FAQ

A. Select the home you are interested in. Click Book Now. Select your desired dates. (If your dates are not available, you will not be able to get a quote.) Click Get A Quote and proceed with the instructions. After you submit the online order, you will receive an email letting you know that we received your request.

Your card will then be run (30% down is required to “book” and hold a property) and you will receive a confirmation email with your reservation summary. It can take 2-3 business days before you receive final confirmation. (If you are placing an order for a same day or next day check in you will be contacted sooner.)

Typically, the remaining 70% (as well as the refundable damage deposit) will be charged to your card 30 days before check in. After the final balance has been paid, you will receive arrival instructions for your home via email.

Q. Please explain all the rental fees. Are there “hidden costs”? I hate surprises!

A. We agree. That’s why rentals from Desert Luxury Vacations always have all the charges clearly given and explained upfront. There are no hidden costs or fees. Here are the typical charges you will see: rent, city tax, cleaning fee (if applicable), non-refundable pet fee (if applicable), pool/utility fee (if applicable), event fee (if applicable) and a security deposit. There are other services that may be added that would incur an additional charge, such as limousine, catering, etc.

Q. I previously got an instant quote on your website. Now that I want to book the rates have changed. What is going on?

A. Rates are subject to change at any time, without notice.

Q. When will I know that my online reservation order has been accepted?

A. Please be aware that online bookings are first come first served. Dates during the busy season and around holidays often have multiple parties interested in the same dates. We typically proceed with the first order to come in for any date. A stay is booked when the reservation deposit has been run on the card and the completed online rental agreement is received. You will receive a confirmation email when your dates are officially “booked” and the property then becomes unavailable to other renters, and is blocked out on the calendars.

Q. Could you “Hold” a home for me until I get other family members approval?

A. We are unable to “hold” properties. The only way to guarantee a reservation is to place an online reservation request with appropriate payment. Once your application and initial deposit are processed, your stay is reserved and you will receive a confirmation email.

Q. When will we get directions to the home, house keys, etc.?

A. We currently offer remote check-in, free of charge. This means you do not have to come to our offices to pick up keys. When the full or remaining balance is received, you will receive an email with directions, gate codes, entry and lockbox codes, and other important information for your stay. Please print this email and keep in a safe location as it is essential info to gain access to your vacation home.

Q. The rates I saw on the Internet don’t seem to match the quote I just received. Why?

A. The posted rates & fees on the various rental websites are meant as a guide & are not accurate for all dates. Rates will be higher for all holiday & high demand dates. For example, the Internet might show the rate as $3000 a week for January-April. But for a week during Spring Break, the rate might be $3500. It’s difficult to show all the rates for all the different holidays on the Internet. The best approach is to get an instant online quote for your exact dates. On our website, the “Starting Rate” you see next on our vacation home search page is a mid-week price in our summer season. Again, get an online quote for an exact price.

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Q. Do you allow pets?

A. No properties allow cats, but some properties do allow well-trained, non-destructive dogs on a case to case basis. The properties that do allow pets will charge a non-refundable pet fee of $200 per pet. If a home allows pets, you will be able to add 1 pet fee to your online order. If you would like to bring more than one dog, please let us know in the Special Requests area of your online booking. You can search for homes that are pet friendly on our vacation home search page.

Q. Do you have longer term rentals? Do you rent for a month or more?

A. Yes. Any property from Desert Luxury Vacations may be rented for a month or more, up to 12 months. For rentals of 31 days or more, there is no tax charged on the rental rate.

Q. How do we pay?

A. For payment, we gladly accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard & Discover. A credit or debit card is required for booking. As an added service we can accept up to three credit cards for a $10 per card fee. We do not accept checks or wire transfers.

Q. What is your Cancellation Policy?

A. We strongly encourage you purchase the available Travel Insurance along with your reservation. If you opt out of the Travel Insurance we have a minimum 45 days notice required for 90% refund of total reservation amount (full refund less 10% processing fee). If cancellation is less than 45 days before Check-in, Owner will make attempt to re-book. If reservation is re-booked at same rate or better, monies paid will be refunded, less 10% of total order (including deposit). If reservation cannot be rebooked, the total reservation amount may not be returned.

Q. When is security deposit refunded? How is the deposit refund handled?

A. The security deposit is typically returned within 15 business days* or less of departure. It takes a minimum of 2 or 3 business days to sort everything out after check out, check for damage, talk with the cleaning crews, review the check out report, etc. If there is a discrepancy, it must be investigated. After that, it goes to the bookkeeping department. The guest account is pulled up, any special requests or additions are noted, and the refund process is begun. Typically the deposit is refunded back to the original card. In general, we don’t ding guests for little things…only for significant damage (extra cleaning required, property damage, disregard for the strict no smoking rule, etc.). Most people can expect to get 100% of their deposit back. *If there is significant damage to the home the security deposit will be delayed until the situation is resolved.

Q. Do you have any Specials or Discounts?

A. “Mid-Week” Discount: We have built in discounts on days other than Friday & Saturday.

“7 Night” Discount: When you book for 7 nights there is a built in approximate 20% nightly discount.

“14 Night” Discount: When you book for 14+ nights the nightly rate is further discounted beyond the 7 Night Discount.

“30 Night” Discount: When you book 30 nights or more, the nightly rate is heavily discounted and the city tax is not charged.

“Last Minute” Discount: Discounts may be available for “Last-Minute” bookings within 14 or 7 days from your check-in date. Call us to find out what we may have available for the upcoming weekend! 888-333-1975.

NOTE: Discounts do not apply to all homes and are subject to change. Discounts cannot be combined with any other discounts or coupons and do not apply to high demand dates or holidays.

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Q. Can we negotiate the rates?

A. Desert Luxury Vacations is a property management company specializing in luxury properties. We implement the owner’s wishes on the rate structures for each property. Because we handle a large number of inquiries every day for many different homes, we have found it is too complicated to attempt individual negotiations on each property.

Instead, the owners have priced their properties at a competitive rate, with built in discounts for dates during the week, off-season and summer rentals.

The best way to get a greatly discounted rate is to wait until 7 days before check in as some of our homes offer a last-minute booking discount. Also, we have built in discounts on days other than Friday & Saturday.

Q. I found a house that looked very similar to one of your properties for $100 less per night. Why the price difference?

A. Desert Luxury Vacations is a rental agency specializing in the very best homes. Our homes are priced very competitively for the quality level of the houses. In general…you will get what you pay for with vacation rental homes in this area.

If you find a “similar looking home” for considerably less money, there’s usually a very good reason. And you will not know what that reason is until you get there. There are plenty of other vacation rental homes on sites like VRBO, and there is certainly no lack of cheaper homes available for those shopping price alone. But beware… not all are what they appear to be.

Nothing ruins a group outing like a bad rental house…and bad rental homes are all over the desert and all over the internet, unfortunately. The pictures & descriptions you see on the web often do not tell the whole story.

As professional property managers, we at Desert Luxury Vacations hear the horror stories at least once week. Visitors booked a place on the internet. The pictures and descriptions seemed OK. But once they arrive and actually see the place… the vacation they had spent months planning turns ugly.

The sparkling pool in the picture of one home turned out to be just a hole in the ground…an uncompleted construction project. Another home was so dirty and “worn out” the 4 wives refused to unpack and insisted the husbands find a different house to rent. No running water was available in another house. The owner refused to give a refund and is now being sued.

The moral: deal with owners you have rented from before or a professional rental agency that can give some assurance of quality.

Year after year, discerning guests return to homes offered by Desert Luxury Vacations for their stay in the Coachella Valley. Guests trust us to provide a home that is super clean and turn-key ready for their arrival. Read what other Guests have to say in our Guestbook.

Q. What do you mean by “Turn Key” Furnished? How are the homes equipped?

A. All homes offered by Desert Luxury Vacations are fully furnished and turn-key ready for your arrival with linens and towels and fully equipped kitchens. You’ll find shampoos, soaps and all necessary paper products. Desert Luxury Vacations homes have free high-speed internet, outdoor barbecues, patio furniture and lounges. All homes have TV’s and DVD’s.

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Q. How can I get an early check in or a late check out?

A.Normal Check-in is 3pm and Check-out is 11am. Options for Early Check-in and/or Late Check-out:

•$50: Early Check-In (12pm) OR Late Check-Out (2pm): Up to 3 extra hours. (Code: ECI or LCO)
•$80: Both Early Check-In AND Late Check-Out: Up to 6 extra hours. (Code: ECI/LCO)
•$150: Super Early Check-In (8am) OR Super Late Check-Out (6pm): Up to 7 extra hours. (Code: SECI or SLCO)
•$250: Both Super Early Check-In (8am) AND Super Late Check-Out (6pm): Up to 14 extra hours. (Code: SECI/SLCO)

To request any of these services: In the special requests area of your online booking, please input any of the above codes (i.e. ECI, LCO, SECI or SLCO) for the service you would like to add and the appropriate fee will be charged to your card. Your request is based on availability on the day of check-in and/or check-out. If we do obtain a new booking and your request is not able to be fulfilled, any early check/late check out fees paid will be refunded as a courtesy to you.

Why we charge: The fee is nominal considering the extra use of the home. It covers a portion of the time it takes to accommodate your request. For example, your request must remain in the booking flow, cleaners & property coordinator's check-out procedures may or may not be rescheduled, extra trips and phone calls are required, etc. Most guests feel this is a valuable added service.

Q. We’re looking for a place to have a large party. We have heard there are “party house” available to rent.

A. We would be happy to refer you to the various companies that specialize in “party houses”. However, most properties from Desert Luxury Vacations are in quiet, private, upscale neighborhoods. They are not “party houses”. 10 pm - 8 am is “Quiet Time” within the gates of most developments. If you are looking for a place to have a noisy party…most of our homes will not be a good fit for you.

We do have several homes that would be suitable for quiet weddings or low-key larger gatherings. Villa Mandarina, Hollywood Hideaway & Hamrick House are typically our first recommendations as they are all private estates, not in gated communities that have homeowner's associations, tend to have more of an allowance for parking and are more lenient towards noise (although any neighbor can call the cops if things are too loud, too late at night. No guarantees there.) CTR Ranch is suitable for larger parties/groups, but not weddings.

The next homes we recommend have smaller gathering areas, are in gated communities with fairly close neighbors and have heavy parking restrictions. If you can deal with all of those items we can suggest most of our other vacation homes. Gentle Breeze & Cascade have large lawn areas that could accommodate chairs/tables. All of our homes charge an event fee to accommodate extra cleaning, wear & tear, etc. depending on the amount of people as well as other factors.

Q. What about…Golf?

A. There are more golf courses per capita in this area than anywhere else in the country. La Quinta has been named the “Golf Capital of the United States” by the prestigious Robb Report for years running. Top courses in La Quinta include the Citrus, Mountain and Dunes courses at the La Quinta Resort; the beautiful, city-owned SilverRock course; the Quarry; the Palms; Traditions; Mountain View; Hideaway; Palm Royale; multiple courses at PGA West including the Jack Nicklaus Tournament course; the Trilogy course, former host of the “Skins Game” and courses at Rancho La Quinta that also hosted the Skins Game in years past, including the Robert Trent Jones course, which has the famous par-4, 352-yard sixth hole, where only two players-Fred Couples and John Daly-have ever driven the green. Come try out your new driver on this challenging hole! Anyone who loves golf will love this area…and all of the courses that are mere minutes away from our homes. Check out our Golf Info!

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Q. What about…Tennis?

A. There are a number of public courts nearby, where you can play for free. Or, you can “Play Where the Pros Play” at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, home of the prestigious BNP Paribas Open. In addition to hard courts, the Tennis Garden has two clay courts. Check out our Tennis Info!

Q. We have a very large group. Can we rent more than one home? Are any of your homes close together?

A. If you need more than one home or want to rent adjacent or nearby homes for that extra-large gathering, Desert Luxury Vacations can help. Some of our larger homes are literally side by side in quiet cul de sacs. You can rent several homes together for that larger special occasion. Extra attention has been given to providing super-comfortable sleeping accommodations for big groups.

Q. What are some of the Area Attractions?

A. Local attractions include the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs Air Museum, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Palm Springs Art Museum, Date Gardens, The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, Indian Canyons, plenty of places for Walking - Jogging - Hiking. Excellent Restaurants nearby, Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Empire Polo Fields, Thermal Airport, Living Desert Museum, Salton Sea, the River at Rancho Mirage, several casinos within a short drive, BNP Paribas Open, Desert Circuit Horse Show, National Date Festival. Maps and brochures available for most local attractions. Check out our Activities Info!

Q. What else is there to do within a 2-hour drive?

A. Oh, my! This is why the Palm Springs & La Quinta area is truly a world-class vacation destination. Cabazon/Desert Hills Outlet Stores, General Patton Memorial Museum, Idyllwild, Big Bear Lake, Pioneertown, Palm to Pines Highway, Knott's Soak City USA. Plus: All the top Southern California amusement parks are less than a 2-hour drive away, including Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Six Flags, Lego-Land, and others. Also within a 2-hour drive are most southern California beaches, Malibu, Santa Monica, San Diego, etc. Check out Desert 101!

Q. Can you help us do some Househunting while we’re there?

A. We have found that many guests are shopping for 2nd homes while vacationing here. If you are planning on house-hunting this trip, we can help. We work with several local realtors that can help you find the perfect home.

Q. Do you offer Travel Insurance?

A. For your protection, we now offer optional travel insurance. Coverages include:

•Trip Cancellation & Interruption
•Travel Delay
•Lost or Damaged Baggage, Sportsman Equipment & Personal Effects
•Baggage Delay
•Medical Expense
•Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation of Remains
•Accidental Death & Dismemberment
•Car Rental Collision Coverage
•Roadside Assistance
•24-Hour Worldwide Emergency Assistance
•And more

It’s just a simple box to check if you would like to add Travel Insurance to your online booking.