Protecting Your Vacation

TinaFeb 16, 20234 min read

Important ways you can be "covered" when something goes wrong with your Dreams Come True Cottage or Clover's Cottage vacation.

"Rainy days" happen - make sure you are protected.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

You've saved and searched and finally booked that vacation or weekend getaway at Dreams Come True Cottage or Clover's Cottage! We're so happy to host you!
Now let's make sure your experience is protected as much as possible.

Here are ways you are already protected:

PROPERTY DAMAGE WAIVER

A Property Damage Waiver is included with each reservation as part of your cleaning fee, providing $250 in accidental property damage protection. The waiver protects you from accidental property damage during your stay.
IMPORTANT: Guests must REPORT damage to us when it occurs in order to receive coverage from the damage waiver and so that needed replacement and repairs can be scheduled prior to the next arriving guests.
So no worries when someone accidentally breaks a glass or something goes awry by accident. You only need to let us know when it happens so that we can correct the problem before our next guests arrive.

SECURITY DEPOSIT

A refundable $500 security deposit is included with each reservation. If you paid by credit/debit card, it will be reflected as a "credit hold" shortly before your arrival date. The credit hold will be initially applied at the time of booking but only lasts for a period of days (depending on your bank's rules). Therefore, the credit hold will be renewed just prior to your arrival and remain in place until a number of days after your departure.
The security deposit protects against property losses that exceed the coverage limit of the Property Damage Waiver (above). It is also used for unreported/hidden damage, and/or any violations of the rental agreement that are not physical accidental damage.
The security deposit remaining will be released to you within 30 days of your stay (less any credit card processing fees paid for losses deducted).
Security deposit is due before check-in and is generally applied automatically, based on your reservation check-out authorization. There is nothing you need to do before or after your stay to have the deposit secured or released.
We expect guests to report all damage when it happens so that we can fix the issue before our next guests arrive.

Here is a way you should consider giving yourself some additional protection:

OPTIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE

As we always remind our guests, if you didn't already purchase travel insurance at check-out, please consider purchasing it before it is too late. We would not want you to lose out on your vacation costs due to unforeseen circumstances.
Make sure your policy covers the issues that concern you the most. You can purchase traveler's insurance from many locations. It is not required to be purchased thru your booking site.
You can purchase traveler's insurance from many locations (a simple search for "travel insurance" or "cancel for any reason travel insurance" will give you many options). It is not required to be purchased thru your booking site.

HERE is a not-for-profit website link we recommend to help you consider your travel insurance options.
HERE is a great comparison-shopping website, so you can determine which insurance is best for your travel.
If you prefer to purchase travel insurance through your booking, please refer to the email previously sent to you with the subject "Travel Insurance". This service is provided by RentalGuardian.

We have a no-refund cancellation policy at our rentals. We are happy to work with you to help document any claims you may need to submit to your insurance provider.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Inspect the cottage upon arrival. If you find any pre-existing damage or have any concerns or questions, please tell us. If something is missing or not as you expect it to be, please tell us. This will give us the opportunity to quickly address and resolve any issues.
Failure to report concerns when they are identified will negate any opportunity to receive compensation after your stay. It is our goal to resolve any concerns as they are discovered and we have local resources available to enable a quick resolution to your satisfaction.
Take photos upon arrival and departure. This is not required, but it is a good general practice any time you rent a home, a car, or even equipment, and so we remind all our guests to do so. It is really helpful to you and to us, to determine exactly how and when damage has occurred.

(IF REALLY BAD THINGS HAPPEN)

While exceedingly rare (only a time or two in all the years we've been doing this), there may be damages that exceed the protections already in place. All damages, losses, and fees in excess of the security deposit or property damage waiver are the responsibility of the guest.
Failure to report damage or attempts to hide damage are poorly received - so please don't do that! It makes all of our jobs more difficult and can negatively affect our future guests' stay.