Frequently Asked Questions
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Question: Will the Villa That I Rent Look Like the Photos Shown on this Website?
Answer: Yes - the villa that you rent is clearly photographed and displayed on this website. All of our villas have been renovated and feature clean, updated interiors.
When selecting your Kiawah vacation accommodations, be aware of the following:
All villas are individually owned and managed - thus, no two villas look the same on the inside.
The majority of villas on Kiawah were built in the 1970's and 80's.
Unlike our villas, most Kiawah villas feature dated interiors and are not well maintained.
No matter where you rent - we highly recommend that you see interior photos of the villa that you are renting - no one wants "surprises" on arrival.
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Question: How does the East Beach Area Compare to West Beach?
Answer: Just like the rest of the island, both West Beach and East Beach are beautiful, lush and serene. You won't go wrong staying in either area. The two are located about 1 mile apart. You may bike from one to the other in approximately 15 minutes, or drive in about 5 minutes, or walk, via the beach, from one to the other in about 30 minutes. Be sure to see our maps page - this will help clarify: Maps
The West Beach Area is the original part of Kiawah - it was developed by the Kuwaiti's in the early 70's. It was developed in a manner that would allow you to easily walk or bike to everything - beach, tennis, golf, restuarants, shopping, etc. It is the site of the old Kiawah Island Inn which was closed several years ago and the Straw Market; which is a small shopping area with a restaurant, a fitness center (fee charged), several shops and an ice cream shop (closed in the off-season). West Beach is home to the villas and cottages of Shipwatch, Seascape, Courtside, Sparrow Pond/Duneside (offers a community pool), Beach Townhouses, Fairway Oaks and Greenslake. Once the heart and soul of Kiawah, West Beach, compared to East Beach, is now the smaller, quieter part of Kiawah.
The East Beach Area is a "newer" area, which was developed in the 80's. East Beach has a large park in the center - Night Heron Park, which is the location for family social events throughout the summer. Night Heron also offers a basketball court, a soccer field, a small area that you can grill/picnic, a large lagoon and also the pool that is only available to guests renting through the Kiawah Island Golf Resort (not our guests). The Sanctuary, a really high-end swanky hotel, is located in East Beach. Besides three wonderful restaurants, the Sanctuary also offers shopping and a spa. The hotel's lobby and courtyard is a must-see when vacationing on Kiawah. The East Beach is home to the cottages and villas of Windswept, Mariners Watch, Night Heron, Parkside and Maritime, to name a few. Windswept is a rather large complex of buildings/condos. There are Windswept villas overlooking the park's lagoon, there are the woodland suites Windswepts, and there are five oceanfront Windswept buildings. One of the Windswept buildings towers above any other structure on Kiawah - this is affectionately named "The Highrise". East Beach also offers tennis, golf and the East Beach Conference Center, which has a small grocery store and a food court.
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Question: How does Kiawah Island Getaways compare with the Kiawah Island Golf Resort?
Answer: This depends on what is important to you. When renting through Kiawah Island Getaways you will be assured that you are getting accommodations that are clean, comfortable and close to the beach. Each bed is topped with deluxe linens, down-alternative pillows, a soft down-alternative comforter and a pillow-topped mattress. Each kitchen is stocked with everything that you are used to at home - as well as many unexpected items such as nice wine glasses, a complete set of knives, a large array of dishes, glasses and serving bowls and a coffee bean grinder. Bathrooms are all exceptionally clean, offer wonderfully-thick towels and soft rugs to step on when you get out of the shower each morning. Kiawah Island Getaways has a goal of delighting our guests when they check-in. Be sure to read the guest comments that are included on each villa's webpage.
If you are traveling with kids who want to spend lots of time at the pool, or if you are a group of men ready to play golf everyday and the comfort of your accommodations is not a high priority, then the Kiawah Island Golf Resort is a perfect match for you. Be sure to read Kiawah Island Golf Resort Guest reviews.
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Question: How do I go about arranging a simple wedding on the beach?
Answer: To gain access and get married on the beach at Kiawah, you must be staying on the island. Be sure to contact Joyce McKnight with Wedding
Services by Gene McKnight, (843) 763-8580. They offer wedding officiating
services of any size with reasonable rates. They have plenty of experience with putting together weddings on Kiawah. For officiating your special wedding day or vow renewal,
they have many years of experience presiding over Religious services and Civil Wedding ceremonies. In addition to being a licensed Notary Public for the State of South Carolina,
they also offer professional photography, wedding flowers and can arrange for a wedding cake or musician. Be sure to tell them that you found out about them through Kiawah Island Getaways.
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Question: Can you recommend restaurants and also places to tour?
Answer: When you check into your villa, you will find a large notebook with all sorts of Kiawah and Charleston touring information. We have compiled many menus from the local restaurants - we also indicate our favorite's inside the guide book. There is information on many of the local attractions - from local plantations to information on touring downtown Charleston. There are even tips for parking and getting around Charleston. In addition to this helpful book, we also offer a laminated map of Kiawah. This is great to take on bike rides. The map points out many areas of interest on Kiawah, such as places where the egrets typically roost (rookeries), to cool towers that overlook the marshes, to an old cemetary and neat bike and hiking trails.
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Question: Where do we rent bikes and boogie boards?
Answer: Kiawah is a terrific place to bike - there are over 30 miles of flat, easy to traverse bike trails throughout the island. The trails wind all over the island. You may rent bikes from any of the local bike shops, or as a guest of Kiawah Island Getaways, you may rent bikes from us. We provide bikes at the same price as the bike shops, however, with each bike rental, we also provide a fold-up aluminum beach chairs at no additional cost. Our Bike Package includes two bikes and two beach chairs - this is $75 in addition to the cost of your accommodations. If you are traveling with a baby or infant - you may rent one of our pull-behind trailers (a Burley D'Lite). The trailer attaches to your bike and carries up to two tots ($50). We also rent boogie boards ($15 each, plus tax). Boogie boards make it easy and fun to float on the oceanwaves - a perfect afternoon family activity!
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Question: Are beach umbrellas available for rent?
Answer: Yes - at the end of each boardwalk you'll find a row of green or blue beach chairs and umbrellas available for rent. The green ones are rented through the Kiawah Island Golf Resort - generally you may rent two chairs and an umbrella for $140/wk, the blue sets are usually a little less expensive (not rented through the Golf Resort).
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Question: How do I check into the villa?
Answer: Check-in is easy. We will email you complete directions to the villa - be sure to print and bring these directions with you when you come. Check-in is anytime after 4 PM. When you arrive at Kiawah we will have a pass waiting for you at the guard gate. Once through the gate, you drive directly to the villa. The villa is equipped with an electronic doorknob that opens with your unique 4-digit code - access is sooo easy for adults and kids alike - no keys to worry about! You may arrive anytime after 4 PM - the guard house is open 24/7.
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Question: Are linens and towels provided? What else do you provide?
Answer: All villas offer plenty of down-alternative pillows, duvets, Egyptian cotton bed linens, beach & bath towels - also TV/DVD's in every bedroom and living room, and a CD player that is always stocked with relaxing, romantic music. Along with complete touring information and personal touring recommendations, there is also a fully-stocked DVD library and plenty of books & games for kids and adults. We even provide a beach bag and cooler for the beach! The villas are also completely furnished with a full-sized refrigerator, ice maker, dishwasher, coffeemaker, coffee grinder, blender, microwave, range, washer/dryer, pots & pans and all cooking and eating utensils. You'll find plenty of spices, dishwashing soap, paper towels, laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc.
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Question: We will be traveling with children - can you recommend a good babysitter? Where do I rent baby equipment, such as high-chairs, cribs or bicycle pull-behinds?
Answer: We have located Kiawah's BEST babysitter! She is a young woman who LOVES kids and enjoys showing them all of the neat areas around Kiawah and Charleston. She loves to entertain children with trips to the Charleston Aquarium, and also to the Children's Museum in Charleston. She also likes to spend time in the villa with the children playing with the many games and toys that are provided in each of our villas. Information on the babysitter will be emailed to you once we receive your signed rental agreement and final payment. Let us know if you need baby equipment - we rent portable cribs (with mattress, sheet and blanket, $40/wk), Pack-and-Play Play Pens (with mattress, sheet and blanket, $40/wk), high chairs ($25/wk) and bicycle trailers (AKA "Burley's) - perfect for young tots ($50). Just let us know what you need and we'll have it set up and waiting for you at the villa when you arrive.
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Question: Can I arrange to have groceries delivered to my villa?
Answer: Yes - you may pre-arrange to have Newton Farms (the local Kiawah grocery store) deliver groceries to your villa anytime after your arrival - of course, you must be in the villa when they arrive to deliver the groceries. To set up the order, simply fax your shopping list ($100 min. order) to (843) 243-0169 (Newton Farms). Be sure to post "Grocery Delivery List" at the top of the fax. Include your cell phone number, the date of the delivery, the time that they should deliver (anytime after your arrival, when you will be in the villa) and the address of the villa.
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Question: What is your cancellation policy?
Answer:
Cancellation Policy, Travel Insurance
- More than 6 weeks prior to arrival date: Cancellations received more than 6 weeks prior to arrival will receive a refund of all monies paid less 10% of the rental rate.
- Within 6 weeks of arrival date: There will be no refunds for cancellations received within 6 weeks of arrival date. However, if the property gets rebooked at the same rate, for the same dates, the Guest may request a refund of all monies paid less 15% of the rental rate.
- We recommend and sell vacation insurance through Travel Guard. This insurance covers vacation and trip cancellation, travel interruptions and delays, emergency medical and health expenses, lost baggage and more. Travel Insurance is recommended since no refunds will be available for unforeseen circumstances such as illnesses, deaths in the family or Acts-of-God (such as mandatory hurricane evacuations). The charge for travel insurance is 7% of the total booking cost. For questions regarding this plan call Travel Guard at 1-888-409-7749, product #008085.
Click Here to see a brochure outlining benefits, exclusions and limitations.
Click Here for FAQ's concerning coverage.
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