Before You Book

Fire Season & Drought Conditions - How You Can Help
Getaway Clean & Safe - Keeping Our Community Safe
Good Neighbor Policy
Booking Process
Rates, Fees & Payments
Cancellation Policy
Check-In/Check-Out
Amenities
​Dog Policy
Hot Tub/Pool Rules
River, Docks, Boats & Creek + Water Quality
Lost & Found

TIP: The policies on this page and elsewhere on our website www.russianrivergetaways.com apply only to bookings made directly with RRG, through our website or over the phone, and not to bookings made through 3rd parties, including Airbnb.  

Note we are taking new reservations on Airbnb exclusively, so much of this page applies only to direct reservations booked prior to August 2023.

Questions for in house bookings?  Email myrivertrip@rrgetaways.com

Fire Season & Drought Conditions - How You Can Help

Getaways Clean & Safe - Keeping Our Community Safe

Social Distancing & Facial Coverings:  When you are out and about, have a totally awesome time, but also observe current Sonoma County and California covid rules (check their websites).

Abundance of Caution Cleaning:  Your home will be professionally cleaned by a Russian River Getaways staff housekeeper, using CDC-recommended covid-19 protocols.  Your housekeeper is our employee, who, thanks to visitors like you, is able to live and work in the Russian River area.  Thank you for supporting local jobs!

Maintenance/Service Calls:  Generally, we will only service urgent indoor house issues during your stay and only if you certify that no one in your group has covid symptoms, has tested positive for covid within 14 days or has been exposed to someone who tested positive within the past 14 days.  If a technician needs to visit the house while you are present, we will ask that you physically distance from the technician and mask upon request.

Live Like a Local...Be a Good Neighbor*

*a.k.a. Sonoma County rules for vacation rentals

Quiet hours are 9pm-7am (neighbors should not hear you during that time); No outdoor amplified sound/music (including outdoor speakers) or loud noises at any time; No guests or cars in excess of the maximum occupancy and cars noted in house listing at any time; No weddings, parties, events, or loud gatherings of any kind; No temporary structures (including tents) or RV’s; No unsecured dogs or nuisance barking. Dogs left alone will be crated indoors; No outdoor solid fuel-burning fires (including firepits, chimineas, outdoor fireplaces, campfires) of any kind at any time of year. State/local fire bans will be observed (Spare the Air, etc).

Booking Process

Note we are now booking on Airbnb exclusively, so this applies only to bookings made prior to August 2023...

-We must have signed Terms & Conditions and full payment before check-in, regardless of how you book.  You may always reference Terms & Conditions on our website: https://www.russianrivergetaways.com/terms-conditions.

-When booking online, you sign our Terms & Conditions electronically during the booking process, and you will receive an email booking confirmation upon completion.

-If you've booked with an agent, you'll receive an email with our Terms & Conditions for e-signature.  Please sign within 24 hours or your booking may be cancelled.  

-We will run payment for the full amount within 48 hours of your signing our Terms & Conditions. Also, look for your check-in email from RRG within 48 hours of payment and again about a week prior to your arrival.  If you don't see it, check your spam or junk folder.

-For security reasons, we can only share reservation information with the person listed on the booking agreement, so please share information yourself with other guests.

Rates, Fees & Payment

Note we are taking new reservations on Airbnb exclusively, so this applies only to direct reservations booked prior to August 2023...

-A credit card is required to secure your booking. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. We do not accept checks or cash.

-The guest who signs our Terms & Conditions takes financial responsibility for the booking, so the signer must be present for the majority of the booking, and the credit card used to pay for the booking must belong to the signer.  You must be 21 to book with us.

-We will run payment for the full amount within 48 hours of your signing our Terms & Conditions. If, and only if, your arrival is more than six months away, you may request to make two payments at the time of booking in writing (comments box while booking online; otherwise email): #1 half the total is due upon booking; #2 the other half is due 30 days before arrival.  Once we run payment, it is too late to request two payments.  Note: If your original card is declined for the second payment, there will be a 48 hour grace period, during which we will attempt to contact you for viable card information.  If we are unable to obtain the information we need to run payment, we will cancel your reservation and retain the amount charged upon booking.

-In addition to rental rate, the following taxes and fees will apply:

• Required 12% Transient Occupancy Tax plus 2% Business Improvement Area (BIA) Assessment.
• Required Cleaning Fee: A full professional cleaning is necessary between guest stays. For this service, our housekeepers are paid a living wage. The fee also includes the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you are covered for accidental damage to the rental property and its furnishings up to $1000.  See our covid section for enhanced cleaning protocol info.

Cancellation

Note we are taking new reservations on Airbnb exclusively, so this applies only to direct reservations booked prior to August 2023...

These policies apply only to bookings made directly with RRG, through our website or over the phone, and not to bookings made through 3rd parties.

-Full refund, less cancellation fee (3% of total amount charged), for cancellations up to 30 days before check-in. If booked between 30 and 14 days before check-in, 50% refund, less cancellation fee (3% of total amount charged), up to 7 days before check-in. No refund after that.

-Cancellation requests must be made in writing to bookings@rrgetaways.com. There is no partial refund for early departure. RRG cannot refund 3rd party service fees or taxes under any circumstances.

And yet, SIP Happens (and so does evacuation)...If a health or evacuation order is enacted affecting our ability to host you, we will cancel your reservation with as much notice as possible and fully refund your payment.  In all other cases, the cancellation policy applicable to your reservation will remain firm.

​Check-In and Check-Out

You will receive an email about a week before arrival with the code to enter house, special directions for finding the house, and instructions for getting into the house. If you don't see it in your inbox, check your spam/junk folder. It's best to save to your phone, as cell network connections can be spotty in this area. Please try to arrive to our rural area in daylight.

• Check-in time is 3pm.  Your access code will not work before 3pm.
• Check-out is 11am.  Your access code will stop working at 11am.

Some things you'll find at the house (and some you won't)...

Basic amenities found at all our houses are listed below. Amenities listed only in the house description are subject to change without notice. We try to keep everything up to date, but if that additional amenity is very important to you, please ask about it.

• Beds: One set of bed linens per advertised bed. Beds will be made up with fresh linens for your arrival.  

• Bath: One set of bath towels per person (a set is one bath towel, one hand towel and one wash cloth...just like a hotel).  Initial supply of toilet paper (2+ rolls per bathroom), hair dryer, liquid hand soap, bodywash/shampoo combo.  

TIP: Please bring your own preferred toiletries (including bar soap and your favorite shampoo), spa/beach towels*, robes. *Not every home has a spa or river access; Check listing to confirm.  

• Kitchen: Stove, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker with gold filter, coffee grinder, blender, toaster, complete cookware & serveware, dishwashing and liquid hand soap, dishwasher* detergent, one roll of paper towels, dish towel, sponge, trash bags.  

TIP: Use only provided dishwasher detergent in dishwasher. Never use regular dish detergent in the dishwasher.  *Not every home has a dishwasher; Check listing to confirm.

TIP: We do not routinely stock basic cooking ingredients such as salt, pepper, oil or coffee, but if you find them at the house, enjoy!  

• Laundry: Washer & dryer.  We provide laundry detergent, but not dryer sheets.  Keep loads to 2/3 max.

• Gas grill or charcoal barbecue: Propane is provided for gas grills; charcoal, lighter fluid, etc. for charcoal grills are not.  *Check listing for type of grill.

• Entertainment: Cable, satellite or streaming service, Wi-Fi, music player.  Pay-per-view/on-demand is not included in your reservation.

BIGGEST TIP OF THEM ALL: Shop local...There's a Safeway in Guerneville, along with small, locally owned markets...Speer's in Forestville, Bartlett's in Monte Rio, Duncans Mills General Store, Cazadero General Store.

Dog Rules
All our homes allow well-behaved dogs, and we do not charge a dog fee.  Look for any limitation of size/number of dogs on each house listing.  Generally, we don't allow more than two dogs at any house.  No cats or other types of pets.  For dogs: Keep furniture and house linens clean and free of dog hair; bring and use your own dog blanket (do not use house linens/blankets for dogs).  Clean up after your dogs, on the property and in the neighborhood.  Dogs must have flea and tick protection.  Dogs must be secured on the property at all times.  Dogs left alone must be crated inside the house.  Obey local leash laws.  Don’t let dogs wander onto neighboring properties.  No dogs in pools & hot tubs.  County Ordinance prohibits excessive barking in vacation rentals.

Hot Tub & Swimming Pool Rules (only where applicable)

*Not every home has a hot tub or swimming pool; Check listing to confirm.

USE HOT TUBS AND SWIMMING POOLS AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

No children 6 or under in hot tub; Children must be supervised at all times; No running, roughhousing, diving; Never submerge head in hot tub water; Do not use hot tub/pool if pregnant, intoxicated or have any other risk factor; No glass, food or drink in or around hot tub/pool; Do not remove floaters, sweepers, filters; Wash body before and after using hot tub/pool; Change swimwear if you've been in the River; Do not wear/add oils, soaps, lotions to hot tub; Do not use if the water appears cloudy, dirty or otherwise unsanitary; If hot tub water is low, fill to 1 inch above highest jet; Leave hot tub temp between 100° and 104°; Do not turn hot tub off or below 98°; Replace cover when not in use; Never stand or sit on cover; DO NOT OVERUSE HOT TUB (max 3 people/2 hrs); NO DOGS in HOT TUB or POOL! 
 
Hot tubs are open year round.  Pools are closed & winterized Oct-Apr.

Hot Tub/Pool Maintenance: Each hot tub/pool is professionally maintained weekly. Most hot tubs/pools can be accessed from outdoors, and the spa tech will come in through the yard, announcing themselves.  For those hot tubs that must be accessed through the house, the spa tech will come a knocking on the assigned day.  They will let themselves in if you are not present.  This service is required for continued use of the hot tub.  See above under covid info for requirements for service technicians to enter the house.

*It bears repeating, check listing to see if your home has a hot tub and/or pool.

River, Docks, Boats & Creeks

• Roughly May 1-October 31, the River is gentle, with very little white water, and warm enough to swim. Water levels can vary greatly, especially in June and September.

• Roughly Nov 1-Apr 30, the River is very swift, deep, and muddy, not safe for swimming or boating. Depending on rainfall, beaches are more or less under water.

• Rivers are dynamic, changing over season and year to year.  Russian River levels depend upon a complex integration of upstream dams at Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma, summer dams at Healdsburg and Guerneville, tidal influences, County water flow decisions and drought conditions. 

• River water is generally clean and safe to swim in, tested frequently by the County. However, if River-based water activities are in your plans, please use caution and check out the State's water quality information and or Sonoma County Health Department's links to info on current water conditions + recommendations for safe river use:

"Healthy Water Habits: At all times, DHS encourages individuals to follow healthy water habits for recreational river use: Do not drink river water. Do not cook or wash dishes with river water. Wash yourself and your family with clean water after river play. Consume fish only after removing guts and liver, and rinsing fillets in clean water. Mercury has been detected in fish from the Russian River. Check here for additional guidance regarding mercury in fish: https://oehha.ca.gov/advisories/russian-river. Bring your life jacket, but leave the alcohol at home. The side effects of alcohol – impaired judgment, reduced balance, poor coordination – can be magnified by the boating environment. For additional safety tips please visit the State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways: http://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28711"

• We cannot guarantee water conditions, or river levels, river access or frontage conditions at any time of year in any location.  Photos of the River and creeks on our website are not necessarily representative of current conditions.

• Private, Shared, and Neighborhood Beaches: Some homes have access to a public neighborhood beach, some to a shared “private” beach, and some to a “private” beach. A private river beach is a beach which cannot be accessed by land from any homes other than those we list, at least not without trespassing. By federal law, river beaches are open to the public up to the "high water mark" if they are accessed by water. So a group of canoeists may pull up to "your" beach and enjoy a picnic. They are completely within their rights to do so. The same applies to Austin Creek, but not to the seasonal creeks.  Beaches tend to be gravel, with some sandy areas. We recommend water shoes to protect feet. 

Docks
*Not every home has a dock, even if it's riverfront; Check listing to confirm.

​USE DOCKS AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

• Some docks are available May-October; some are only in place roughly mid-June through mid-September, depending on when the summer dams are installed and dismantled. The summer dams raise the water level to where docks can be used, and full water level is gained over the next week or so after installation. We do not have control over or advance notice of this process. Each home has a custom dock system which requires the water level to be within a certain range, and each has its own timeline for accessibility.

• We cannot guarantee dates for the installation or removal of docks, and we do not refund if a dock is not in place.  There are many ways to enjoy the River!

*Check listing to see if a home has a dock.

Boats
Check listing to see if a home has boats.

​USE BOATS AND BOATING GEAR AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

Boating conditions are generally safe May 1-Oct 31. At homes with docks, boats may only be available as long as the dock is in, which varies. Other homes may offer boats when it's generally safe for boating. Homes with boats should have two adult and two child life vests. All watercraft and equipment should be returned to their original locations and secured after each usage.

*Check listing to see if a home has boats.

Creeks

• Austin Creek is a large year-round creek that runs through Cazadero and feeds into the Russian River. In drought years, the creek may go underground in some places.

• A seasonal creek runs strong in the rainy season, with diminishing flows into early summer. Generally by mid-summer, these creeks will be dry and will remain so until the rains begin again in the fall or winter.

• We cannot guarantee creek water levels or water conditions at any location.

Lost & Found

We will try to help you get your lost items back, so call the office ASAP if you forgot something at the house. There is a $50 flat fee for retrieving and shipping lost items.  We keep found items for only 30 days.

Before You Book (booking policies) updated 6/13/2023
www.russianrivergetaways.com/before-you-book