FAQ

Why stay in a vacation rental home instead of a hotel?

In a vacation rental, you can stay in a fully furnished home with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms underneath one roof, rather spending money on multiple hotel rooms. Many rentals are priced between 50 and 80 percent less per square foot than the average hotel room in popular destinations. You can stock the kitchen with all your favorite foods and have great family meals without being gouged by room service fees and gratuities.

What is the difference between renting from istayhere.com and renting directly from a homeowner?

When renting from istayhere.com, guests enjoy additional benefits and services that are not typically offered by individual homeowners, including a 24-hour customer service contact, concierge services, housekeeping, discount partnerships with local vendors, and sometimes the ability to search and reserve a home securely online. Istayhere.com has minimum amenity, location, maintenance, furnishing, and cleanliness standards that must be achieved in order for a vacation home to become a qualified rental. Individual management standards vary wildly, as one homeowner’s idea of satisfactory may not come close to another’s, especially if it is an absentee owner residing in another city, state or country.  Istayhere.com's high standards are designed to ensure consistency and quality in both customer service and the level of accommodations, which ultimately will result in a superior guest experience.
 
What types of extra amenities can I expect?

There are plenty of spaces perfect for spending family-time together like spacious living rooms, home movie theaters and game rooms, billiard tables, and more.  Many of our rentals include BBQ grills, surfboards, bikes and beach chairs and often wireless internet access, stand-up arcade games, billiard and air hockey tables, PlayStation® and Xbox game systems and it's easy to stay connected with free internet access and iPod docking stations. A list of these amenities will be found on the online property description, or your reservation agent can go over the specific amenities of each home.

How do I make a reservation? Is it secure?

Booking a vacation rental with istayhere.com is a convenient and secure process. Guests can view photos and amenities of individual homes to find a home to fit their specific needs prior to booking. Reservations can be made 24 hours a day online at www.istayhere.com or by calling one of our friendly vacation home rental reservationists at 1-408-835-7337.

Do I need to bring my own linens and towels?

Guests of istayhere.com will arrive to find professionally laundered and sanitized high quality linens on ready made beds.  Bath sets (which include bath towels, hand towels and wash cloths) are also provided.

How do I check-in to my vacation rental?

Your confirmation will include pre-arrival check-in information, including directions to/from the airport and local highways, maps of the area, and detailed entry instructions for the home. Normal check-in time is 3:00 PM. Once you arrive in the area, please call 408-835-7337 to verify check-in and that your homes is ready.

What time is check-out?

Check-out time is 11:00 am. Late check-outs are available with pre-approval from management, however late check-outs are very rare in high season. Istayhere is proud of the high standards of our rental homes, and in order to maintain these standards, our maintenance and cleaning crews must have adequate time between guests to complete their tasks. In order to make sure there is time to turn the home over for the next guest, please be sure to adhere to the agreed upon check-out time. 

Is a telephone provided?

Telephones are provided and the phone number is listed in the Property Information Binder at your vacation home. The telephone is meant to be used for local or emergency calls only. We suggest you bring your cell phone and charger for all other calls.

Are pets allowed?

Most of our rental homes do not allow pets due to allergy concerns. Rentals that do allow pets  usually limit them to two (2) housebroken domestic animals (dogs) unless otherwise stated. A $100 minimum, nonrefundable fee is charged for each pet. Any pets must be approved prior to occupancy. A pet of any kind on the premises of a non-pet property is absolutely prohibited and is grounds for immediate eviction of the entire party.

What are the accommodations and furnishings like?

Each home is individually furnished and decorated to a variety of tastes, and all of our homes have a higher level of standard furnishings than is usually expected. You may browse the property information page to see photos and a virtual tour to get a feel for the decor and furnishings. All homes will be stocked with linens and towels and a starter kit of dish soap, dish washing detergent, paper towels and toilet paper. Guests will still need to supply their week’s supply of all staples.
 
How long are the minimum stays?

Depending on the home and the season, minimum stays range from 3 nights to 30 days. Homes on the beach, ocean front or on the bay, and during summer usually have 7 night minimums Saturday to Saturday. Homes that are equipped to host special events and weddings may rent for as little as one night. Please speak with your reservation agent for details.
 
Is daily housekeeping service available?

While your vacation rental is thoroughly cleaned and prepared for your arrival, should you require a mid-stay or daily housekeeping service, it is available for an additional fee. Please speak to your reservation agent or send an email to lifesolution.org@gmail.com for more details.

If I have questions during my stay, who I can call?

Istayhere offers 24/7 service. Should you have any questions during normal business hours, please call the office at 408-835-7337. Please refer to the Property Information Binder in your rental home for the answers to most of questions you may have about the home. Please limit any after-hours calls to emergencies only.
 
Does my vacation home include concierge services? 
 
Istayhere.com's helpful concierge will assist you in booking restaurant reservations. In-home massages, spa treatments, a personal chef to cook meals, pre-arrival grocery delivery services, child care, daily housekeeping service, wedding and event planning, tours, beach picnics, limousine service and much, much more. Istayhere.com also has partnerships with local vendors that offer discounts rentals and attraction tickets.
 
What are the cancellation policies?

All cancellations must be in writing by fax, email or letter. It is the guest's responsibility to verify receipt by Bluewater Management.

Cancellations more than 90 days prior to check-in date:                   $150.00
Cancellations more than 60 days prior to check-in date:                   $300.00
Cancellations more than 60 to 30 days prior to check-in date:         $1000.00
Cancellations less than 30 days prior to check-in date: No refunds, unless re-rented. (see rental agreement for specific details). Please see the rental agreement for complete cancellation policies. Trip insurance may cover many of the reasons for cancellation therefore, we highly recommend trip insurance to protect against unexpected events.

What is the payment policy?

Payments can be made in the form of personal check, cashier’s check, e-check, certified check, or money order. Please make checks payable to I STAY HERE. Other forms of payment include PayPal, MasterCard Visa and Discover.  Personal checks cannot be accepted within thirty days of the check-in date. An advance payment equal to 50% of the rental rate is required within 10 days of receipt of confirmation of reservation. Regardless of date of confirmation, the Security Deposit must be received by istayhere.com no later than 15 days prior to the Check-in Date. The advance payment will be applied toward the room rent. The balance of rent is due sixty (60) days prior to the check-in date.  Reservations made less than 30 days prior to the check-in date will require full payment via credit card, cashier’s check, wire transfer, certified check or money order. If paying by check and check is returned for NSF, there is a $50 service charge per occurrence. Payments for foreign reservations must be made in U.S.funds by money order, wire transfers, or cashier’s checks payable on a U.S. bank.