How many people can stay in the house?
Each house has capacity for 7 people. If you have more people, we can reserve both houses at a discount. We do not count infants or babies under 1 year of age in considering capacity.
Please note that this is capacity, not necessarily what will be comfortable or provide privacy. The Enchanted Hideaway has two regular beds and two hide-a-beds. The Hideaway Lodge has one regular bed, a futon, and two hide-a-beds.
We do not allow additional people
to stay, nor do we
allow RV's, campers, or tents outside for more people. This is a residential
neighborhood. Nearby places to camp or RV include:
Lake Whitney Marina at Juniper Cove,
McGowan Valley or Cedron Creek Parks (Corps
of Engineers ),
Thousand Trails, Lake
Whitney Resort, and a bit further away,
Lake
Whitney State Park.
Do I need to bring linens and towels?
No, we supply clean linens and towels.
Who all do you sell my e-mail address to?
No one, neither do we sell your snail mail address. We only use these to communicate with you and to process payments on PayPal.
Why the reservation/damage/cleaning deposit? How do I get it back?
Ninety-five percent of our guests leave our cabins in good shape, requiring a normal level of cleaning to prepare for the next guests. A few people have left it a total mess, or with some damages, that requires considerable additional effort to get it ready. Rather than penalize the majority of our guests with a non-refundable cleaning fee, as some locations do, or build it into higher rates, we elected to use a refundable deposit. We did have a prior reservation deposit of the first 2 nights rent, which meant we would be holding a larger amount of your money, sometimes for many months. Requiring the deposit provides us with some security for making the reservation and marking out the dates. We will refund the deposit within several days of your departure -- by check if you mailed us a check -- by PayPal if you submitted online. If we are unable to refund the full deposit, we will tell you exactly the reason. For all of 2009, we did not keep one single penny of the deposits for leaving the place in a mess.
What are your cleaning expectations?
Do you do windows? No, seriously, we expect only:
We do not want the beds made, do not expect the place to be swept or mopped clean, do not want linens washed, etc.
What about early check-in and late check-out?
Early check-in, 12 noon, and late check-out, 5 pm, are available for no extra charge as long as we do not have anyone else in the house the day before or the day after your stay. This must be requested in advance, however. Unless it is guaranteed with $50 payment at time of registration, we reserve the right to decline your request at any time. With the guaranteed option, we can be very flexible on times. Please note that the guarantee is a reservation and subject to the same refund restrictions as reservation deposits.
What about staying only one night?
Fine, if you pay for two nights. The cost of cleaning up and making ready for the next person does not make one night rentals economically feasible for us.
Can you see the lake? How far is it to the water?
It is 100-200 yards to the water's edge. You cannot see the lake from the houses.
Do you rent the pontoon boat without renting a cabin?
No. It is only available to cabin guests.
Can I have people join me at the cabin during the day time?
Yes. Just recognize that the cabin facilities do have practical limits.
Is there space to park my boat? Can I launch my boat nearby? Can I keep my boat nearby?
There is space to park your boat. Launch ramps are within 2-3 miles at Corps of Engineers parks and private marinas. The cove permits beaching. The private marina nearby rents slips for day use.
Do I need to bring a kennel for my dog?
Only if you plan on leaving your dogs inside the house while you are away.
Is there a place to fish and swim?
The cove has areas suitable for fishing and swimming. The parks nearby also permit fishing and have swimming beaches, and the entire shoreline is public access. The marina has a fishing barge. Please note that this lake has a game warden and fishing regulations are enforced.
Is there telephone/cell phone service?
The cabins do not have telephone service. Cell phone service is variable, depending on: your carrier, the time of day, which side of the house you are on, the phases of the moon, sunspots, what you ate for breakfast, etc. Both houses have metal roofs, which do limit inside reception. We are in a hilly and rural area. Advanced cell phone services are often not available, depending on your carrier. You can view this in a positive manner, and if you need to give someone the excuse that the cell phone does not work we will be happy to provide it.
Is there a weight/size limit on pets?
Yes, 300 pounds per dog. Seriously, we got tired of answering that question in every other e-mail.
Is there really no additional fees for pets?
It is true, we do not charge any additional deposits, fees, etc., for pets. We really, really, really, do love dogs and want your pets to come have a good time.
Is there a number limit on pets?
We had 18 in the Enchanted Hideaway during the Hurricane Rita evacuation. They had a good time, but I'm not sure the 20 humans they brought along for the ride enjoyed it quite as much. That does not really answer the question. We have had up to 5 small ones and 3 large ones, not counting the new litter that came one time. We assume you will handle your dogs, prevent trouble, and manage any messes they may make, whether you bring 1 or a dozen.
Another question we did not answer?