1. Deposits

The standard method for making a reservation is by sending a deposit of approximately 25% of the total rental fee directly to the owner. This deposit is to guard against no-shows, and the amount received now is deducted from the total cost of the rental. The remaining 75% is due either prepayed well ahead of the booking or in Euros - cash - upon occupying the property (you will be met at the property by the owners or their caretaker).

Once we have received your booking request, we send you three emails: email 1 of 3) confirmation and a text on general proceedures text very similar to this text; email 2 of 3) info how how to pay the deposit; email 3 of 3) directions to the property and the owner´s contact info. In addition we also send Google Earth photos showing the route to the house and a text with information on the area where you are renting. For those in Europe, you will want to use bank transfers for the deposit payment as bank transfers are now 100% free of all charges and comssions between European Monetary Union countries!

2. Price all inclusive & changeover times & arrival info

All properties are rented clean, with clean bed linen, towels, blankets, dishtowels, cooking utensils, and some basic start-up foodstuffs. All houses have washing machines. All utilities are included, and there are no extra or hidden charges of any kind. Most houses offer a free cleaning once a week, with additional maid service upon request (at about 10 Euros per hour). The house cleaning at the end of your stay is also included in the rental. You are kindly requested to leave the house pretty much as you found it at the end of your stay.

In the summer high season, most properties try to not to lose a day between rentals, and rentals are usually back to back, so incoming guests are kindly requested to occupy the house in the afternoon as of about 5 pm and depart relatively early on the last day, usually at about 10 am, giving the owners and cleaning crew time to prepare the house for the next rental. If you must show up early, you can leave your things in the house and come back later when the cleaning crew has finished. Likewise, if the property is not booked for the day you leave, you needn't go early... and you can stay on as late in the day as you like. I can check this for you. Just let me know.

Before your arrival, I will contact you all your arrival and departure info to coordinate with the owners. I will need to know your planned arrival time, number of guests (adults, children, babies), special requests (wheelchair access, or if you need a shopping done for you if you arrive late or on a Sunday), and confirmation that you have all the directions texts and Google photos you need for all your guests.

3. Balance due

The balance due for all rentals must be either prepayed well in advance of your rental via bank transfer or handed over in Euros - cash - upon arrival. Payment at the end of the rental is not acceptable under any conditions. Owners do not want to be in the position of having to chase after their guests for payment.

Why advance payment or cash?: once again, private house owners do not have credit card machines... and Banker's cheques and Traveller's cheques must be deposited into the owner's local Spanish bank account and it takes a long time - sometimes months - for the cheques to clear. Checks may be declared stolen or simply cancelled and rendered null within a year after issuing. This makes it impossible for houses to accept payment by checks.

It is up to you to make sure payment in full is made prior to arrival or be prepared to pay in cash upon arrival. Don´t leave this to the last minute as local ATM machines will not give you more 500 Euros per day, and local banks will not accept more than a few hundred Euros worth of traveller´s cheques due to massive fraud in that sector.

House owners are very grateful when guests show up, and after taking a look at the property and seeing that it is true to their expectations, are prepared to pay on the spot. After all, some owners have driven a long way to clean the property and receive their guests, and at independent self-catering properties, you will not necessarily see the owners again after that first encounter (unless there is some issue which requires their attention). Part of my job is to ensure that owners never have to chase after renters for payment.

In short, let's work together to make things go smoothly for all concerned. To a large extent, this branch of the "hospitality industry" (how I hate that cheesy term!) depends on mutual trust and respect, and it is almost as important for house owners to be happy with their guests as the guests happy with the house. I can always be reached so feel free to call me with any questions you may have, whether it be ahead of time, or when you are with the owners, or during your stay. My telephone numbers are on all the directions texts and photos you will have with you upon arrival.