FAQ

Booking direct

What does “book direct” mean?

You reserve direct with the people who actually manage the home, rather than through a listing platform that sits in the middle. No guest service fee, and no platform between you and the person responsible for the house.

Who am I paying when I book?

Vrabode is the direct-booking brand of Vacation Rental MV, LLC, the company behind these homes. Checkout runs on that company’s booking system, so you will see its name on the payment page and on your confirmation. Card details are handled there, by the booking system, and are never stored by this site.

What does booking direct actually save me?

You do not pay the guest service fee that Airbnb and Vrbo add on top of a booking. Other charges — cleaning, taxes, and any pet fee — are set by the home itself and are shown in full before you confirm, so the total you see is the total you pay.

How do I check availability?

Open any property and enter your dates. Availability and pricing come from our booking system. A small number of homes are confirmed directly with their owner before a reservation is final, and those will say so when you enquire.

How do I ask about a specific house?

Use the enquiry form on that property’s page, or the contact form, and say which home and which dates you have in mind. Questions about a particular house reach the people who manage it, so the more specific you are, the more useful the answer.

Payment and cancellation

When do I pay, and how much up front?

On a direct booking, at least half the total is due when you sign the rental agreement, and the balance is due 90 days before arrival. If you book more than 300 days ahead, the payments can be divided into thirds instead. Booking the same home through Airbnb or Vrbo puts you on that platform’s payment schedule rather than ours.

What is the cancellation policy?

Reservations are nonrefundable. Trip insurance is offered at checkout if you want to protect the booking, which is the way to cover a trip you may later need to cancel.

Is there a security deposit?

Not a cash one. We take a credit card and hold part of your credit line against incidentals and damage, so it is your available credit that is reduced rather than money leaving your account. The amount, and the terms on which the hold is released, are set out with your reservation.

What fees are added at checkout?

Service and checkout fees depend on the channel you book through, and booking direct is how you avoid them. What remains is set by the home itself — cleaning, taxes, and any pet fee — and the full breakdown for your dates is shown in the quote before you confirm.

Should I buy travel insurance?

We recommend it, though the choice is yours. Because reservations are nonrefundable, insurance is what covers you if you have to cancel or your travel is interrupted. It is offered at checkout, and for a set period afterwards.

Staying at the house

What time is check-in and check-out?

Check-in is at 4pm and check-out is at 10am. Check-in is self-service on a keypad code, and your access details and directions arrive ahead of the stay.

Is there a minimum stay?

It depends on the home and the season. Peak summer weeks generally carry longer minimums, and shorter stays are often available either side of them. Enter your dates on a property page and the booking calendar will tell you whether they work.

Can I bring a dog?

Some homes allow pets and some do not, and the ones that do need approval in advance. Pet fees and requirements vary by property. Tell us about the dog when you enquire, since the approval has to come before the booking rather than after.

Can I host a wedding or an event at the house?

Not without express written approval. Events and gatherings are otherwise not permitted, and where approval is given it can carry additional requirements or fees. If you have something in mind, ask before you book rather than after.

Getting here and getting around

Do I need a ferry reservation?

Foot passengers do not. Cars do, and summer car reservations are taken well in advance — book yours as soon as your dates are fixed. If you can arrive on foot and rely on bikes and the bus, you avoid the reservation problem entirely.

Do I need a car on Martha’s Vineyard?

It depends where you stay. In Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven you can walk to restaurants and shops, and reach the beaches by bike. Further out — Chappaquiddick, or up-island — a car stops being optional.

How do I get around without a car?

The VTA bus runs between the towns, and the island’s paved bike paths reach both State Beach and Katama. Bikes also solve the parking problem: most beach lots fill by ten in high summer.

The island

Which beaches need a resident sticker?

Lucy Vincent and Squibnocket in Chilmark are resident-only in season, which is why the up-island south shore can look suspiciously empty in August. The restrictions lift in mid-September. Our guide to the island’s beaches covers which is which, and which one to save for sunset.

Which town should I stay in?

Edgartown for a walkable harbour town and the longest season. Oak Bluffs for State Beach and the ferry. Vineyard Haven for a year-round working town. Katama for South Beach, and Chappaquiddick if what you want is quiet.

Is it worth visiting outside the summer?

September and October are the island many residents keep for themselves — warmer water than June, no sticker restrictions, and the Derby running for five weeks. The island winds down unevenly, though: Edgartown holds longest, Oak Bluffs quiets sharply after September, and up-island is largely done by Columbus Day.