Frequently Asked Questions

We have a variety of all-season cottages that are available in the fall, winter, spring and summer months. Our summer rentals begin as early as June, with previous year’s renters given first opportunity to rebook cottages.

Cottage availability is posted to the cottage web pages as it is received from our cottage owners. Our summer rentals begin as early as June. Our guests who want to re-book the same cottage usually contact us right after departure to ensure they reserve a date for the next year.

Each of our cottages has a minimum booking duration for both Winter, Low, Holiday and High Season periods. Most of our cottages are available for one week rentals (7 nights) during High Season with a three night minimum during Low, Holiday and Winter Seasons.

From the last week of June through to Labour Day weekend, there are no weekend bookings. Some cottages will provide three-night weekend rates outside of that time period, and if so, their rates will be noted on the web page. If you would like some help in selecting a cottage for a low-season weekend booking please send us a property inquiry.

If a cottage is showing available during the winter months, the property has ploughed road access. However, the road conditions are much different than in the city – the snow removal may be delayed, and conditions may be more challenging than you are accustomed to in the city. If you are looking to book a winter rental we suggest giving us a call during our office hours or send us a property inquiry to get an update on the localized road conditions so you can safely prepare for your trip and will know what to expect.

Most of our ‘High Season’ i.e. summer bookings, start and end on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. This information can be found on each cottage webpage.

The most common check in time for vacation properties is 4p.m.

Check out time is 10a.m.

Please check your Booking Confirmation to determine the check-in and check-out times.

Cancellation/Refund Policy:

1. Ontario Cottage Rentals Inc. reserves the right to consider the rental cancelled in the following circumstances:

• If the Vacationer provides written notification of cancellation
• If the Vacationer fails to pay the balance of the rental by the time specified in this Agreement

In the event that the booking is cancelled, Ontario Cottage Rentals Inc. without being obliged to do so, may attempt to rebook the property.

• If the booking is cancelled more than one month before the booking date, the Vacationer is refunded all monies, less the 13% non-refundable booking fee (plus HST).
• If the booking is cancelled less than one month before the booking date, there is no refund.
• If the cottage is rebooked the Vacationer is refunded all but the 13% non-refundable booking fee (plus HST)
• If the cottage is not rebooked there is no refund

COVID-19 Cancellation Policy:

In the event of a COVID lockdown, our 30-day cancellation policy will no longer apply. In a lockdown situation, our current cancellation policy will be adjusted to the following and will be in effect until further notice:

1. Bookings that must be cancelled due to COVID-19 will only be transferable to a future date and are not refundable.
2. The above policy is only applicable to vacations that were to take place during actual COVID-19 lockdowns, specific to short-term rentals.
3. The initial payment to secure a booking, (the deposit), which is 50% of the rental fee before fees and taxes, will be transferred to any future booking.
4. Any monies paid after the initial payment, (the deposit) as described above, will be refunded to you.

Our accidental damage waiver ensures that small unintentional breakages or damage is covered throughout the duration of your stay – allowing you to focus on enjoying your vacation. This small fee is similar to insurance. For example – one of your guests stumbles and knocks a dish to the floor or spills some red wine on the carpet. Your accidental damage waiver will cover the cost of repair or replacement – rather than having money taken from your security deposit. We know that accidents happen on vacation. OCR’s accidental damage waiver helps take the stress out of vacation rental.

Payment is by credit card.

When you book your vacation, you will be putting your credit card on the form, but it won’t go through immediately. After you have had a conversation with the Reservation Specialist, and after everything has been discussed, they will put through your credit card, on your approval.

All guests in the rental cottage must first be approved by Ontario Cottage Rentals. The cottages/condos have strict guest limits to protect the cottage and its septic system. It is not permitted to exceed the guest maximum at any time. Visitors may be approved by Ontario Cottage Rentals before entering the cottage. Violating guest limits can result in loss of security deposit – or termination of the rental.

Many of Ontario Cottage Rental’s properties have cleaning fees listed in their rates table. These cleaning fees are non-negotiable and allow guests to enjoy their vacation and leave the cleaning to us. The cottage must be left tidy; however, no additional cleaning is required by the guest.

Pets are welcome in many rental properties, however there are several rules that pet owners must obey.

-Pets are expected to be well behaved both inside the cottage/condo and on the cottage property.

-Pets must be leashed at all times while outside.

-Please pick up after your pets.

-Wet pets are not allowed in the cottage – let them dry off before allowing them inside. Pets are not allowed on any furniture.

Power outages are common in cottage country: however it doesn’t have to ruin your vacation. Often, power outages are fixed within a day – sometimes a lot sooner. During a power outage guests should have access to a power outage kit which includes flashlights (we do not recommend candles). This is the perfect opportunity for playing cards or having a fire outside (if permitted). Guests will need to use buckets of water to flush toilets during power outages.

It is possible to see wildlife on and near your rental property. Most commonly, you may see chipmunks, loons, raccoons, squirrels and other woodland creatures. It is important to make sure that you are not unintentionally attracting wildlife, such as bears, to your rental property. You can do this by keeping food in sealed containers or cupboards, placing garbage in animal proof bins, and not leaving food scraps around the firepit or waterfront.

Please respect the local wildlife by giving animals space, keeping their environment clean and picking up any broken glass, fishing gear, etc.

During the summer it is likely that there will be a period of total fire ban. This is due to a combination of factors such as heat, lack of rain and high winds. Please take these bans seriously.

During a total fire ban you will be unable to have any outdoor fire at any time. This means no use of fire pits AT ALL. No fireworks, no candles, etc. Cooking on a propane BBQ is still permitted.

Guests will receive information in their Welcome Handbook with details on how to contact the local municipality for daily updates on fire ban information.

Ontario Cottage Rentals has a 24/7 emergency phone line which is constantly monitored. If there is an issue at the cottage you may use this number to get in touch with one of our staff.

For urgent assistance – call 705 787 8253