Stowe Country Homes Rental & Payment Policies

• Basic Rental Info
• Property Features
• Housekeeping
• Maintenance

Basic Rental Info

Can I cancel my reservation?

You may cancel within the first 24 hours of booking the reservation with a full refund. If Renter provides written notice of cancellation at least thirty (30) or more days prior to commencement (sixty (60) or more days for Seasonal/Winter Holiday periods) of the lease, Agent shall return all payments made by Renter, less a cancellation fee of 15% of the total Rent, plus any applicable credit card fees. If written notice of cancellation is received less than the thirty (30) days prior to commencement of the lease (sixty (60) or more days for Seasonal/Winter Holiday periods), Agent shall retain all payments made by Renter. We are unable to offer refunds on reservations cancelled within 30 days of the check-in date, (60 or more days for Winter Holiday periods), unless you purchase our optional CSA Trip Protection plan and the reason for cancellation falls within the trip protection guidelines.

How do I purchase CSA Travel Insurance?

Please contact CSA/Generali directly at: 1-800-874-2442. They can also answer any questions you have about their specific Travel Protection Insurance plans. Please note that Stowe Country Homes does not provide this policy.

Do you require an initial deposit? When is the balance due?

Stowe Country Homes requires an initial payment of 50% of the rental amount to confirm and hold your reservation. Thirty (30) days prior to arrival, or sixty (60) days prior for any holidays, the balance is due in full and the reservation is non-refundable. If you are booking within thirty (30) days prior to arrival, or sixty (60) days prior for a holiday period, payment is due in full at that time.

What is your Covid cancellation policy?

COVID-19 is now a known event with unknown future effects on travel and the subject of the Rental Contract. By entering into the Vacation Rental Agreement and paying the Deposit, you acknowledge those uncertainties and assume the risk that unforeseen events may interfere with or cause the cancellation or rescheduling of your Vacation Rental. We recommend that Renters purchase trip cancellation and Interruption Protection insurance to assure refund of deposits paid and reimbursement of other vacation payments, which is offered through CSA Travel and Protection Services. Pandemics are excluded from this offering, with the exception of a COVID-19 "illness" during the covered period. Please note: due to COVID, availability of amenities may change without warning.

How old do I need to be to reserve a home?

All renters and guests must be at least 25 years old or accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Do I need to sign a rental contract in order to secure my reservation?

Yes. To confirm a reservation, a signed Vacation Rental Agreement is required. This document consists of the renter’s financial obligations along with the “terms and conditions” of the rental. Our Rental Agreements are sent through email and can be signed electronically.

How do I pay for a reservation?

We accept all major credit cards with a 2.5% convenience fee for short term reservations. Both long and short term reservations are payable by check, e-check (ACH), or wire transfer. Credit cards are not accepted for long term reservations. Please call our office for wire transfer details. To mail a check to our office please address it to:
Stowe Country Homes
541 S. Main Street
Stowe, VT 05672

If I book online, is my rental guaranteed?

Online reservations take 48 hours to process. If you are booking a property within 48 hours of arrival, you MUST contact a Stowe Country Homes agent immediately to confirm the reservation. Rental home reservations are not confirmed and executed until a signed rental agreement is received by our office.

Do I need to pay a security deposit?

At Stowe Country Homes we offer Security Deposit Protection through a third party service. This policy protects you as the renter, as well as the rentee. The Security Deposit Protection protects you from financial burden for losses due to damages that occur accidentally within the property while you occupy the residence. It does not cover any costs due to intentional acts, gross negligence or willful conduct by you or your traveling companions. Any additional cleaning or maintenance expense incurred due to smoking in the residence, unapproved pets in the residence, key locked in residence, furniture rearranged but not returned to original position, windows left open, not honoring check-out time, or any damage caused by gross negligence or willful conduct by you or your travel companions will be charged immediately to your credit card. If we do not have a card on file, payment to STOWE COUNTRY HOMES for the full amount is due within thirty days of receipt. The Security Deposit Protection is included with all Stowe Country Homes reservations, unless specifically waived by the owner of the property. If you do not purchase the Security Deposit Protection, you are liable for damages, accidental or intentional, to the limit of the security deposit, which is typically equal to one night stay. Any additional cleaning or maintenance expense due to smoking in the residence, unapproved pets in the residence, key locked in residence, furniture rearranged but not returned to original position, windows left open, not honoring check-out time or any damage caused by gross negligence or will full conduct by your or your travel companions will be charged immediately to your credit card. If any guest smokes in residence during their stay, the entire amount of security deposit will be charged immediately.

How do I check-in and receive keys for my rental?

Detailed check-in procedures that are specifically tailored to the property you have rented are sent automatically via email and text during the week prior to your arrival. (Please note that last-minute reservations do not follow this timeline.)
Check-in time is 4:00 pm and check out time is 10:00 am. Please note that we are unable to provide the keys prior to 4:00 pm (unless you have received confirmation that you have been granted an early check-in).

Do you offer a no-contact check-in option?

Yes, check-in is now done via our lockbox at the office for contactless pickup. Please read the Check-in instructions sent to the reservation holder via email and text. In it you will find detailed check-in procedures that are specifically tailored to the property you have rented. Stowe Country Homes now uses contactless pickup via the lockbox at our office, located at 541 S. Main Street in Stowe (Route 100). Our lockbox is outside of our main entrance and is available 24/7. Please note that we are unable to provide the keys prior to 4:00 pm (unless you have received confirmation that you have been granted an early check-in).

Where is your lockbox located?

Our lockbox is located outside of our main entrance and is available 24/7 whether or not our office is open. Our main entrance is at the back of our office building, located at 541 S. Main Street in Stowe (Route 100). Please note that we are unable to provide the keys prior to 4:00 pm (unless you have received confirmation that you have been granted an early check-in).

Do I have to check-in by a certain time?

Check-in time begins at 4:00 PM but is not guaranteed. Guests may arrive at any time afterwards. Our lockbox is located outside of our main office entrance and is available 24/7. We offer no-contact arrival procedures using our lockbox, located at 541 S. Main Street in Stowe (Route 100). Detailed instructions are sent automatically via email and text during the week prior to your arrival. (Last-minute reservations do not follow this timeline.) Please note that we are unable to provide the keys prior to 4:00 pm (unless you have received confirmation that you have been granted an early check-in).

Do you allow early check-ins?

We are unable to accommodate requests for earlier check-in times. If your rental is ready prior to our regular check-in time of 4:00 pm you will be notified by text, email, or a phone call. Please also note that we are unable to provide the keys prior to 4:00 pm (unless you have received confirmation that you have been granted an early check-in). Thank you for understanding.

What is the check-out procedure?

Check out time is 10:00 am. A $75.00 per hour fee will be assessed for failing to vacate the unit by the departure time. Keys picked up at the Stowe Country Homes office MUST be returned there. A no-contact drop box is on the right-hand side of our lockbox. Upon departing, please leave the home in the same general condition as it was found. Leave the home clean, wash the dishes you've used, remove all food, shut the windows, and lock all doors.

Can I get a late check-out?

We are unable to accommodate requests for a later check out time. Thank you for understanding.

Property Features

Can I visit the property I booked prior to my reservation?

We understand that you are eager to see the property you have reserved and that if you are in the area it may be tempting to stop by.
PLEASE do not visit our properties yourself, as each is privately owned and is private property. We can arrange an in-person showing if schedules allow, and when accompanied by a member of our staff. We ask that you kindly respect the privacy of our home owners and other guests, just as we would expect you to be undisturbed by unannounced visits during your reservation.
We provide a map with each property description so you can see exactly where you will be staying as well as high resolution photos and floorplan to provide you with as much detail as possible before you arrive. We sincerely appreciate your cooperation!

Do any of your properties allow pets?

ALL pets must be pre-approved during the booking process. Only select properties allow pets. Additional conditions and fees apply. Bringing unapproved pets can result in the termination of your rental without refund, as well as additional fees.
Properties that are dog friendly are noted with a paw icon. ALL dogs must be pre-approved by our office during booking. When signing the Vacation Rental Agreement, you will also be required to abide by the Pet Agreement Addendum. Please note that bringing an undeclared pet, whether or not the property is pet friendly, can result in the termination of your rental and that you may be asked to leave the premises. Guests who do not declare their pets will not be refunded if they are asked to leave.
No cats are allowed unless specifically requested and approved by the property owner.

Can I bring more people than the maximum allowed listed?

No. Much thought is put into the maximum occupancy per home and it cannot be exceeded. Maximum occupancy is established by house size, septic tanks, well systems, and neighborhoods.
Rates are quoted for a specified number of guests. Additional guests (not to exceed maximum) may be subject to a per person, per day charge.
Do you allow parties or weddings in your homes?
No parties shall be allowed without prior consent of the Property Owner and Stowe Country Homes. We do have some homes that have agreed to allow functions and only these designated homes will consider planned parties or wedding. You will find these homes in our platinum collection. Please note that there may be additional fees, parking restrictions, and guest count maximums.

Is smoking allowed in any of the homes?

Smoking IS NOT permitted in or on the premises of any of our rental properties.

What items can I expect to find in the home?

Please see the features and amenities section of the specific home listing. Stowe Country Homes also provides a few items to get you started, including: shampoo, conditioner, soap, paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, dishwasher packs/pods, an individually wrapped kitchen sponge, kitchen trash bags, and small trash can liners. We do not deliver additional supplies if you run out. All of these items are locally available at many area stores.

Does the home come with linens and towels, or do I need to bring my own?

Your Stowe Country Homes rental will be equipped with all the basic necessities. All the beds will be made with fresh linens and bath towels are provided. We do not provide beach towels, and recommend you bring those with you.

What cable and internet package does the home have? Will we be able to watch the game? What is internet TV?

Rental properties are individually owned and each has different services in place. Please note that Vermont is a rural area. It does not have the same infrastructure to which you may be accustomed. Stowe Country Homes cannot guarantee television service, television channel availability, phone service (whether cell or landline), and/or internet service. Although each rental property does have free Wifi for guest use, these utilities are provided by separate companies and are not under the control of Stowe Country Homes. Should a service issue arise during your reservation we will happily do what we can to assist. There are cases in which service can not be improved, unfortunately.

Can I receive mail at my rental?

Please do not use the address of your rental to receive mail. Long-term reservations of a year or more may be able to receive mail at the rental address IF mail delivery is already provided by the USPS. Many of our properties do not have the option of mail delivery.
All guests may use our office address to receive mail: 541 S. Main Street, Stowe, VT, 05672.
Please be sure to add your name to the item being delivered so our staff knows to whom the item belongs, and provide us your direct contact information. Someone from our staff will contact you when your item is delivered and is available for pickup at the office. We are not able to deliver the mail to your rental.

Housekeeping

Do we need to clean the property upon departure?

When you rent a home from Stowe Country Homes, it sparkles. This is because we don’t let a house sit days or weeks after it’s been rented - instead, we scour it from top to bottom to make it shine. While cleaning every inch and stripping beds is critical, we also make note of every detail of the home’s presentation. Our departure cleaning is what keeps a house looking new each time it is rented and what distinguishes Stowe Country Homes from the rest.

Can I have the cleaning fee waived if I clean the home myself, rather than using your cleaning services?

No. Guests are not allowed to clean after their own stay. Our housekeepers meet very strict guidelines and are required to clean the home after each guest vacates.

We’ve run out of toilet paper. Can you bring us some more?

Stowe Country Homes provides a starter kit of supplies only (noted above). If you think you will need more than what is provided, please make sure to bring some with you or purchase during your stay.

We can’t get the fireplace/internet/hot tub/etc. working. Are there instructions in the house?

A digital Guidebook with specific instructions for your property is sent to the reservation holder twice prior to arrival via email and text. Please review it before calling the office if you have an issue. Our staff personally inspects and opens each home prior to guest arrivals. This includes verifying that each system at the property is functioning as expected. If you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us using the instructions provided in the Guidebook.

I am allergic to pet dander and other smells, but I want to stay in a pet-friendly home. Is there any way to ensure that I won’t be bothered by them for my stay?

All our Stowe rental homes are thoroughly cleaned after each stay. However, we are unable to guarantee that you will not have a reaction to a home that has been regularly occupied by pets.

What is your lost and found policy?

We will return your lost item to you if you call us within two weeks of your departure date. We do charge a $25 fee, plus shipping to cover the cost of labor, driving time, and postal fees. Any items not claimed within two weeks will be donated to a local charity.

Maintenance

What if we get a lot of snow? Do I need to bring a shovel?

Plowing is included with your short term rental, but please be patient as we have to plow all properties during snowstorms. Please understand that specific plowing times can not be requested. You can expect to be plowed starting at snowfall of 3-4 inches. All properties should have shovels on-site, but please let us know if you can not find one at your rental property.

Do you provide Emergency Service?

Yes, our after-hours EMERGENCY number (for example: no heat, no water, or no power, etc.) is 802-371-0101. If the problem can wait until morning, we would appreciate your calling us directly during regular business hours.