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 (house keys - see 9 below).

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

^Guest register - All guests must be registered with Classic Florida Villa prior to arrival, the online guest register is a facility provided for this purpose. Only names are recorded no personal details are required.
*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, 40 mile south of central Orlando city:

Classic Florida Villa, Southern Dunes is located on Highway 27, 7 miles (8 minutes) 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 conservation area of the 4th fairway.

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 25 minutes, Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are 30 minutes, Sea World and Aquatica are 30 minutes, Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure and Wet ’n’ Wild are 40 minutes - heading west Busch Gardens is about 60 minutes. Legoland is on the site of the Cypress Gardens attraction and is approximately 15 minutes.

The major shopping malls and International Drive are between 30 and 35 minutes 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 to, 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, 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 alternative is to pre book your car-hire on line and a number of websites offer car hire services in Florida.

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.

If you have a smartphone then we recommend downloading the free NavMii software (iOS and Google) as this can provide you with free mapping without the need for a data connection once you have downloaded the maps.

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 and end of stay cleaning we ask that guests observe and adhere to the agreed arrival and departure times, 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 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. Be aware that only by prior agreement between guests, the owner’s 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 and telephone numbers. If for any reason during your stay you need to speak to us or the management company.

Our management team are close by for any assistance, you can contact them 24/7. You will be 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 provide 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.

As such we do not allow any BBQ's to be used on or around the property.

12.       Are there any hidden extras?

A.            Additional extras

Our aim is to keep rental costs as low as possible and within budget. 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. During cold spells December through February where air temperatures fall below 55^oF pool heat will not be provided

ii. Pay per view TV, is not available

iii. International telephone calls are not available from the house phone

iv. Cots, cribs and bed guards for babies and young children are rented by us on the parent’s behalf for the duration of the rental period, we will always endeavour to minimise the cost of such rentals for parents

v. Garage door automatic control. Request must be made prior to arrival, a nominal charge is required for this service

vi. Provision of additional front door keys.Request must be made prior to arrival, a nominal charge is required for this service

vii. WIFI secure access to internet broadband is free - a secure connection will be made available for those guests who request this service

ix. Maid service covered below

13.       Who cleans and looks after the villa?

A.            Maintenance of the villa

The villa is maintained by our 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 to the high standard of your arrival. Any remedial works noted by guests will be carried out by our maintenance team as soon as is practicable.

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. The pool deck has a security fence  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 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.      Non refundable insurance

Our management company has arranged for an insurance policy that must be purchased by guests before they may enter the property. The cost of this non-refundable insurance protection is $45. This can either be taken out by guests directly or via ourselves. This covers guests for damages up to $1500. Details on how to take out the insurance will be provided once a booking has been made.

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's 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 and additional rental charges may apply.

18.       What if my flight home is cancelled?

Check with your airline for flight availability, if your flight has been cancelled for any reason beyond your control we will make every attempt to assist you. If the villa is vacant for the period immediately after your stay we will offer you an extension of your rental period to accommodate the cancellation - the cost will be at a rate mutually agreed. On those occasions where the villa is occupied we will attempt to seek alternative rental accommodation where available, however, we cannot guarantee an alternative.

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. Remember at each park entrance a finger print is taken to identify each individuals ticket, part used tickets purchased second hand may not afford entry to the new holder.

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 website.

Contact us at:
* Email: info@classicfloridavilla.co.uk