FAQs

Where exactly is the villa located?

The villa is located at The Manor at West Haven, just off the US27, on Ronald Reagan Parkway.

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Is a visa required to visit the USA?

As of January 2009, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) became mandatory for VWP (Visa Waiver Program) travellers. ESTA is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States but no later than 72 hours prior to departure. (Please note that there is now a charge for an ESTA application)

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Is the property licensed to operate as short-term rental?

Yes, we are licensed with both the State of Florida to operate a short-term rental and, as a business, with the local county:

Operating licenses:

Katie’s Villa

• Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation License – DWE6311679
• Polk County Business License – 129912

Charm Villa

• Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation License – DWE6313010
• Polk County Business License - 143174

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Is smoking permitted in the villa?

Smoking is not permitted in any part of the villa, with the exception of the pool deck area. Smoking in rental villas and almost all other public or commercial indoor spaces is prohibited under the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act. Please read our Terms & Conditions for further details.

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Are pets allowed to stay at the villa?

With the exception of guide dogs/assistance dogs (and only then by prior approval), no pets of any description are allowed to stay at the villa. Please read our Terms & Conditions for further details.

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Can we hire wheelchair accessible vehicles, and will we need to hire one?

We recommend that you do rent a car, as our villa is in a private community and is not served by any public transportation routes.

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Where can we hire wheelchair accessible vehicles?

We have recently affiliated ourselves with a company called Mobility Works. If you contact them with a view to hiring a vehicle, please quote “Grainge” to them and they will offer you a discount of 15% on the booking. You can contact them either through their own website or by giving them a ring on 001 407 495 2255. They will arrange for a representative to meet you at the airport and go through the vehicle with you until you are comfortable with everything. Upon your departure, a representative will meet you at the airport and collect the vehicle from you at the departure point.  Mobility Works have a variety of vehicles and can also arrange for transfer seats or hand controls if you need them. Child seats can also be provided, free of charge, if you so require.

Mobility Works will also make arrangements for obtaining a temporary blue badge through them. They will sort out toll passes if you require them, among many other features.

Mobility Works normally require you to have your own third-party Collision Damage Waiver Insurance (CDW). This can be taken out through a company called Insurance4carhire, which provide Collision Damage Waiver Insurance, covering you for any hire car taken out. When we hire cars that are not adapted for wheelchairs, we use either Dollar or Alamo; they have at-airport pick up at Orlando International.

If you have children of 5 years of age or younger, the use of child safety seats is compulsory and the car rental company may not release the car to you without having the appropriate seats for your children fitted. The rental charges for these seats can vary, so you may wish to consider bringing your own seats. Please visit the Florida Highway Patrol website for further information.

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How many cars can we have at the villa.

We only have space for two vehicles to fit on the drive. There is no space for a third vehicle to fit on the villa drive. The Home Owners Association have a very strict tow policy of vehicles parked on the road or grass verge between 10pm and 7am. Any vehicles parked on the road or grass verges will be towed away without notice. You are not allowed to park on the grass verges at all.

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Is the villa air-conditioned?

It is fully air-conditioned and climate controlled, with the exception of the garage area (although this does have a ceiling fan). In addition, almost all of the other rooms have ceiling fans.

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Does the villa have a telephone?

The villa has a telephone line, with free, unlimited, local, long-distance and international calls to anywhere in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, the UK and Europe. (Please note that calls to mobile/cell phones are not free and any calls made will be charged).

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What entertainment facilities does the villa have?

In the family room is a 42", wall-mounted, flat-screen TV, with surround sound and hundreds of cable channels. There is also a DVD player with a large selection of DVDs, should you wish to relax at home. In addition, all bedrooms have televisions connected to the cable network, and all have a DVD player. You can also access digital streaming from our TVs. A large selection of children’s board games and paperback books are also available to you.

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Does the villa have a games room?

The villa does have a games room, with a Pool Table, an X-Box One, Bluetooth speaker and funky disco lighting. There is a comfortable sofa, table and chairs to chill in.

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Can I access the Internet?

The villa has WIFI access, so you can connect your laptop or phone to our network for free. Login details are provided in the information sent out prior to your arrival.

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What do we need to bring?

Just yourself and your clothes! Our villa is fully-equipped to be like a home from home and has all the bed linen and towels you will need. The housekeeper will also leave a small supply of toilet tissue and soap in each bathroom. We provide beach towels for when you use the pool – we have a well-stocked supply. Please note that the property is offered on a self-catering basis therefore there is no food and/or cleaning supplies are provided. For health and safety reasons, any such items left by a previous guest are disposed of by the housekeeper.

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Where is the nearest grocery store?

A Walgreen’s Pharmacy and general store is located a short distance away (5 mins by car). A Publix grocery store is just a couple of miles away, in Champions Gate, which is open every day from 8am to 10pm. A Walmart Super Centre is located about 20 minutes on US-27 and is open until 11pm and stocks everything from milk to car tires!

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Where are the nearest restaurants?

Take a look at our Shopping & Dining page, which has lots of information!

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Does the villa have home laundry facilities?

It has a large (by UK standards) washing machine and tumble dryer, plus an iron and ironing board and clothes horse. You just need to supply your own washing detergent.

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Will I be safe?

The Manor at West Haven is a very peaceful and quiet location. However, for your added peace of mind, the villa has an Infinite Security 24/7-monitored home security system. It has a detector for the sound of broken glass, in which case the monitoring service will check if you are OK. In addition to this, the villa has a security safe that is big enough to store your laptops/cameras and other valuables. The Manor at West Haven is also regularly patrolled during the day by the local Sheriff’s department. The Villa also has a smoke alarm that is linked to the local fire department.

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Does the villa have a barbeque?

We do not provide a BBQ at the Villa. They are, however, available for rent, through our property management company. Please let us know when you complete your booking form if you wish to hire one. Please note that Florida Law forbids any BBQ being used within the caged area and, therefore, if a BBQ is rented, it MUST be used in the small garden area at the rear of the villa.

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What features does the pool area have to safeguard young children?

The villas’ pool and deck areas are fitted with:

• Safety fence – a 4 ft high mesh fence runs the entire width of the deck between the pool and patio door, to protect children from accessing the pool. You are advised not to remove this safety net when young children are about, due to the risk of drowning. If the safety net is removed, it is entirely at your own risk and we do not accept any liability for any injury sustained by any person.
• The patio doors can be alarmed which will alert you if the door is opened out onto the pool deck.

Please note these devices are not a substitute to ensuring that all young children and non–swimmers are supervised at all times. Remember that it is safer to swim with someone else rather than alone.

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Is the pool heated?

During the summer months, the pool and spa will be warm enough for most people without the need for supplementary heating. However, it has an electric heating system, which is available at an additional cost and should be requested at the time of booking, so that it can be switched on in advance of your arrival. This will allow the water to warm up to around 31°C/88°F. Please note that if the outside temperature falls below 7°C/45°F, the heating system will shut down. Please read our Terms & Conditions for further details.

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Why is there a screen over the pool area?

The screen is made from a fine mesh and is there to stop insects, debris and the Florida wildlife from reaching you and the pool. The enclosure also helps by blocking some of the sun’s direct heat, while letting the breeze blow through, making it cooler and more comfortable.

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Are there any facilities in the villa for infants & babies?

A high-chair, stroller, crib and a child’s bed are available. We also have bed rails, a baby monitor, changing mat, a bottle steriliser, stair gates and sun visors for use in the car available in the villa, at no extra charge. If you need more than just one of each then they can be hired from our management company. Please contact us for further information.

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Is there a housekeeping service available?

This can be provided by local arrangement with our management company; the cost of a mid-stay housekeeping service is per visit. You are, of course, expected to keep the villa clean and tidy during your stay, as you would in your own home. You are also asked to leave only one dirty towel per person on the day of departure, as it is very difficult for the cleaners to wash more than this amount ready for the next guests.

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What is the weather like in Orlando?

Orlando is in a sub-tropical zone and has year-round sunshine. January is the coldest month in Orlando, if you consider a low of 10°C (50°F) and a high around 22°C (72°F) cold. July and August are very hot and humid, with highs around 33°C (91°F), 95% humidity and frequent, yet short, afternoon downpours.

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Can you recommend any good websites for flights and car rental?

A good UK-based website is netflights.com. It will check all the airline and car rental companies for the best rates. You will usually find that the cheapest flights from the UK and Europe are non-direct ones, with a US carrier (i.e., via another airport in the USA). This option can have an additional advantage as you will avoid the often-long immigration queues at Orlando International, which offsets the time saved by a direct flight. We usually use www.virgin-atlantic.com, who provide an excellent service – especially for those who need special assistance.

If you are travelling from the UK, another option is fly into either Sanford airport, Melbourne Airport or Tampa International Airport, as it is used by many of the budget airlines who offer some very good fares. The small downside to doing this is that these airports are further away, whereas Orlando International is just 35 minutes away.

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Where is the best place to purchase tickets to the attractions?

You can, of course, wait until you arrive and buy your tickets at the parks, but you will probably get a better deal by purchasing them ahead of time. There are many licensed ticket agents online.

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What disabled equipment is provided?

We provide equipment free of charge to our guests who may need to use them. Please visit our Accessibility page for more information.

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What are your terms and conditions?

You can find our terms and conditions here: Terms and Conditions   

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