Frequently Asked Questions about Villas, Homes, Apartments and rentals in Tuscany, Italy

Frequently Asked Questions about Villas, Homes, Apartments and rentals in Tuscany, Italy
How do I reserve an apartment or villa? How do I find out if there is availability for the apartment or villa? How long is the normal rental period? How far in advance should I be reserving my preferred rental? Do you ever have any special offers or last minute trips? How much is the deposit and when is it paid? What is a final cleaning fee? How and where do I pay the security deposit? Who will be there to meet me at the villa? What is the Guest Login? How do I get directions to arrive at the villa? When is low season and high season? What does a free standing Villa mean?
How do I reserve an apartment or villa? You can click on the RESERVE NOW button next to the prices on the bottom of each page. A Pop Up window will open with the booking formulary. Please fill in all requested information. OR Just send your full name, mailing address, phone number, fax number and cell phone number in an email or fax with the dates you are interested in and the villa or apartment you would like to reserve. We will immediately confirm the availability of your choice and send you a rental document with the dates, the final cost and the deposit amount. All Prices on our website are in Euro. They apply for one week and are for the whole apartment or the whole villa. Top How do I find out if there is availability for the apartment or villa? The fastest and easiest way to check availability is to click on the AVAILABILITY TAB located above the description of each house page. Each villa and apartment has its own personal calendar where you can review the weeks available. Or you can write us by clicking on the CONTACT US link, tell us the date and the villa or apartment and we will respond immediately with the availability Top How long is the normal rental period? The normal rental period runs from Saturday afternoon to Saturday morning. Check-in time is after 4 P.M. and check-out, unless indicated differently at the villa, is by 10 A.M. Some villas will permit rental periods outside of Saturday to Saturday, you may ask us. During low season we are flexible and you can start your rental any day of the week. Top How far in advance should I be reserving my preferred rental? You should consider reserving your favourite rental at least 8-10 months in advance, especially if you are a large group. The larger villas rent out very quick! This means start looking in August or September if you are planning on vacationing in June or July. Top Do you ever have any special offers or last minute trips? We sure do and you should check them out frequently because they will be updated daily. We have a special section LAST MINUTE VILLAS on the left side navigation bar. We have conveniently listed the names of the villas which offer a Last Minute Discount and the percentage amount of discount applied on the regular list price. Top How much is the deposit and when is it paid? The Down Payment varies from villa to villa but its approximately 35% of the total costs. After you received our email with the Booking Proposal you have 1 week to pay the Down Payment. When we receive it we will confirm it by Email and it will show in your Guest Login Area. With this deposit the apartment or villa is definitely booked for you. The final payment is made 30 days before your arrival or paid in cash or by Credit Card on arrival! Top What is a final cleaning fee? The final cleaning fee is a surcharge that all property owners add for linen, towels and the cleaning of the villa upon your departure. It varies in cost from the size of the villa (15.- to 20.- Euro for each person). This does not mean that the villa can be left a mess! You are still required to throw away all trash, leave the dishes clean, the refrigerator empty, and all furniture on their original place! Top How and where do I pay the security deposit? The security deposit (breakage deposit) is handed over to the owner or caretaker when you check in your villa. They will accompany you through the house answer any questions you many have and give you general directions for the use of the villa. The security deposit should be paid in cash (Euro, Dollar or UK-Pounds are fine) and the amount is written on your Booking Proposal. The entire amount of the security deposit will be returned at regular check out when you leave the villa. Top Who will be there to meet me at the villa? In most cases the owner or caretaker will meet your directly at the villa and show you around, you can even take this opportunity to talk about nearby restaurants and local activities which may be of interest. If the owner or caretaker is not available you will be instructed where to find the keys. Top What is the Guest Login? This is an interactive area where the guest can examine information on their villa, the surrounding area and their booking proposal (such as money received and money due). There is also space for the guest to send vital and necessary information to the agency and the owners of the villa such as arrival time, number of guests, their ages and names. We also have space for you to indicated any personal preferences, such as bed configurations, if you need a crib etc. Though we can not guarantee that the owner will be able to accommodate but we will do our best to make your stay as pleasant as possible. You will receive your User Name and Password together with your booking proposal. You can login trough our website www.tuscany-villas.com on the upper right corner. Top How do I get directions to arrive at the villa? After you paid the initial down payment you will find that the HOW TO ARRIVE tab on the GUEST LOGIN will become active. Click on this link to find our detailed directions, phone number and name of the caretaker and any other important info regarding this particular villa. Also the QUICK INFO BOX on the left side will become active with the address, all phone nrs, the name of the owner and a Goggle Map to the villa. Don’t forget to print off this information before travelling. Top When is low season and high season? High season is applied July and August. Mid season is applied May, June, September and all major holidays (such as Christmas, Easter and New Years week). Low season is everything not mentioned earlier. Some properties on the seaside put an extra charge on the 2 middle weeks in August. Some villas have slightly different seasons. If a villa does not comply with the above seasons this will be indicated clearly on the booking proposal. Top What does a free standing Villa mean? A freestanding structure or Villa is a single family home that is separate from other villas and/or apartments. Some estates have several freestanding structures on them but mostly it is the only villa available on that estate. A freestanding structure will sometimes share a pool with other apartments or villas, but is always has its own private garden and entrance way. If it shares a pool this will be clearly specified on the web site of the Villa. Some owners call their structure a villa, farmhouse cottage - and this normally indicates size and age. A Villa is normally larger, roomier and designed for comfort. Sometimes the word villa will also indicate a certain historical importance or. A Farmhouse normally indicates a structure built with simpler comforts in mind, spacious but not normally luxury. A typical Tuscan farmhouse will have stone accents and large living areas. A Cottage will generally indicated a smaller free standing structure. Updated 21. September 2007 Top

How do I reserve an apartment or villa?

How do I find out if there is availability for the apartment or villa?

How long is the normal rental period?

How far in advance should I be reserving my preferred rental?

Do you ever have any special offers or last minute trips?

How much is the deposit and when is it paid?

How and where do I pay the security deposit?

Who will be there to meet me at the villa?

How do I get directions to arrive at the villa?

When is low season and high season?

What does a free standing Villa mean?

How do I reserve an apartment or villa?

You can click on the RESERVE NOW button next to the prices on the bottom of each page. A Pop Up window will open with the booking formulary. Please fill in all requested information. OR Just send your full name, mailing address, phone number, fax number and cell phone number in an email or fax with the dates you are interested in and the villa or apartment you would like to reserve. We will immediately confirm the availability of your choice and send you a rental document with the dates, the final cost and the deposit amount. All Prices on our website are in Euro. They apply for one week and are for the whole apartment or the whole villa.

Top

How do I find out if there is availability for the apartment or villa?

The fastest and easiest way to check availability is to click on the AVAILABILITY TAB located above the description of each house page. Each villa and apartment has its own personal calendar where you can review the weeks available. Or you can write us by clicking on the CONTACT US link, tell us the date and the villa or apartment and we will respond immediately with the availability

Top

How long is the normal rental period?

The normal rental period runs from Saturday afternoon to Saturday morning. Check-in time is after 4 P.M. and check-out, unless indicated differently at the villa, is by 10 A.M. Some villas will permit rental periods outside of Saturday to Saturday, you may ask us. During low season we are flexible and you can start your rental any day of the week.

Top

How far in advance should I be reserving my preferred rental?

You should consider reserving your favourite rental at least 8-10 months in advance, especially if you are a large group. The larger villas rent out very quick! This means start looking in August or September if you are planning on vacationing in June or July.

Top

Do you ever have any special offers or last minute trips?

We sure do and you should check them out frequently because they will be updated daily. We have a special section LAST MINUTE VILLAS on the left side navigation bar. We have conveniently listed the names of the villas which offer a Last Minute Discount and the percentage amount of discount applied on the regular list price.

Top

How much is the deposit and when is it paid?

The Down Payment varies from villa to villa but its approximately 35% of the total costs. After you received our email with the Booking Proposal you have 1 week to pay the Down Payment. When we receive it we will confirm it by Email and it will show in your Guest Login Area. With this deposit the apartment or villa is definitely booked for you. The final payment is made 30 days before your arrival or paid in cash or by Credit Card on arrival!

Top

What is a final cleaning fee?

The final cleaning fee is a surcharge that all property owners add for linen, towels and the cleaning of the villa upon your departure. It varies in cost from the size of the villa (15.- to 20.- Euro for each person). This does not mean that the villa can be left a mess! You are still required to throw away all trash, leave the dishes clean, the refrigerator empty, and all furniture on their original place!

Top

How and where do I pay the security deposit?

The security deposit (breakage deposit) is handed over to the owner or caretaker when you check in your villa. They will accompany you through the house answer any questions you many have and give you general directions for the use of the villa. The security deposit should be paid in cash (Euro, Dollar or UK-Pounds are fine) and the amount is written on your Booking Proposal. The entire amount of the security deposit will be returned at regular check out when you leave the villa.

Top

Who will be there to meet me at the villa?

In most cases the owner or caretaker will meet your directly at the villa and show you around, you can even take this opportunity to talk about nearby restaurants and local activities which may be of interest. If the owner or caretaker is not available you will be instructed where to find the keys.

Top

What is the Guest Login?

This is an interactive area where the guest can examine information on their villa, the surrounding area and their booking proposal (such as money received and money due). There is also space for the guest to send vital and necessary information to the agency and the owners of the villa such as arrival time, number of guests, their ages and names. We also have space for you to indicated any personal preferences, such as bed configurations, if you need a crib etc. Though we can not guarantee that the owner will be able to accommodate but we will do our best to make your stay as pleasant as possible. You will receive your User Name and Password together with your booking proposal. You can login trough our website www.tuscany-villas.com on the upper right corner.

Top

How do I get directions to arrive at the villa?

After you paid the initial down payment you will find that the HOW TO ARRIVE tab on the GUEST LOGIN will become active. Click on this link to find our detailed directions, phone number and name of the caretaker and any other important info regarding this particular villa. Also the QUICK INFO BOX on the left side will become active with the address, all phone nrs, the name of the owner and a Goggle Map to the villa. Don’t forget to print off this information before travelling.

Top

When is low season and high season?

High season is applied July and August.

Mid season is applied May, June, September and all major holidays (such as Christmas, Easter and New Years week).

Low season is everything not mentioned earlier.

Some properties on the seaside put an extra charge on the 2 middle weeks in August. Some villas have slightly different seasons. If a villa does not comply with the above seasons this will be indicated clearly on the booking proposal.

Top

What does a free standing Villa mean?

A freestanding structure or Villa is a single family home that is separate from other villas and/or apartments. Some estates have several freestanding structures on them but mostly it is the only villa available on that estate. A freestanding structure will sometimes share a pool with other apartments or villas, but is always has its own private garden and entrance way. If it shares a pool this will be clearly specified on the web site of the Villa.

Some owners call their structure a villa, farmhouse cottage - and this normally indicates size and age. A Villa is normally larger, roomier and designed for comfort. Sometimes the word villa will also indicate a certain historical importance or. A Farmhouse normally indicates a structure built with simpler comforts in mind, spacious but not normally luxury. A typical Tuscan farmhouse will have stone accents and large living areas. A Cottage will generally indicated a smaller free standing structure.

Updated 21. September 2007

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