Reservation Agreement & Policies

Thank you for choosing Great Outdoor Rentals, we know you will love your stay. We will make every effort for you to have a Great time in the Smokies.

(update August 5, 2022)

MINIMUM STAYS & OCCUPANCY

Some seasons will have minimum night requirements depending on availability. Exceptions may be made if nights rented fall between to other reservations and the  minimum is not possible. This type of reservation cannot be made on line, it must be booked by calling our office. We DO NOT allow 1 night rentals.

The nightly rates are based on the maximum occupancy for each individual rental cabin or chalet and should not be exceeded. You must provide Great Outdoor Rentals with the number of all guests, including children, when making your reservations either on line or over the phone. This is for fire safety reasons. We must account for all individuals occupying the rental property during your stay. If you are found having more guests than the unit allows, you will be asked to leave, and no monies will be refunded. Prior to check in you must provide a valid photo id. This valid id must match the name and address on the reservation. You can either email, text or fax us a copy of your valid id. We will not give out any door codes unless we have a copy of a current valid id. If the valid id doesn’t match the name and address on file the reservation will be canceled.

PAYMENTS & CANCELLATIONS

All reservations require at least  50% down of the nightly rate plus Admin fee and Damage Protection,  which is due the day you make your reservation. If your arrival is within 14 days, then payment is required in full. Payment is required in full no less than 14 days prior to arrival date to secure your cabin. If guest would like to make final payment with a different credit card, other than the card on file, it is the guests responsibility to phone our office prior to the due date. Otherwise we will automatically charge the balance due to the original credit card on file. Also if someone else in your group is going to pay with their credit card, we will also need a copy of their valid photo id.  If we are unable to process the balance, we send you an email as a reminder. All late payments will be subjected to a late fee of $35.00, plus taxes.

All reservations must be paid in full at least two weeks prior to arrival date. If the reservation is not paid in full due to credit card on file being declined and you have not contacted us back with different form of payment,  the reservation then will be canceled  without notice and you will forfeit your total deposit. 

Cancellations made 30 days or more before arrival date : will get all their money back minus a $55.00 cancellation fee, the non-refundable administrative fee, and Damage Protection of $29.95,  plus the taxes on the two fees.  Any Transfer fees are also non refundable. 

 Cancellations made within 29 – 15 days of arrival date will receive a reservation certificate. This is good for one year and can only be used on the original cabin. Any specials applied will be lost. The Reservation Certificate will only be for the dollar amount  you have provided us. You will also be subjected to a $40.00 moving fee, plus taxes. Once you reschedule your new dates you will ONLY be allowed to move your dates. Every time you move your dates you will have a Transfer fee of $40.00 plus taxes. You are not allowed to cancel to obtain a refund when using a Reservation Certificate and no monies will be refunded for the difference in price.

Cancellations made within 2 weeks of arrival date will receive no refund of any kind. 

If you reserved through  Homeaway / VRBO , Booking.com or any other 3rd party booking agency then you need to follow their cancellation policy not ours. 

Due to the COVID Pandemic we will not offer any refunds for reservations cancelled within 29 days or less of arrival. We will allow our guests to cancel and receive a credit for the dollar amount you have already provided us to use for new dates. These new dates are non refundable. We will waive the transfer fee for moving your dates but not if you move cabins.

Do not send a personal check for your balance due. We do not accept personal checks. We will accept Money Orders or Cashier Checks for balances due. If your check is returned by your bank for any reason, you will be charged a $50.00 service charge.

Making changes to your reservation prior to your arrival date, whether it is changing properties or dates will incur  a $40.00 transaction fee, plus taxes. This fee is non refundable.

CHECK-IN

Check-in time begins at 3:00pm EST. or later.  **(BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2023 CHECK IN WILL START AT 4:00 PM EST)**

On your arrival date we will text the number we have on file one the cabin is ready to go. Please make sure we have a current cell phone on file and that you respond to this text message.

Make sure you have your directions we provided you before you leave your house. Look over your directions provided by us and call to discuss if you have questions. Please go by our written directions to the cabins more than by anything you get off of the internet – we are more familiar with the location of our cabins and the details of these mountains.

While we will make every effort to have your cabin ready on time, there could be a slight delay in check-in during Peak Season – YOUR PATIENCE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Please read over the information (the guest information book in the cabin and the signs we have posted) once you have settled into your unit. The guest information guides provide important information about the cabin and some valuable information on the area. If you cabin is equipped with an Echo Dot, Alexa can also assist you with helpful area information as well. 

Changing Properties:  Once you have arrived at your rental property we ask that within  two hours of arrival you take a look around. If you are unhappy with your choice, based upon availability, we may be able to move you to a different property or give us the opportunity to address any issues you may have. If it is after hours , please call and leave us a voicemail or text the messaging center and someone will respond back to you once the office is open again.  If we do not hear from you at all during your stay, we are going to assume that everything is okay. And if for some reason during your stay you encounter an issue, please let us know so we can get it addressed during your stay. There will be a fee of $40.00, plus taxes as well as any differences in the nightly rate. A refund will be given if moving from a property of higher value to a lower value. (except if using a voucher or reservation certificate)

THE SPECIFIC UNIT YOU RESERVE

Please note that all of our cabins or chalets are individually owned real estate and thus are individually decorated. All of the cabins and chalets come with fully equipped kitchens. This includes basic cooking and eating utensils, as well as drink ware. However, if you have a specific pot or skillet that you want or need to cook with, feel free to bring this with you.  All of the properties have coffee makers, but we do not supply the filters or coffee for them. Not all properties are equipped with dishwashers. Please make sure you check your units amenity list, to see if this equipment is provided. Also not all cabins or chalets have washers and dryers. For those units that do provide a washer and dryer, we do not provide laundry detergent or fabric softener.  For guests safety and comfort, there is a total weight limit of 200lbs for sleeping on sleeper sofas. Any cabin that has WIFI will have an Amazon Echo Dot. This is a virtual concierge service for our guests. If there is no Echo Dot at your cabin please let the office know shortly upon check in so you are not charged for the missing equipment. There is a $100 charge if missing. This Echo Dot will not work outside of this location.   We do provide all of our cabins or chalets a starter supply of dish soap, dishwasher soap (if applicable), hand soap, body soap, 1 full roll of toilet paper per bathroom, and a few trash bags. Any additional amounts needed you will need to buy or bring with you. The cabin is also supplied with linens for the beds, and towels for bathing. We do suggest bringing beach towels for the use of the hot tub.

Optional items that may be provided at your cabin or chalet could include blenders, crock pots, blow dryers, irons, and ironing boards.  It is best advised that you bring any of these items, if you think you might need them during your stay. We also do not provide clothes hangers, because these items usually disappear after each stay. Please bring your own to be on the safe side.

The majority of the cabins or chalets are on wells.  The well water can vary throughout the mountain area. Although well water is typically safe for human consumption, bathing, etc., we strongly suggest that you buy drinking water for your consumption during your stay with us. Prior to booking if you have any questions on the well water for that unit, please call our office.

Since each cabin or chalet is individually owned, the cable or satellite  provided can also vary, depending on what package level the owner has provided.

Again, all of our cabins or chalets are individually owned real estate and as such may be for sale or foreclosed on at any given time. Great Outdoor Rentals has no control over this process and is not responsible for such transactions. If for some reason the unit you have reserved is sold or foreclosed on between the date you made your reservation and your arrival date, we will make effort to place you in a comparable unit and notify you of the change, based on whats available. If no satisfactory unit can be found, you will be issued a refund.

REFUNDS & CONTACTS

Great Outdoor Rentals preforms inspections on it’s units to make sure items such as TV’s, hot tubs, and heating and air units are working before your arrival with us. If for some reason there is an equipment failure, we will make every effort to fix it promptly. We will not be obligated to give any refunds  for malfunctions in the equipment ( Hot Tubs, Jacuzzi Tubs, TV’s, Stereos, Fireplaces, Phones, DVD or VCR Players or Internet Service) Please call our office if you have any maintenance or housekeeping issues during business hours at (865)429-7878. If the office is closed please leave a us a voicemail so we can document any concerns or issues you may have so we can address them once we are open.  If you call in a service call when there isn’t anything wrong, you will be charged the service fee that has been incurred. And if you make a service call to our office and then figure out how to use the device, and the technician hasn’t arrived yet, you need to call us to cancel the service call or you will be responsible for the service charge for the technician coming out to the unit. It’s not fair for the owner of the property to incur such fee’s if there is nothing wrong with equipment. Due to Covid there could be a delay in getting repairs done. This will vary on the availability from the repair company needed and the availability of any parts needed. 

The maintenance department hours of operation are 9 AM to 5 PM. Calls or texts received after 5PM, will be addressed the next day, if maintenance has closed for the day. 

If you call our office with any issue or concern and start using profanity or threaten violence towards our workers we will give you a verbal warning that if you continue to talk like this we will stop the phone conversation and hang the phone up. There is no need to call and verbally  harass or threaten anyone, doing so will not solve any issues you may have encountered. We can usually get matters resolved if all parties involved show respect to one another. 

There are NO refunds for early departures. Also we will not be obligated to provide any refunds if you refuse to allow us to address any issues you may have with the unit you have rented whether it is a maintenance or cleanliness issue. We try our best to make everyone’s experience a positive one. But again if we are given the opportunity we will do our best to address the issues or concerns in a timely matter. 

Power Outages: The cabins in the mountain areas sometimes experience power outages. If you are staying in a cabin or chalet when the power goes out, please call  Sevier County  Electric Co at (865)453-2887 and they can identify the issue. We do not have any way of knowing when the power could be restored. Your unit most likely has well water, so that means you will not have any water during the power outage. A well requires electricity to work. It is highly suggested to have an extra gallon or two of water on hand. This way you will have water to drink and wash your hands with, besides flushing the toilet also requires water. Being prepared can make a big difference to your stay. Great Outdoor Rentals does not refund or compensate for power outages or other acts of nature.

Inclement Weather, Natural Disaster, Lock downs: Please be aware of the possible weather and road conditions you may encounter, depending on what time of year you are traveling. Chains and/or 4-wheel drive vehicles may be required for a few of our properties due to weather conditions. When preparing for a stay during winter months, you should pack as if you are going camping. It is advised to bring along flashlights, drinking water, warm clothes, and a cooler for storing food. Especially if there is a power outage due to the weather. Bringing non-perishable items is also highly suggested. The mountains can be very unpredictable late November through mid April. Being ready for such weather can make the difference between an enjoyable stay and not so enjoyable. We advise you to check the weather  for the projected forecast for your stay.  Great Outdoor Rentals does not offer any refunds if you are not able to make it to your cabin or chalet due to the weather and/or road conditions. In the event of any Natural Disaster, Wild Fires and / or Lock Downs, Great Outdoor Rentals does not provide refunds for such events. We will give you credit for the dollar amount you have provided us to use for future dates. (monthly specials do not transfer) In the event you are evacuated you will receive credit for any unused nights towards new dates. This credit is valid for one full calendar year, after a year the credit is forfeited.

RESPECT OUR OWNER’S PROPERTIES

Our rental units are individually owned by people just like you. We ask that you treat their property just as you would your own and leave no damage. If you for any reason have to move the rental home’s furniture, please make sure that it is placed back in the original arrangement. If moving furniture, please be careful not to scratch the floors or furniture.  You will be charged a fee of $75 for moving any furniture and not putting it back in it’s original position.

Damage Deposits: In lieu of a normal security deposit and for our guests convenience, Great Outdoor Rentals offers Damage Protection on all reservations. The damage protection will cover up to $1,000.00 in ACCIDENTAL damages, such as hot tub covers, furniture, blinds, coffee pot, TV’s, and decorations. Damage Protection will not cover intentional or reckless damages that occur during your stay, and the credit card on file will be charged. Guests also authorizes Great Outdoor Rentals to charge any expenses relating to intentional or reckless damage, cleaning of the unit beyond a normal cabin cleaning or for any theft of property from the unit, to the credit card on file. The persons name on the reservation is responsible for any and all damage or theft, no matter who in the group caused the damage or theft.  If you do not purchase the Damage Protection of $29.95, you will then incur a Security Deposit. The security deposit currently is $1,000.00. This deposit will be refunded after departure as long as everything is okay with the unit. If authorization is not given by credit card, lock box codes will not be released.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 62, Chapter 13, Section 62-13-104 (B) (3), Subdivision (D)(i), Great Outdoor Rentals discloses the following policy: “All advance rent deposits, damage deposits and balance of rent due are deposited into a bank escrow clearing account. These deposits are considered income to Great Outdoor Rentals upon receipt and may be used. Any refund considerations are expensed from the general books of Great Outdoor Rentals, on a case by case basis.”

Absolutely no house parties or unsupervised large student groups are allowed. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, at our discretion. Young people must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. We do not rent to anyone under age 21. If a party is discovered to be taking place in any of our rental units, the entire group will be required to leave. No refunds will be given. If a guest DOES have a party of which we are made aware, that guest will be charged for any and all damages discovered and the same will be reported to the local police department. This is considered fraud and is prosecutable and defrauding an innkeeper in this state.

CHECK-OUT

Check-out time is 10:00AM EST. Late departures will result in you being charged for another day’s stay or a minimum fine of $100.00. This is because our cleaning and hot tub servicing teams will have to make another trip out to your cabin because you did not leave on time.

In order to help us keep the cabin/chalet as nice for the next renter as it was for you, we ask that you please adhere to the following rules:

***Wash all dishes and put them away clean. The dish cleaning works on an honor system. If you leave dirty dishes you will be charged a minimum of $50.00. ***

***Place wet towels, washcloths, and used bed linens in one of the hampers or the nearest bathtub***

***Do not put hot ashes or coals from your grill or fireplace in trash cans. Please put them in ash cans marked.***

***Turn off all lights and small appliances and set the heat at 55 degrees in the winter and air conditioners at 75 degrees summer.***

*** Please make sure all garbage is placed outside in the exterior containers.***

***Be sure all doors and windows are locked upon your departure and replace the key in the lock box. Key should be in lock box at all times. If we have to come to your cabin to let you in a minimum fee of $55.00 will be charged.***

***If your unit has an alarm system, make sure alarm is set on your departure. If alarm is not set, you are responsible for the items in the cabin.***

***Any personal items left behind or lost during a stay are the responsibility of the guest. We are not responsible for items left behind or lost. However, we will ship back any items that are found (if the guest requests them) by UPS.  The shipping charge is charged to the guest’s credit card. We hold on to any items left behind for 30 days to see if they are claimed before disposal.

DAMAGES OR EXCESSIVE CLEANING

All of our cabins and chalets are NON-SMOKING  and NON VAPING units. If you have smoked in the cabin you will be charged a minimum of $250.00, for the extra cleaning necessary to get rid of the smoke smell.

If there is a need for any extra or excessive cleaning upon your departure, you will be charged a minimum of at least $100.00 or more depending on the nature of the mess.

***Any theft, vandalism or damage will be photographed and reported to the police and possibly followed by litigation.

***Any guest that we are forced to evict will forfeit all monies paid and no credits will be issued.

***Please remember that when you rent with us this rental agreement is considered a legal and binding contract and therefore gives Great Outdoor Rentals the right to collect payment for damages, missing items, and excessive cleaning that are made necessary by your stay.

***The cabins/chalets are not to be used for parties or gatherings that exceed the sleeping capacity of the cabin. Full payment for all damages, missing items and extra cleaning are the responsibility of the guest and will be billed to the credit card of the guest who signs the rental agreement.***

NON-DISPARAGEMENT

The Renter (including anyone in renter’s party) agrees not to make any statements, written, or verbal, or cause or encourage others to make any statements, written or verbal, of homeowner, rental agency or rental accommodations without written approval of homeowner or owners agent.  Guests or other occupants or invitees of Guest further agree that any complaints or comments regarding the rental property shall not be posted on any internet website unless such comments are approved in writing by the owner or owners agent. The Renter acknowledges and agrees that this approval process extends to statements, written, or verbal, made to anyone, including but not limited to, various online review sites & competitors. Renter accepts and is hereby notified that homeowner and agency does not participate in reviews from websites from websites  that are not owned or controlled by homeowner and the business transaction between all parties should remain private. This Paragraph is a material provision of this agreement. All communications related to this transaction shall remain private. Specifically, renter and invited guests agree not to criticize, make any statement which disparages or post any review on any website unless requested in writing by the homeowner or agent. If any review is posted by Renter or invitee thereof, and found to contain unreasonable and fictitious negative sentiment in the sole opinion of the homeowner or owners agent and is not removed within 72 hours (the Review), renter agrees that a copy of this rental agreement shall serve as renter’s full authorization to request and oblige the third party or website hosting or displaying the Review to remove it promptly upon request by homeowner or owner’s agent. Failure to remove the Review will be considered a breach of this Agreement, and homeowner or owner’s agent will consider this act to have irreparably harmed by loss of business and goodwill due to violation of this provision. In this event, homeowner or owner’s agent will seek damages of $10,000.00 or more from renter and renter agrees to pay all such damages requested by owner upon written demand. Renter will pay any additional legal fees necessary to enforce demand should renter not comply.

In the event  a dispute arises in connection with the booking, rental use, occupancy or terms of this agreement and it becomes necessary for Great Outdoor Rentals, LLC to engage legal counsel or otherwise incur costs to either prosecute or defend such a claim or dispute, in addition to any other remedies, Great Outdoor Rentals, LLC shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorney’s fees, costs and expenses incurred in such matter if determined to be the prevailing party.

PET POLICY

Based on the choice of our owners, dogs are allowed in “pet friendly” cabins only. NO pets are allowed in properties not specifically marked as “pet friendly” on our website. No more then 2 dogs per pet friendly cabin. There is a $50.00 non-refundable pet fee for the each dog. These pet fees do not cover any additional cleaning that may incur after your stay. Any extra fees  could include extra cleaning for dogs that shed as well as having to pick up any feces inside the cabin. These pets have been limited to dogs only, If a pet is found in any of our units that DO NOT  allow pets, you will be charged a minimum of  $150.00 fee, due to the excessive cleaning that needs to be done to sanitize the unit . Please discuss this issue with us if you have any doubts. You will be charged for any damage your dog causes, these damages are not covered under the damage protection. Pets are not allowed on the furniture.

We highly recommend pet owners place pets in pet carriers or crates, when leaving them alone in the cabin or chalets. When in a strange environment, pets sometimes have behaviors that are different than at home. However your pet’s actions are still your responsibility. Please pick up after your pet outside and place feces in the trash can. Also please adhere to local leash laws and keep your beloved fur babies on a leash. 

FIREPLACES

From April 1st through October 1st, fireplaces are closed, whether they are gas, log or electric. Do NOT Burn anything in the gas fireplaces, you will be responsible for any damage caused to them.  The  cabins that are equipped with gas logs usually have timers installed near the fireplace in order to operate them. If you have questions on that, please let us know. If you rearranged the placement of the logs in the gas fireplaces you will be charged for the damages caused. For wood burning fireplaces, please make sure you open the damper or flue. If this is not open, the cabin will fill up with smoke. We do not provide firewood for the fireplaces. You can buy firewood at most local gas stations or grocery stores in the area.

HOT TUBS AND COVERS

Our hot tubs are drained, cleaned and chemically treated after each guest. However, to make your hot tub experience safer from bacteria, please have everyone in your group shower prior to entering the hot tub, and run the hot tub ten minutes before entering hot tub. We recommend that all guests also shower after each use of the hot tub. The guest who signs the rental agreement will be responsible to tell everyone in his/her party that will be using the hot tub of all potential hot tub hazards. Hot tub use is strictly at your own risk. Children under the age of 10, Pregnant women and persons with heart conditions should not use the hot tubs. Guests with cuts or external infections should not use the hot tub. Do not have any glassware around the hot tub, and do not consume food while sitting in the hot tub. When not using the hot tub the cover  needs to be on the hot tub. This will help keep the hot tub clean, as well as hot. If the hot tub has any straps, please make sure you secure the hot tub cover down. The mountain areas can experience wind gusts. The majority of the cabins on our rental program are on well water. Each cabins well can vary from one another. Some wells can experience from time to time extra iron and grit  in the water especially after a good rain storm. We will do our best to treat these hot tubs with the proper chemicals for the extra metal in the water as well as remove as much grit from bottom of the tub after each servicing .

DAMAGES TO HOT TUBS: Hot tubs are fully inspected after each rental. Soaps, bubble baths, and oils are PROHIBITED in the Hot Tubs. There will be a minimum charge of $100.00  if any are found after your departure. This is due to excessive cleaning and  / or possible damage to the hot tub. Damage done to any pump or motor from soaps, bubble bath or oils will not be labeled as “accidental” and is not covered under the Damage Protection. Damage done to any cover will result in a $400.00 fee for replacement and will be charged  to you if damages are discovered after you have checked out.

By using the hot tub, and by accepting this reservation, you are absolving Great Outdoor Rentals and the cabin owner of any and all responsibility related to the hot tub or its use.

INDEMNITY CLAUSE

The registered renter agrees to indemnify the owner and Great Outdoor Rentals of any damages to the premises which result from the renter’s occupancy (including furnishings and household items). The registered guest is the one who will be charged for any damages his/her group causes to the property. Neither the owner nor Great Outdoor Rentals will be responsible for accidents,  injury or any illness to guests or for loss of money or valuables of any kind. The registered guest assumes full responsibility for any and all damages that his/her group causes, excessive cleaning charges for problems caused by his/her group or for any items found to be missing after his/her group’s visit, including linens and towels. By accepting this reservation, it is agreed that all guests of the registered renter are expressly assuming the risk of any harm arising from their use of the premises or others whom they invite to use the premises.

SMOKING OR VAPING IS NOT ALLOWED INSIDE ANY OF THE CABINS

All of the rentals are privately owned; neither the owner nor Great Outdoor Rentals is responsible for any accidents, injuries or illnesses that occur while on the premises. By accepting this reservation, it is agreed that all guests are expressly assuming the risk of any harm arising from their use of the premises or others whom they invite to use the premises.

If my reservation has been made online, I have read and agreed to the Rental Policy and Agreement.

By accepting the terms and conditions of the Reservations Policy and Agreement, I hereby give Great Outdoor Rentals permission to charge 50% of my total rental fees (or my total rental fees if the check-in is within 14 days) to my credit card and charge the remaining balance 14 days prior to my check-in.

By reserving any cabins at Great Outdoor Rentals, you have formally agreed to all of the above terms and conditions

We hope you enjoy your stay with Great Outdoor Rentals.