Frequently Asked Questions
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Adults age 25 and above may rent a vacation rental property from Gold Star Vacation Rentals. Under NO circumstances will a property be rented to vacationing students under age 25 who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian. The individual checking in must be the parent or guardian who is renting the unit and must be present for the entire stay.
Any reservations obtained under false pretense may be subject to eviction from the property and loss of rental payments, taxes and fees.
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NO, we do not require a deposit when booking. We do, however, require you pay a % of your reservation to book though.
The Amount you pay depends on the number of days before you arrive. Here is how this works.
- 60+ Days before Arrival is 1/3 Down
- 30+ Days before Arrival is 2/3 Down
- 30 Days or less before Arrival must be paid in full
We do not require you to put money down for us to hold, which is what this information references as a Deposit. We do require you to pay towards your stay when booking though.
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No, but each reservation is charged a per day Damage Insurance Fee that covers up to $300 of accidental damage and must be reported to Gold Star Vacation Rentals via phone or email prior to the guest departure. The guest will be fully responsible for all damage amounts above the $300, and any damages incurred if you damage items by not using them correctly.
If excessive cleaning is required after your stay, the person placing the reservation will additionally be billed for the additional cleaning. This is based on the unit and the level of extra cleaning that is required.
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Gold Star Vacation Rentals is not responsible for any items left behind.
We will offer to look for the items and if found, we can mail them to you for the cost of shipping.
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YES, If purchasing this optional travel insurance, payment for the insurance is also required at the time of booking. This is optional and extra fees apply.
Please visit our Insurance page to learn more.
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Our system will automatically create the due dates based on how many days before your arrival you book the reservation, with the final payment being 30 days before arrival.
You will receive this information in an email once you have booked.
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YES, Gold Star Vacation Rentals offers a 24+ HR reservation hold. All “HOLDS” will expire at Mid Night the following day if payment is not made. You must call us and have us manually put a hold on the reservation, this is not an automatic process.
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YES, You will receive a confirmation letter by e-mail after Gold Star Vacation Rentals has confirmed your reservation that will include our contract. Please be sure you sign and submit your contract and read the reservation information carefully to verify it is correct.
Please contact us immediately if you find a discrepancy otherwise, we will assume all information is correct. Receipt of your signed rental agreement and Welcome email will serve as your confirmation letter.
Check all email inboxes (including your Junk or Spam folders) for communications from Gold Star Vacation Rentals.
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We accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express cards.
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While we hope to never move you to a different property, situations may arise that make the property unavailable. Gold Star Vacation Rentals reserves the right to substitute comparable accommodations without notice or liability should the reserved unit become unavailable for any reason.
If comparable accommodations are not available adjustments to rent will be determined on a case by case basis.
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If booked through an online platform and not directly with Gold Star Vacation Rentals, the cancellation policy of that platform is enforced. For reservations booked directly through Gold Star Vacation Rentals that are cancelled less than 14 days in advance of arrival no refund will be due. For reservations cancelled up to 14 days before arrival, you will receive a 50% refund minus the original booking fee. Cancellations through all platforms except Airbnb are as follows. Reservation holder may cancel up to 30 days before your stay and receive a refund for entire amount paid in, less the non-refundable Booking Fee.
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YES, If the cancellation is at least 2 weeks before your initial reservation check-in date and another date is available you may rebook the same or another unit managed by Gold Star Vacation Rentals within 30 days of the original rental date to receive full credit to be applied to the new rental. The new rental will require a $100 processing fee to be paid for a new booking.
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NO, There are no refunds for early departures unless a mandatory evacuation order is mandated by the Governor of Alabama.
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Check-in begins at 4:00 p.m. CST on your scheduled arrival date.
Check-out is 10:00 a.m. CST on your scheduled day of departure.
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YES, Only if your rental unit has been cleaned, disinfected and is ready to be occupied. We will notify you by email or text message when the unit is ready.
We will never guarantee an early check-in before the day of arrival.
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YES, A late check-out can be requested. A late check-out will only be allowed on days that do not have another guest checking in.
A fee $100 fee will be charged for any checkout after 10:00 am. It is important that our housekeeping staff have adequate time to clean and prepare the unit for the next guest arrival.
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No problem, you will be given all access codes to access the unit via email or text message.
If you need to stop by our office for any reason please let us know before 4:00 PM and arrangements will be made.
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Each of our condos and houses are equipped with standard household furniture and a full kitchen. Appliances include coffee maker, microwave, toaster, TV, etc.
Each owner has different décor and color schemes. Furnishings will vary for each property.
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Yes. The speed of the internet varies due to lack of access to high speed internet in many locations in this area.
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The cleaning fee is charged to each guest to provide that the unit is cleaned and sanitized to the highest standards of a White Glove treatment. This includes cleaning all bed coverings and high-grade bath towels, wash cloths and make-up removal cloths for the next guest’s arrival.
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We provide: High Quality Bed linens, blankets, pillows, dishes, glassware, pots, pans, utensils, initial supply of bath towels based upon the accommodation size of the unit.
We also start you off with the following items.
- 1 roll of paper towels
- 1 roll of toilet tissue per bathroom
- 1 trash bag per can
- 2 dishwashing packets
- 2 laundry detergent packets
- 1 travel-size dishwashing liquid
- 1 bar soap per bathroom
- 1 travel-size lotion per bathroom
- 1 travel size shampoo per bathroom
- 1 travel-size conditioner per bathroom
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Extra laundry and dishwashing detergent, bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, garbage bags, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, zip lock bags, bath soap, condiments, coffee filters, beach towels, beach chairs, bikes, fishing poles, turtle-friendly flashlight, sand toys, sunscreen, beach umbrella, sunglasses, large brimmed hat, and sunburn relief lotion. The sun’s rays are more direct in the south.
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Parking Passes are required at most condo complexes. Many provide a maximum of two per condo. 1-bedroom condos are generally only provided one parking pass. Parking passes are usually included in the cost of the reservation however, some complexes require them to be purchased onsite. Depending on the complex, trailer and boat parking are not allowed.
Please verify with your Gold Star reservation specialist to confirm the policy of a particular property.
Each complex is different and we will help to provide as much information as possible but Gold Star Vacation Rentals is not responsible for unexpected policy changes by the condominium complex.
All Phoenix condo buildings require parking passes to be purchased directly from them at the front desk. Pricing is subject to change.
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YES, the maximum number of people is based on the amount each property comfortably sleeps. Each property will have the occupancy number listed in the description. Children under 2 do not count towards the occupancy limit.
For questions, please speak with a Reservation Specialist.
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Although we only offer rentals, our staff is local and can recommend rental services that provide beach chairs & umbrellas, great restaurants, and other fun activities.
Please call a local Gold Star Reservation Specialist to ask about any recommendations.
We also have a fantastic Real Estate Sales Team in our office if you’d like to make your vacation more permanent!
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Dogs are allowed only in properties listed as Dog Friendly. No cats or other pets are allowed!!!
A non-refundable pet fee is required and varies from property to property. A pet or evidence of a pet found on the premises at any non-pet-friendly property will cause immediate eviction and forfeiture of your entire reservation.
Local boarding kennels are available should you require this service.
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You are responsible for cleaning up after any accidents that your pet has. This must be an immediate and thorough cleaning of the area. In addition to this cleaning you are required to report this incident to Gold Star Vacation Rentals immediately so that we can schedule a thorough disinfecting of the area.
The dog must be attended to at all times. If you have to leave the dog for a period of time be sure they are securely locked in a kennel that you provide.
There should not be excess hair from your pet in the home. You are responsible for cleaning any such hair before you depart. Any excessive pet hair may require additional cleaning at the expense of the guest.
It is your responsibility to report and pay for any damage caused by your pet. Please remember that it is your financial obligation to pay for any repairs or damages for the next guest.
Please use identified areas for your dog to go to relieve itself and you must pick up any waste and dispose of it. BE COURTEOUS TO OTHER VACATIONERS…
Under no circumstance and for no duration of time can your pet be allowed to harass or impose on another guest visiting. If Gold Star Vacation Rentals receives a complaint that your pet is causing a disturbance you will receive one warning and if the issue is not resolved you will be asked to find another location to house your pet for the duration of your stay. If you are not able to control your pet or find other accommodations, you will be evicted without compensation or any refund of unused rental days.
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NO, Fireworks are prohibited at all rental properties.
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NO, Telephones are furnished in most vacation properties for local calls ONLY. Long distance and directory assistance calls must be made collect, charged to your personal phone number or paid by credit card.
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Condominium Association rules prohibit the use of grills on MOST balconies. Grills can never be used under decks or under raised beach houses and duplexes. Most condo buildings, duplexes, and houses have designated areas for BBQ grilling.
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We do not control the weather, therefore a cancellation because of the weather will result in NO REFUND, unless there is a major storm.
In case of a major storm such as a Hurricane, we follow the State’s lead. If the state requires evacuation you will be refunded 100%. If they do not require evacuation, you will not be refunded if you cancel.
See our Trip Insurance page to be able to cancel in case of bad weather.
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We ask that you do a light clean-up before you leave the unit.
Remove all food and beverage items from the refrigerator and freezer. Please bag and dispose of all trash in outside waste receptacles. Please wash all dishes or start the dishwasher before departure. Remove bed linens and place in the laundry room along with the towels. Set the thermostat to 75 degrees and make sure all windows and doors are closed and locked.
NOTE: The door lock combination will become inactive at 10:00 am unless a late checkout was arranged and paid for.