Some Frequently Asked Questions:
Do you have WiFi at the house?
Yes, we do offer wireless cable based internet. At this time, we do not have a landline telephone.
Do you have Cable at the house?
Yes, basic cable.
The dates I inquired about were NOT blocked out on your on-line calendar, but I was told they were not available - Why is that?
The short answer is a Rental Agreement has been sent and/or the payment hasn't cleared. Ideally these on-line vacation calendars would have a "pending" way to block out dates, but they don't & I can't apologize enough for that. The process almost always goes as follows:
Do you have any baby gear?
Because of the frequent safety recalls of various baby products, we do not offer any thing in the way of baby gear. Your child's safety is a priority to us. Currently the interior is finished; the outside & decks are little rugged for smaller children. Please give details on both number and ages of your children. Do not hesitate to inquire about any safety issues.
Will you accept shorter stays than the stated minimum nights?
Yes, we will accept shorter stays, on occasion. Mainly when your stay is just a couple weeks out, but please ask.
Can we Rent a Canoe or Kayak?
Yes! Well, Maybe. I get asked this question all the time and do have a phone number for a local guy; but as yet no one has used him.
How far are you from the water?
The river is in the back yard. You and your group will have access to over 100 feet of river front property. There is an area that depending on the tide, you may find a small beach and sandbar to take a dip in the river.
If you are interested in going to the Gulf of Mexico Beaches, they are less than 8 miles away. It's almost directly South, on a fast paced, 4 lane (2 headed North and 2 headed South) road with few red lights.
Where is the closest public boat ramp?
There is a neighborhood boat launch just up the street that is usually available, launch at your own risk. You can't leave your vehicle or trailer there, but its a short boat ride south to meet the boat after launched, at the Dalton Gang's Hideout dock. If that's not available, too risky or too small, just 6.5 miles south off the 605 is the Krammer Public Boat Launch (close to Back Bay Seafood) that is excellent for any size boat and offers a fun boat ride back to the Great Escape River Lookout.
Is there a barbecue grill? Should I bring Charcoal?
Yes! And Yes! We have a charcoal grill, on the upper deck. There are a few grilling tools in the kitchen.
Can we boil crawfish, crabs, shrimp, etc.?
Yes! You will need to bring your own pot, propane, and boiling tools. Most Vacation Rentals won't allow this, but here at the Great Escape River Lookout, we understand that when large groups of friends and family get together, preparing and enjoying the meals together, is a big part of that. Here, in the South, enjoying our seafood is very important. We do ask that you give us advance notice of any plans to boil seafood. It does need to be done outdoors, a little distance away from the house and that all the remains are quickly and properly disposed of. By giving us notice, we will also make sure there are tables and outdoor furniture under the deck, to enjoy this sometimes messy gatherings.
Are the owners close by if we have questions?
Yes! The owners or a caretaker are always close by or on one of the adjacent properties.
Please don't hesitate to call or email us with your questions.
Yes, we do offer wireless cable based internet. At this time, we do not have a landline telephone.
Do you have Cable at the house?
Yes, basic cable.
The dates I inquired about were NOT blocked out on your on-line calendar, but I was told they were not available - Why is that?
The short answer is a Rental Agreement has been sent and/or the payment hasn't cleared. Ideally these on-line vacation calendars would have a "pending" way to block out dates, but they don't & I can't apologize enough for that. The process almost always goes as follows:
- Request for quote
- Quote sent (usually within 24 hours)
- Some questions back & forth (usually 2 days - 2 weeks)
- Request for a Rental Agreement
- At this time the house is considered booked, or "pending," at least for the next 10 days. There is no pending option on the on-line calendar, it is either booked or its not. I elect not to show it as booked until the payment has cleared.
- Inquires for the same dates are told a Rental Agreement is out and it may be available, but not likely ~ so far, 100% of the Rental Agreements sent out result in a rental every time.
- Within 72 hours, a copy of the signed rental documents and driver's license is either faxed or emailed
- Now the house is considered rented and all inquires are told it is, however it is not posted on-line
- Payment is then made either through PayPal or a check
- The PayPal payment takes less than a week to clear, the check about 2 weeks
- Once the payment has cleared, the dates are marked as booked on the on-line Vacation Calendar
Do you have any baby gear?
Because of the frequent safety recalls of various baby products, we do not offer any thing in the way of baby gear. Your child's safety is a priority to us. Currently the interior is finished; the outside & decks are little rugged for smaller children. Please give details on both number and ages of your children. Do not hesitate to inquire about any safety issues.
Will you accept shorter stays than the stated minimum nights?
Yes, we will accept shorter stays, on occasion. Mainly when your stay is just a couple weeks out, but please ask.
Can we Rent a Canoe or Kayak?
Yes! Well, Maybe. I get asked this question all the time and do have a phone number for a local guy; but as yet no one has used him.
How far are you from the water?
The river is in the back yard. You and your group will have access to over 100 feet of river front property. There is an area that depending on the tide, you may find a small beach and sandbar to take a dip in the river.
If you are interested in going to the Gulf of Mexico Beaches, they are less than 8 miles away. It's almost directly South, on a fast paced, 4 lane (2 headed North and 2 headed South) road with few red lights.
Where is the closest public boat ramp?
There is a neighborhood boat launch just up the street that is usually available, launch at your own risk. You can't leave your vehicle or trailer there, but its a short boat ride south to meet the boat after launched, at the Dalton Gang's Hideout dock. If that's not available, too risky or too small, just 6.5 miles south off the 605 is the Krammer Public Boat Launch (close to Back Bay Seafood) that is excellent for any size boat and offers a fun boat ride back to the Great Escape River Lookout.
Is there a barbecue grill? Should I bring Charcoal?
Yes! And Yes! We have a charcoal grill, on the upper deck. There are a few grilling tools in the kitchen.
Can we boil crawfish, crabs, shrimp, etc.?
Yes! You will need to bring your own pot, propane, and boiling tools. Most Vacation Rentals won't allow this, but here at the Great Escape River Lookout, we understand that when large groups of friends and family get together, preparing and enjoying the meals together, is a big part of that. Here, in the South, enjoying our seafood is very important. We do ask that you give us advance notice of any plans to boil seafood. It does need to be done outdoors, a little distance away from the house and that all the remains are quickly and properly disposed of. By giving us notice, we will also make sure there are tables and outdoor furniture under the deck, to enjoy this sometimes messy gatherings.
Are the owners close by if we have questions?
Yes! The owners or a caretaker are always close by or on one of the adjacent properties.
Please don't hesitate to call or email us with your questions.
Do you allow an earlier Check-in time?
Generally, No. On same day with a check-out & check-in, it's impossible; this is also the case for Peak Season (Mid May through Mid September). It takes approximately 6 man hours to prepare the house between guest stays. When there is no departing same day check-out on our posted on-line calendar, it still may not be possible. This is for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:
Because of the possibility of your early check-in date being the departure date of another, yet-to-be-booked date, early check-ins are rarely granted in advance at the time of the booking. If you are interested in arriving early, please feel free to check with us a day or two in advance as to the possibility of an early check-in. We rarely book less than 2 days in advance of an available date and by then we should be able to confirm if an early check-in is possible.
Unless specifically stipulated, all check-ins are for after 4 PM, Central Standard Time.
- Bookings made less than a month out are rarely posted on the on-line calendar
- Minor maintenance to the property is being done between bookings
- We're actually using the house and have not posted it as blocked out.
- We've allowed family to use the house and haven't posted it as blocked out.
- If an extended vacancy, we often have a house sitter, who will occupy until check in day.
Because of the possibility of your early check-in date being the departure date of another, yet-to-be-booked date, early check-ins are rarely granted in advance at the time of the booking. If you are interested in arriving early, please feel free to check with us a day or two in advance as to the possibility of an early check-in. We rarely book less than 2 days in advance of an available date and by then we should be able to confirm if an early check-in is possible.
Unless specifically stipulated, all check-ins are for after 4 PM, Central Standard Time.
Do you allow a later check out time?
Generally, No. On same day check-out & check-in, it's impossible; this is also the case for Peak Season (Mid May through Mid September). It takes approximately 6 man hours to prepare the house between guest stays. Even when there is no arriving same day check-in, it creates hardship for our cleaning crew causing them to get off work so late.
During Off-Peak Season it may be possible for an additional hourly charge, depending on which day of the week you are checking out and how late you wish to depart. Particularly in the case of multi-day business meetings this is common. These working stays use the last day to finalize their projects, usually leaving around 5 PM. By this time it is both too late for the cleaning staff to come and for the house to book another stay that night, essentially costing the house a nights booking. These late check-outs need to be arranged in advance and in writing. Unless specifically stipulated, all check-outs are for before 10 AM, Central Standard Time.
During Off-Peak Season it may be possible for an additional hourly charge, depending on which day of the week you are checking out and how late you wish to depart. Particularly in the case of multi-day business meetings this is common. These working stays use the last day to finalize their projects, usually leaving around 5 PM. By this time it is both too late for the cleaning staff to come and for the house to book another stay that night, essentially costing the house a nights booking. These late check-outs need to be arranged in advance and in writing. Unless specifically stipulated, all check-outs are for before 10 AM, Central Standard Time.
Can you tell me a little about the property?
The Great Escape River Lookout sits on a property with approximately 75' of Road Frontage and 85' of River Frontage. About 285' deep. Near the river there is a small covered pavilion with two picnic tables, two benches, and a custom grill made from an 18 Wheeler rim, by a dear family friend.
Some times, depending on the Tide, there is a small beach in front of this Pavilion area.
The house is constructed on a cinder block foundation. The house you are renting is on the 2nd story as the ground level is our storage area. The grounds immediately around the house are unique because they have been built up by a previous owner. Once he did that, he built a concrete wall around 3 sides to hold up the soil. The 4th side, gently slopes towards the street. Because of this wall, we limit young children.
There is a concrete path from the house, to the pavilion and to the river.
The house is 4 bedrooms, 2 Full Baths, approximately 1,700 square feet. There is a large hot hub. Also there is a large upper deck with lawn furniture.
On a separate property, to the North, there is a path that cuts through the small wooded area. This lot is owned by a relative and we ask that you do not enter this property. If you are bringing a boat and need to tie up to their dock, we can check to see if you can get you permission to do so. Otherwise, its fine to tie up by the pavilion.
Some times, depending on the Tide, there is a small beach in front of this Pavilion area.
The house is constructed on a cinder block foundation. The house you are renting is on the 2nd story as the ground level is our storage area. The grounds immediately around the house are unique because they have been built up by a previous owner. Once he did that, he built a concrete wall around 3 sides to hold up the soil. The 4th side, gently slopes towards the street. Because of this wall, we limit young children.
There is a concrete path from the house, to the pavilion and to the river.
The house is 4 bedrooms, 2 Full Baths, approximately 1,700 square feet. There is a large hot hub. Also there is a large upper deck with lawn furniture.
On a separate property, to the North, there is a path that cuts through the small wooded area. This lot is owned by a relative and we ask that you do not enter this property. If you are bringing a boat and need to tie up to their dock, we can check to see if you can get you permission to do so. Otherwise, its fine to tie up by the pavilion.
What could cause me to forfeit some or all of my deposit?
Let us first start by saying the LAST thing we EVER want to do is keep part or all of your or anyone else's deposit. While we can't predict every possible circumstance, complying with the Rental Documents and letting others in your group know about the terms of the Rental Agreement and Check-out Policy will go a long way to ensuring you get your full deposit back.