Frequently Asked Question’s 

1.            How do I book the villa?

A.            Booking Process:

Booking the villa has been made as easy as reading these notes:

1. Complete and submit the book your stay online form with your booking request

2. We will reply within 24hrs notifying you that, so long as the villa is available at the time of your enquiry, you have provisionally reserved the villa. Your provisional reservation will remain valid for a period of 7-10 working days from the date the notification is sent to you.

3. In our reply to you, you will receive instructions for payment of your deposit, notification of the required security deposit for your stay, details of the date the final balance is due and the amount required.

4. Pay your deposit within 7 days by your chosen payment method and a 'confirmation of booking' along with a request to complete and submit our online *guest register will be sent to you, at this time the villa is booked and your villa holiday dream home is a reality.

Complete and return the guest register at this time, this provides a record of *all staying guests and *arrival airport details.

5. Final balance payments are required 8 weeks prior to travel dates if the rental date falls within 8 weeks of a booking request being made the full balance will be required at the time of booking.

6. On payment of the final balance a letter containing directions from your *arrival airport and contact telephone numbers will be forwarded to the *lead name address – this will be completed by no later than 3 days prior to your travel date. Villa access details are provided at this time (see 8Q below).

7. Contact us at any time as we are more than pleased to help and will endeavour to answer any questions you have.

*Items recorded on the guest register which must be completed and returned prior to travel.

2.            How do I pay for my rental?

A.            In general there are 4 possible payment options:

We offer 4 methods of payment you can view these on the 'payment methods' page you choose whichever best suits your circumstances and you can opt to change the payment choice whenever your circumstances change. 

3.            What if I need to cancel?

A.            Cancellations:           

For information relating to the cancellation of a booking please read our TERMS.

4.            Whereabouts in Central Florida is the villa?

A.            Southern Dunes, Haines City, 25 mile south of central Orlando city:

Classic Florida Villa, Southern Dunes is located on Highway 27, 7 miles (5minutes) south of Interstate 4, at exit 55. The 4 main airports Orlando (45 minutes), Tampa (60 minutes), Sanford (75 minutes) and Miami (2hrs 50mins) are all easily accessible and the directions from each are very easy to follow. 

Southern Dunes is located to the north of Haines city (known as: the heart of Florida) and is a gated community. Building works started around 2000 and Classic Florida Villa was completed in late 2004 located in the Kokomo Bay quarter of the main community.

The estate is designed and built around a magnificent golf course and Classic Florida Villa benefits from its south facing location as the pool deck looks out over the landscaped area of the 4th fairway.

This 'GOOGLE MAP LINK' shows the exact location of Southern Dunes in Florida as a precautionary measure we have not shown the exact location of the villa, for further information, contact us.

5.            How far is it to the theme parks from the villa?

A.            Travel distances to Theme Parks:

By car starting with Disney World and working north up to Universal, Disney World and Epcot are 20 minutes, Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are 23minutes, Sea World and Aquatica are 25 minutes, Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure and Wet ’n’ Wild are 30minutes - heading west Busch Gardens is about 40 minutes.

The major shopping malls and International Drive are between 20 and 35minutes by car depending on which you choose to visit

6.            When I arrive in Florida, how do I get to the villa?

A.            Directions on arrival in Florida:

Arrival directions to Southern Dunes will be given from whichever airport you are travelling too, when you arrive at Southern Dunes you will *stop at the estate security office there the on duty officer will ask for your villa address and the date you depart. An access pass to display in your vehicle windscreen will be given to you - this should be placed in a visible location on your windscreen, the pass allows you to enter Southern Dunes for the duration of your stay without notifying security each time you enter the estate.

The officer will provide directions to the villa, the key box is on the wall next to the front door and the house key is inside. NOTE: Remember to place the key in the key box when you depart as future guests will need it, replacement charges will be deducted from security deposits if the key is missing after your departure.

*Southern Dunes is a gated community, one of the plus points of staying at Southern Dunes is that no road vehicle or person on foot is allowed on site until they confirm their intentions to security, the on duty officers monitor all traffic 24/7 and their visible presence on regular patrols around the estate is guaranteed.

7.            Do I need to hire a car?

A.            We recommend travelling by car as the preferred mode of transport in Florida.

Although local transport services are available the central Florida and the Orlando area is vast with considerable distances between the major attractions, shopping malls and beaches etc. by far the most preferred mode of transport is the car.

Car hire is available at all international airports and bookings can be made at the check in desk however a premium charge is applied for this service.  A cheaper alternatively is to pre book your car hire on line and a number of websites offer car hire services in Florida.

We recommend and advertise on our website ‘CARHIRE3000’ for two reasons:

a)       From personal experience this company is hard to beat on price, ease of booking and assistance, 

b)       They advertise the following price guarantee; ‘In the unlikely event you find someone with a comparable product at a better price we will do our best to offer you a better deal. On the rare occasion that we are unable to beat a valid Price Watch claim we’ll offer you a guaranteed 10% discount off the web price of your next car rental’.  The price guarantee remains in place up until your pick up date. 

You can use the link at the foot of the page to access the CARHIRE3000 website.  This company provides cars through the major rental companies such as DOLLAR and ALAMO, highly recommended.

8.            Where can I hire a GPS navigation system, (SAT NAV)?

A.            GPS can be hired via the internet, when car hire is booked, at the airport in Florida or for UK renters you can hire a GPS from Classic Florida Villa.

For renters living in the UK we can provide for a small hire charge a GPS system set up and ready to guide you directly to our villa. Our ‘Garmin nuvi 1100’ GPS navigator can take the stress out of driving in and around Florida. Let the GPS tailor your route preferences and allow you to reach your final destination stress free saving valuable holiday time and money.

Hiring a GPS unit whilst your on holiday can be expensive – either when pre booking or hiring at the airport in Florida. Car hire operators will charge from £35.00 to £45.00 per week - we can provide you with a GPS unit for as little as £26.00, for your total stay.

This rental price includes postal of the unit to you and a self addressed return envelope - 1^st class recorded delivery (Royal Mail), alternatively for an additional £5.00 - special delivery by 1pm next day (Royal Mail), (these prices are correct at time of printing any changes will be confirmed prior to posting).

There are no additional charges as we retain your security deposit until the unit has been returned, simply post the GPS unit back to us in the prepaid envelope when you arrive home. 

Arrival and departure times are strict as we have a full calendar, arrival is from *16:00hrs (*4pm), as this is a private villa and there is a key in the key box on the wall next to the front door you will not be met by a representative. During winter months the porch light will be left on to assist you, if you need help in any way when you arrive, you can contact the telephone number in your arrival letter and the house manager will respond.  On your departure day you should vacate the villa before or at the latest *10:00hrs (*10am) if an earlier arrival time or later departure time is desirable you must let us know well in advance, a charge is required for this service as we have to rearrange maintenance and cleaning schedules etc. to accommodate. 

* Please adhere to agreed times as the management company will not allow you to access the home if they are cleaning or inspecting and charge a fee if they cannot get into the villa due to non-registered late departures we pass on all charges to the guest concerned.

Note: A charge of £90 will be deducted from the security deposit for non return of or damage to the GPS unit.

9.            When and how do I collect the house keys, what time is check and check out?

A.            Arrival and Departure details.

Prior to your travel dates generally 8 weeks before you travel and definitely no later than 3 days prior to your arrival date you will be provided with a set of instructions including directions to the villa, arrival and departure times, important telephone numbers and contacts. Within these instructions is a key code enabling you to gain access to a numbered lock box at the front door of the villa, the house key is inside the box.

Due to guest change over’s and end of stay cleaning we ask that guests observe and adhere to the agreed arrival and departure times. The rental begins at 16:00hrs on the arrival day and concludes at 10:00hrs on the day of departure.

Please be aware that only by prior agreement between guests, ourselves and the house management team can early arrival or late departure be agreed.

10.          What do I do? ‘If I need help or assistance during my stay’.

A.            Contact details and assistance is at hand 24/7.          

With your arrival instructions there are contact details with, names, telephone numbers etc. If for any reason during your stay you need to speak to us, call us using the home telephone, email us using the home PC or use our website message board to get in touch; we are always ready to answer your call and help in any way we can.

Our management team are close by for any unforeseen niggles or concerns and general assistance, you can contact them 24/7 you will be either; given advice or offered a convenient time when a member of staff can call at the villa to assist you.

To contact the Southern Dunes security team or for medical or other emergency assistance telephone numbers are held in the purple guest information pack on display in the villa.

11.          Is a barbeque available?

A.            Cooking outdoors.

We appreciate hot weather and holidays go together with eating outdoors and the perfect occasion for a barbeque. As responsible owners of the villa we are liable for the health and safety of our property and its use as a holiday rental home, in this we endeavour to create a safe and healthy environment for all guests. We do not wish to offend any guest or to detract from you having the dream holiday you anticipate, however, due to recorded incidents where guests have compromised health, safety and fire precautions when cooking outdoors we are placed in a position where we discourage the use of any barbeque grill on or around our property. Our reasoning is; cooking on open barbeque grills is considered an activity with a heightened potential for damage and/or injury by fire and an avoidable risk. Further information is available in our TERMS.     

12.          Are there any hidden extras?

A.            Additional extras.

Our aim is to keep rental costs as low as possible and within individual guests budgets.  To achieve this rental packages vary in accordance with the needs and appeal of the wide variety of guests who stay at Classic Florida Villa.  Nominal charges to cover our costs of these additional facilities and services are added when requests are catered for. Examples:

      i.        Pool heating during winter months is available the nominal charge covers the additional electricity costs of running the pool heater.

     ii.        Pay per view TV, in exceptional circumstances can be provided charges per item are made at the cable company rate, not available as a general rule and notice of this request must be given within original booking request

    iii.        International telephone call time can be purchased although much cheaper alternatives are phone cards bought from local stores

    iv.        Cots, cribs and bed guards for babies and young children, these facilities are rented by us on the parent’s behalf for the duration of the rental period. 

     v.        Garage door automatic control, request must be made prior to arrival, a nominal charge plus an additional deposit is required for this service.

    vi.        Provision of additional front door keys, advance notice plus additional deposit required.

   vii.        Telephone operator services (no longer provided due to high call costs)

  viii.        WI FI secure access to internet broadband, this charge is applied to cover cable charges and to deter guests from offering access to non-paying guests staying in neighbouring homes.

    ix.        Maid service covered below.

13.          Who cleans and looks after the villa?

A.            Maintenance of the villa:

The villa is maintained by our US management company to a very high standard prior to and after your stay. During your stay the villa is in your care – day to day washing dishes, changing linen towels etc. is left to guest’s discretion, we ask that you maintain the villa in the high standard of your arrival. Any remedial works noted by guests will be carried out by our maintenance team as soon as is possible.

If you require an additional daily maid service this can be provided locally, the house manager will explain all details and costs.

14.          What are the available facilities for babies and young children?

A.            Babies and Young children:

Everyone is welcome – if you require cot(s) etc. enter your requirements on the guest register and these will be made available on your arrival; a nominal charge for rental of certain items may be required.

A high chair and strollers are readily available in the villa for your use. 

The villa is a single storey dwelling with no stairs to climb, the pool deck has a security fence in situ separating the pool from the main pool deck, this should always be placed in position when adults are unable to supervise children in the pool or on the pool deck.

There are videos, DVD's, books and games and some small toys to help keep younger children occupied. 

For any specific requirements contact us prior to making your booking, alternatively include requests in the registration form, we will advise as to whether or not provision can be made, contact us.

15.          What provision is there for disabled access?

A.            Disabled access:

The home is a Cape San Blas model home, an executive style single storey dwelling built to the standard US building regulations required at the time of construction in 2004, no additional modifications’ have been made to the home. For information on the suitability of the home for specific requirements contact us using the message board alternatively email or telephone and we will be pleased to assist in any way possible, contact us.

16.          What is the security deposit and why do I need to pay it?

Will I get my security deposit back when I vacate the villa at the end of my stay?

A.            Return of security deposits:

When guests vacate the villa, the home is inspected and cleaned any deficiencies are reported back to us, if the condition of the villa is satisfactory the security deposit is returned in full, alternatively ‘deficiencies and or breakages etc. are deducted from the security deposit’.

Once we have received notification of the condition of the villa we either return the security deposit in full to the *lead name or contact the lead name to determine how the deficiency or breakage occurred, dependent upon the response we may return the deposit or hold the right to retain an amount of the security deposit required to rectify the deficiency returning the remainder of the deposit to the *lead guest, we will always notify guests of the reason for any incurred costs.

We normally send a cheque for the security deposit amount to be returned to the *address given or we can return the deposit via an agreed alternative payment method. For further information regarding security deposits, see TERMS

*Items recorded on the guest register

17.          What happens if I book the villa but can’t get a flight?

A.            Cancellation terms.

We strongly advise that guests confirm travel arrangements prior to booking their villa. Strict compliance with the cancellation policy terms will be adhered to in the event of travel arrangements not being secured and a request for cancellation being made.

On those occasions where travel arrangements change either by the guest own doing or due to unforeseen circumstances such as alterations in flight times by the provider etc. we will aim to accommodate those changes only whilst the villa is vacant, administration charges may apply. 

18.          Where can we buy Theme Park tickets?

A.            Ticket Outlets and Seller’s

There are a number of ticket outlets in and around Orlando as well as free traders, time share operators, travel companies and internet sites offering a variety of discounted tickets and special deals we do not therefore offer purchasing preferences for tickets. We do recommend that you shop around and ask pertinent questions relating any conditions applied to discount and/or special deals before you sign up to any best deal on offer.

19.          What is the ESTA visa exemption?

A.            Entry into the USA.

The USA has changed its entry procedures for travel to the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme and has introduced ESTA. With effect from January 20th 2010, online completion of ESTA, plus its approval, is mandatory ahead of travel, for all Visa Waiver Programme travelers. Visa Waiver Programme travelers arriving in the USA without such approval, risk possible immediate deportation. This new system has been mandated by US Government legislation, following 9/11 and is very much based on a similar system called ETA that has been working successfully in Australia for some years. ESTA applications should be submitted as soon as travel arrangements are made. It is recommended that the application is submitted at least 72 hours before departure however the system will accommodate last minute travel. You can apply directly from the ESTA site.

                You can complete your ESTA application by clicking 

 
 

Contact us at:

(Tel:       0191 5120737
xFax:      0191 5120737
*Email:  info@classicfloridavilla.co.uk