Reservation Agreement & Policies
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS
ECHOTA RESORT has one of the most guest-friendly Reservation Policies in the
Smoky Mountains. To make a reservation, half of the grand total is required for a deposit. Payment in full to secure the cabin is required no less than 14 days prior to arrival. If guest would like final payment to be charged to a credit card other than the card on file, it is the guests' responsibility to phone in the other payments on or before 14 days prior to arrival, otherwise ECHOTA RESORT will automatically charge the balance due to the original credit card on file. If unable to charge balance due to credit card on file, ECHOTA RESORT will make every attempt to contact guest for final payment, as reservations not paid in full at least two weeks prior to arrival are subject to cancellation. All funds are non-refundable once inside two weeks of arrival date, no exceptions.
Should you need to change your dates, you can reschedule your reservation with no penalty, as long as the change is processed at least 14 days prior to your arrival date. Please note no portion of your deposit will be held in escrow, as subject to Tennessee State Code Annotated 62-13-104 7 (D)(i). If any monies are held in escrow they will accrue interest. All proceeds from that interest will be payable to ECHOTA RESORT dba Great Smokies Management, LLC. If you cancel more than 14 days from your arrival date, ECHOTA RESORT will issue a voucher in the amount of the forfeited deposit, for use on a future stay within one year. When the new reservation is made, a $30 re-booking fee will be charged to the new reservation.
CHECK IN & CHECK OUT
Check-in is 3 pm. Please do not expect to check in early. However, if you are in the area before 3 pm go ahead and call or stop by the office. If your cabin is clean and ready, we will be happy to allow you to go to the cabin. If it is not ready, we will gladly take your cell number and contact you should the cabin come available before 3pm. Due to our standards for cleanliness, there is a chance that not all units will be ready for check-in promptly at 3 pm, especially during peak and holiday season. We ask for your patience and suggest that you have alternate plans for a couple of hours in case your unit is not ready. If you are checking in after the office has closed (8pm Sunday-Saturday), your check-in welcome package (including key code and map to your cabin) will be provided at our office for pick up. We ask that you come to the office prior to 12:00 pm (noon) the following day to complete the check-in process.
Guests who do not complete check-in paperwork by the end of business hours the day after arrival will be assessed a $50.00 late processing fee. Check-out time is 10 a.m. and our check out procedures are very simple. We ask that you place dishes in the dishwasher and have the last load started, have the trash placed in the receptacle, make sure all cabin windows and doors are locked before departing and either call the office or stop by to let us know you have departed. Please respect the check out time, as we need the time to prepare the cabin for the next guest arrival.
Please Note - In observation of these two national holidays, no reservations will be scheduled for arrival on: THANKSGIVING DAY & CHRISTMAS DAY. Though we will most likely not have the someone in the office on these holidays, we will provide you with a number to call for EMERGENCY issues only (fire, flood, electrical issues, etc.)
OCCUPANCY & HOUSEKEEPING
We will do everything possible to make sure your cabin is ready for your stay. It is our mission to provide you a clean cabin for your stay in the Smokies so you will become a repeat guest. As mentioned above, due to our standards for cleanliness, there is a chance that not all units will be ready for check-in promptly at 3 pm, especially during peak and holiday season. We ask for your patience and suggest that you have alternate plans for a couple of hours in case your unit is not ready. There is also a possibility on the day of check-in the hot tub may not be completely warm and ready for use until that evening, due to the cleaning process between guests. Each unit is cleaned prior to the guests' arrival. No housekeeping services are provided during your stay unless a previous arrangement has been made and the service paid for. Should the towels or other linens need to be refreshed during your stay, a washer and dryer is provided in your cabin. There is a dumpster located behind the office for trash disposal. Should you not be able to dispose of your own trash during your stay please call the office before 3pm and we will make arrangements to assist you the same day. Requests for trash removal after 3pm may be deferred to the next day. Please do not leave bags of trash outside without informing the front desk as animals may get to it before we do. ECHOTA RESORT assumes no liability for personal items brought into the cabin that are lost, stolen, or damaged. On rare occasions, cabin investment properties are sold and management responsibilities transferred. Under these, and similar circumstances, reservations may be moved to a similar property.
OCCUPANCY & AMENITIES
All cabins and lodges are independently owned and furnished by each property owner. Due to all cabins being individually owned, the amenities are subject to change at any time, without prior notification. While we make every effort to depict the current set up of each property, the owners may sometimes make changes or improvements that may not be immediately reflected on the website. All units have televisions with cable or satellite service provided by each individual owner. Due to this fact, the channels and packages may vary from cabin to cabin. From time to time, appliances, hot tubs, satellite TV, water, telephone, electricity, etc. will break down or malfunction. While we cannot refund any monies due to these issues that may be beyond our control, we will respond as quickly as we can to make repairs and restore amenities. Gas fireplaces are seasonal amenities and may not be available for use during the summer.
INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY
Please be aware of the possible weather and road conditions you may
encounter, depending on what time of year you are traveling, as we do not
offer refunds due to weather or early departure. From late November through
early April the weather in the Smoky Mountains can be very unpredictable. To assist you in planning, there is a link on our Weather Page to provide you with the current weather and temperature for Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg & The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You may call 1-800-342-3258 for weather related road conditions and/or closures.
PET FRIENDLY POLICY
Some of our rental units allow for pets. Please keep in mind each rental unit is an individually owned investment property, so please be courteous and treat the unit as you would your own, and make sure your pets do as well. There is a $50 non-refundable pet fee, per animal, staying in the rental unit.
CRITTERS & WILDLIFE
Please remember you are in the mountains. Each unit is professionally treated for pest control on a regular basis. Occasionally a few critters could make their way back inside. In these rare instances, no refund can be given. In such a case, notify the office and we will make every effort to solve the problem in a timely manner. Please join us in this effort by keeping windows and doors closed and all food and trash inside or in the appropriate outside receptacles.
MINIMUM STAYS
Some seasons will have minimum night requirements depending on availability. Exceptions will be made if the nights rented fall between two other reservations and the minimum is not possible. This type of reservation cannot be booked online, it must be booked by calling our office.
PAYMENTS
Half of the total cost must be made with a major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) to confirm a reservation. Sorry, but no personal or business checks are accepted unless received at least 30 days prior to your scheduled date of arrival. Church checks are permitted with approval and tax ID information. Due to laws governing tax exempt status, we are not allowed to exempt any reservation from paying the lodging taxes unless we have a copy on file of either a Tennessee Tax Exempt Form or a Federal 501(c)(3)Form.
DAMAGES AND/OR EXTRA CLEANING CHARGES
Guest will be responsible for all intentional or reckless damages, and the credit card on file will be charged for any damages incurred. Guest authorizes agent to charge any expenses relating to intentional or reckless damage, cleaning of the unit beyond a normal cabin clean (EX: heavy partying, trash, etc.), or theft of any property from the unit, to the credit card on file for that cabin.
The guest who uses their credit card for the deposit is considered the
responsible party, and all necessary charges concerning said cabin will be
charged to the credit card on file, no matter who in the group caused the damage.
SMOKING
All of our properties are NON-SMOKING. Please utilize the deck areas and outside areas for smoking. Please dispose of your cigarette butts responsibly and not on the grounds.
FEES
In accordance with our commitment to excellence and the Sevier County Health
Department, all hot tubs are cleaned and treated prior to each check-in. Because of this, the costs incurred for cleaning the cabin, and the cost of restocking paper products, a cleaning fee will be added to each reservation. There is also a $10 amenity fee collected for cost of upkeep of the swimming pool, clubhouse, tennis courts and common areas. These fees are included in the total quote given at the time of booking.
HOT TUB & SWIMMING POOL USE
NEVER USE THE HOT TUB OR SWIMMING POOL ALONE. Children should be supervised by an adult at all times when using the hot tub or swimming pool. There is no lifeguard on duty for the swimming pool. All swimming and hot tub use is at your own risk. All hot tub and pool rules must be followed and ECHOTA RESORT can assume no liability for the actions of a guest. No horseplay, diving, running in the pool area or disturbing of other guests is allowed and any actions deemed to be dangerous or cause other guests to be disturbed is grounds for dismissal from the pool area. Children under the age of 5 may not use the hot tub. Guests with allergies to bromine or chlorine must not use the hot tub or swimming pool. Persons using any medications for, or anyone
with a medical condition including, but not limited to, heart disease, low or high blood pressure, thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes or circulatory system problems should not use the hot tub unless the person's treating physician has advised that hot tub use will be safe. Pregnant women should also use extreme caution as hot water temperatures have a potential of causing harm to the fetus during the early months of pregnancy. Since infection spreads rapidly in hot water do not use the hot tub if you have open wounds or
infections of any kind. Always shower prior to and after hot tub and/or pool use. Be careful when entering the hot tub or swimming pool as the surrounding ares can be wet and slippery. The hot tub must be covered whenever not in use to maintain the water level and temperature. Never let anyone of any age stand or sit on the hot tub cover as they are not made to support a person's weight. A $300 charge will result from breakage. Please do not use any electrical appliance, such as a light, telephone, radio or television within 15 feet of the hot tub or pool. Never use any soaps, oils or introduce any type of foreign materials to the hot tub or pool water. This could upset the chemical balance and cause a dangerous situation. Discoloration of certain types of fabrics and jewelry could occur from hot tub or pool use. Please remove jewelry before entering hot tub or swimming pool to avoid the possibility of damage.
Final payment and/or signature constitutes an agreement by guest the
above is understood and agreed upon.
