COVID-19 Update

Deep Creek Vacation’s Back-to-Business Reopening Protocols:

We are happy to announce that Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County have been cleared to reopen travel to vacation rental homes! Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that guests could resume travel beginning FRIDAY MAY 15. You can read more about Governor Hogan’s Phase One Reopening Plan here or visit the Governor’s official page for all current and future updates to restrictions on the state of Maryland’s businesses and residents here.

As of June 11, 2020, all occupancy restrictions have been lifted for vacation rentals in Deep Creek Lake. All reservations may resume bringing a travel party up to the maximum occupancy of the house, regardless of the relation of the group members within the party.

To provide our guests with as much information as we can and instill confidence that Railey Vacations is committed to providing our guests a relaxing vacation in a clean and safe environment, we’ve compiled a list of important information and answers to frequently asked questions below. We will continue to update this information as new information comes to light. If you should have any additional questions or concerns, please email [email protected] or call our office at (866) 544-3223.

WHAT TO BRING:

We strongly advise that you bring all necessary groceries and toiletries with you for your stay. Many of our local grocery stores are still experiencing shortages with items such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Bringing your own groceries will also limit community spread and increased exposure for both our local community and for you as a visitor to our area. There is a local grocery delivery service, but it will most likely be limited availability. Download the Dumpling app and choose ‘Deep Creek Food Taxi’ from providers to view more information and services. In addition to groceries, they can also deliver food.

If needing to shop at a local grocery store, this is typically limited to one essential person in your group right now.

In addition, while we do provide all dishware and utensils, we strongly encourage bringing disposable products with you and to limit use of reusable dishware.

OUR PREPARATION FOR YOUR ARRIVAL:

We’re committed to the Maryland Strong: Back-to-Business pledge!

We have recently provided a thorough clean to all homes prior to your arrival. Your safety is our top priority, and we have used our time wisely to develop new systems and processes to allow for sanitary and safe cleaning procedures. While we’ve always utilized strong cleanliness and disinfecting procedures with high-grade disinfectants, multi-surface cleaners, and disposable wipes vs. reusable cloths, our Housekeeping staff has implemented an all new disinfectant and cleaning solution to give everyone even more peace of mind during their vacation. This new solution is safe for bedding, furniture, and all surfaces, and will be used thoroughly between each reservation, with even more focus on high-touch areas such as faucets, switches, doorknobs, etc.

Housekeeping and maintenance staff will also continue to practice social distancing, limit guest interaction, and wear PPE as much as the job permits them to do so. Our front desk staff anticipates moving all homes not currently on a remote entry system over to one as soon as possible, to limit face-to-face interaction as much as possible at this time. All employees exhibiting any symptoms of illness will be asked to stay home as a precaution going forward.

Our company will continue to practice good hygiene through hand washing and use of disinfectants, and will always follow the recommendations put forth by the CDC, Maryland State, and County Health Department regarding special procedures for COVID-19.

CHECK IN/OUT PROCEDURES:

The majority of our homes utilize remote check-in and check-out. Your specific reservation details will elaborate more on this (sent 2 weeks prior to your arrival). Please refer to them for your code and policies. Should your home require a key to check-in, our offices will be opened and check-in/out procedures have been modified to limit person-to-person contact (details included in your pre-arrival information). If needing to stop by our office, please only have one person from your party come inside the office and maintain safe social distances. Our offices are being sanitized and our staff will be wearing protective PPE.

We will not be accepting early check-in or late check-out options to allow ample time for extensive cleaning and laundering.

AREA INFORMATION FOR YOUR VISIT:

Per the current Maryland Executive Order, face masks/coverings must be worn in all public establishments, including gas stations and grocery stores. You will not be permitted to enter the establishment without one. Please make sure that you bring all needed face masks/coverings with you.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that outdoor dining at Maryland restaurants can begin with very specific guidelines. Many local restaurants have opened their decks and patios to patrons. Seating will be extremely limited and will have strict guidelines for group size. You can still order carry-out at the majority of local restaurants, though. You can find the full list of restaurants currently open here. Only a few allow for delivery, and there are no third-party delivery services (GrubHub, DoorDash) in our area. The only way to order delivery from an establishment is through the Dumpling app. There are instructions on how to do so on the Deep Creek Food Taxi Facebook Page.

Should you need anything while you’re here, such as service or maintenance, please call our service department at (866) 976-7394. We are asking that in-home services only be requested for a true emergency situation. If possible, our team will drop off any needed items on the front porch to limit contact. We ask that you respect social distancing etiquette to keep our staff and your party safe. All staff will wear proper PPE when out in the field.

The State of Maryland has permitted outdoor recreation activities, so we suggest you enjoy the fresh air and get outside! The Deep Creek Lake area is home to several state parks and recreational areas. Get out and explore our beautiful area!! There are miles and miles of biking trails, hiking trails, and nature to be seen. Outdoor boating for recreation and fishing is also permitted. Please contact local marinas to inquire about availability! High Mountain Sports will also deliver your kayaks and paddle boards right to your rental!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):

Q: Are you still accepting new reservations for future dates?
Absolutely! We are currently accepting new reservations at most of our rental homes for arrival dates any time after May 14, 2020. If you rent one of our homes during a time frame that becomes unavailable for us to rent to guests, due to local and state regulations, we will contact you to discuss your refund and move options.

Q: What happens if I make a reservation and the area again becomes restricted/prohibiting rentals during those dates?
We will allow any reservation to take place, as long as the dates of stay have been given the green light by state and local officials to take place in our area. If officials are not currently allowing arrivals in our area, our reservation department will contact you to discuss refund and moving options available to you.

Q: Can I cancel my reservation or move my dates to a later time?
Our standard cancellation policy will be enforced is now fully in affect for all future reservations. If you have purchased Travel Insurance, you may be entitled to file a claim through that company.

Standard Cancellation Policy:
In the event your plans change, and your rental must be cancelled by you, regardless of reason, including bad weather, illness, death or economic factors, advance payments cannot be returned unless the property is re-rented at no loss to the owner. Only the guest listed on this contract can cancel a reservation. Deposit money (minus the administrative fee, cancellation fee, and travel insurance where applicable) cannot be returned unless the property is re-rented at no loss to the owner. If we are unable to re-rent the property, the full advance payment will be forfeited.

Every effort is made to re-rent the property for your cancelled dates and part of this effort may include discounting the time to attract a new renter. If the property must be discounted to become re-rented, the difference of the discounted amount will be subtracted from your total refund for the cancellation. RV will discount the rental as they see fit and does not contact renters of cancelled reservation prior to this decision to reduce pricing. As an alternative, if you have accepted Travel Insurance and you must cancel, you may be able to make a claim through the insurance company (See the “Travel Insurance Details” section of this document for more information on who to contact for claims and coverage). If we are able to re-rent the property on your behalf and there is a refund due after deduction of fees and discounts, we will contact you the month following your departure dates to let you know the refund amount. We do not process refunds sooner than the month after your departure date under any circumstance.

Q: My next payment is due soon, do I still have to pay?
We are still following all regular payment schedules as outlined in your booking confirmation. If you’re set to arrive in June and still owe a balance, we will be reaching out to you shortly. If you are arriving July 1, 2020 forward, we ask that you continue to plan and pay for your vacation as normal. We are still hoping to see you soon for your vacation and want to ensure everything is squared away before your arrival!

Q: Will purchasing travel insurance allow me to cancel my reservation due to fears or health issues related to COVID-19?
If you are wanting to cancel your reservation due to fear or health concerns surrounding COVID-19, you will need to call the travel insurance company directly to discuss those details (866-889-7409), as we cannot speak to what they may be offering at this time.

In addition, if you have travel insurance on your reservation currently, and we are forced to cancel your reservation due to restrictions in our area, we are unable to refund the travel insurance cost as this was already paid to the Travel Insurance company. We encourage you to contact Red Sky Travel Insurance directly if you wish to discuss with them their ability to refund the fee due to the circumstances and we apologize for the inconvenience of this matter; it is unfortunately out of our control.

Stuck Inside? Try these ideas!

The idea of being stuck indoors isn’t always a fun one, but our rental homes offer loads of amenities and features to keep you entertained during the coming weeks! Private in-home theaters, indoor pools, TVs equipped with streaming options, game tables including Pool Tables, Air Hockey, Shuffleboard, Ping-Pong, the options are endless! Here are a variety of things you can do while going on a “staycation” at your home-away-from-home in Deep Creek Lake:

• In-home movie night: Stream/rent DVDs, grab some popcorn, candy, and soda, & watch a movie together!
• Binge a new show (or shows…no judgement)
• Play Indoor Hide & Seek
• Create a playlist & throw a dance party!
• Play Board Games or Charades
• Some of our homes offer indoor pools you can make a splash in!
• Design & Go on an Indoor Treasure (or Easter Egg) Hunt
• Listen to Audiobooks or Podcasts
• Have a photoshoot
• Create your own bingo cards & have a bingo tournament!
• Do an at-home craft kit. (Deep Creek Pottery is offering take-home pottery kits! Find out more detail here.)
• Learn & play a new card game
• Snuggle on the couch & read your favorite books
• Do a puzzle
• Learn to bake/cook something new! (Bonus: Film it as a “cooking show” or have a group bake/cook off!)
• Enjoy live streaming concerts & virtual tours of famous places! Many zoos, theme parks, museums, aquariums, and parks are offering virtual tours of their places.
• Put on your bathrobes & have a spa day
• Exercise, Yoga, Meditation
• Learn to crochet, knit, or finger/arm knit
• Have a coloring contest
• Take on a crossword or sudoku puzzle
• Just sit outside your door and…relax. Enjoy the quiet. Take a breather. Escape the panic. It’s going to be OK!