Common Questions about Vacation Rental Cottages
How do I get Cottage info, directions and the keys?
As part of the booking process, we will have already sent you the Amenities Checklist and the Property Information. Upon acceptance of your booking we will return the Owner's Acceptance usually well within 48 hours. It is important that you read the Property Information and any additional notes from the Owner before you get to the Cottage so that you know what to expect.
For advanced bookings, as your vacation comes near, we will check in to see if you have any questions and remind you of due dates for payment of your balance. You can contact us anytime if you have questions.
Once we have received the final payment, we will send you directions usually via Google Maps. In some cases, for our more remote Cottages, we will draw the map ourselves and send it to you as an attachment to the email. Usually there will be a lock box containing the keys and we will send you the code and/or other access instructions two weeks before your vacation.
What are the arrival and departure times?
Unless otherwise stated, for weekly bookings the Arrival/Check-in time is Saturday at 4pm and the Departure/Check out time is the following Saturday by 11am. Please note that some of our Cottages change over on Sundays as noted in the listing.
For Fall, Winter and Spring bookings that are less than one week long, we will let you know the check-in and check out times as they sometimes vary.
Does anyone check the Cottage before I arrive?
Yes. The Owners of the Cottages are responsible to have someone check the Cottage prior to your arrival and after your departure to ensure that the Cottage is clean and in working order. Please contact us within 24 hours of your arrival if it is not.
What will be there when I arrive?
Pillows and Blankets are provided unless otherwise stated in the Property Description.
Basic items such as dishes, cutlery, utensils, pots, pans, fridge, stove, small appliances and usually a TV, DVD and stereo system will be available for your use. The small appliances and entertainment systems vary from place to place and you can see the details on the Amenities list.
In some cases, the Cottage will have some spices and dry condiments. You are welcome to use these. Please replenish anything that you deplete or use a lot of.
Most Cottage Owners will provide a starting supply of toilet paper, paper towel and Kleenex. Guests are expected to bring all of these and other consumable items. Please review the Property Information for additional details if any.
There will be cleaning supplies including dish soap so that you can leave the Cottage in the same condition as you found it when you check out. Thank you!
What do I need to bring?
The following is a list of suggestions to bring with you on your Cottage holiday:
- Drinking water: Check the Property Information for details. Most Cottages pump water from the lake and filter it. If the water is not drinkable, it will be clearly stated. If you have any concerns, please bring drinking water with you.
- Linens (Bedroom, Bathroom and Kitchen): You need to bring sheets, pillowcases, sleeping bags, towels, and kitchen linens. (Blankets and pillows are provided unless stated otherwise.)
- Personal items: Hand soap, shampoo and all other personal hygiene items.
- Personal Floatation Devices (PDF): If you are planning on going out on the water, every person must have a properly fitted PDF, that you must bring with you.
- Toilet paper, Kleenex and Paper Towels: There may be some of these items at the Cottage to get you started however, you should not count on it and have a supply with you when you arrive.
- Firewood, fire starters & matches: Most Cottages do not supply these items. If the Cottage has a fire pit for your use, you can purchase firewood, fire starters and matches at local stores and gas stations. Do not transport wood into the area as you may infect this area with tree diseases found in Southern Ontario. Fire regulations are controlled by each municipality.
- Flashlights: Cottage country is much different from the city when it comes to power outages. Hydro One personnel are quick to respond to issues however if we have severe weather that causes an outage these outages can be lengthy. You should have a flashlight so you can see in the dark when outside the Cottage.
- Sun Tan Lotion and bug repellant are always handy in Cottage Country!
Please check the Property Information and Amenities for more information specific to your chosen cottage.
For visitors from outside of Ontario, we will endeavour to make arrangements to provide linens and other extras as needed for a fee.
Can I drink the water at the Cottage?
As mentioned in the, "What do I Bring?" section, most Cottages use the lake as the primary source of water, including drinking water. We recommend you bring bottled water for drinking if you are at all concerned about drinking the local water. The Property Information will let you know what type of filtration and sterilization takes place at the Cottage.
What's the Wildlife like?
Well the first thing you need to know is that the wild life love human food. Here are a few "don'ts" to help you be safe and keep the critters outside:
- Do not leave garbage outside (ever!). This may attract larger unwanted animals such as Bears. Trust us, you do not want a Bear visiting you at the Cottage! If you need to store garbage outside, place it in a Bear proof container.
- Do not leave food out on the kitchen counters or anywhere else in the Cottage. It will attract mice and ants.
- Do not leave doors open. Chipmunks and squirrels might visit you and mice will view it as an opened invitation.
- Lights at night will attract moths and other types of flying insects.
Enjoy the surroundings, the smaller variety of animal life love to scurry around while the larger ones usually keep to themselves. The bugs? Well, they love everybody! It's all part of being here.
What kinds of fish are in the Lake?
Using local information from our Owner's, we include information in our listings on the types of fish in the various lakes. The Ministry of Natural Resources web site can also be a good place to find lake information.
How can I help take care of the Environment while at the Cottage?
While you're relaxing at the Cottage, just look and listen. Seems if you focus your attention on any spot for a few seconds you will see and/or hear different creatures living in their natural environment. Everything here is food for something else and on up the food chain it goes to the larger animals. Just be respectful that everything you use here is probably a home or food for some of those creatures. Be kind to the land, to the trees and to the lake and they along with the woodland creatures will be here when you come back. Don't forget to reduce, reuse, recycle and reclaim in order to protect this and other environments.
Will all of the amenities listed be available for my rental?
This largely depends on the time of year. The Amenities listed are those that will be found for rentals in July and August. For instance, an Owner may want to take the dock out during late September, Hot tubs may not be left on year round or patio furniture may not be brought out until late June. Please contact us if you want to confirm certain Amenities in the months other than July and August.
Do I bring my own BBQ gas?
No. Most Cottages have propane BBQ's and the Owner will usually provide one full spare if the one already on the BBQ happens to run out.
Can we light fire works off at the Cottage?
No. The Owners do not want Fireworks at any of their Cottages.
What attractions are near the Cottage?
We provide information on local attractions and/or links to the local tourism offices so that you can better plan your vacation time when you are here.
Can I have a campfire at the Cottage?
Some of our Cottages do have fire pits for your use. Some Cottages have a rule of "No Fires". This will be in the Amenities Check list and the Property Information. Check with the local municipalities to make sure there is no fire ban on if your Cottage allows fires.
Is Firewood provided?
Only some Cottages provide a limited supply of firewood for fireplaces and fire pits. Please check the Property Information to see if and what is offered. There are many gas stations and general stores in Cottage country that carry local firewood. Please do not transfer wood from "anywhere" to here. The risk transferring Southern Ontario tree diseases is too great. Please purchase your firewood locally.
Can we play music outside?
We ask for all Guests to consider the peace and enjoyment of the neighbouring Cottagers. It is normal in Cottage country that we turn the music, talking and other noise way down by 11:00 pm. Of course, unreasonable noise during the day will also interfere with the enjoyment of others so please be reasonable.
Do I need a license to drive a boat?
Yes. The Federal government has a "Safe Boating Guide" that you need to be aware of for using any watercraft. You can read about it in Transport Canada's Safe Boating Guide.
Does the Lake Water stay at the same level?
Many of our Land-Locked lakes will remain at a fairly steady level. Many larger lakes in some areas are on managed water systems such as the Trent Severn Waterway System. The water levels will change during the course of the year on these lakes sometimes by many feet. The pictures we take are usually during the summer peak months. Water levels are generally highest in June and lowest in September.
Is there Satellite TV?
Some Cottages have a Satellite service while many will have just a TV and a DVD player. This will be noted in the Amenities.
Will my Cell Phone work?
Services are always improving in Cottage Country. However, many areas have little or no cellular service depending on the service provider. Whenever possible we will let you know what type of service strength you can achieve with a Bell Canada cell phone. Not every service provider will have reliable service here.
Is there WiFi / Internet access at the Cottages?
If there is Internet access, it will usually be provided using WiFi and the access info will be given to you in the Property Description. Please avoid streaming videos or downloading large files such as movies as they could exceed the Owner's data plan. Should this happen, once we receive the data usage bill from the Owner, we will charge it to your credit card along with our administration fee.
What about long distance telephone charges?
First, not all Cottages have phones. If a telephone is provided you are welcome to use it for no-charge local calls. Please do not make long distance calls. Should long distance charges appear, once we receive the phone bill from the Owner, we will charge it to your credit card along with our administration fee.
Can I rent a boat from a nearby Marina?
That's a tough question for several reasons. Not every lake has a Boat Launch. Most lakes do not have a Marina or one that is nearby, and not every Marina has rentals or rentals of every kind. We do our best to get local knowledge from the Owners as to if and where Marina or Boat Rental facilities are. If the Owner is aware of a Boat Launch we will include it in the Property Information. You can check www.boatingontario.ca for Marina info in Ontario.
How do I dispose of garbage?
Instructions for garbage disposal are provided at each Cottage in the Property Information. Please never leave garbage outside. Large animals, like Bears, love garbage. Very few of our Cottages have roadside pickup and there will be special instructions on when to put the garbage out in the Property Information. At all other Cottages, you are responsible to take your garbage and recycling to the closest landfill/recycling site. Please check the Property Information for details. If you can't get to the landfill/recycling site on your last day please take your garbage/recyclables with you.
Do I have to clean the Cottage?
Yes. It is the responsibility of the Guest to clean the Cottage at the end of your stay. The Cottages we represent are all privately owned and one of the Owner's primary concerns in renting out their Cottage is how it will be left at the end of your stay. In most areas of Cottage Country it is difficult to arrange cleaning services; therefore the traditional means of making sure that the Cottage is clean upon your arrival is to have the prior Guests clean the Cottage prior to leaving it for you. Cleaning supplies and equipment are available at the Cottage and someone will inspect the Cottage prior to your arrival and then again after your departure to make sure it has been left in clean and working order.
Can I hire a cleaning service?
Cleaning services are very busy in the summer. Ask us early and we will see if we can find an available service for you.
What do I do if I have a question, concern or something stops working while I'm at the Cottage?
Please call the Primary Contact listed in your Property Information package and if not immediately available, the Secondary Contact. If all else fails contact us. In addition, if there were a small problem that you think might turn into a bigger one, please let us know.
What do I do if I break something?
Things happen. Just call us and we will work out a solution with you. Please tell us and please don't wait to let us know after you get home. By then we will have had to do an emergency resolution for the next Guest and therefore charge you our expenses per the Security Guarantee. It is easier if we know in advance so can plan for it.
Should I worry about Pet Allergies?
A Cottage that does not allow pets does not necessarily mean that there have never been pets at that Cottage. If anyone in your party has a pet allergy, please contact us before booking. We cannot guarantee that a Cottage has never had a pet or other animal in it.
Should I worry about Mould Allergies?
We inspect every Cottage we list with a primary eye to validate that they are clean, dry and taken care of. If you have a mould allergy, please contact us before booking to discuss. We cannot guarantee that any Cottage will be completely Mould free.