Caribbean Villas Reservation Policies for: Reefside Villa, La Bella Vita, Francis Bay Estates, Sunset Beach, Rhapsody and Vista Caribe. After making your villa/condo reservation with us, you have 7 days to send us your rental deposit. Your sending us your payment constitutes your acceptance and agreement to these terms, conditions, limitations and restrictions as printed below. If you have any problems or questions with any of the following, please phone us for discussion and explanation before you send us your rental deposit monies.
PAYMENT: Caribbean Villas requires 50% down within 7 days of making your reservation. Payments are by check only. Failure to make this payment subjects your reservation to automatic cancellation. The balance of your reservation including tax/service charge, and security deposit where applicable; is due 60 days prior to arrival. Please make checks payable to Caribbean Villas and mail them to Caribbean Villas, 89 Mussey Rd, Suite 103, Scarborough, ME 04074. All cancellations and any requests for changes to your reservation (such as date changes or changes in the number of persons) must be made IN WRITING. Rates are based on Cash Prices – To pay with a visa/mastercard there is a 3% service fee.
CANCELLATION POLICIES: All payments for the following homes are NON-REFUNDABLE/NON-CHANGEABLE: Reefside Villa, Vista Caribe, Francis Bay Estates, La Bella Vita, Sunset Beach, Rhapsody. No-shows, late arrivals, a reduction in the number of persons in your group, and early departures after your arrival are non-refundable. Guests who abandon their villa without permission from Catered To Vacation Homes agree they have no rights to compensation.
TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE: If you do not have a source for cancellation insurance there is a web site with suggestions and reviews –Consumer Advocates – Trip Cancellation Insurance. Please verify all terms and conditions of coverage with the trip cancellation insurance company. It is the guest’s responsibility to cover themselves in the event they need to cancel or change their vacation plans.
Arrivals – There is one complimentary arrival that escorts the party to their villa. You may schedule additional arrivals as needed for $75 per arrival. If you arrive later than 9:00 pm on St. John, there is a charge of $55 for your arrival. If your reservation is discounted or for less than five days, there is an arrival charge of $55. If an arrival takes place on a major holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.) the arrival fee is $100.
Cable Television – Many villas offer expanded cable, a few villas offer premium channels. Occasionally there is a problem with the cable television service Catered To Vacation Homes does not have any control over the cable service and repairs are currently taking between eight and ten days to complete. Satellite Television – Some Villas offer Satellite Television of which a few offer premium channels. Because of the location of the satellite these systems are sensitive to weather conditions and the signal will break up or fail during heavy rainstorms.
Catered To Vacation Homes makes every effort to accurately and completely represent our villas on the web, telephone or brochure. If the guest is disappointed or unsatisfied with a property due to differences in taste according to decor, accommodation, location or any other reason and declines to stay at the rental property, this will be considered a cancellation and no rent reduction or refund will be issued.
Capacity Of Villa – Total guests permitted in the villa anytime are restricted to the number of guests who have scheduled and paid. Should a group be misrepresented, they must pay for the extra persons immediately or vacate the villa without a refund. Infants sleeping in a crib are not included in the total headcount.
Construction Noise – The St. John economy is thriving. Construction is everywhere, even next door to some of our villas. Work begins at 7:00 a.m. and stops at 3:30 p.m. weekdays. We do appreciate your understanding in situations where construction exists.
Check-In – 3 PM is the earliest allowed check-in time. This allows the housekeepers to complete their cleaning duties. If you arrive earlier your greeter may take you to the villa to drop your luggage, but you must leave and return no earlier than 3 pm.
Check-Out – 10 AM is the required check-out time. Late checkouts are not available. If there are guests arriving that day the housekeeper will be there at 9 AM to begin cleaning. If the property is not vacated by 10 am, Catered To Vacation Homes is authorized to remove Guest belongings from the property at the guest’s expense. The minimum charge of $60 will be charged to the credit card on file.
Drugs and Hazardous Materials – Guests and members of their party shall not use or permit to be brought into the villa any illegal or hazardous substances.
Gatherings – No groups larger than those renting a house are allowed in our villas without written permission. Additional fees may apply.
Complaints and Maintenance – Catered To Vacation Homes is not responsible for mechanical failures of non-essential or luxury items, including, but not limited to Hot Tubs, Television, Satellite/Cable Service, Dishwasher, Washer/Dryer, Air Conditioning, Spas or any other appliance that fails to operate properly during your stay. No refunds will be issued for minor disruptions of any utilities or appliance including, but not limited to, power outages, water outages, telephone service, etc.
Please report inoperative equipment to Catered To Vacation Homes and we will make every effort to have repairs done as quickly as possible during reasonable hours. Speed of service cannot be guaranteed due to our reliance on island services, repair and utility companies.
Garbage Removal – Guests are responsible for removing all trash to the appropriate outside containers located throughout the island. If trash is not removed from the villa a $75 penalty will be charged to the credit card on file.
House Keeping Service – Your rental villa is thoroughly cleaned before your arrival. On visits of 6 or more days a mid-week cleaning service is provided in selected villas. Additional mid-stay cleanings are provided for multi-week stays in the villas that offer this service. Additional cleanings may be purchased at $25 per hour with a 3 hour per-day minimum.
Hurricane and/or Storm Policy: There will be no refunds given for acts of God or force majeure, such as hurricanes, tropical storms etc. on St John, USVI. This policy applies to current and all future guests who have reservations to travel or are on St John. We highly recommend trip cancellation insurance. If insurance is not purchased and St John is impacted by an act of god or force majeure no refunds will be offered. There will be no exceptions to this policy.
Hurricanes – In the unlikely event that we should experience a hurricane this season, there are several things you should know:
1. WE DO NOT ALLOW GUESTS TO REMAIN IN OUR VILLAS DURING HURRICANES! We will be available to make recommendations for hotel accommodation on St. Thomas or St. John which will have generators and running water.
2. In the case of a hurricane while you are on island you will not receive a refund of your rental and hotel tax from the day you vacate the villa. We highly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to cover other canceled expenses. Check with your travel professional or contact a provider for more information. For a free, no-obligation quote for travel insurance, please visit www.vacationrentalinsurance.com/CATEREDD Please note that travel insurance may not be purchased after your final payment has been made.
3. If predictions indicate a hurricane is headed our way and there is enough warning time you need to make every effort to fly out of St. Thomas before the storm is upon us. Delaying your departure plans may trap you on the island when no space is available on departing flights and after the storm you can expect to wait several days before normal airline travel is restored.
4. The Catered To staff will be monitoring the storm’s progress. If we feel strongly that we may be in the path of an approaching hurricane, we will notify you and advise you to fly off the island or to check into a St. Thomas hotel that is equipped with an emergency generator for the duration of the storm.
5. IMPORTANT: Once you make plans for a hotel or to leave the island, you MUST contact Catered To to let us know where you are and what you’re doing … we must keep track of all of our guests! Kindly make sure you call and speak with us before you depart.
6. The Catered To staff will try and assist you with advice but all guests must hurry to make their own airline or hotel reservations. In this emergency situation we will be busy supervising the shuttering and closing of all of our villas, office and preparing our own families and homes for the oncoming storm. We will appreciate your understanding and your full and willing cooperation to help yourselves under these circumstances.
7. Your villa will be shuttered up, electricity and gas will be turned off-island wide. Telephone and cable service will most likely be down also. All items from the patios and decks: furniture, grill, pool equipment, etc., will be put in your villa. There will be neither running water nor flushing toilets. Your villa will no longer be luxurious or even comfortable. Our government will impose a curfew for the day of and sometimes days after a hurricane so you will not be able to leave the property and, of course, the weather will be terrible!
In an extreme situation where there is insufficient time for you to leave the island please come by the Catered To office and we will give you a list of items you should have. This will include a flashlight and batteries, a battery-operated radio, and storm preparation instructions in the unlikely situation that you must ride out the storm in one of our rental villas. YOU MUST COME TO THE OFFICE TO PICK UP YOUR HURRICANE LIST.
The Weather Channel (Channel 45) broadcasts a tropical report every hour at 48 minutes past the hour. This source and other information sources have, in the past, given us ample warning of the approach of a storm that will affect the Virgin Islands. When cable and/or TV go out, listen on FM to Isle 95 at 95.1 or on AM to WSTA Lucky 13 at 1340.
Indemnification/Hold Harmless: The tenant and guests agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Catered To Vacation Homes and represented property owners from and against all claims, demands, loss, liability of any kind and character, including cost of defense, arising out of or in any way connected with the tenant’s use of the property: in the event tenants or guests suffer personal/physical/property damage, injury, or loss. Catered To Vacation Homes and property owners are not responsible for lost or stolen items or physical security. The duty to defend arises when the claim or demand is first made and is not waived by a delayed tender of defense.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Catered To Vacation Homes and its directors, employees, sponsors, licensors, independent contractors, providers, subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, the “Indemnified”), from and against any and all liability costs (including attorney’s fees and costs) incurred by the Indemnified in connection with any claim arising out of any breach by you of any provision of this User Agreement.
You agree to cooperate as fully as reasonably required in defense of any such claims. Catered To Vacation Homes reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you and you shall not in any event settle any claim without the written consent of Catered To Vacation Homes.
Internet Service – Many of our Villas offer high speed internet and WiFi as a convenience to our guests and is as unreliable as all utilities provided in the Virgin Islands. The internet is provided by a variety of service providers, none of whom are under the control of Catered To Vacation Homes. The interruptions and slow down of the services are not the responsibility of Catered To Vacation Homes. It is certainly not reliable enough to be relied upon for any time sensitive personal or business matters.
Legal Recourse – Any dispute arising out of these rental terms shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Territory of the US Virgin Islands without resort to the conflicts or choice of law principles thereof. The Courts of the United States Virgin Islands, Division of St. Thomas and St. John, shall be the exclusive venue for all judicial disputes and the prevailing party shall recover its costs, expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Your sending a signed rental form and payment in response to an invoice constitutes your acceptance and agreement to these terms, conditions, limitations and restrictions as printed upon the signed rental agreement.
If you have any problems or questions with any of these rules, please be sure to email or phone us BEFORE you send us your rental deposit.
Liability – Catered To Vacation Homes is acting hereunder as agent for accommodations, and assumes no liability for property loss or damages, nor liability for injury, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or the acts of any company or person engaged in conveying passengers to or from their villa.
Transportation (airline, ferries, charter vessels, rental cars and taxis) is supplied by providers who operate independently of Catered To Vacation Homes. We assume no responsibility, therefore, for any loss, injury, or damage to person or property because of the acts of these providers.
You, the guest, are responsible for his villa during occupancy. You must lock the villa’s windows and doors securely at all times when not on premises,and must exercise care in securing all personal property. You, the guest, must observe all cautions as given in our white guest guide provided in each villa and/or your escort or local contact people.
Linens – Your villa has all required linens, bed covers, bath towels, and beach towels. Clean linens will be put out at mid-week cleaning in selected villas.
Lost Keys – If you are accidentally locked out of your villa or you lose a set of keys you may borrow a key by coming to our Cruz Bay office during office hours from 9 am to 5 pm. A $75 fee will be charged to the credit card on file to replace the keys.
Meetings – No meetings or groups larger than those renting a house are allowed in our villas without written permission. Additional fees may apply.
Office Hours – Monday through Friday 8 to 5. Saturdays 9 to 5 (Because of Arrivals the office may not be staffed at times on Saturdays). An on-island emergency number is available for guests.
Owner’s Closet – Many owners have personal items in locked areas or closets. Please do not tamper with these areas.
Passports – The U.S. Customs service does not require a passport to depart the U.S. Virgin Islands to return to the United States or Puerto Rico. If you do not have a passport you are required to have an “other secure document” such as a drivers license with photo or a notarized birth certificate to reenter the United States from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Travel to other islands like the British Virgin islands does require a passport. Please be aware that not having a passport may delay your passage through customs and immigration upon leaving the Virgin Islands.
Pets – Pets are not allowed in Catered To Vacation Homes Villas. Penalties are a $100 charge to the credit card on file, immediate removal of the pet and/or eviction of the guests. All rental payments will be forfeit.
Personal Effects – Catered To Vacation Homes is NOT responsible for guest’s personal belongs that are lost, stolen or left behind. A $25 retrieval fee will be charged, and if found, the items will be returned at the guests expense.
Property – All Catered To Vacation Homes villas are privately owned. The Owner and Property Manager reserve the right to refuse service to anyone at their complete discretion. The Owner and Property Manager will not be responsible for accident, injury or for the loss of money, jewelry or valuables of any kind. The property will not be rented to anyone under 25 years of age unless part of or guest of a family group.
Rates, Printing or Internet Errors and Omissions – The information about the rental villas offered by Catered To Vacation Homes on our web site is as complete as we can make. Catered To Vacation Homes is not responsible for any changes the villa owner may have made to their property after the time of printing or publication.
RATES AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
Real Estate Showings – Occasionally the owner will list a rental villa for sale. We reserve the right to allow the villa to be shown during your stay. This will only be by advance appointment with you, the guest. We will make every effort to schedule such brief showings at a time convenient to you, to respect your privacy, and to minimize the interruption to your stay.
Refunds – No refunds will be granted unless there is a serious problem with the villa itself that cannot be remedied within twenty four (24) hours, and/or causes the guest extreme, undue discomfort or serious inconvenience.
Rental Agreement – By signing the rental agreement the guests are agreeing to abide to all of the requirements herein and authorizing Catered To Vacation Homes to apply any penalties or additional costs to the credit card on file.
Room Tax – Each rental is subject to a USVI Room Tax of 12.5%. This tax is subject to change at any time.
Security Deposit Waiver – We require a $50 non-refundable Security Deposit Waiver fee for all reservations. This Peace of Mind fee is in lieu of a damage deposit and covers all minor accidental damage or breakage up to $500. If damage occurs during your stay, please let us know immediately and it will be paid for by Catered To Vacation Homes. This privilege is offered to you as our way of saying thank you for your business.
This policy does not cover intentional acts that results in damage, gross negligence, willful and wanton conduct, or any cause if the guest fails to report the damage to Catered To Vacation Homes before departure. Coverage does not apply to theft or damage of any property owned by or brought onto the premises by a guest. In cases of abuse and malicious damage to rental property the guest will reimburse Agent and/or Owner the amount of all damage including attorney’s fees.
Service/Repair – If the villa or any of its systems or amenities require service or repair the guest will agree to make the villa or room available for the service technician.
Service Interruptions – Catered To Vacation Homes strives to make your villa stay as comfortable and trouble free as possible. Sadly, there are some services over which we do not have any control. Problems with the electrical service, telephone connections, both land line and cellular, Internet Service as well as cable or satellite television are managed by other service providers and we cannot promise that the service will not be interrupted or available.
We will make every effort to work with the various service providers to restore any interrupted service as quickly as possible, but we are at the mercy of the scheduling and effort of the other agency.
Smoking – There is no smoking allowed within any Catered To Vacation Homes Villas. If this policy is violated and smoking is detected in the villa a $150 penalty will be charged to the credit card on file, as well as any required cleaning services.
Substitution – Catered To Vacation Homes reserves the right to substitute comparable or better accommodations without liability, should the villa reserved be sold, be out of order, been inadvertently double-booked, or be deemed substandard by us for any reason. If comparable accommodations are not available, you, the guest, will receive a complete refund of all pro-rated rent and Hotel Tax paid for the original villa.
Telephones – All villas have phones for your convenience. You can only make local calls. If you need to make a long distance call, you can call collect, use a credit card, or us a calling card. Occasionally the telephone service fails. Catered To Vacation Homes has no control over the telephone repair service and Innovative Telephone Company currently has a backlog of eight to ten days for repair service.
Villa Occupancy – Maximum occupancy refers to all persons above the age of two years old. Maximum Occupancy violations will result in rent forfeiture and immediate eviction of all guests.
Weddings – No weddings are allowed in our villas without written permission.
