Yosemite Sunset House -- House Rental Policies

Please read and familiarize yourself with these policies - by renting our house you are agreeing to comply with them!

ABSOLUTE NO-NOs: .... NO SMOKING, NO FIRES, NO PETS, NO PARTY ANIMALS !!!

The Yosemite Sunset House is a smoke-free environment ... NO PETS ... and no "party animals" (not a "party house").
For fire and safety reasons, smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property.
No candle or incense burning and no wood fires anywhere on the property.

HOLIDAY RATES:

*Holiday rates apply to dates that include the actual holiday plus adjoining weekends (Fri+Sat+Sun) for Thanksgiving, the period from Christmas to New Years, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, and Easter (3 nights).

CANCELLATION POLICY IN EFFECT & REFUNDS:

* If canceled before 60 days from arrival - first payment/deposit will be returned, less $150 admin. fee plus any bank, credit card, or PayPal fees.
* If canceled with 60 days or less of arrival - full refund will be given only if re-rented same time/rate less $100 admin. fee plus any bank, c/c or PayPal fees.
* If re-renting is only partial, your refund will be prorated in the same proportion.
* There is no refund for reduction in number of guests or number of nights after reservation has been accepted by owners; this policy includes emergencies, personal problems, change in vacation plans, etc.
* There is no refund for events beyond anyone's control: weather and road conditions, flight delays or cancellations, etc.  
* Refunds will be given for: county road closures longer than 6 hours; electric power or water shut down or plumbing not working for longer than 12 hrs - refund will be prorated.
* No refunds after check-in for any reason (except for situation described on line above).
* Refund checks will be mailed to address on file only, within 10 working days.
* Refunds of any payments made via a credit card will incur a 4% financial transaction fee.
* Purchasing TRAVEL INSURANCE is strongly recommended to all renters to minimize financial loss due to unforeseeable events.
* ADVANCE BOOKINGS: in case of a reservation made more than 5 months in advance, in the rare event that the unit reserved becomes unavailable for rental, owners are only obligated to return moneys renters already paid; renters agree to hold owners harmless from and against any claims, liability, losses, and expenses in connection to the failed reservation.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS:

The Sunset House unit:
- Bedroom #1 = one queen size bed
- Bedroom #2 = one queen size bed plus one twin size bed
- Living Room: additional sleeping possible (full-size futon or a foam *mattress* for a younster)

The Red Door aptartment unit:
- Bedroom = one queen size bed
- Living Room = additional sleeping possible: full-size futon + for a small child, a firm foam *Trifold Hide-A-Mat* that opens onto the floor providing extra sleeping surface.

GENERAL POLICIES:

* Check-In time in SUMMER: after 5:30 pm -- Other seasons: Winter = 4 pm -- April and October = 5 pm.
* Check-Out time: by 10 am SHARP!!!
* Late Check-Out: We must start the housekeeping chores at 10 am -- non-compliance is subject to a fee. If there is a booking coming in that afternoon, which generally is the case in the summer, we will charge $50 for leaving up to one hour late; $100/hr for leaving more than one hour late. Late check-outs create huge difficulties for our cleaners and for our guests who follow your booking. Cleaners are instructed to enter the unit at 10 am to start cleaning whether the unit has been vacated or not. Your belongings will be removed from the unit and we are not responsible for safely storing them after the agreed check out time of 10 am. In the event of an emergency guests are responsible for communicating with the owner by telephone.

* Purchasing Off-Season Late Check-outs: Late check-outs at 1pm are possible October 15 - April 15 for a fee equal to 20% of one night's rent. You will need to call the office the day before departure to make this arrangement since a last minute booking for your check-out day will preclude a late check-out.

* Mariposa County occupancy tax plus tourism fee: 11%.
* Longer reservations will have higher priority.
* Priority is given to Fridays and Saturdays being rented together.
* One set of sheets and towels is allocated to stays up to 4 nights.
* For Road and Weather conditions: call 209-372-0200.
* Snow chains in your car: required by the park from Nov. through April.
* Cars can not be parked on the streets. No RVs or camping!
* Quiet hours in this community are: 10 pm to 7 am.
* Telephone in units: one line is available for local calls only (calls to owner's contact numbers are free) -- bring your calling card for long distance calls.

REFUNDABLE SECURITY DEPOSIT:

* The security deposit is due at reservation time. For a party of 2 guests in the Red Door apt. and 4 guests (if all are family members) in the Sunset House unit, we'll use your credit card authorization in lieu of a paid-in-advance deposit.
* Balance of the refundable deposit will be returned to renter within 15 days via a personal check mailed to your address on file with us.
* We do not, of course, charge for normal "wear and tear". If you break something, please, please, tell us (and clean it up!) ... so that we can fix or replace items before our next guests arrive.

WINTER DRIVING IN THE SIERRAS:

* Always check for Hwy 120 status when planning to cross from the Eastern Sierras into Yosemite; this road is closed during snow season, some years opening as late as July.
* TIRE CHAINS: During the winter months and the adjacent months (such as late Nov., April and occasionally May), tire chains can become mandatory at any time during a snow storm.
* All drivers of vehicles entering the park during these stormy winter forecast periods can be asked by the gatekeepers to show that they have the tire chains in their car.
* Please be aware that few car rental companies include chains in their rentals or allow your own tire chains to be installed on their vehicles.
* Some information describing travellers' personal experiences with these issues can be found by searching the internet.
* You already read our cancellation policy -- please review this policy before signing the 2 reservation forms.
* During winter storms guests might have to rely solely on themselves to perform customary winter chores and necessary snow clearing; this property doesn't offer 24/7 snow clearing. We recommend the use of a 4-wheel drive vehicle during the winter season.
* Travel insurance is recommended and it can help by covering any costs lost due to weather, along with such issues as a medical emergency or personal issues.

CLEANING POLICY:

You agree to clean up after yourselves and to leave the property in the same condition it was in when you arrived. Property will be inspected after check-out. Any neglectful use will result in charges to your deposit and/or credit card. The bottom line is: If you don't want to clean while on vacation (... and who could blame you ?!?!?) - this house is not a good match for you or you can ask for extra maid service (see below) at reservation time, for an extra fee, but only if this service is available on your dates!

You are responsible for everyday cleaning chores such as washing your dishes and BBQ grills, cleaning up any spills immediatelly after they occurred, sorting and putting away puzzle pieces you used, use the toilet with common sense to prevent a clogged toilet, etc. -- In preparation for your arrival we do many chores that maybe you can't see but that make your stay more comfortable: thourough sanitation of kitchens and bathrooms, clean linen, vacuuming, upkeep maintenance (think fingerprints on windows), preventive maintenance, re-stocking supplies, deck furniture maintenance, yard clean up, and so much more ... we strive to do our best in the short time available between check-in and check out time, please do your part and we thank you in advance!

Below is a sample of requirements and typical charges for non-compliance - please note: this list is only a partial list and not at all comprehensive:

*You must wash and put away all your dishes, glasses, pots and pans and utensils to the same place you found them (just shoving items into cupboards and drawers does not fullfill this requirement): $25

*Greasy oven, frying pans, baking sheets, indoor grills, BBQ utensils, stored away without cleaning: $35

*Cooking fish or with fish sauces/spices is not allowed - strong cooking smells are very hard to eliminate in a timely fashion prior to the arrival of the next guests: $60

*Clean and wipe refrigerator of your spills. Leave only unopened food items, throw away any opened food (health safety and BEARS!!!) $25

*Stove, oven, microwave, and BBQ grill: wipe and clean them after each use to avoid baked on spots. $35 - $75

*Floor and Carpet stains and spills: normal wear is one thing, excessive stains from spills or mud and dirt are preventable. $50 - $475 (emergency rug shampooing job)

*Put away games, game pieces and CDs in their own boxes. $25

GARBAGE POLICY:

*Garbage policy: Carry in, Carry out: We have a pack-in/pack out garbage policy -- just like camping in the wilderness -- you are responsible for removing and disposing of any garbage you produce, preferably daily and, for sure, when you check out - disposing of garbage daily helps avoid attracting bears. Significantly limiting the amount of waste you produce is a necessity as there is no public garbage dumpster nor garbage pickup service in our area. Leaving any garbage in or around the property or anywhere else in the neighborhood is prohibited and it is a punishable county offense: fine $500-$1000

OTHER POLICIES:

*Linen: one set of towels and sheets for the first 4 nights; if you are staying longer, please wash your own towels and linen set or you can request maid service -- please do not use extra linen located in the linen closets - this linen stock is there, clean and ready, to be used by housekeeping to setup the unit for the next guests arriving after you. Your cleaning fee includes the laundering of only one set of sheets and one set of towels per person. $25 and up.

*Washer & dryer are for housekeeping use only and are available for renters free of charge, only when staying 5 nights or longer; a $35 fee will be charged to you in the event of your non-compliance. We ask you to start the first load of wash before you leave, this will help our housekeeping stay on schedule and keep the high standards our guests expect - thank you.

*Maid Service: You can request maid service at reservation time (only when the service is available): hourly fee $35

*Parking: the Sunset House has 2 parking spaces and the Red Door apt. has one -- parking extra vehicles in the street is prohibited by the county and you may be towed.

*When renting both units, do not remove items from each unit: you must leave all items in the units you found them - here is one example: taking a cork screw from one unit to be used in the other unit and then *forgetting* to return it to its original place will result in much agravation for future guests - please cooperate to keep both units well stocked at all times and for all guests - thank you.

*Damages & Loss - accidental or not: we will charge you the cost of repairs or replacement of any item(s) that is found damaged beyond normal wear or lost by your party, including shipping, mailing, and all labor and overtime required, (i.e. A $20.00 fee will be charged for each lost or unreturned key).

CALL US WITH ANY QUESTIONS: (831) 624-2066 - we want you to have a great time in Yosemite, be comfortable at our house and come back often - we hope the above policies will help everyone involved in the process.