~ CHECK-IN ~
~ SPECIFICS ~
LET US KNOW YOU'RE IN ~ Please text us when you have arrived so we know you got in OK.
LIGHTS ~ If we know you will be arriving after dark, we will leave the outside flood lights on for you. It's a good idea to provide us with your ETA. Please turn lights off when no longer needed. The main switch for front flood lights are in the living room left of the French doors. Back flood lights are left of the back door. Thanks....it's much appreciated!
INSPECT ~ Please do an initial walk-through and alert us to anything amiss. We will make it right with a 5-star response.
CONTACT US ~ Text or call 802-356-4712 or 802-291-3839. Hopefully, we have dotted all our I's and crossed all our T's. We work very hard to prepare for your stay, but we are human. CALL if anything is urgent. First, try one number and then the other if you don't hear back within 5 minutes. We both travel for work and may not be able to respond instantly due to cell service. Call 911 if you have an emergency.
KEY ~ After your initial check-in, it's a good idea to place the key back in the lockbox. Extra guest keys are hanging on a hook in the living room, and they can be used during your stay.
Check-in is after 4 PM, and check-out is before 11 AM unless otherwise arranged. IF we can alter these times to accommodate your group, we will. However, we usually do have tight schedules, and we hope you understand if we cannot.
This is the front porch door. If you tell us you will be arriving after dark, we will leave the outside floodlights on. Please turn them off once you no longer need them. The switch is to the left of the French doors in the living room.
The front porch door will be unlocked. The lockbox is on the kitchen French door, which is the 2nd door over.
After your initial check-in, it's a very good idea to place the key back in the lockbox. Exra guest keys are available for use during your stay. They are hanging on a hook in the living room, across from the fireplace.
You can park right here for easy unloading and then wherever is convenient for you. There is plenty of space!
EZPZ hook to keep the door open while you unload the car.
~ CHECK-OUT ~
Check-out is before 11:00 AM.
We have a check-out list to make it easier. Check off and send us a picture. It's on a clipboard. Thanks!
Why We Ask You to Complete the Check-Out Checklist
We ask guests to check off each item on the departure list and send us a quick photo of the completed checklist before leaving.
This isn’t meant to make check-out complicated. The checklist is simply a final walk-through reminder that protects the cottage, its belongings, the people who care for the property, and our guests.
Over the years, we’ve learned that even very conscientious guests can overlook things when packing up and heading home. Unfortunately, some of those small oversights can have bigger consequences. For example, outdoor items have been left on the lawn and later damaged by lawn-care equipment because they weren’t visible to the mower. Other important items—such as turning off air conditioners, securing doors and windows, returning keys, and properly storing trash and recycling—are easy to forget in the rush to leave.
So, please....before you leave, please check off each item and send us a photo of the completed list. It only takes a minute and helps us tremendously.
Thank you for taking good care of our family cottage. We truly appreciate it.
- Beds & Linens - Leave sheets on the beds; we will treat them and take care of them. Place towels in the hampers provided or in the tubs. Any blankets used should be placed on the bed(s).
- Dishes- Please wash and put away your pots, pans, and dishes. If you have dishes you couldn't wash and put away, please place them in the dishwasher and set it to "light" or 1-hour. Quirk! You can't open the dishwasher once it has started. It will stop, so you will need to restart the dishwasher.
- Wipe Counter, Stove, and Table—Counters, tables, and the stove must be wiped clean and clear to prevent mice and bugs from moving in.
- Keys & Locking Up - Ensure the keys are in the lockbox and that the cottage keys are hanging up in the living room. A good way to lock up is to lock the porch screen door first, then the French doors, the master bedroom door facing the lake, the bathroom door to the outside, the back door, and exit out the main bedroom door, locking it behind you. Give a tug and a pull to ensure the doors are fully latched.
- Heat - Please turn down the furnace thermostat in the hallway to 60. Turn the Renai heater in the living room off when you leave.
-Boats - Be sure all boats are securely locked. Be sure both ends of the cable are through the mechanism on the boats and through all hardware.
- Recycling Waste Removal - It's a safety issue and Vermont law. There will be a "quicky" note on the counter. Please be sure all bins have a liner. No loose garbage, please! Trash haulers won't take it out. We've had a lot of problems with guests placing dog poop bags in the container without a liner. Place the bags in the garbage bags. There is a small white garbage receptacle in the "bear-proof" room; use that. Thanks.
Garbage/Trash- On the back of the lean-to, you will find a room sectioned off from the rest of the lean-to. You will find large square black bins for anything that can't be recycled. There will be 2 large round red bins for glass, tin, plastic, or aluminum containers that can be recycled. There will be a small dark blue bin for redeemables (5- and 10-cent returns).
Recycling- Place rinsed recycling containers (plastic, glass, tin, & aluminum) with caps removed in the red round container(s). Recycling needs to be rinsed so we don't attract creatures great and small. They WILL come to dine if these aren't followed. Cardboard goes into small/short blue bins. Redeemables go in the short black container labeled 5 & 10 cent returns. Trash that can't be recycled goes into the large square dark grey bins.
Food- Compost (including used paper plates) goes into the bucket on the porch or back door deck. You can also burn your paper plates in your fires outside, eliminating any creatures from wanting them. Do not put food in the garbage; it will attract animals. Plus, it's a Vermont law. We also have a "quicky reference" sheet for recycling in the kitchen. Questions? Please ask us.
Meat and dairy go into the freezer; we will dispose of them. Plastic bags are in the pantry's hutch drawer.
SUMMARY-
Leave all used linens on the beds.
Towels in hampers or tubs.
Do your own pots, pans, & dishes.
Wipe down counters, tables, and the stovetop. Put keys back.
Turn down the heat to 60.
Take care of trash.
Lock up! All doors!
Pick Up toys and lawn games and place them neatly in the woodshed.
Be sure boats are securely locked up. Too many times, they are improperly locked, and we have had boats stolen! Sad as that is. You will be responsible for replacing any boats stolen during your stay.
Thank you!
We offer our cottage in a variety of options, on Houfy (House-For-You), to fit everyone from an individual (1) to (14) people. Rent just 1 bedroom or 2, 3, 4, 6, or 7. Availability is seasonal. Nobody else will be there while you rent. If you rent one bedroom, please do not use the other bedrooms. We will invoice you if you use other beds not included in your reservation.