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Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
What does “Max Occupancy” for each property mean?

We only allow the number of guests that can sleep in existing beds. Air mattresses are not allowed to increase occupancy. Every guest must be listed in the rental contract or provided for safety reasons. Every guest must be listed in the rental contract or provide information to us for safety and insurance reasons.

Day guests are permitted but are not allowed to stay overnight. We do not permit family reunions, large gatherings, parties, or other occasions at any of our properties.

Why are rates shown on HomeAway and VRBO different than quoted on your website?

We have no idea how they get the promotional rate that they show on their sites. If you book through other HomeAway or VRBO or Be Our Guest, the rate will be the same.

Booking through beourguestmi.com will save you the 8% to 15% booking fee charge by HomeAway and VRBO websites.

Can we tour the rentals before booking?

No we do not allow tours. For security reasons we do not provide addresses of our properties until you sign a Guest Agreement. Most of our properties are booked year round and we wish to respect the privacy of our guests and owners.

What about sheets and towels?

Most of our properties feature hotel style sheets and towels. We provide two sets of towels per guest.

At the end of your stay, we ask that you put all towels in the bath tubs or showers. We ask that you do not wash the towels since we send them to a professional laundry company for cleaning.

Beach towels and blankets are not provided.

What is your Pet Policy?

Some of our properties allow dogs at the discretion of the owners. Cats are never allowed. You must sign a Pet Addendum giving us information about your pet’s health. There is a $100 pet fee per dog. Pet owners are required to pick up after their pets at all times.

What standard items are included with every rental property?

BOG or the owners provide paper products, laundry and dish detergents and trash bags to get you started. If you run out of the items, it is your responsibility to obtain the items that you need.

Our properties are stocked with cooking utensils and dishware to accommodate the number of guests allowed. Paper plates and disposable utensils are not provided.

Most properties have either charcoal or gas grilles. There should be one additional gas tank available. If you need additional propane, and there is not a second tank, we will attempt to get a tank to you but you may have a tank refilled and we will reimburse you the cost.

If any of items are missing or not working when you arrive at the property – please let us know and we will attend to getting the items replaced as quickly as possible.

What time can we check in?

Your rental home will be ready for your arrival at 03:00 PM EASTERN TIME. Due to our cleaning schedule we cannot accept early check-ins. If you know that you will arrive later than 03:00 PM, please give us a call with your estimated arrival time. If you arrive more than 2 hours after your agreed upon arrival time you will be invoiced $50 for each additional hour.

What time is check out?

We ask that you leave by 10:00 AM EASTERN TIME 08/14/2017 to give our staff time to prepare for the next guests. Late departures are subject to a charge of $50 for each half hour a guest remains after the stated checkout time. You do not need to wait for a checkout.

  • Please do not wash the linens before departure.
  • Leave the beds unmade and the towels in the bathtub.
  • Close all windows
  • Turn off all lights
  • Lock all doors
  • Please leave all of the keys on the kitchen counter.
What happens if we arrive later than the check in time?

If you know that you will arrive later than 03:00 PM, please give us a call with your estimated arrival time. If you arrive more than 2 hours after your agreed upon arrival time you will be invoiced $50 for each additional hour.

Are we expected to tip (provide gratuity) to your cleaning staff?

No tipping is required.

We’d like to rent a property for less than a week, is this possible?

During July and August all of our properties require a 7 night minimum stay. If there is a reservation gap, shorter stays may be allowed but there is still a 3 night minimum.

How do we book a property?

Booking direct through beourguestmi.com will save you 8% to !5%. Press the Book Now button in your email quote and a contract will be sent to you for completion. You are welcomed to call 269.487.9530 and ask us any questions.

Where is your office if I need to mail you something? Will we meet you or your staff during our stay?

Please use our post office box: P.O. Box 267, Baroda, MI 49101 for all mail. We will always meet you at the house you are renting for your convenience.

How do we know how to get to our vacation rental property?

The address to your property will be in your reservation contract and also in an email sent to you 5 days prior to your arrival date. In the email will also be a link to the map location of your rental home.

What should we know about the ocean beach/shore around the property if there are any?

Every year the beach conditions at any of our properties changes. It is best to call or email us to get the current conditions.

Where can I get more information about the area?

We recommend the following websites for information:

Property Usage
Do you allow wedding party groups or weddings at your properties?

We do not allow small and large weddings at any of our properties, including receptions and before and after parties. Our homes are in private neighborhoods and beach access is restricted.

We have a large group. Do you have rentals that are close to one another?

Yes. It is better to contact us by phone so we can discuss the many options.

Is there an age limit on who can rent from you?

Yes. The person signing the contract must be 25 years old and must stay at the property.

Can we bring an RV or Camper to the property?

No, we do not allow such vehicles on the property to increase occupancy.

Can we pitch a tent at the property?

No.

We are renting in the Off-Season (after September 1st and before June 30th) – will all the advertised property amenities be available?

Yes.

Can we have outdoor fires (camp fires) at the property?

You may use existing fire pits where provided. Open fires on beaches are not allowed.

Payments & Charges
What other fees and taxes are involved in renting a property from you?

Michigan sales tax of 6% is charged on the rental fee only. The cleaning fee is additional and is stated in the listing and in your quote.

Pet fees are $100 per pet and sales tax is not charged for pet fees.

There is a $69 fee of an insurance policy that covers up to $3000 in damages. If do not wish to pay the insurance fee, you will need to make a $3000 refundable deposit at the time of booking.
There is a refundable $500 security deposit that will be reimbursed within 10 days of your departure.

When is my first payment due?

With your reservation, you will get a specified amount of deposit that is required to complete your reservation. You may pay this, if you book direct, by credit card or check.

Communications
We MUST have high speed internet access and good cell phone coverage. Can that be guaranteed?

Neither can be guaranteed at lake front properties. Most other locations have great reception.

Will there be a landline at the property?

Some properties have landlines. Since most of our homes are second homes, they may not have landlines.

How do we reach you after normal business hours if there is a problem at our rental property?

If you call our main number, there is an emergency extension that you can select. That extension will continue dialing all of our partner’s numbers until someone responds. At each property there is a notebook filled with information and on the front of the book you can find all of the owners’ phone numbers.

Guest Expectations
I have allergies to certain things – should I tell you if I do in advance so I am not surprised when I arrive at my vacation property to find something that I am allergic to is there?

Yes because if we know of existing conditions in a property, we want to alert you before your arrival.

What is expected of me in regards to cleaning of the property after my stay?

We ask that you make sure that you have all your items and none that belong to the property owner.
Please do not wash the linens before departure.

  • Leave the beds unmade and the towels in the bathtub.
  • Close all windows
  • Turn off all lights
  • Lock all doors
  • Please leave all of the keys on the kitchen counter.
What do we need to bring with us to our vacation property?

Bring your own beach towels and items that you like at the beach because we can not guarantee that these items will be available at the property.

Plan to bring all food items.

Who takes care of any issues that may come up at the property?

You can contact the person that met you upon you arrival or call our main number – 269.487.9530. Someone is always available to help you with any issues.

Are there any boat rental companies nearby?

Yes. Pier 1000 and Guy’s Marine depending on your location.

What happens if we leave something behind after we leave?

We will email you and ask you what you would like to do regarding returning it or donating it.

Heating & Cooling
Will our vacation property have air conditioning?

Most of our properties are air conditioned. We make every attempt to inform guests when a property is not air conditioned. If there is a mechanical failure, we will get the system serviced as quickly as possible. We do not give any refunds for days without air conditioning.

If our rental property has a fireplace or wood stove – can we use it?

This varies with each property and you should confirm with the partner that meets you upon arrival.