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Frequently Asked Questions
- Why should I rent a home through Cozumel Vacation Rentals?
We
are much more than a rental company. We are a professional property
management and vacation rental company that has been in business on
Cozumel for over 14 years. All of the homes and villas we manage are
privately owned and our company maintains each of the properties you
see advertised on this web site. We have built and maintained an excellent
reputation because we only accept management of
vacation homes and villas that meet our strict guidelines for quality. This doesn't make our vacation rentals more expensive
for you. What it does mean to you, is that every home we represent is
completely furnished, well decorated, constantly inspected and
maintained, kept impeccably clean and properly equipped for the
comfort, security and privacy of guests. (Our management staff are home owners themselves, and realize the specific
maintenance issues involved in keeping a home in top condition.)
Cozumel Vacation Rentals is proud to be a member of the Better Business
Bureau and the BBB OnLine. Our company was even featured in the BBB OnLine newsletter to over 20,000 members.
You can see it at http://www.bbbonline.org/update/issue.asp?ID=13
- Are you different than a rental agent?
We do act as a rental agent for the homes we manage but there are a
number of important differences. As the property management company caring
for these vacation homes, we live and work on Cozumel and we are extremely
familiar with the homes we represent. Some vacation homes are rented by booking
agents in the U.S. that may or may not have ever personally seen the house.
If you prefer to work with a U.S. based rental agent, we can provide you with a
reference for those agents who are authorized to represent our properties and
have personally visited & inspected each one.
- Why should I care that a professional
company manages a home?
A management company is important to insure the
quality of a home and the comfort and security of guests. A professional
and reliable management company can assure a home is kept clean and in top
condition for guests, arriving guests are met at the airport, there is
dependable and well trained maid service, there is regular delivery of purified
water and linens and additional guest services required by guests are arranged.
There are some vacation home owners unwilling to invest in the expense of a professional management company.
However, without one homes can suffer from a lack of maintenance and if problems
do develop, guests in these homes may be left without recourse. Who does a guest
call if "the friend who looks after our house" on Cozumel forgets to
meet them at the airport and leaves them waiting for hours, or if the maid
simply never shows up?
At Cozumel Vacation Rentals, our normal office hours are 9am-3pm,
CST, Monday through Saturday but we are on-call 24 hours a day/7 days
a week for emergencies via our radio telephones and all guests are given
that number. Our commitment is to
provide the finest quality vacation homes possible, plus our personalized
service to each one of our guests. We do everything possible to
insure that every home is in the finest condition possible, but should you
encounter any difficulties during your stay we are here to assist you
because our responsibility to you does not end once you've rented a
vacation home. But don't just take our word for it, read
what our happy
guests have to say about us.
- How far in advance do I need to reserve a home?
There is no set time limit for reserving a home
but many homes, especially those on the water, book up several months in
advance. Christmas and New Year weeks book as early as 10 months prior. We
accept reservations up to 15 months in advance.
You may email,
phone or fax us at at our U.S. reservations office, 713- 523-1013. Please include your email
address, phone and
fax number, your arrival and
departure dates, any homes in which you are particularly
interested, the amenities you'd like, the number of people in your party and, if
there are children, their ages. The more you can tell us about your party, the
better we can help you find the perfect vacation home for your needs.
- What are your payment and cancellation policies?
We can not accept credit cards. The initial rental deposit of 50% of the
rental fee confirms your reservation and is non-refundable. The balance of the
rental fee plus local fees and security deposit must be made in U.S. dollars and are due within 45 days prior to the date of
arrival and is non-refundable. All homes
require a security deposit (from $150 to $300) which is completely refundable
subject to a satisfactory inspection and will be returned to you by a check in
US Dollars within two weeks of departure.
Refunds of the initial rental deposit or balance will ONLY be issued if
we are able to re-book the same home for the same dates and at
the same rental rate. All cancellations, regardless of whether we are able to
re-book the home or not, are subject to a $150 processing fee. Cancellation
processing fee for any cancelled nights during Christmas or New Years weeks is $300.
There are circumstances you should be aware of which Cozumel
Vacation Rentals and the home owner
will not be liable for and for which
refunds will not be issued. These include, but are not limited to Acts of God
(including weather related events),
medical emergencies, accidents, airline problems, personal loss or injury, etc. Because
of these types of potential problems we urge you to consider purchasing
travel insurance from an airline, travel
agent or third party insurance carrier which covers accommodations and air
travel. Read the policy
carefully to be sure you obtain the coverage you need. No refunds or credits
will be issued due to airline cancellations, changes or delays. All payment and cancellation policies also apply to
all home rental/scuba diving packages.
- How will I get from the airport to the home?
Your house manager will greet you at Cozumel
Airport and assist you in obtaining ground transportation. You will purchase
tickets for one of the airport vans and our house manager will wait with you until you are
boarded in one of the vans and will make certain that the driver knows the location of the house.
Due to local transportation unions we are not able to personally transport you
to the home. We will meet you at the home to give you the keys, a tour of the
home and answer any questions you have.
- Is maid service included in the rental?
Maid service is included in a weekly rental at most properties where a maid will come every day
except Sunday and major Mexican holidays and clean the house. Bed and bath linens are changed twice during
the week. Personal laundry of the renters is not included in this service. Many
homes do have washers & dryers and guests are welcome to use the machines
after the maid has left for the day.
- What about tipping in Mexico?
Gratuities are always optional
and should always be at your discretion, based on the service you receive, but
we are often asked what is customary.
Maids:
At most properties, daily
maid service (except Sunday and major Mexican holidays) is included in
the price of your vacation home. However, maids as well as most workers
on Cozumel do depend on tips as a large portion of their income. Our
maids work very hard to please you and have very strict guidelines for
accepting tips, so if you wish to leave a gratuity please leave it at
the end of your stay in the envelope provided which is clearly marked
for maid service. Because so many guests ask us what is customary, a
guideline for your consideration is $1 U.S. per day per person occupying
the home.
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Cook Service: If
we arrange cook service for you, please know that the cooks are not
direct employees of Cozumel Vacation Rentals. They work for a company we
have confidence in, and one with whom we've contracted to provide
excellent cooks for your culinary pleasure. Please help us to be certain
that these excellent workers receive what you intend for them by leaving
any gratuities in the separate envelope clearly marked for cook
service.
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| House/Guest
Service Managers: Our house/guest service managers do not depend on
tips for their income. As you can imagine, however, tips
are always very appreciated are at your discretion. Our
home/guest service managers are there to provide you with the services
you need and to handle any problems that might arise. They are always
very happy to arrange additional services such as booking scuba diving,
tours, arranging car rentals, etc. In some cases because of the amount
of business we do with these providers we have been able to negotiate a
bit better rate for our guests and our house/guest services managers are
pleased to assist you in obtaining those special rates. Please be assured that our staff is
prohibited from recommending or arranging services for our guests with
non-authorized providers. |
Due to the scheduling of flights in and out of Cozumel, it is possible
to have one group arrive and another group depart on the same plane. Therefore, it is necessary for
the departing renters to check out by 10:00am on the day of departure so the home can be cleaned and
prepared for the incoming renters.
- Do the homes have telephones
and internet access
Every vacation home we represent has a telephone or
stationary cellular phone.
These phones are for local calls only. Sorry, no exceptions. You can
receive both local and long distance calls but for outgoing long distance and
toll calls (to cell phones) there are a number of
calling centers around town. There you can place long distance calls using a credit card, phone card,
or cash.
Most homes
offer internet service for your laptop. A few homes have internet based long
distance calling (voice over internet). Please inquire when reserving a home. If
you have Skype on your laptop you should be able to make long distance calls
from any vacation villa that has high speed internet service..
- Are the terms and policies the same if I purchase a home rental/diving package?
Reservation, payment and cancellation policies are the same for
packages. However, our home rental
& diving packages additionally include: local rental fees, transportation costs to and
from the airport and all diving services as listed in the package.
- Can you arrange my diving, cook
service, excursions, etc.? Can you arrange my diving, cook
service, excursions, etc.?
We'd be happy to arrange any additional services you
wish such as a personal cook, fishing,
scuba diving, snorkeling, island tours,
mainland excursions, baby-sitting and more! Some of these services require reservations or a deposit in advance.
Because we have lived on Cozumel Island for
years, we have tried many
service providers. We use only those who are reliable, honest, and charge a
reasonable fee for their services. Though we cannot be responsible
directly for their
service, should you experience any problems we do want to know about it and will
assist you.
For reservations and information, email
us at homes@cozumel-vacation-rentals.com
or call our US Reservations Office
(713) 523-1013 Mon-Fri, 9am to 3pm (CST)
If you don't see a vacation home
that fits your needs, or would like information on an accommodations/scuba
diving package, please email us at
homes@cozumel-vacation-rentals.com
and we'll work to find just the right home or package for you.
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