Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the questions our clients most frequently ask – and the answers.

We are a professional lodging company. When you book your vacation home rental through us you are assured that:

When you break down a per-person rate for a villa rental and compare it with an upscale resort or high-end hotel, you’ll find it’s highly competitive. Also, a vacation home rental has features and amenities that you won’t find in even the best hotel, B&B or resort:

Your time in a vacation home also lets you experience wine country as its residents do. You get to live daily life in a favorite locale among luxurious surroundings.

Best of all, at a BeautifulPlaces vacation home you’re surrounded by the people you want to be with – friends, family, sweetheart.

3. Most luxury vacation rental companies charge membership fees and annual dues. Do you?

No. BeautifulPlaces is a lodging company that manages and markets the rentals of privately owned wine country estates, villas and houses to vacationers.

We charge a straightforward rental fee for any of the properties in our program, based on the particular property and your length of stay.

Our management has years of combined hospitality industry experience. We know how to seek out and find Wine Country’s most beautiful places and finest service providers.

BeautifulPlaces is the only lodging company in the world to understand wine lovers’ desire to visit and live luxuriously in such legendary wine destinations as Napa and Sonoma.

Our “Epicurean Lifestyle” approach to the travel market recognizes that there are many affluent consumers who love the idea of centering their travels on a food-and-wine theme.

Our program offers homes ranging from charming one-bedroom cottages to five-bedroom estate-style mansions. Architectural styles range from Victorian, Ranch and Tuscan to French Country and Contemporary.

Homes participating in our program must meet exacting standards regarding their appearance, location, amenities, décor and comfort.

BeautifulPlaces Vacation Homes of Distinction offers extraordinary upscale wine country homes that can satisfy the most discerning tastes.

Country Sojourns, offers charming homes in attractive locations that are more informal and less expensive than places in our BeautifulPlaces brand.

After you request a contract with us, we send you a form listing the kinds of concierge services you’d like on your vacation stay.

Once we see the range of activities you’re interested in, we contact you personally to learn some more about your desires, then go about setting up services before your arrival.

Along with services you can order, we’ll happily direct you to Napa and Sonoma counties’ best tasting rooms, boutiques, restaurants and cultural venues. We can also help you deal with small emergencies and refer you to top-tier dentists, doctors or veterinarians.

You can take an “a la carte” approach to your BeautifulPlaces vacation and order as many or as few concierge-type services as you like. These include:

Almost all our houses have spas or swimming pools, as well as state-of-the-art entertainment systems. We can also provide you with a list of local playgrounds, bike paths, attractions and children-oriented activities that can help you plan your children’s entertainment. All of the nannies on our preferred providers list are experienced at keeping children happily occupied.

Each house in our program has a different policy regarding pets. It’s best to ask us whether the house(s) you’re interested in will allow pets and under what conditions.

10. Do I need to schedule my vacation rental far ahead? Can you accommodate last-minute bookings?

Generally speaking, the further ahead you book the better chance you have of securing the house you want. Booking three to six months ahead is a useful rule of thumb. However, we often can accommodate spur-of-the-moment or last-minute requests.

12. Can I temporarily “hold” a house for a particular date while I try to confirm it with the people I want to have with me on vacation?

Yes, you can. We will place a three-day courtesy hold on the property you’re interested in to give you time to make a final decision.

When you make a reservation, we ask for a deposit equal to 50% of the total rental fee you’ll be paying for a house. The balance is due 30 days prior to your arrival.

14. Do I have to start my BeautifulPlaces vacation on a certain day of the week?

Ten days to two weeks before your arrival, we will e-mail you a detailed set of directions to the house, as well as key instructions.

If one of our staff is on hand to greet you when you arrive at your BeautifulPlaces home, he or she will show you around the house and answer questions about its appliances and amenities.

In any case, each BeautifulPlaces home has a packet with clear instructions on where to find things and how to operate appliances, entertainment equipment, spas, etc.

16. What kind of help can I expect if I run into a problem at a BeautifulPlaces house?

When you arrive at your BeautifulPlaces vacation home, you’ll find a packet with complete, detailed information about the house, including where to find things and how to operate its appliances.

However, if you run into a problem that the written material just can’t solve, we are available 24/7 to help you. Just give us a call at our special after-hours number. Usually we can handle your questions or concerns over the phone. If not, we can arrange for expert service people to provide you with on-site help.

Yes. Depending on the time of year, rates at our properties will vary. Generally speaking, our high season is from May 1 through October 31 and low season is December through March. Shoulder season months are November and April.

At most of our properties low and shoulder seasons require a two-night minimum stay (three nights during holidays). In high season, the minimum stay is three nights.

We have several properties that can accommodate large groups (10 to 30 people) and are well suited to family gatherings or corporate meetings and events. You can ask our reservationist to recommend some to you. Or, click on View Homes on our web site and select View By Size, which divides our properties according to bedroom count.

20. Do you base rental prices on the number of people staying at a BeautifulPlaces house?

No. The fee you pay is for the home you rent, not the number of people staying in it. But do keep in mind that each home’s “carrying capacity” is usually based on two people per bedroom. (There may be some exceptions, which we will mention when you call.)

No. Just as with a hotel, the rate you pay is for the accommodation only. We can help you pre-stock your house with your favorite food and beverages, as well as make reservations for you at top wine country restaurants. We’re also happy to give you a list of recommended places for grocery shopping and dining that you can try on your own.

Your BeautifulPlaces home will have been meticulously cleaned and prepared for your visit. You may order housekeeping services during your stay for a fee, but day-to-day upkeep is considered a renter’s responsibility. If you book for two weeks or longer, we will provide one complimentary “freshening up” that includes changing towels and linens.

We include cost of normal post-rental clean-up in your rental fee. If we find after your visit that clean-up costs exceed the norm, we will bill you an extra charge.

Yes. There is a $75 unrefundable booking fee and a cleaning fee, which can vary (the minimum is $100). We are also obligated to pay a lodging taxes and fees in the counties where we operate – generally 11%. We charge those fees in addition to your rental.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Book a Vacation Home With BeautifulPlaces?

Amenities and Services

How to Book