We want to make sure your vacation is everything you are hoping it will be, and to do this we want to prepare you well in advance. Once you have booked your vacation, you will receive emails with important information to help you get ready, that way once here, you can enjoy your much anticipated vacation on the Outer Banks!
We have compiled a list below of the questions we often receive from guests before they arrive:
Once I have reserved my vacation home, what happens next?
Once you have booked your home, you will receive a confirmation email from us within an hour of making the reservation. This email will contain your reservation details including the name of the property, arrival and departure dates, and the confirmation ID number.
Next you will receive a Vacation Rental Agreement (VRA) via Adobe Sign (within 1-3 hours during business hours) with instructions on signing within 24 hours to confirm. After your VRA is returned and processed, you will receive a confirmation email with an updated payment schedule (reflecting options added or removed on VRA) and your credit card on file will be charged for the initial deposit amount. You will receive a payment receipt after payment has been processed. Your final payment will be automatically scheduled for 30 days prior to your arrival and payment reminders will be sent with options to update your payment method if needed. (Note: if reservations are for the following year, then this process will begin as soon as rates/availability has been confirmed).
Does my vacation rental have wireless internet?
Yes, all vacation rentals have Wireless internet. Wifi access instructions are located on the refrigerator, and also emailed to you upon arrival, as well as appearing in our guest app.
Do you provide toilet paper?
We provide one roll of toilet paper for each full bathroom upon arrival. This is intended only as a starter supply (just in case you forget) and we advise bringing or purchasing extra toilet paper for your stay.
Do you provide paper towels?
We provide one roll of paper towels to get you started. You will need to bring or purchase additional rolls of paper towels.
Do you provide cleaning products?
We’ve thrown in a sponge along with some starter sizes of dish soap, as well as a dishwasher packet. But we highly recommend that you bring cleaning supplies that will be sufficient for your entire stay which we have listed for you in our list of things to bring.
Do you provide high chairs or cribs?
Some homes may show items such as high chairs in the photos, however they are not included as mandatory amenities that our homeowners are expected to provide to guests. If you see baby items in the photos or home description, please be aware that we are in the process of removing any advertisement of these items, for safety and liability reasons, and they may not be in the home as we phase them out. If they are essential to your stay, please plan to bring them with you, or rent them from our partners at Ocean Atlantic Rentals.
What is included in the kitchen?
All vacation rentals are stocked with pots & pans, dishware, drinkware, utensils, a coffee maker (no filters), a microwave, an oven/stove, refrigerator, blender, toaster, ice maker and/or ice trays, storage containers, and more. We provide a starter roll of paper towels, two kitchen towels (unless the linen package was declined) and starter sets of dish soap and dishwasher detergent, and one kitchen trash bag. You will also find a sponge in the Welcome Bag along with other gifts and starter essentials.
We do not provide condiments, spices, cooking oils, etc. But here is a list of what we do provide in each home. It’s a good idea to consider what meals you will want to prepare in the home, and plan to bring the items that you enjoy using to prepare them. Since some of our homes are more stocked than others, some include just the essentials and may not have the specific model you have at home. For instance, the coffee maker might not brew the way you are accustomed (all homes have a standard drip coffee maker unless otherwise listed), and crockpots are not in every home. So decide which creature comforts are most important to you, and pack accordingly.
We recommend printing this list so you know what you have packed and what needs to be re-packed to bring home. Your items could easily get mixed in with the home's existing items, especially when you have several guests staying with you.
Does my vacation rental have Cable TV?
Nowadays, most homes will have Cable TV or Smart TVs offering streaming services. When viewing a home’s details page, in the description, you will find information about each level of the home, including bedroom location, entertainment options in each space, and the available electronics such as “flat screen tv’s, “Roku TVs”, “Satellite TV” or simply “TV.”
Regardless of the type of t.v., local channels can be accessed through an app or streaming service. You can also log in to a streaming service you subscribe to on a Smart TV in order to view content from your personal account, which is becoming a more popular option these days for our guests. Just remember to log out prior to checkout so that guests behind you don’t inadvertently use your account. Each home will provide instructions on how to use each tv, and if additional help is needed, you can always contact our service department.
How often is the pool/hot tub cleaned?
Pools and/or hot tubs are cleaned and serviced once per week on turnover day and then checked mid-week for chemical levels. We ask our guests to always rinse off before entering the pool/hot tub to remove sweat, sunscreen, and sand. Most homes have outdoor showers for this reason.
What does the linen package include?
All homes provide linens, whether included in rent or "Optional" line item at booking. Our linen package includes sheets & pillowcases (for all advertised bedding) with beds made; bath towel sets per occupancy (bath towel, hand towel & wash cloth); bathmats; and kitchen towels. If linens are optional and you decline the linen package, you will need to bring your own sheets, pillowcases, and towels. All homes provide comforters/blankets/pillows for each advertised bed. Bringing additional washcloths and towels is never a bad idea since doing laundry while on vacation is typically not at the top of everyone’s “to-do” list.
Keep in mind, unlike vacationing in a hotel, there’s not an endless supply of towels and linens on premise. We contract with linen service companies, which is why we present the option to decline linens for certain homes, if not needed. The quantity of towels sets provided is based on occupancy as defined by 2 per bedroom, unless advertised otherwise.
When is check in?
Beach Realty offers contact-free, keyless entry check-in for all of our homes. So you likely will not need to first visit our rental office to pickup a key. Keyless entry check-in begins as soon as the property has been cleaned, inspected, and deemed ready for occupancy (between 4 pm and 6 pm on day of arrival), and you will be notified via text when your property is ready for check-in. *If early check-in was confirmed and purchased, your home will be ready by 1:00 pm.
Although we make every effort to prepare the home in a timely manner, due to the logistics of turnover day preparations, we reserve the right to delay check-in in order to perform maintenance or special cleaning on your rental property until 6 pm.
Can I purchase early check-in?
Early check-in is available for an additional charge of $200 (for 2023 reservations) and must be requested on your lease agreement and/or no later than 14 days prior to arrival, and only available for homes with less than 6 bedrooms. You can contact us to see if it is possible due to limited spots, but please know we cannot accommodate late requests (within 14 days of arrival) due to the planning and logistics involved in scheduling turnover day services.
We will send a text message to the confirmed cell phone on file once the home is ready for check-in. Please do not arrive to the home before you receive this text notification as this can delay necessary preparations.
What is provided? and what is not?
You can read in each homes description specifics about what they include in their home. Once you have done so, take a look at our What to Bring page to make sure you don't forget a thing!
We do require that all of our homes include certain standard amenities including Central Air/Heat, Washer/Dryer, Refrigerator, Microwave, Keyless Entry (if possible). Oven/Stovetop, Dishwasher, Cable/Satellite TV/Smart TV, Wireless Internet, and a Landline Telephone (required for homes with a pool, hot tub, or elevator).
Bedrooms will have Pillows, Bedspreads and Blankets, Clothes Hangers and a Mattress Pad.
- Bedding comforter/blankets & pillows
(We recommend each guest bring their own pillow and an extra blanket since the variety of options provided in the home can differ from what is preferred by each individual). - Linens (either included or optional - guests may decline on lease agreement). Linens include sheets with beds made for all advertised bedding (with the exclusion of top bunks and sleeper sofas) and towel sets - bath towel, hand towel and washcloth - per the occupancy of the home (2 per bedroom unless otherwise stated. Beds will be made prior to arrival (sheets on bed and pillowcases on pillows).
Bathrooms will have a Shower Curtain with Liner, a Wastebasket, Toilet Bowl Brush, and Plunger.
- Note only one roll of toilet paper per bathroom is provided. This is intended to be a starter set only and we do not supply extra rolls of toilet paper in the home. We recommend bringing or purchasing extra toilet paper for your stay.
Kitchens will have Table and Steak Knives, Dinner and Salad Forks, Teaspoons and Soup Spoons, Soup/Salad/Cereal Bowls, Dinner Plates, Salad/Dessert Plates, Beverage Glasses, Wine Glasses, and Coffee/Tea Mugs. They will also have a Coffee Maker, a Blender, Pitchers, a Toaster, Utility Knives, Serving Platters and Bowls, Sauce Pans, Casserole Dishes with Lids, 8, 10 and 12 " Frying Pans, Large Stock Pots and Large Steamer Pot with Lid, Assorted Baking Pans, Microwave Cookware, Pizza Pan and Cutter, Paper Towel Holder, Colander, Assorted Mixing Bowls, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Corkscrew, Bottle Opener, Can Opener, Vegetable Peeler, Potholders, Storage Containers/Tupperware, Kitchen Tongs, Trivets, Cheese Grater, Wire Whisk, Trash can with lid, Cutting Board, Ice Trays, Ladle, Spatulas, Large Slotted Spoon, Large Serving Spoons and Forks.
Note: if you are planning on having several cooks utilizing the kitchen at the same time, it would be wise to bring extra tools. More than one cutting board, colander, or vegetable peeler could come in handy.
- Two kitchen towels are also included in the linen package if selected.
- Please bring filters for the coffee maker, or bring your own if you love how it brews! Not all Coffee Makers are created equal!
- If you prefer certain beverage glasses, bring them! If your cooking knives are the best you've ever had... bring them! Bring that salt and pepper too!
- We provide one paper towel roll as a starter set but this can get used up quickly so please plan to bring or purchase extra paper towels.
- Upon arrival the trash cans have an unused trash bag ready for you, however additional trash bags will be needed for your stay. So kitchen trash bags are a must, the bathrooms can easily use plastic grocery bags.
Note: We do our best to ensure these homes are stocked with what was promised. As you can imagine, however, on turnover days during the busy season, our inspectors have a great deal to check throughout the home, and every home is different. So if any of these items are missing or not functioning upon your arrival, then contact us using any of the methods we provide to you in our prior to arrival communication. We want to make sure you have everything that was promised and that it's in working order.
For the rest of the home you should have a Mop and Bucket, a Vacuum Cleaner, a Water Hose, Fly Swatter, Broom and Dustpan, Grill Tools, Deck Furniture, a Flashlight with Batteries, a Pool Net/Skimmer if there is a private pool, Fire Extinguisher, and Smoke Detectors on each floor. If the home uses propane the home will also have a Carbon Monoxide Detector.
If you have any other questions, please contact us via phone or text at 1-800-635-1559.