Rental Terms & Conditions

Russian River Vacation Homes Terms & Conditions
Please review the terms and conditions relating to this reservation.

Age Requirements
Guests must be at least 25 years of age to reserve and check in to our vacation homes.

Maximum Occupancy
Please note the maximum number of guests allowed in the home before making a reservation. The maximum occupancy, equal to the number of people the home sleeps, is the maximum number of people (including children over the age of 3) allowed at the property at all times. The maximum occupancy for a vacation rental is mandated by the Sonoma County Vacation Rental Ordinance and is strictly enforced. In the event the maximum occupancy is exceeded, Russian River Vacation Homes (RRVH) reserves the right to charge a $500 violation penalty, plus any costs incurred by RRVH and/or the property owner as a result of the ordinance violation, excessive wear and tear to the property, extra cleaning, and damages to the property and/or surrounding properties. In general, two additional day guests are allowed at no extra cost, as long as RRVH has given the Guest prior written approval (excludes certain homes). RRVH reserves the right to terminate the reservation immediately without refund if the maximum occupancy is exceeded.

No campers, RV’s, tents, or trailers are allowed on the premises.

Gatherings
RRVH properties are located in residential areas and are rented for personal vacation use only. Parties and other large gatherings that exceed the maximum occupancy are not allowed. In addition, loud and unruly behavior is restricted by a local ordinance, whether or not the maximum occupancy is exceeded, and may result in citation or arrest by local law enforcement. Neighborhood disturbances caused by Guest and their guests puts the home’s permit to operate as a vacation rental in jeopardy. Guests who have an unauthorized event on the premises that exceeds the maximum overnight occupancy will be assessed a minimum $500 penalty plus any costs incurred by RRVH and/or the property owner as a result of the ordinance violation and the reservation will be terminated immediately. Guests who continue to engage in excessively loud and unruly behavior after being asked by either the Sheriff or an RRVH representative to stop are also in violation of the ordinance and this agreement and may be asked to vacate the premises immediately without refund.

Noise
Quiet hours are between 9:00 pm and 7:00 am. Outdoor amplified sound is prohibited at all times.

Fees

• Cleaning and Linens fee (amount varies per home).
• 12% Sonoma County transient tax is due on all reservations less than 30 days.
• 2% Sonoma County Area Improvement Fee is due on all reservations.
• Damage Waiver Fee.
• Optional Travel Insurance.

Vacation Rental Damage Waiver
The Vacation Rental Damage Waiver covers up to $3,000 of unintentional damages to real or personal property of the rental unit that occur during the guest stay, provided they are disclosed to management prior to checkout. Any damages that exceed $3,000 will be charged to the guest directly. The damage waiver does not cover replacement of missing items, additional housekeeping charges, intentional damage or gross negligence, normal wear and tear, or damages resulting from a violation of the rules outlined in the Russian River Vacation Homes guest agreement. To ensure that they are not charged for any damages, Guest is responsible for reporting any accidental damages to RRVH prior to checkout. 

Missing and/or Damaged Items
Items provided with the vacation home must remain at the home at all times. Guests will be responsible for the replacement and labor costs for any missing items. Accidental damages up to $3,000 are covered by the vacation rental damage waiver, see details above. RRVH will charge the card on file for any replacement or repair costs owed.

Guest Protect Travel Insurance (G-330CSA)
Vacation Rental Insurance is available with your reservation. Vacation Rental Insurance provides coverage for the loss of prepaid, non-refundable expenses due to certain unforeseeable circumstances that may jeopardize your vacation investment and force you to incur unplanned expenses. Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage are available for events such as a sickness or injury of yourself, family member or traveling companions; flight delays due to adverse weather; interruptions of road service; terrorist acts; and mandatory evacuations. The plan also includes other valuable coverages such as Medical and Dental, Baggage, and Emergency Assistance and Transportation in addition to useful services such as identity theft, concierge and 24/7/365 emergency assistance. We strongly recommend you purchase this valuable protection. Additional terms and conditions apply; please read your Description of Coverage/Policy carefully and contact Generali Global Assistance at 866-999-4018 with coverage questions.

Breakdown and Terms of Payment:
For reservations made more than 30 days in advance, an initial payment of half of the rent, cleaning and linens, damage waiver and taxes is due at the time of reservation. The second payment, which includes the balance of the rent, cleaning and linens, damage waiver and taxes is due 30 days prior to your arrival date. Payments can be made by credit card or by personal check. If you are paying by check, we must receive a check within 7 calendar days of making a reservation and a valid credit card number is required to hold your reservation. If we have not received a check within 7 days, we will charge your credit card for the amount due. Once payment has been charged on your credit card, payment by check is no longer an option.

For reservations made less than 30 days prior to your arrival date, the entire amount is due at the time of your reservation. Payment by credit card is required for bookings made less than 30 days from arrival date.

We accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover and personal check.

Note: If mailing a check, use our PO Box not our street address:

Russian River Vacation Homes
PO BOX 418
Guerneville, CA 95446

48 Hour Cancellation Window
We understand that plans change, or guests make reservations without all the information. We will provide a full refund if you cancel within 48 hours of making a reservation, provided your arrival date is at least 30 days in advance. This cancellation window is not available for reservations made within 30 days of the arrival date. After the 48 hours cancellation window has expired, our Cancellation Policy is in effect. See details below.  

Cancellations & Refunds
All reservations are final. If you have no choice but to cancel, refunds can only be made if the canceled dates are re-rented. We cannot guarantee refunds, but always make an effort to re-rent canceled reservations. If a replacement reservation is secured, you will be refunded in full, minus a $60 cancellation fee. If we are unable to secure a replacement reservation, the full rental fee is withheld.  

All notices of cancellation must be in writing. To prevent loss of rental payments, we strongly recommend purchasing Guest Protect Travel Insurance (see above for more information on travel insurance).

Refunds will not be given for any occurrence out of Russian River Vacation Homes’ control including, but not limited to, power outages, interruption of water service, inclement weather, maintenance issues, or loss of Internet or Phone Service. Optional travel insurance may be purchased to cover these losses. 

Changing the Reservation to a Different Date
This is a great alternative to cancellation. Changing dates is generally allowed for most homes, provided that the request to change dates is for the same home and is received in writing (email is okay) by our office at least 2 weeks before the arrival date. The date can be changed to another time, up to one year from the original arrival date.

There is a non-refundable $40 change date fee for doing this. If the reservation is moved to dates that fall within a time period that rents at a lower rate, no refunds will be given. All high-season rates, holiday rates, and night minimums will apply to any changed dates, and special offers and discounts are only transferable to dates that fall within the valid time frame.

Talk to one of our agents about this choice before deciding to cancel.

Switching Homes
Reservations are not transferable between homes. If the guest switches a reservation to a different home after the initial payment is received, the switch is considered a cancellation and the cancellation policy applies.

If the original home booked becomes unavailable or uninhabitable, RRVH reserves the right to relocate the guest to comparable accommodations as determined by RRVH and agreed to by the Guest. If RRVH and Guest are unable to agree on comparable accommodations, the guest will receive a full refund. Guest agrees that RRVH shall not be held liable for any sequential or secondary damages, including but not limited to relocation or additional travel expenses or for any other loss.

Minimum Night Stays
All of our homes have a minimum stay of 2 nights year-round. The minimum night requirements  are higher for during certain holiday and seasons.

• Minimum stay of 3 nights for Labor Day weekend, Memorial Day weekend.
• Minimum stay of 3 nights over Christmas week.
• Minimum stay of 3 nights New Year’s Eve time period.
• Minimum stay of 4 nights for Thanksgiving week.
• Riverfront homes have a minimum of 7 nights in July and August.
• Homes that are not riverfront have a 4-night minimum in July & August.
• One week minimum for all homes for the first week in July and the first week in August.

If you have reserved dates contrary to the above night minimums, your reservation may not be acceptable. If there is a problem with your reservation, you will be contacted by a member of our office.

Longer Stays
In general, our homes can be rented for a maximum of 29 nights. Stays longer than 13 nights are subject to mid-stay cleanings; see mid-stay cleaning below. If you are interested in a stay for 30 nights or longer, please contact our office. Certain homes are open to the possibility of a longer-term rental.

Reservation Confirmation (includes vacation home’s address and information)
Upon receipt of your reservation and after the first payment has been processed, your reservation confirmation will be e-mailed to you. The address, driving directions to the home, and check-in instructions are included. Please contact our office if you would like your reservation confirmation faxed or mailed (if time permits).

Home Amenities (Linens, Phones, Maintenance)
All homes are privately owned and furnished with sheets, blankets, pillows, bathing towels, basic cooking utensils, and charcoal or propane grills (see below for more information on BBQ grills). Starter supplies of soap (bar soap, laundry soap and dish soap) and paper products (toilet paper and paper towels) are provided at all homes. You may need to bring and/or purchase additional supplies. Most homes that have a wood burning stove or fireplace do not provide firewood.

All of our homes have telephones as cell service is not universal for all carriers in our area. All guests should inspect the rental property shortly after their arrival and report any problems to the office of Russian River Vacation Homes within 2 hours of check-in.

Maintenance problems in the home will be handled in a timely and professional manner. Generally, the rental rate will not be adjusted due to any malfunction of equipment, which includes TV’s, VCR’s, DVD’s, internet access, phone service, air conditioning units, hot water heaters, stoves, refrigerators, door locks, etc. In no event are refunds issued for problems we are not notified of or given an opportunity to resolve.

Although each property is completely equipped for rental purposes, we cannot accept responsibility for aesthetic conflicts. When guests are unable to preview vacation home, guests accept such property as described and hold the agency harmless for any discrepancies upon taking occupancy.

BBQ Grills
All homes are equipped with a gas BBQ. Guests are responsible for cleaning any stuck food and spills resulting from their use. Food stuck to or excessive grease splattered on or around the BBQ grill will result in an extra cleaning charge. Guests are responsible for following any specific instructions posted in the home or at the grill.

• Gas BBQ Grills: Propane for the BBQ is provided. RRVH makes every effort to ensure that there is at least one spare full tank at the property prior to guest arrival. Upon arrival, check the tank. If the spare tank is empty, it can be exchanged at our office during business hours, or you may have tank filled and exchanged at a different location (Guerneville Safeway has a tank exchange). You can submit a receipt to our office for reimbursement. Keep the valve on the tank closed and the gas off to the BBQ when the BBQ is not in use.
• Charcoal Grills: Under the Vacation Rental Ordinance, charcoal BBQs and all other solid fuel burning amenities are prohibited. Please, do not bring one to your rental.

Check-in and Checkout

• Check-in time is 4:00 pm. Check-in is at the reserved home and key codes/lockbox codes are provided in the Reservation Confirmation email as well as in our guest portal. Early Check-In: May be possible Oct 1st – April 30th for an additional fee. Please call our office at least 24 hours in advance to arrange an early check-in

• Checkout time is 12:00 noon, 11:00 am (for larger homes). Guest and Guest’s entire party must vacate the property no later than the specified Checkout time. Late Checkout: May be possible Oct 1st – April 30th for an additional fee. Please call our office at least 24 hours in advance to arrange a late check out.

Vacating the Home
Upon vacating the premises, guests agree to leave the vacation home in good condition. When vacating, guests are responsible for the following:

• Remove all trash & recycling from home, place in appropriate outside cans/bins.
• Wash all dishes and leave drying in the dishrack. If the home is equipped with a dishwasher, you may leave the dishwasher running.
• Clean up any messes, spills that may have occurred.
• Pick up after yourself (check for any left items).
• Put all furniture and items back in place (if we cannot locate a particular item, you may be charged for it).
• Return keys to their starting location (lock box, key hooks, etc.).

Left Items
Russian River Vacation Homes is not responsible for any items left behind in the home, so please double check for personal items before you leave. If items left behind are recovered, they will be returned to the Russian River Vacation Homes office. If you have left something in the vacation rental, please call our office and we will do our best to locate the item and mail it back to you.

There is a $20 return-item fee, plus the cost of postage, for any item mailed back. We hold items at our office for 30 days after they are turned in. Any items not claimed after the 30 days will be donated to charity.

No Smoking
All homes are Non-Smoking! No exceptions. If you accidentally smoke in any of our homes, there is a minimum $500 cleaning fee to remove the odor.

Pet Policy
Many of our homes are dog friendly. If you plan on bringing a dog, please make sure you have chosen one of our dog friendly homes. If the home’s web page states no pets allowed and there is a dog or other pet at the property anytime during your stay, you will be fined at least $500, plus additional cleaning fees as deemed necessary and the reservation may be terminated immediately without refund. 

Rules for Dogs
Notify RRVH prior to check-in if you are bringing a dog or dogs, including the breed(s), size, and age(s). RRVH and the owner of the property are not liable for dogs. If there is excessive dog hair, dirt and/or sand tracked into the rental, or other needed clean-up, an additional clean-up fee may be charged. Report any pet “accidents” or damage to RRVH prior to departure. Guest is responsible for the cost of any pet-related clean-up and/or damages. Guests and their dogs must follow the below rules.

• Dogs are not allowed on the furniture or beds.
• Uncrated dogs will not be left unattended at the house.
• Guest must clean up after their dog, both on and off the premises, and responsibly dispose of dog waste.
• Guests will adhere to local leash laws.
• Dogs are not allowed in pools or hot tubs at any time.
• Guest is aware that excessive barking at a vacation rental is a violation of county ordinance.

Cleaning
The cleaning fee covers the cost of a regular after-guest cleaning. In the event that the condition of the home requires more cleaning than deemed normal, the additional cleaning hours will be charged to guests’ credit card at the rate of $30.00 per hour. Common reasons for extra cleaning charges: stain removal from bedding, linens and towels, spot-cleaning carpets or furniture, cleaning food spills, excessive pet hair removal and other pet clean-up, washing dishes, picking up cigarette butts or other trash. Most extra cleaning costs are not covered by the damage protection.

Mid-Stay Cleaning
We require mid-stay cleans for stays longer than 13 nights. The online booking system will not automatically add mid-stay cleans, so we will contact you to add the cleaning to your stay after the reservation is made. Mid-stay cleanings cost between $60 and $90, depending on the size of the home. For stays 13 nights or less, mid-stay cleaning is available upon request, at a rate of $30 per hour. Please contact our office if you would like to add additional cleaning services to your stay.

Trash Day
Trash day is noted in the rental contract and in the vacation home. Failure to put the garbage out the night before the pick-up may result in a trash removal charge.

River Docks & Boats
Boats and most docks are only available when the summer dams are in, approximately mid-June through mid-September. Summer dam installation and removal is out of our control and is subject to change. The summer dams slow the flow of the water and raise the water level. This is important for the enjoyment and safety of our Guests when swimming or boating in the river. Canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards are provided in some of our homes (see the home listing for details) and are also available from mid-June to mid-September only. The river is usually too swift for boating in the winter and many docks and beaches are under water until late spring.

If boats are provided and available, guests are responsible for boats during their stay and will keep all boats properly stored and locked when not in use. In the event a boat goes missing during the course of their stay, Guests will be billed the cost of replacement. Guest uses all boats, docks, and water-related amenities at their own risk. Guest will not hold homeowner, RRVH, or any of their agents responsible for loss or injury as a result of their use.

Hot Tubs/ Spas/ Pools
All hot tubs, spas, and pools are routinely serviced. All efforts are made to ensure that hot tubs, spas, and pools are in good working order at all times. However, we cannot guarantee the function of a hot tub/spa and/or pool and no refunds will be given for spa, hot tub, or pool failures. If the home is equipped with a hot tub and/or pool, the guest is responsible for maintaining it in good condition. Guest requests for extra pool or hot tub service is at the guest’s expense. In the event the water is found to be contaminated after departure, the guest may be responsible for the cost of draining and cleaning the hot tub and/or restoring the pool to usable condition. Use of the hot tub or pool that is considered non-malicious but still results in additional service is covered by damage protection. Malicious use is not covered. Due to our remote location and difficulty in securing parts in a timely manner, we cannot guarantee the function of a hot tub or pool. No monetary adjustments will be made for either a hot tub or pool failure and in no event will adjustments be made for any malfunction RRVH did not have the opportunity to resolve, nor for any malfunction due to user error and/or misuse. Guest will not hold the homeowner or RRVH responsible for any accidents or medical conditions that may occur from using the hot tub/spa and/or pool.

Onsite Monitoring Devices
For the safety and security of guests and the home, some homes have on-site devices such as security cameras and noise monitors. These devices are located outside the house. Check the Know Before You Book section of the home’s online description for specific information on any devices located at the home you booked. Any attempt to turn off, damage, disrupt, or remove these devices will lead to fines and/or eviction without a refund.

Commercial Use
Commercial Use of the property is strictly prohibited unless written prior approval is given by RRVH. This includes, but is not limited to, movie production, professional photography shoots, retreats for which the Guest has advertised and has been paid by participants, and any activity related to marijuana production. Use of the property for a commercial enterprise (legal or illegal) will result in immediate termination of the booking without refund. Guest will be responsible for all costs associated with bringing the property back to its original condition plus an administration charge of 20% of the restoration costs or $250, whichever is greater.

Privacy and Personal Information Policy
We take privacy and transparency seriously.

• Information We Collect - We collect personal information, including but not limited to, email address, phone number, address, credit card number, and additional information when voluntarily submitted through our website for the purpose of processing reservations and providing guest and other services. We may also collect information about your use of our services.
• Use of Information - We use the collected information to provide and improve our services, respond to inquiries, and communicate with you. Your contact information may also be used to send you relevant updates and promotional materials. Once you make a reservation and through the course of your stay, we send information pertaining to your reservation via email and SMS.
• Security - We take reasonable measures to keep your data safe, including but not limited to, using a secure server and encryption technologies.
• SMS Consent - By providing your phone number, you consent to receive SMS messages from us regarding our services. You can opt-out of these messages at any time. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies.
• Sharing of Information - We never sell or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information with third-party service providers as needed to process payments, provide customer support, manage reservations, and facilitate property management.
• Guest Newsletter - We do add your email address to our direct marketing email newsletter, sent monthly. You may opt out at any time, either by unsubscribing directly from the newsletter or by emailing reservations@riverhomes.com.
• Changes to our Privacy Policy - We may update our Privacy Policy. Changes will be effective upon posting on our website.
• Contact Us - If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy, please contact us at reservations@riverhomes.com.

Disclaimer
Guests agree to indemnify and hold harmless the owner of the vacation home, Russian River Vacation Homes, and their agents from any loss or personal injury suffered by vacationer or his or her guests or invitees in relation to the rental of the vacation home including, but not limited to, the use of recreation amenities such as hot tubs, pools, trampolines, boats, docks, and play structures. Guest shall immediately inform Russian River Vacation Homes upon learning of any unsafe or hazardous conditions.

After-Hours Maintenance Emergencies
In the event of maintenance emergency or any other matter that cannot wait until our regular business hours, please call the emergency extension. Be aware that our email is checked only during business hours. (707) 869-9030 ext.122. 

These rental terms, and all rules in the rental contract, posted on premises, and on our website at www.riverhomes.com, must be adhered to by guests and their invitees. Guest must read and keep all paperwork including contract sent by agency. Upon request we will mail, email, or fax a copy of these rules to you.