Frequently Asked Questions

Summer House had major construction from May 2023 – May 2025. This has “wrapped up” and the buildings and property look amazing! Better than new in many ways!

All units now have the latest Hurricane sliding glass doors, new entry doors, new windows, new deck coatings, new stucco and sealants.

We do not consider maintenance and periodic improvements “construction”.

Is the pool closed?

No!

There was a period of closure for the outdoor pool in the past…that completed Memorial Day 2025.

All amenities are open!

What Time Is Check-In / Check-Out?

Check-In: 4PM

Check-Out: 10AM

Check-In is very easy. You will receive the address and door code via text/email prior to your arrival! All you need to do is arrive at the property you rented at check-in time and make yourselves at home!

What Is the Cancellation Policy?

100% Refund Grace period of up to 24 hours. We will not run your card until 24 hours after your booking…at which point the grace period has ended.

100% refund less a $250 cancellation fee up to 60 days before arrival

50% refund up to 30 days before arrival

What is your Booking process?

Your booking will start with selecting your dates and completing the Book Now or Quote Conversion process.

The booking is NOT complete until the Renter Agreement is signed.

What is the Payment Schedule?

50% is collected at the time of booking, unless the booking is within 45 days of arrival, in which case 100% is collected.

The remaining 50% is collected 45 days prior to arrival. If this payment would be better on a different credit card, we can easily send you a link to put the desired card on file. This is often done for two couples splitting the trip.

If the trip is “split”, by default the second card will also be used for the Security Deposit hold. If that is not desirable, please let us know and we can send another link for the desired card for the Security Deposit.

Do you offer Travel Insurance?

Yes!

We do not handle this ourselves nor profit from it in any way, but we do provide you with a link when checking out that you can purchase this insurance. It is backed by Nationwide. The program is described here: Travel Insurance

Do you require a Security Deposit?

Yes. This has become necessary.

We will place a $500 Security Deposit Hold prior to providing “keys” to access the unit. Typically, this occurs 2 days prior to the arrival day. This hold will stay in place until the unit has been vetted upon departure. The hold will automatically expire no later than 7 days after your departure.

The Security Deposit hold will not fit on the card I booked with, what are my options?

We can send you a link to put a different Credit Card on file for the Security Deposit.

Who or what is Sugarfoot Rentals?

We are an owner’s cooperative. We pool together where we can for efficiencies of cleaning supplies, linens, towels, and technology. Each unit is individually owned as a second home beloved property. All of us are friends and neighbors. Your rental agreement is with the owner of the property you are reserving.

Carrie and Paul act as the points of contact and “hosts”.

What Basic Supplies Do You Provide for Our Stay?

Our goal is to provide you with enough basic items to get you started for your stay:

Travel sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash and a bar of hand soap per bathroom. Currently, we are feature CALI TAROCCO
A Toilet Paper Roll in each bathroom
1 roll of paper towels
1 laundry detergent pod
A couple Kitchen Trash bags
Dish Detergent
Laundry Pod

What Linens Are Provided?

We provide all the bedroom linens, bathrooms towels & kitchen towels!

We use upgraded towels in all our coop properties, with some owners providing High End Turkish Towels (1502B, 706A, 1004A).

Our beds are cleanly made with a high thread count sheet set. The quilts (802B & 702A) or EcoPure Hypoallergenic Blanket / Top Sheet configurations (1502B, 706A, 1004A) vary slightly between owners.

Bathrooms are stocked with bath towels for the guests in the reservation, hand towels and wash clothes. These towels are NOT beach or pool towels, and they must not leave the unit.

We also supply a few Makeup cloths. Please do not use the white washcloths for Makeup! Ideally, you will bring makeup remover cloths.

Plan on bringing your own Beach towels.

What Does "Fully Stocked Kitchen" Mean?

All Basic Kitchen Items
Keurig Coffee Maker (some also have a Mr Coffee style coffee maker)
Blender
Dinnerware/Drinkware
Utensils/Flatware
Slow Cooker
Baking Pans/Sheets
Pots & Pans
We do not provide grocery items and seasonings. Please bring your own seasonings, groceries & coffee!

Do You Provide "Baby Items"?

No, we do not have baby supplies.

Are Pets Allowed?

NO!

Summer House does not allow pets for any guests.

Therapy and Emotional Support dogs are also not allowed. It is well established that these are pets. Please book elsewhere if you must bring your dog(s).

Violations trigger an HOA $500 fine(s) as well as violating our rental agreement.

The guards will inquire about any animal being walked which is not registered as an owner pet with proper documentation previously provided to the HOA (pet name, breed, pictures, etc.). The guards know the owners and their pets. People sneaking a pet will stand out.

Trained Service Animals are not pets but will be vetted as allowable by law and must always remain with their handler and not be left alone in the unit nor on the balcony nor ever be on any furniture or bedding. We obviously will honor the law and respect our guest's privacy, but we will need to ask allowable clarification questions and would assist with our HOA proactively, since this otherwise would definitely trigger discussion(s) with the guard(s).

Do You Offer Discounts?

All discounts are automated with our dynamic pricing. We do not have hidden discounts available.

Do you have a Pickle Ball Court?

Yes!

We have 4 pickle ball court options. 2 on Turf, leveraging the Tennis Courts and 2 on Concrete. I wouldn’t describe this as tournament playing conditions, but you can have some fun and get some exercise!

Are there Security Cameras?

Yes!

Our onsite guards have multiple CCTV cameras, and many Summer House units also have entry Ring Cameras installed. Most if not all the properties available via Sugarfoot Rentals have exterior entry Ring Cameras installed.

Who cleans the units?

We partner with local Alabama families who know these units extremely well and take extremely good care of them.

We go above and beyond the other rental options including cleaning the floors with Bissell Crosswave machines…aka no icky mops!

How many guests have you hosted?

We have been hosting Summer House guests for 5 years and are well over 300 guests in that period.

Is Smoking Allowed?

Absolutely no smoking. Smoking on the patio gets sucked into our units by the gulf breeze and is not allowed either. There are smoking areas by the pool and downstairs. We have been disappointed by some prior guests who did not respect this and damaged our very expensive polywood Amish furniture. Smoking violates our rental agreement.

Do you provide Beach Supplies?

No.

We are unable to provide beach supplies such as chairs and umbrellas. Economical options are available across the street (please store in the entry and NOT in the unit).

Also, Summer House partners with Perdido Beach Services. They keep our portion of the beach pristine, raking any seaweed, etc. They have attendants outside who will rent you to very high-quality Franklin beach chairs and an umbrella for $45 a day. Multi-day, the rates drop…so $45, $35, $30, etc. As of 2025, they support reservations here: Perdido Beach Services You can also customize the reservation for extra chairs and umbrellas.

Why do this? The attendants get out to the beach before most guests are awake. They place the rental chairs in an absolute prime location along the beach. Your reservation is YOUR chairs even if you are not sitting in them. Each day the chairs will be set up from 8:30a to 5PM.

Should you tip…yes…15-20% is customary for the attendants.

They also can supply Kayaks and Paddle boards or take you Parasailing.

We do not profit from this…we are just trying to help!

Is there an onsite Parking?

Yes.

Guests must register any vehicle with the guards upon arrival. Guest Vehicle Registration Certificates can be purchased for up to two vehicles at $50 + tax from the Guard. These certificates must be displayed while parked on property.

What do we do if we have more than 2 cars?

See the guard to get an “overflow lot” certificate and park on the gravel in our owner’s boat parking lot across the street. They need to know who to contact if your vehicle needs to be moved, etc.

There is also paid parking on Canal Street by Posh (furniture store).

We have a large vehicle, RV, or trailer…what do we do?

See the guard to get an “overflow lot” certificate. Please do not try to pull a trailer or RV or similar into the Summer House lot, particularly during high season. You will get “stuck”.

Is there a minimum age requirement?

Yes.

You must be 25 years old or older to rent any of our Summer House properties. A rental agreement must be signed as well acknowledging this.

The primary renter must also be present for the duration of the rental period. All guests on property under 25 must be accompanied by one of their parents or legal guardians.

Is Orange Beach Bicycle or e-Bike friendly?

Absolutely, YES!

We ride our e-bikes all over the place including to Florida! There are fantastic trails in the Gulf State Park (pay attention to your speeds). When we don't have our own available, we have Amberjack drop their rentals off for us at Summer House. Christy at Amberjack is fantastic: Amberjack Bike Rentals If you bring e-bikes or bicycles, please be very careful of our new floor coatings in the hallways, entry, etc. Do not bring them inside any unit. Preferably, lock them up under the stairwell on the bottom floor.

Are events allowed?

No.

Parties, gatherings, receptions etc. are not allowed. A group traveling for a birthday or anniversary or a girls’ trip, etc. is not what we consider an event. However, please NEVER bring glitter into any of our properties. It is expected that the # of people in the unit are the actual guests on the reservation.

Is Commercial Filming / Photography or Content Creation allowed?

Absolutely Not.

Filming (or anything similar) for profit or non-profit in any of the properties is strictly prohibited and will not only breach the rental agreement but also would be a legal issue. For instance, absolutely no O.F. or similar activities and content creation, etc.