Vacation Rental Property Etiquette
A Guide to the Do’s and Don’t Do’s of staying in a vacation rental property.
The Walla Walla Vacation Rentals staff has compiled the following list of helpful guidelines for guests. We hope you will find our suggestions helpful and cheeky.
We love dogs
Our intrepid traveller arrives with rover and rover.
Ask any “long-timers” in the hospitality industry, and they’ll confess that they prefer dogs over humans. So, naturally, nearly all of our properties are “Pet-Friendly” with a fee. When you book your stay, let us know you are bringing Rover and paying for him. Don’t try to sneak Rover into the house without paying the pet fee, Don’t bring three of Rover’s pals (we have a two-dog maximum), don’t claim that Rover is an emotional support animal if he’s not, don’t leave Rover alone un-crated in the property or yard, don’t bring Rover to a no-pet property, let us know if Rover did any damage during your stay. Do pick up Rover’s pooh before you check out so the next guest does not step in it and become a Rover hater.
Can we check in early?
Try earnestly not to request an early check-in or late check-out. We set specific times for a reason; we aren’t just being unreasonable buzz-kill gatekeepers. Housekeepers must clean thoroughly, and Quality Control staff must inspect and stock the properties. If you show up early or are pokey about leaving, it throws our team entirely off schedule, and that’s not nice. You want to be friendly, right?
How does this work?
When you arrive at your vacation home, take a minute to familiarize yourself with the house and the grounds. We have Guest Information Binders in our homes with comprehensive instructions on where everything is and how everything works. So before you start wildly texting/calling the Property Manager for the WiFi password and where the coffee grinder is, look in the binder first - bet you, it’s in there!
I’m allergic to tap water.
If you have acute allergies or sensitivities, stay home because you’ll never be happy (kidding, not kidding). Don’t expect our vacation home staff to remove all feathers and air fresheners before you arrive. Bring your bedding and a mask, and be happy (or not). It’s up to you.
Bodily Fluids?
Need I mention them by name? You know what these are, and you should try hard not to leave any of them at your vacation home. Think of our hard-working Housekeepers. Would you poop on the bed or vomit in the Hot Tub in your home and leave it for someone else to clean up? Be a good human and clean up after yourself; vacation homes are not Babylon, and housekeepers are not ER Orderlies.
Passive-Aggressive Reviews
In the 15+ years I have been a Property Manager, this is the one that makes my head explode. If anything was not suitable or not working during your stay, and you chose not to contact us so we could remedy the situation but instead chose to complain in a public review afterward — then you are a creep. We pride ourselves on our 24/7 availability. If anything goes wrong during your stay, we can fix it. It would be best if you let us know so we can help.
Be a good neighbor.
Vacation homes are often in neighborhoods; that’s the beauty of them. Guests can feel at home and experience the intimate feel of a town. So, it’s essential to respect the full-time residents. Obey the noise ordinances and park in designated areas. Don’t have parties/events that involve loud, off-key karaoke. There may be an old codger who lives next door who goes to bed at 8 PM and does not appreciate your music, motorcycle, or jib cut. Be kind and respectful; you’ll be him someday.
Thou shalt not steal.
I wonder if anyone will notice that I took ALL the toilet paper?
Must it be said? Apparently so. Don’t treat your vacation rental as your shopping cart. Use what supplies are stocked for your stay and fight the urge to toss toilet paper rolls and shampoos in your suitcase. You’re better than that.
Things left behind
Years ago, I started a list of the goofy things guests erroneously left behind when they checked out. Some of the highlights were; a loaded gun, a leather S&M outfit complete with a spiked collar and ceiling hoist attachment, a Vera Wang wedding gown, a live kitten, three cases of MacCallan 12-year-old single malt scotch, a 100-year-old family bible, a portable heart defibrillator — to name a few. If contacted, we always take the “items” to our local post office and mail them back to the guests. Our un-claimed items live cozily in our office’s lost and found room. Next year we’ll be opening a phone-charger store. What is the lesson of this tale? Please thoroughly sweep the property before you check out so we don’t have to touch your underpants.
They’ll never know.
Since exterior security cameras are standard on most properties now, gone are the days of guests assuming “they’ll never know.” We know when you sneak in ten extra guests, back your jeep into the garage door, throw your sheepdog into the pool or plop your diapered toddler into the hot tub. We see guests’ naughtiness in technicolor on our phones. Please don’t oblige us to make those embarrassing phone calls to you during your stay. Follow the rules, respect the house, and if you break something, please tell us rather than attempting a fruitless cover-up. The damage insurance payment you made when you booked will most likely cover it.
Let’s make a deal!
Contrary to popular belief, vacation property rates are not subject to haggling. Please don’t ask to clean it yourself and skip the cleaning fee. Don’t request a discount because you are an “Influencer” with two million followers; don’t ask for a free stay because this will be Grandma’s last trip. Don’t send me an inquiry stating that my property is too expensive and you’ll give me five hundred dollars less. This last one may prompt me to raise the price out of spite because I am that bitchy.
It’s a Tumor.
Cancelations are a fact of life; we get it. Plans and circumstances change, and we like to be generous and flexible with our cancellation policy. Please don’t send us a three-page novella on why you must cancel. We do not need to know the minutia of the surgery, the post-op, or the size of the lump removed from the neck. Honestly, cancel, and we’ll see you some other time.
Double D’s — Door Dorks
All of our properties have keyless door entry systems. The code to enter is sent to our guests a couple of days before arrival. Easy Peasy most of the time. Walla Walla is in the heart of Washington’s wine country, so more often than not, some of our guests have been “tasting” before their arrival. I’m not saying they are smashed upon arrival, but sometimes giggly and tipsy. We call these darlings “Double D’s,” short for Door Dorks. Upon arrival, they have lost the ability to key in their code, and mayhem ensues. They press the wrong code multiple times, sending the poor entry system into a red-blinking, seized-up calamity. After several minutes of this drama, we usually get a panicked call telling us our door is broken. In the background, someone named Brittany is hollering, “Open the damn door. I’m going to wet my pants!” Once everyone has calmed down, including the blinking entry system, we can usually talk everyone down off the ledge and walk them through a proper entry. Don’t be a door dork!
How many beds are there?
All the information about a property is in the online listing details and photos. We go into great detail on each listing about how many beds, baths, size, and location of each, to name a few. The listings spell out all the details, descriptions, and amenities. Why, oh why, are guests asking us repeatedly about the details that are clearly spelled out and pictured in the listings? Open your peepers and look at the listing carefully before asking how many King beds are in the house.
Big tipper
I would indoctrinate our Housekeeping staff into Sainthood. We could not run our amazing business without them. Our crew is paid above average because we value them; it instills loyalty and is a very tough job. Many guests don’t know that the Cleaning Fee one pays when booking a property generally has a laundry fee and a security deposit fee baked into it. So when you see a Housekeeper tip envelope, it is at your discretion to leave a tip. Don’t leave a nasty gram on the tip envelope stating that the outrageous Cleaning Fee should more than cover the Housekeeping. Instead, ask yourself: Was the property clean and sparkly when you arrived? Aren’t you glad someone else will clean up after you when you leave?
We love love
In the hospitality industry, we experience our fair share of snarkiness, freak shows, entitled Karens, and disgusting slobs. We take it all in stride publicly and laugh hysterically about it privately. Here’s an idea, beloved guest. Next time you stay at one of our properties, and you loved it and had a great time, drop us a line and let us know. You can’t believe how much a little sugar can make our day. We love love, and boy, do we need it.
Our intrepid traveller will regret his behavior in the morning.