FAQS

Our guests will enjoy the convenience of quickly and easily paying for our vacation homes directly from our website. Rest easy knowing that our online payment platform is accredited, certified, and secured.

The minimum age to rent a vacation home is 25 years old. This is a requirement of our insurance provider.

Most of our homes have at least a 2 night minimum stay. During the peak summer season, most of our vacation homes are rented for one week periods. Please read the details of the property that you are considering to see any restrictions.

Upon confirmation of your reservation and a signed Vacation Rental Agreement, you will be emailed a welcome package that includes such items as arrival and departure instructions, and details about how to use our Happy Stays guest app.

An advance payment equal to 50% of the rental rate is required within 3 days of receipt of confirmation of reservation. The remaining balance is due 30 days prior to your check-in date. Reservations made less than 30 days prior to arrival will require payment in full. Custom payment plans may be arranged to meet your needs; please give us a call!

Sea Star Coastal Vacations uses electronic locks on each of the properties. Your code for the locks will be available in the Happy Stays guest app at check in time. Please note that check in is anytime after 4:00 pm. You may go directly to the rental unit, as there is no need to go to an office.

Our maximum occupancy refers to the number of people allowed in the home at any given time (it includes guests and visitors), some of which may be mandated by certain regulations. Exceptions towards the maximum number of people allowed may be made for children under the age of 2.

Check in is at 4 pm. Early arrivals may be arranged pending other reservations and the housekeeping schedule. Please contact us as far ahead of your arrival as possible to make these arrangements. Unless you have specifically arranged for an early arrival time, please do not arrive at the property before your schedule check in time.

Check out is at 9 a.m. Your prompt departure is appreciated so we can prepare the home for any incoming guests. A 1 hour late departure may be arranged pending other reservations and the housekeeping schedule. If you have not arranged for a late check out, you may be charged $35 for each hour beyond 10 am you are still on property, at a minimum of one hour. If the home has not been vacated by 3 pm, a fee equal to the daily rental rate may be assessed.

You will receive detailed instructions for your arrival and departure. All properties are inspected prior to your arrival, but we encourage you to inspect the property to ensure no major damage was done by prior guests, for which you could potentially be held liable. Failure to comply with pre-departure cleaning requirements resulting in excessive cleaning will be charged to your credit card at $75/hour, with a one-hour minimum. General check out procedures include:

All dirty dishes, cookware and eating utensils should be washed, rinsed, dried and put away in the proper location. Please load and start the dishwasher with any last-used items, so they will be clean and ready for our housekeepers to put away.

Floors should be in generally good condition and ready to be vacuumed by our housekeepers.

All household trash & garbage should be picked up & put in the appropriate waste bins/containers.

Refrigerator and microwave should be left clean and free of food.

All appliances (stove, oven, BBQ, etc.) should be left in a clean condition and free of spills and grease.

Please wipe down counters and other surfaces.

All litter must be picked up from the premises and placed in the outside garbage cans, tied securely in trash bags.

Please try not to leave any pet hair in the home! Duct tape works great on furniture

GLITTER AND CONFETTI ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ANY PROPERTY, INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.

If you cancel your reservation, you will not be entitled to any refund unless the property you have rented is subsequently rented to another vacationer, in which case your money will be refunded at the end of that guest’s stay, less a cancellation fee of $100. You are strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance to protect yourself against these losses.

We do not issue refunds due to acts of nature such as rainy days or hurricanes. Travel insurance is strongly recommended to protect yourself from such loss.

Travel insurance is available during the reservation process, through our partnership with Rental Guardian. They have both a standard travel protection policy, and a Cancel For Any Reason policy as well. Please refer to their documentation for details on what is included in the coverage.

We require a $1500 security deposit, which is refunded within 45 days after checkout, less any funds needed for repair of damage verified by property manager inspection. As an alternative, you may purchase damage protection insurance which covers up to $1500 in damage, at a cost of $59. This option will be available during your reservation process.

Pets are permitted in selected homes. There is a fee of $100 per pet.

Smoking is strictly prohibited in all of our rental homes. If there is tobacco smell in the home after your departure, there will be a minimum $500 charge and potentially an additional cleaning fee.

We do our best to ensure you have an outstanding vacation experience, but sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. We will do our best to notify you prior to arrival but cannot guarantee advance notification. For example, if the swimming pool or hot tub is not working, we are unable to provide discounts or refunds of the rental amount. In some circumstances, the owner of the property may be willing to provide consideration.

Bath towels, bed sheets, pillows and blankets are provided. DO NOT take the home’s linens or towels outside. Please allow us to wash the home’s linens unless you need to clean linens during your stay.

All of our homes are equipped with complimentary wifi internet.

We are happy to check for any missing items and return them to you. You will be charged the cost of shipping.

We provide all the services you will need to enjoy your rental property as if you were a guest! This includes a full service preventive maintenance program, advice on how to best ready your home for the current rental market, full service trust accounting and tax services, and marketing your home for maximum vacation rentals. All concierge services for our guests are also available to our owners.

We will provide biannual maintenance evaluations to address the normal wear and tear on properties in this environment, and make sure all repairs are completed to ensure the safety of anyone who uses the property. We will also have regular inspections by our property managers to ensure everything is in order. Needed repairs throughout the year will be done in a timely manner.

Renters are required to either pay a security deposit, or carry a rental damage insurance policy. Properties are inspected after each rental to identify any damage and arrange for repairs if needed.

We will work out a communication plan and style that suits you. Whether you prefer emergency-only texts, or more frequent detailed calls, we are here to meet your needs! Your preferences will be noted, and followed to the best of our ability.