Rhody Days Cancelled

Chamber Announces Cancellation Of 2020 Rhododendron Festival

The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce has announced it is canceling the 113th Rhododendron Festival.

Chamber executive director Bettina Hannigan met Monday, March 30, via virtual meeting with the Chamber’s presidential team and Florence city manager Erin Reynolds to forward the recommendation to the Chamber’s board of directors to cancel the event. The board approved.

For perspective, this will be the first time since WWII that Rhody Fest has been canceled.

Read more online at the Siuslaw News ... https://thesiuslawnews.com/…/chamber-announces-cancellation…

Closed For April

We are not renting houses from March 24- April 30, 2020 to protect our community resources, the health of our housekeepers, homeowners and to follow the governors request of Stay home, Save Lives. You can make reservations for future dates. A few houses may be available during this time for 1 to 2 month stays for work or if you're moving here.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Readiness

Coronavirus COVID-19 Readiness

Like you, we're monitoring the latest news about the coronavirus.

As always, your vacation and safety are what matter to us. We have the following Policy in place for Reservations:

Reservations that may be modified without charges:

1. Any reservations in place that have guests who have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. or who may have been exposed.
2. Reservations with guests who are traveling from or through areas severely impacted by COVID-19. The WHO website (www.who.int) and the CDC website (www.cdc.gov) both have lists and other helpful information.
3. Any reservation that is impacted by official travel restrictions or have travel cancelled due to COVID-19.

We may require proof of reason for your modification.

Modifications that may be made:

Reservations that need to be cancelled due to COVID-19 will receive a future stay credit in the amount of their original reservation total. That credit can be used towards a future reservation in the same house for any available dates before April 30^th of 2021. If the new reservation total exceeds the credit amount, the guest will be responsible for paying the difference.

All reservation modifications are at the discretion of Whales Watch Vacation Rentals and will be considered on a case by case basis.

Cleaning Standards:

Our homes are cleaned and sanitized after each departure. Our cleaners are using approved disinfecting cleaners. In addition to the meticulous cleaning our houses normally undergo, our cleaners are paying additional attention to detail including, but not limited to light switches, lamps, cupboard handles, doorknobs, banisters, remotes, and thermostats.

Since bleach is the most effective method of eradicating COVID-19 we're providing each house with a spray bottle of bleach & water mixed to CDC recommendations – for use during your stay. In addition to all the other normal cleaning products we provide.

Celebrating Vacation Rental Week, March 9-13, 2020!

Whales Watch Vacation Rentals is thrilled to participate in the first annual Vacation Rental Week—the vacation and holiday rental industry’s first of its kind! We’d like to use this opportunity to highlight the value and key benefits of professionally-managed vacation rentals for both guests and property owners alike, and to encourage you to book a stay or choose a professional manager to rent your vacation property. 

As a guest, vacation rentals are a great alternative to hotels in every aspect, offering you much more for your money, with additional space, privacy, convenience, and amenities included. Along with this added value, your options are constantly increasing as the industry itself experiences rapid growth each year, meaning there are more available properties, more variety, and more destinations to choose from. 

Vacation rentals also present you with a unique opportunity to create a more personalized, memorable vacation experience when compared with traditional hotels. You’ll have the practical comfort of an actual residence, the ability to explore the neighborhood, and the opportunity to discover aspects of your destination you might not encounter when staying at a hotel. If you’re vacationing with a group of family or friends, vacation rentals are an excellent option, typically offering multiple bedrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and easy access to local entertainment. 

For property owners, renting your second property through a professional manager can be an easy and reliable revenue source, transforming it into an asset that offers a significant return on your investment. You’ll also be able to use the property when you choose, spending your own vacations there with family or friends, while renting it to guests the rest of the year. 

A professional vacation rental manager will handle all the logistics, securing responsible guests, and maximizing your return through an expert understanding of the industry and in-depth knowledge of the local community. They’ll also advertise the property, handle inquiries, collect deposits and balances, generate agreements, and follow-up post-rental, so you can sit back and simply enjoy the experience. 

Finding a vacation rental to book or a professional manager to represent your property is fast and easy. Our friends at the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) [ www.vrma.org] provide a free search tool  https://www.vrma.org/page/find-a-vrm to locate property managers and their available properties worldwide. Find a vacation rental or professional manager for your property and get started in this exciting industry today! 

If you would like to join and get involved in Vacation Rental Week, visit the Vacation Rental Week homepage  https://bit.ly/2TTokav to download the toolkit, and help spread the word about professionally managed vacation rentals. 

Be sure to join the conversation on social media as well with the official #VacationRentalWeek hashtag