteLittleCottage.com
g. By making a Reservation, the Guest is agreeing to the Cute Little Cottage’s Pet(s), Agreement To Terms Of Booking Rental, and that they have read these online, understand, and will abide by them. A copy is also located in the Cottage.
h. Benton County and the US Army Corp of Engineers enforces a mandatory leash law and has a current restriction which prohibits pets loose on the beaches; please take this into account when planning a vacation with your pet.
i. Please don’t leave pets loose in the cottage when you are out. Crate them or take them.
j. Barking must be kept to a minimum. Continuous barking is not permitted.
k. Please note: any unauthorized pet found in the cottage is grounds for expedited eviction, forfeiture of all monies paid, and a Non-Declared Pet Penalty of $250.00 per pet.
5. PROPERTY AVAILABILITY:
In the unlikely event that the property you reserve becomes unavailable due to circumstances out of the control of Cute Little Cottage
If the property is no longer available through Cute Little Cottage‘s control, I will make a full refund of reservation fees charges.
Amenities Use and Availability Terms & Conditions
Cute Little Cottage does not warranty the availability of amenities provided, including, but not limited to: bikes, gazebo, lawn furniture, BBQ grills, and picnic areas, swings, rowboat, and paths.
Cute Little Cottage cannot and will not be responsible for acts of God that may result in loss of electricity, internet connectivity, cable TV or cell phone services. When reported, I will do my best to contact the appropriate company to help expedite repairs. Be aware that The Corp of Engineers controls the water level of Beaver Lake, and it varies greatly resulting in differing amounts of beach, and water hazards floating or hidden in the water.
6. MANNER OF PAYMENT AND OPTIONS.
In order to secure the reservation, just let me know that you are ready to proceed. Your stay will be calendared, and arrangements made for payment by phone or online. The reservation is finalized only when payment is received, so prompt payment will best assure that your lodging arrangements will be secure. As explained in your inquiry email, I have put into place a “first pay, first book” policy in order to avoid the drama of competing claims for a given time on a property. Varying compelling circumstances, who may have said what, when, and why, etc., are all inconsequential. The sole determining factor is the “clear line” of the date of payment. With the use of online payment, the transaction is accomplished in minutes.
Payment: The emails you sent & received with Reservation Dates and Rates becomes part of this agreement
A single payment is preferred, for administrative convenience. If you find doing so inconvenient, I am happy to offer an alternative, in the form of two installments. Your planned stay must be at least 60 days before the arrival date of the booking. I will assume the single payment plan to be your preference unless you advise me otherwise.
Upon receipt of your request for calendaring, a payment request will be generated in the full amount (or a payment of one-half of the total amount due when requested, including ½ of the security deposit, pet fee, if bringing an approved pet, and Arkansas State Tax. A follow-up Invoice for the remaining balance is calendared to be sent out via email about 35 days before your planned stay, on which prompt payment is mandatory (and appreciated). In either case, full payment is understood to be a prerequisite to the right of entry.
Once payment has been made as set forth above, your reservation will be secured, and you will receive driving directions via email. Your Vacation Home will be ready and waiting for your arrival.
7. REFUNDABLE SECURITY DEPOSIT.
Payment of a fully refundable security (or “damage”) deposit is required, above the costs of rental. The deposit is NOT applied toward rent; and is refunded to you by check by mail within 60 days by Arkansas Law, (it is my policy to return it between 7 & 14 days following your departure if the following provisions are met:
a. No damage has been done to home or its contents, beyond normal wear and tear;
b. The oven, or for that matter any other part of the place, has not been left in such a filthy condition that the line between “use” (which I would freely encourage), and “abuse” has been crossed*;
c. All keys have been left either in the house or where they were first retrieved, and the house left locked; and d. No items (including linens, flatware, and amenities) are missing, lost, or damaged.**
e. The linens were not used to wipe the floors or removed from the cottage (like down to the beach)
Notes: *Just dirty or messy is regrettable, but will NOT result in forfeit of your deposit.
“Again, I am not looking to take your money here. The kind of problem referred to here is the kind that you definitely “know when you see it:”
(1) an undue amount of my time and energy will obviously be needed to rectify or put the place back in order for the next guests.
(2) you would probably NEVER abide living within your own home.
(3) you would have been displeased or disgusted to be surprised with it upon your arrival.
** Please. I understand that accidents of various kinds do happen. (And, if it might indicate an unsafe situation having to do with the building or its fixtures, which could be addressed to avoid potential harm or hassle to other guests, I certainly need to hear about it immediately.) Please just let me know if something breaks, or if a cooking pan has been blackened seemingly beyond repair, or whatever. Your honesty will be appreciated, and no penalty will necessarily be imposed. Please do not hide broken shards under the bed or behind a cabinet, where I might cut myself cleaning the place up, or stuff that disgusting pan away in the back of a top shelf, to be found who knows how long later or “Oh my Gosh” by subsequent guests!
Just remember: you are invited to treat and enjoy the house as your own. As noted, accidents do happen. (I suppose that is part of what makes us Human!) I hope that you will relax and fully enjoy yourselves, but along the way also take decent care of the place, and help me to provide you (and the next guests, and those after) with the very best experience to be had.
I appreciate you and thank you for this.
8. CANCELLATIONS-REFUND POLICY
Relax: I am in this for “the long haul,” and know that any successful enterprise is (or should be!) built upon a foundation of fair dealing and attentive customer service. I do not want to take your money unless it has been happily earned. Good karma is good business; I am certainly not looking to take unfair advantage of anybody, or their circumstances. Nevertheless, it is important that you understand that once I have committed to keeping your space open, I must consequently turn away any number of other guests ready and willing to pay. Please remember, I’m not a hotel, after all. I only have the one cottage to offer, and you fully expect it to be yours when you arrive. If a guest cancels and I issue a refund, that’s one week’s rental income lost forever. That’s one week’s income that won’t be available to help pay the mortgage, property taxes, maintenance, and insurance bills.
We all know stuff happens: so here is my “balancing act,” protecting your interests and mine.
Read this carefully (it’s simple), and abide by it. Everybody will be happy:
I encourage you to consider purchasing trip-cancellation insurance to recoup the cost of nonrefundable travel expenses. For more information and price quotes on specific policies, visit the insurer of your choice. One such company is InsureMyTrip at www.insuremytrip.com (this is not a recommendation of any company).
a. I will refund the damage deposit, less 25% re-booking fee.
b. I can only grant a refund or reschedule for another week for you if I am able to re-book the dates you had reserved.
c. I will, however, do my very best to re-book the canceled week. Here are the steps I take:
d. I immediately updated my online calendars to show that the week is now available.
e. I post a special offer on my website and in the headlines of my online ads.
f. I will contact other prospective guests who had previously expressed an interest in booking the cottage for your dates. I feel I am obligated to spend time doing these things, and anything else that I can think of to re-book your dates. If I am able to re-book some or all of your dates, I will happily issue a refund for that amount. That’s how I would like to be treated if the situation were reversed.
The following do not warrant A REFUND – COMPENSATION OR ADJUSTMENTS:
a. Late arrival
b. No Show
c. Early departure
d. Corp of Engineers lake use policies
e. Government closings
f. Inclement Weather
g. Conditions too wet – too dry – too hot – too cold
h. Any part of Property, Appliances, or Amenities Use and Availability Service or Amenity Interruption
j. Road Conditions I urge you again to consider purchasing trip-cancellation insurance
Again, I urge you to consider purchasing trip-cancellation insurance.
9. MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT
There is an age requirement for Guest to rent the cottage. No Guests under 25 are to occupy the cottage without a parent or guardian being present.
10. MINIMUM STAY.
This property requires minimum stays for events, holidays and weekends. These dates and the required minimum stay are posted on my calendar.
11. INCLUSIVE FEES.
Rates include a one-time linen-towel setup, and whatever other arrangements might have been specifically requested. While linens and bath towels are provided and their cost included, daily maid service is not. In the meantime, however, excellent laundry and house cleaning services
are available for an additional charge per cleaning, as desired. My housecleaning standards have been recognized as superb and may facilitate the enjoyment of your stay. Supplemental cleanings are required for guests staying longer than one week.
12. FALSIFIED RESERVATIONS.
Any reservation obtained under false pretense will be subject to forfeiture of advance payment, deposit and/or rental money, and the party will not be permitted to check-in.
13. LIABILITY OF Owner.
Cute Little Cottage is privately owned; I have made every effort to ensure that the Cottage is well maintained, sound, and safe. It is understood and agreed that I shall not be held liable for any injuries, accidents, illness, or other harm that occurs while on the premises or its facilities not resulting from my own negligence. By accepting this reservation, it is agreed that all guests are expressly assuming the risk of any harm arising from their use of the premises or others whom they invite to use the premise. This includes Beaver Lake.
14. WRITTEN EXCEPTIONS.
Any exceptions to the above-mentioned policies must be approved in writing in advance
The date of this Agreement shall be the same as the date first payment has been made. For the mutual convenience of the parties, it is understood and agreed that by making payment as requested, I (the Guest) shall have acknowledged, accepted and consented to all terms and conditions of this agreement, on behalf of myself and those in my party. No actual signature is required on this document to evidence the terms of rental, as stated.
A private link to your driving directions to the Cottage will be in your confirmation Email.
Please don’t forget to print a copy to carry with you!
Your all set to go and registered! Now, all you have to do is look forward to your vacation!
Thank you for choosing Cute Little Cottage for your stay… I wish you a great and memorable Vacation!
Sunny