COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT VACATION RENTAL HOMES

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

When is Check in and Check out? **Check in is 4 pm (EST) or later Check out is by 10 am (EST) Early Check in and Late Check out (if available ) is $50 per hour extra and must be approved by Bryan or Erica at least 24 hours in advance.

How do I make a reservation?   You may book securely online, or you may always call us toll free at 1-877-537-2273 and we would be happy to assist you. 

What kind of deposit do I need to make a reservation?  (Effective 6/10/2021) A non refundable downpayment of $175 will be needed to secure the reservation. You may cancel your reservation up to 48 hours after securing your reservation and receive a full refund. After the 48 hour grace period has ended, the initial $175 of your payment or down payment is non- refundable.  If the full amount was paid upfrontt there is still a cancellation fee of $175 that will be deducted..   All cancellations must be confirmed in writing and are not complete until you receive a confirmation email from our team. Cancellations made within 14 days of check-in are nonrefundable, and all payments will be forfeited. .  Accidental damage insurance will be included in the total reservation .  The remainder of the balance (additional nights, sales tax, one-time cleaning fee) is due 30 days prior to the date of arrival.

For the balance of your rental-  we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express.  If no previous arrangements have been made with our office, the credit card we have on file will automatically be charged 30 days prior to arrival date . 

What is the minimum age for making a reservation? 21 years of age on most cabins.  Some cabins require a minimum age of 25

Owner Areas or Locked Containers- In certain areas of each home, there may be locked areas used by the homeowner for personal storage or housekeeping supplies. These locations are not included in the rental. Tampering with locked areas or moving furnishings may result in a minimum fine of $100, depending on the circumstances..

Can I change my reservation? If so, how?  Once a reservation is made changes to the date and/or property may be subject to a non-refundable $35.00 fee per alteration if permissable.  Also, changes to the reservation date and/or property can only be made (14) fourteen or more business days prior to check in date provided the reservation is not a holiday booking.  Rentals are based on availability, and once a property has been reserved and held for a tenant(s) other inquiries will be turned away.  Thus, alterations regarding property location or date of reservation could prevent other rentals.  If an emergency requires changes to the reservation less than fourteen (14) days from scheduled check in, or if the reservation changes alter the properties holiday availability penalty fees will increase accordingly.  Changes to reservation made three (3) days or less before scheduled arrival will result in at minimum a fee equivalent to one night’s rental of the originally reserved property in addition to all rental fees associated with updated reservation.

PLEASE NOTE: This policy does not include additions/subtractions to the number of guests. There will be no additional charge for changing the guest count or adding a day. (All other normal rates still apply)

How much do your cabins cost?  Rates for each cabin will be listed on each cabin’s web page. All rates are based on 1-4 person occupancy.  Any more than 4 adults $10-20 per night for each additional guest. Cleaning Fees are flat fees and based on the cabin size.  Pet fees are additional. However, should our staff determine that a cabin’s condition at check out warrants additional cleaning, renters will be held responsible for additional cleaning charges. In addition to the cabin’s nightly rate we must collect lodging taxes (state and local) as well..  

What is your pet policy?  No pets are allowed in any or our properties unless they are specified as “Pet Friendly“. We have many vacation rentals that allow up to two dogs. They are designated on our website as “Pets Allowed.” This option is also stated on each individual listing and requires a $75 non-refundable pet fee when making a reservation. Size/weight restrictions may apply based on the property, and an additional $75 fee is required to bring a second dog.
Guests are responsible for any damage cause by pets, and waste must be bagged and placed in outdoor trash cans. Additional fees will apply if waste is not properly discarded. If an unauthorized pet is discovered in any cabin, a $200 fine will be charged. An additional cleaning fee up to $300 will be added if a pet is found in a home not designated as pet friendly. Under no circumstances should a dog be left in a cabin unattended (unless they are crated) or permitted in a hot tub.

DAMAGE DEPOSIT:

A valid credit card must be provided at the time of check-in. This will act as a damage deposit in addition to the accidental damage protection or security deposit.  The  accidental damage protection ONLY covers accidental damage.. Your credit card will be charged for any damage, theft or abuse to the property.

All check-out procedures must be followed. The property must be left clean and undamaged. Failure to follow the posted check-out procedures may result in additional charges to your credit card.  Smoking in any cabin or bringing a pet into a non pet-friendly cabin will result in additional cleaning fees.  Mountain Escapes reserves the right to further charge the guests credit card for additional cleaning or repairs..

Upon your arrival, please report any damages, faulty/defective items, shortage of supplies, or housekeeping issues immediately as you may be held responsible by not reporting the issue.

OUR CABINS ARE NOT PARTY CABINS!  If this is your intention please go somewhere else. Fraternity & sorority gatherings are prohibited.  We expect our guests to treat our cabins with the respect that they would treat their own homes. 

Pets are only allowed in properties advertised as pet-friendly. BRINGING A PET TO A CABIN: Pets are ONLY allowed in specified Pet Friendly Cabins

For our cabins that do not allow pets, we cannot make an exception no matter how small or well behaved the pet is. (PLEASE DO NOT DISREGARD THIS POLICY AS IT WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CHARGES TO YOUR CREDIT CARD)

NO SMOKING:  We have a strict no smoking policy in all of our cabins!  Serious Additional Charges Will Incur.  We also recommend that if you do smoke, please stay away from open doors and windows as the odor will travel inside as if you were smoking inside.  Smoking is allowed outside on the porches and decks. Please, do not dispose of cigarette butts in the yard or surrounding areas, there are ashtrays and ash cans provided on the decks. If discarded butts are found, additional cleaning fees will apply. (PLEASE DO NOT DISREGARD THIS POLICY AS IT WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CHARGES TO YOUR CREDIT CARD)

CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES:

CHECK-IN AT 4:00 PM  To make certain housekeeping has all the time it needs to prepare your cabin we cannot offer early check ins or late check outs.  Please do not attempt to check in early without making prior arrangements as our cabins book frequently and often at the last minute which makes it very difficult to guarantee a check in earlier than 4:00 PM.

Late & Holiday Check-Ins Your emailed reservation confirmation automatically includes instructions & a pin code for a late check-in. Our office hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM & Saturday, 9:00 AM– 12:PM. We close at 2:00 pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve & we are closed all day on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. If you are going to arrive after business hours make sure you have these instructions & your lockbox code or they will be left in the after hours check in box at the office for you. 

CHECK-OUT BY 10:00AM

It is our mission to provide the cleanest cabins possible so that our guests will come back to stay with us in the future! The 6 hour window between check out and check in allows just enough time for the cabin to be cleaned and for the hot tub to be drained, sanitized and refilled between guests.

Please help our housekeeping crews stay on schedule without inconveniencing the next guest by checking out on time and following the check out procedures handed to you at check-in or emailed to you. 

CANCELLATIONS:

Effective 6/18/2021- updated cancellation policy: 
A downpayment of $175 will be needed to secure the reservation. You may cancel your reservation up to 48 hours after securing your reservation and receive a full refund. After the 48 hour grace period has ended, the $175 down payment is non- refundable.  $175 is forfeited as a cancellation fee even if you paid in full initially.   All cancellations must be confirmed in writing and are not complete until you receive a confirmation email from our team. Cancellations made within 14 days of check-in are nonrefundable, and all payments will be forfeited. 

There is no cancellation for last minute (same day reservations) once your credit card has been processed.  No refunds of any type will be given after departure.

We retain the right not to give refunds due to weather conditions, power outages, Acts of God, or early departures.  We offer travel insurance to protect you from these things.

Postponements/Advancements are granted in special situations in which you are certain that you are going to stay with us, but an unforeseeable emergency situation has suddenly came up, preventing you from staying at your scheduled time.  No postponements for holiday weekends within 14 days of arrival. Common examples of this would include Hurricanes, family crisis, etc. In situations such as this, your deposit/down payment will be held and your reservation will be classified as “pending and non refundable”.  However, you must reschedule within the next 24 hours and the new dates will be subject to present availability. Guests who opt to postpone must stay within six months from the date of postponement,s. We also reserve the right to deny postponement requests.** FOR YOUR PROTECTION ALL CANCELLATIONS MUST BE MADE BY THE PERSON WHO MADE THE RESERVATION BY PHONE OR IN WRITING – EITHER THROUGH E-MAIL, FAX, OR CERTIFIED MAIL.

Each cabin listed on our site is a privately owned home, consequently cancelations affect the owners significantly.

WHY ARE THE RATES BASED ON A 4 PERSON OCCUPANCY WHEN THE CABIN WILL SLEEP MORE?

We feel it is fair to all of our guests to base our rental rates on 4 guests and to charge per person rate for each additional guest. If we base the price on the highest occupancy a cabin can sleep, this would unfairly over charge guests with less than the maximum number of people. 

HOT TUB MAINTENANCE:Most of our cabins offer hot tubs.

It is our policy to drain, sanitize and refill the hot tub between guests. We chemically treat the water at this time.

If a party is checking out immediately before your check-in, the water temperature may be below 100 degrees when you arrive.

If a hot tub needs to be drained during a guests stay there will be a $35 CHARGE. Please do not sit or stand on the hot tub cover.  These covers can cost more than $400 to replace.

CABIN AMENITIES:

All of our cabins are individually owned, so each offers different amenities package. Please refer to each cabin’s individual webpage for specific amenities list.

All Mountain Escapes cabins offer a charcoal or gas grill, either equipped with standard propane tanks or even attached to the cabin’s propane

All Mountain Escapes cabins offer either a DVD, VCR or both.

Almost all Mountain Escapes cabins are equipped with a form of Satellite TV or Cable. While they may offer different channel packages most have at minimum a basic setup.

NOTE: PAY PER VIEW MOVIES CANNOT BE ORDERED, THEY ARE BLOCKED BY THE OWNER AND WE ARE NOT ABLE TO CHANGE IT.  THE TV CHANNEL PACKAGES ARE ALSO SELECTED BY THE OWNER, OUR STAFF DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE CHANNEL PACKAGE SELECTED BY THE OWNER TO PICK UP SPECIAL TELEVISED EVENTS OR BALL GAMES.

CABIN LOCATION:
Most cabins are located on gravel roads. You should not need a special vehicle (4×4), but we do caution guests against driving sports cars or other low sitting vehicles.

 If you are riding a motorcycle, please call the office first. Some cabins will be more difficult for a motorcycle to access.
 If you plan on towing a trailer, please call the office first so that we can advise if your cabin you will be accessible for a trailer.
CABIN PHOTOS:

The pictures on line are photos of the actual cabin you’ve rented, which were taken by one of our staff. In this case, what you see is really what you get. Please keep in mind that these are only photos and in some cases pictures cannot answer all of your questions.  Feel free to call or email us if you have questions not answered on the website. 

WHAT TO BRING:

All of our cabins provide linens and fully equipped kitchens, so you will only need to bring personal items (body soap, shampoo, hair dryer, etc…) and grocery items.  However, if you are reserving a cabin for a holiday please bring any specialty cooking pans or utensils you might need to prepare your holiday meal our office cannot guarantee the size and type of all pots and pans stocked in the cabin. 

Most cabins have a washer & dryer, if you would like to use the washer & dryer you will need to bring detergent. (LOOK AT THE CABINS PAGE FOR EACH CABIN’S AMENITIES).  Adequate paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, etc.) are supplied to meet the cabin’s capacity, should they be needed additional supplies must be purchased by the renter. 
CELL PHONE RECEPTION AT THE CABINS:

Cell phone service is somewhat sporadic in the mountains. VERIZON works well at some of our cabins and others have great CINGULAR/AT&T service.  Other cabins have no cell phone reception. NEXTEL & T-MOBILE stop working about 45 minutes south of Blue Ridge, they will not pick up anywhere in this area. 
GROCERY STORES:

There are several grocery stores nearby, the closest to most of our cabins is Wal Mart and IGA. There is also an Ingles and Food Lion located in Blue Ridge. Most of our cabins all have welcome books with directions to Grocery stores and other places of interest.  If your commute into the mountains brings you to us through Atlanta and HWY 515, your closest Wal-Mart would be in Ellijay GA; if you are coming in via HWY 64 and Chattanooga the closest Wal-Mart is in Cleveland, TN; & if you are coming to visit us from North Carolina the closest Wal-Mart is in Murphy, NC.

ALCOHOL:

You can purchase package beer and wine in Blue Ridge or Ducktown and Copperhill, TN. The restaurants of Blue Ridge do not serve beer or wine by the drink and you cannot bring your drinks into the restaurants in the city limits. Copperhill, TN has beer by the drink in the restaurants.

You can purchase alcohol either in Ellijay, GA or Murphy, NC. Both of these cities are about 45 minutes from most of the cabins.

 FIREWOOD:  For cabins with wood burning fireplaces, firewood is offered October 1 – March 31.  The fireplaces do not have a gas starter so, if you are not proficient at starting a fire without one, you might want to bring small “Duraflame” type logs or “Fire Starters”. ABSOLUTELY NO LIQUID ACCELERANT IS ALLOWED!!!These are very dangerous to you and our property.  Firewood is offered year round for the campfire pitsCAN WE USE MAPQUEST OR OUR GPS UNIT?  Please don’t! They aren’t as reliable in this area as you would think  If you want to use MapQuest or other GPS software for the basic highway directions, you should have no problem,  However, please use the directions we provide for the exact location of the office. 
LOST AND FOUND:

When you leave the cabin at 11:00 AM it is very likely that another party will be checking in at 4:00 PM. If you leave something at the cabin, please call the office immediately and we will try to locate it for you. If it is not found by our staff or the cleaning staff prior to the next guest’s arrival, it may not be there when they leave. We can not be responsible for your lost items.If an item is found, we ask that you set up a pickup time with the shipping company of your choice and provide us with a pickup date. We will happily box it up for shipping and have it ready to go. 
NOISE & NUISANCES:

Most of our cabins are located in log cabin communities and may be near other cabins, which may or may not have some level of construction underway at any given time. Unfortunately we have no control over construction and have no way of knowing if or when construction may begin near our cabins. 
PEST CONTROL:

Most of our cabins receive regularly scheduled pest control, however, the cabins are located in the woods, so you will most likely see pests of different kinds around the property. Winter and Spring is ladybug season in the mountains. Everything possible will be done to reduce the ladybug population in and around the property, however, during your winter stay you will most likely see ladybugs in or around the cabin. (They do not bite or sting)
Small Scorpions are not uncommon in this area.  They are very hard to kill through pest control methods, but every effort is made to deter these pests.  They are not deadly, but they can sting much like a bee or wasp. 
WILDLIFE:

All of the cabins are located in the mountains. As a result you are likely to encounter wildlife (deer, bears, raccoons, snakes and bugs of various types, including wasps and/or scorpions, etc…). You are a guest in their neighborhood.
When you see a Black Bear…
Be Bear Aware









There is always a risk of injury or death when encountering wild animals including Black Bears.



Report bear problems to
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
800-262-6704


Georgia Wildlife Resources Agency770-769-968
If you see a bear in the distance:
  • Expect the unexpected.
  • Alter your route to avoid it.
  • Keep children and pets close at hand.
  • Never approach a bear – it is a dangerous wild animal.  If a bear changes its natural behavior because of your presence, you are too close.
  • Never feed or toss food to a bear or any wild animal.
  • Never surround or corner a bear.
If a Bear approaches you:
  • Don’t run, back away slowly.
  • Remain calm.
  • Face the bear, but don’t look directly into its eyes.
  • Group together, pick up small children and restrain pets.
  • Try to scare the bear away by shouting and acting aggressively.
If the bear attacks:
  • Continue to act aggressively. Yell, make loud noises and wave your arms.
  • Fight back with anything available and using everything in your power.
  • Except in rare cases, playing dead is not appropriate.