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POLICIES & FAQS

Plan your Amelia Island getaway with the support and service of trusted vacation rental professionals.

Our Local Staff is Here to Ensure Your Experience is Exceptional

Our mission is to offer a truly personal service to make your stay at any of our Stay Better rentals as relaxing, enjoyable, and easy as we possibly can. We have provided as much information as possible on our website to help you plan & decide which rental best fits your needs. If you have any questions before, during, or after your stay, we’re here for you and just around the corner while you are in town. We look forward to welcoming you soon!

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What time is check-in and check-out?

    Check-in is 4:00 PM or later
    Please do not enter the home or condo before this time unless you have received our approval to do so. Additional rental fees will be charged to your credit card if you are found to be in violation of this policy. Occasionally, during peak seasons, your home or condo may not be ready until after 4:00 PM. All of our rentals are accessed with a front door keypad or lockbox on the property. You will receive your access code at 4:00 PM on the day of arrival via text and email.

    Check-out is 10:00 AM or earlier
    All homes and condos are cleaned and supplied upon your departure.

  • How old must I be to book a rental?

    You must be at least 25 (a few homes list a minimum of 27) years old to rent any of our rentals.

  • Will I receive arrival instructions?

    When making your reservation, please be sure to provide the correct email & mobile number to ensure you’ll receive all the necessary confirmations, instructions, and our digital guestbook. YOUR GUESTBOOK CONTAINS DETAILED PARKING & ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS. You’ll be glad you took a few minutes to read the guestbook prior to leaving your home so you can be prepared for your trip! You receive the guestbook shortly after you booked via email, and then again 10 days before arrival via text.

  • What is your cancellation policy?

    Guests receive 100% if cancellation occurs more than 30 days before arrival. No refunds within 30 days of arrival. There will be no refunds for no-shows, late arrivals, early departures, inclement weather (i.e. hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical depressions, etc.), or for leaving the home for mechanical failure of non-essential items. We strongly encourage all guests to purchase travel insurance. Our hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th.

    Changes to dates or rental location are allowed within 48 hours after the original booking/confirmation is complete, but ONLY if your arrival date is more than 30 days away.

    Guests who book any rental for a stay of 28 nights or more, will adhere to a 60-day cancellation policy.

  • Where can I park?

    Before your arrival, you will receive a customized digital guestbook with details on directions and parking. Our Amelia South, Ketch Courtyard, Omni, and Summer Beach rentals require parking passes to be displayed at all times (provided in your rental). Units in Forest Ridge require a parking pass, supplied in units, between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

    Should you require additional parking beyond the assigned or allocated spaces at your complex, our local municipal airport offers this service for a fee. To facilitate the process, visitors are advised to arrive between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM to complete the payment transaction. Please bring along a copy of your vehicle registration and any other relevant documentation that may be requested. The Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport (FBMA) is located on Amelia Island at 700 Airport Road, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034. Should you have any questions or need to confirm the details, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the airport directly at (904) 310-3435.

  • Do you offer travel insurance?

    Please refer to this link for details on purchasing Travel Insurance. It will be an option to purchase ONCE at the time of booking with Stay Better Vacations. Travel Guardian Insurance You an also visit this page on our website for additional details: Travel Protection PDF Overview

  • What do you supply in your rentals?

    All of our rentals provide the following:

    • Linens, bath towels, and beach towels
    • Starter paper goods (toilet paper & paper towels)
    • Garbage bags, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, hand soap
    • Coffee, filters, sugar, & creamer to get you started that first morning
    • Sample size shampoo and & body bar

  • Do you supply beach equipment?

    Unfortunately, because saltwater and sand are harsh on beach equipment, we cannot guarantee the availability or condition of beach chairs; they may have even been discarded by previous guests without our knowledge due to wear & tear.

    We offer our guests a 15% beach equipment rental discount – delivered directly to your beach location! Or, there are local shops where you can purchase all your beach gear. A discount code will be provided in your personalized guestbook after booking your rental.

  • What if I have a maintenance problem?

    Maintenance problems in the home or condo will be handled in a timely and professional manner. Just call or text (904) 299-3520.

    The rental rate will not be adjusted due to any malfunction of equipment, which includes TVs, VCRs, DVDs, air conditioning units, hot water tanks, elevators, stoves, refrigerators, ice makers, door locks, pools, etc. Equipment and appliances whether new or not may malfunction and cannot be guaranteed. Refunds will not be provided due to malfunction of equipment.

    It is agreed that Stay Better Vacations has the right to enter the property at a reasonable time for repairs or routine maintenance including pest control and other property services.

  • Do you have pet friendly vacation rentals?

    Yes! Our pet friendly units are listed on our Pet Friendly page. If a pet is brought into a non-pet friendly property, Stay Better Vacations will ask you to find boarding and/or immediately terminate your reservation, forfeit all monies received, and charge an additional $200 minimum for cleaning.

  • Am I allowed to smoke or vape?

    No. All rentals are non-smoking. No smoking of any kind is permitted inside, which includes vaping. Ketch Courtyard and The Pelicans are a non-smoking complex; nowhere on the grounds can you smoke, including balconies.

  • Do you offer a grocery stocking service?

    Yes! Stay Better Vacations has found a way to make your experience even better with our personal grocery shopping and pre-stocking service!

    After you book your vacation rental, you’ll receive a link to our exclusive online grocery store in your personalized Digital Guest Book. From there, just fill your cart with everything you’ll need for your Amelia Island or St. Marys vacation, and we’ll not only do the shopping, but we’ll stock your vacation rental so its ready the moment you arrive. Start relaxing right away with this exclusive service from Stay Better Vacations!

  • How can I receive deliveries at my rental?

    You can have packages delivered to your rental, but *make sure* they can leave it outside the front door. ANY MAIL OR PACKAGE DELIVERED TO THE RENTAL’S MAILBOX will not be delivered to you as we do NOT have keys to the mailboxes.

    • There is an Amazon Locker located at Staples at 1445 Sadler Road that you can ship directly to for easy pick-up!
    • To forward your mail to our local Post Office, you can complete a form online or stop at your post office before leaving: https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm.
    • UPS and FedEx have locations on Amelia Island that you can ship directly to for easy pick-up!

  • What do I have to do when I check-out?

    Please start the dishwasher the night before & leave it for us to put away. You can leave the breakfast dishes in the sink.

    It’s your vacation, you shouldn’t have to do any housekeeping! However, if you have time to take out your trash & start a load of any used beach towels provided, that would be great!

    Lock the door as you sadly say goodbye, travel safe, and come back soon!

  • What if I leave something behind?

    If you have left something behind, we are happy to return to you within 7 days after your departure. After that, we will dispose of or donate. Please be sure to notify us as soon as you realize the item is not with you – we’ll notify our staff to look for it and if found the cost to return is $5.00 plus the cost of shipping, charged to the credit card we have on file or another card number you can provide.

Policies

Check-in & check-out

Check-in is 4:00 PM or later
Please do not enter the home or condo before this time unless you have received our approval to do so. Additional rental fees will be charged to your credit card if you are found to be in violation of this policy. Occasionally, during peak seasons, your home or condo may not be ready until after 4:00 PM. All of our rentals are accessed with a front door keypad or lockbox on the property. You will receive your access code at 4:00 PM on the day of arrival via text and email.

Check-out is 10:00 AM or earlier
All homes and condos are cleaned and supplied upon your departure.

Payment/Deposit

If the booking is made more than 30 days in advance of your arrival date, a payment of 10% is due. If booking is made less than 30 days prior to arrival, 100% is due. The credit card used for the first payment will be used to process all future payments and is automatically charged on the due date; which is 30 days before arrival when we will collect the remaining 90%. We accept Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Diners Club.

Cancellation Policy

Guests receive 100% if cancellation occurs more than 30 days before arrival. No refunds within 30 days of arrival. There will be no refunds for no-shows, late arrivals, early departures, inclement weather (i.e. hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical depressions, etc.), or for leaving the home for mechanical failure of non-essential items. We strongly encourage all guests to purchase travel insurance. Our hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th.

Changes to dates or rental location are allowed within 48 hours after the original booking/confirmation is complete, but ONLY if your arrival date is more than 30 days away.

Guests who book any rental for a stay of 28 nights or more, will adhere to a 60-day cancellation policy.

Linens & Supplies

All homes and condos are privately owned and equipped for basic vacation needs. Bedding, bath & beach towels are provided for the maximum number of possible guests stated. A starter supply of paper products is included and there are several stores close by where you can stock up for your stay. Beach chairs are not guaranteed; therefore, are not included in the listing as being available.

Maintenance Policy & Access

Maintenance problems in the home or condo will be handled in a timely and professional manner. The rental rate will not be adjusted due to any malfunction of equipment, which includes TVs, VCRs, DVDs, air conditioning units, hot water tanks, elevators, stoves, refrigerators, ice makers, door locks, pools, etc. Equipment and appliances whether new or not may malfunction and cannot be guaranteed. Refunds will not be provided due to malfunction of equipment.

It is agreed that Stay Better Vacations has the right to enter the property at a reasonable time for repairs or routine maintenance including pest control and other property services.

Smoking & Vaping Policy

All rentals are non-smoking. No smoking of any kind is permitted inside, which includes vaping. Ketch Courtyard and The Pelicans are a non-smoking complex; nowhere on the grounds can you smoke, including balconies.

Parties & Underage Drinking

A majority of our rentals are located in a residential community with both year-round residents and short-term guests. As such we ask that you respect their privacy and their right to a peaceful existence! Specifically, between the hours of 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM noise should be kept to a minimum. Parties, weddings, or large family reunions are not permitted in any of our rentals due to the City Ordinance and Fire Code. Complaints of loud noises or underage drinking will result in eviction without any refunds being issued.

Occupancy / Age / Restrictions

In no event shall the Rental Property be occupied by more persons than the capacity of the property as stated on the website or the confirmation letter, without prior approval. No fraternities, schools, civic, or other non-family groups are permitted unless granted prior approval. In no event shall guests assign or sublet the Rental Property in whole or in part. Guests agree that they will be present during the entire rental period. You must be at least 25 (a few homes list a minimum of 27) years old to rent any of our rentals.

Cleaning Policy

Our expectations are for you to enter a clean, fully-ready, and properly stocked rental. Regardless if you stay one night or seven, our cleaners perform the same tasks for every clean. Therefore, the cleaning/property preparedness fee remains the same for any number of nights booked.

Should you arrive at your rental and notice something was overlooked or not cleaned; please advise us within 2 hours of arrival. We are unable to correct the situation if we are not made aware.

Living near the beach means that sand will follow you home. We do our best to remove all evidence of the beach before your arrival, but sometimes we may miss a few grains.

Your credit card will be charged for additional cleaning if the home or condo, linens, and/or carpet are found to be excessively dirty.

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