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Answers To Your Questions Can I view a property before committing? Generally this is not possible except in the case of lets of 8 weeks or more when it might be able to be arranged. If you want to check out the area, for each property the exact location is shown when you click its Map link. A glance at What Our Guests Say will reassure you that the descriptions and photographs accurately portray the properties. What is the minimum let? Unless otherwise stated our minimum length of stay is 5 nights. For some properties it's 7 nights. You can of course pay for the minimum number of nights but stay for fewer if you wish. How many people can stay? Unless expressly agreed otherwise the maximum number of people who may occupy a property may not exceed the number advertised for the accommodation rented. Can I bring my cat or dog? In general - no. Very few of our owners allow pets, so cats and dogs are not permitted in our rentals without explicit prior permission. What's included in the price? The rental price includes the use of the property as a holiday rental, utilities (water, gas and electricity), use of the telephone but not the cost of telephone calls and use of towels (one set - hand towel and bath towel per person) and linen - please note that we do not usually supply face flannels / wash cloths. The administration charge of $100 covers check-in and check-out, starter pack of breakfast provisions and basic toiletries, cleaning and laundry, and telephone help line. 
How do I get to my property? We work closely with a reliable car company and can arrange a car to meet you at the airport if you wish. Costs vary depending on the number of people and the airport you are flying into. For pick-ups from JFK for 2/3 people with luggage a full sized sedan is $45, for larger parties a mini van at $70 will be needed. For La Guardia the costs are $35 (full sized sedan) and $65 (mini van). Rates for pickups from Newark Airport are $50 (full sized sedan) and $65 (mini van). We use a superior car service - their fleet ranges from Chrysler Voyagers to Stretch Limousines and every car is impeccably maintained. We highly recommend using this service - the cost for a reserved car is very reasonable (regular yellow cabs charge the same base fare, plus add extra fees for occupancy and luggage) and the service delivered is above average. If you prefer, there is a combination of train, bus and subway services available from all the airports with a cost of about $10/head. The train/bus route is fairly easy to take, but it is more time consuming and can be a hassle when it comes to luggage and children. Remember after a long flight how nice it is to sit back, relax and enjoy your vacation - so decide which mode you prefer, and we'll be happy to help you to arrange your transport. What time can we arrive? For most arrivals you will be able to go straight into your property whatever time you arrive in New York. However occasionally, if the property is being used the previous night (and we might well not know this at the time you make your booking), this may not be possible. In this case we will try to make arrangements for you to leave your bags at the property or at a nearby secure location until it is ready, normally early afternoon. Who will let me in? One of our representatives will be at the property to welcome you, let you in and tell you all about the property. At the same time they'll introduce you to New York and the immediate area, covering such important points as where the local shops and restaurants are and how the transport system works. You'll also be asked to sign our standard Holiday Let Agreement - available for inspection on request and you'll be provided with 2 full sets of keys (3 for larger properties). 
What about early or late arrivals? If you are arriving outside our normal hours (before 8.00am or after 8.00pm) you'll be asked to let yourself in and our representative will come to see you later that morning for early arrivals, or the following morning for late arrivals. In these cases, if you have requested a car to meet you at the airport the driver will have the key and, normally, the starter pack of breakfast provisions and basic toiletries. If you are arriving outside our normal times and making your own way to the property you will collect the key from a pick-up point in Grammercy Park and our representative will deliver the starter pack of breakfast provisions and basic toiletries when she comes to meet you. What about a cot (crib in US English) and high chair for a baby? We can supply a basic travel cot, which also doubles as a playpen, (+ bedding) and a booster seat for a nominal nightly charge. Are there washing and ironing facilities? Unless stated otherwise in the detailed description, all our properties have a washing machine. Some have a combined washer/dryer, some have a separate dryer and a few have drying racks. All have irons. |
What condition will the property be in? All our properties have been carefully selected and are of a standard appropriate to the price charged. They will always be clean and tidy. The owners will put away their immediate personal effects and make some drawer and hanging space available. Please remember this is their home or New York pied-à-terre and inevitably they will still have some/most of their things there. Please also remember that all homes have their little idiosyncrasies and imperfections - that's part of their charm. If you insist on 100% perfection then you should not book with us but consider rather a 4/5 star hotel or equivalent serviced accommodation. What is the starter pack of breakfast provisions and basic toiletries? It's provisions for a light, New York style breakfast for the first couple of days of your stay: bagels and cream cheese, butter, jams, tea and coffee, sugar, milk, fruit juice and cereals plus any special requests - subject to price and availability, and some initial basic toiletries such as soap and loo paper. 
A typical Welcome Pack Can I use the telephone? Of course. The cost of your calls will be charged against your deposit. Some of our properties do not have landlines installed, if you need a cell phone that will work in the USA buy a phone that will operate on the 850 and 1900 MHz (N American) bands, alternatively consider hiring from Cello Mobile - www.cellomobile.com. They can arrange delivery to your rental shortly after you arrive. Do I need to bring an electrical converter? The USA operates on a 110/120 volt system rather than on 220/240 volts. This means that 220/240 volt electrical appliances will work unless it is dual voltage or you have a proper converter - not just an adaptor plug. Go to http://kropla.com/electric2.htm for further information. .JPG)
Is there Internet access? Most properties have high-speed broadband internet access - these are flagged in the property listings, with details on the individual property page. For properties that are advertised as having internet access - while every effort will made to provide this facility it can not be guaranteed and we suggest you also bring an ethernet cable in case you have difficulties with a wifi connection - especially if you are using an Apple. There are internet cafés all over New York and in many, like Starbucks, you can use your own notebook/laptop with a wifi connection. What servicing is there? The administration charge covers a weekly clean and change of towels and bed linen - for rentals of more than 10 nights, and please note that some of our property owners insist that this is carried out, and/or end of stay cleaning and laundry. You are expected to make your beds, do your washing up, keep the place clean and tidy, and put out your rubbish. We can arrange for daily servicing at an additional cost if required. What is the telephone help line? It’s a number you can call, normally manned between 0800-1000 and 1700-1900 (when you are most likely to want to use it), to get advice on any questions you may have about New York and your stay. We do not guarantee to provide answers to every question but, if we can't we will certainly be able to point you in the right direction. When do I have to leave? Check-out is normally by 10.00am but may be a little later by prior agreement. If you do need to stay significantly later than 10.00am (for late pm departures) you should book the property for the following night as well. What do I do when I leave? With the exception of the laundry, you are expected to leave the property in the same state as you found it. When will I get my security deposit back? We will refund your credit card with your security deposit less any charges incurred - telephone calls, extra cleaning (if required), damages etc. within 15 days of your departure. |