Welcome to The Sandy Swan!
We are glad you chose to stay with us and hope you enjoy your stay in Surfside Beach, TX!
Please read through this welcome guide, as it has helpful information about the house, as well as the island, to ensure your stay is as enjoyable as possible.
If you have any questions that are not covered within this guide, please don't hesitate to contact us:
Management Team
VRAssist 720-202-4432
Owners:
Josh & Heather Matthys
210-859-7857
512-470-8821
Wireless Internet Access
Network Name: The SandySwan
Password: BeachVR2715
Check-in Procedure
CHECK-IN TIME IS AFTER 4 P.M. LOCAL TIME. NO Early Check-ins.
We recommend guests arrive before dark to ensure you are able to easily locate the beach house.
Our home has a keyless entry system on the front door. Your code will be effective from 4 pm on your check-in day to 11 am on your check out day. Please be sure to bring it with you.
Access Code: The access code for your stay will be sent via email to you 10 days in advance of your arrival. If you don't see that email in your INBOX please check your JUNK or SPAM folders.
If you need to use the backup key from the lockbox during your stay, please do NOT lose the key! A $50 replacement fee will be charged for lost keys.
House Rules
1. Person reserving the property must be at least 21 years of age and must occupy the property during the stay.2. All registered guests are responsible for the actions of their family members, friends and visitors while using the property.3. Please be respectful to neighbors and neighboring properties.4. Maximum occupancy for the property is 10 people5. Refund Policies a. Refunds are not given for an early departure - including early departure due to weather, illness, emergencies, change of plans or being asked to leave due to failure to comply with rules and regulations of rental agreement. b. Refunds will be given in the event of mandatory island evacuations only.6. Quiet Hours - As mentioned in the rental agreement for your stay, the city of Surfside Beach has a curfew for those under 18 years of age. We ask that you respect the neighbors by remaining as quiet as possible after 10pm.7. No smoking in the house.8. No pets allowed - Violators must remove any animal or leave the property. No refunds will be given if this rule is broken and guests will be charged an additional fee for extermination/cleaning, as well as one additional night's rent due to necessary down time and loss of income for these services.9. Please do not flush any disposable wipes, cooking grease or feminine products down the drain. These items will cause the septic system to back up or fail.10. All trash must be put into plastic bags and placed inside the blue trashcan downstairs. Please place the trashcan at the curb on Monday or Thursday morning by 6 AM. Any trash outside of the trashcan will not be taken by the collection service.11. A charcoal grill is available, but guests must provide their own supplies (charcoal, lighter fluid, etc.) Please use it safely away from the house as winds can be strong at times. Guests are responsible for any damage to the property caused by sparks, flames or fire.12. No loud music or parties - Any disorderly conduct will result in guests being asked to leave. Any damage caused by such activities will be subject to additional cleaning fees and billing for the damage caused.13. Do not run the A/C or heater with the doors and/or windows open as it can create issues for the system.14. You are responsible for providing any additional trash bags, toiletry items, soap, and necessities beyond what is provided upon your arrival. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide an unlimited supply of these items, as the cost is too great.15. Please do not take any items from the house with you upon your departure. A detailed inventory is maintained and you will be billed for any items that are found to be missing or damaged.16. Please alert us to any damages that occur or issues that arise as quickly as possible so that they may be fixed or replaced in a timely manner.
FAQs
1. What time is check-in?
• Check-in is at 4pm on arrival date
2. What time is checkout?
• Checkout is always at 11am on departure date
3. Is there Wi-Fi?
• Yes, Network Name: The Sandy Swan Password: BeachVR2715
4. Is cable or streaming available?
• Cable is not provided but there are two SmartTVs available (living room and king bedroom). There are multiple streaming options available to log into (Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, etc.). The SmartTVs have a guest mode that will automatically log you out of your services on the date you input when turning it on your first day.
• Additionally, guests can download the FuboTV app on the SmartTVs and log in to access 130+ channels. The logon information for FuboTV is:
Password: #BeachVR271
5. What sleeping arrangements are provided?
a. Bedroom A - King Bed
b. Bedroom B - Queen Bed
c. Bunk Room - 4 Twin Beds
d. Living Room - Two queen sleeper sofas
6. Are ice & drinking water provided?
• Ice & Drinking water are not provided, however, using bottled water for drinking and cooking is recommended. There is a whole house filter to ensure that water for bathing is safe.
7. Are beach towels provided?
• A very limited number of beach towels are provided for your use. Please plan to provide your own otherwise. Use of bath towels for the beach will result in additional cleaning fees and potential replacement costs.
8. Is mosquito repellant provided?
• A limited amount of mosquito repellant is supplied. It is recommended to bring mosquito spray and/or deterrents to use when using the outdoor spaces (i.e. Thermacell, Citronella candles, etc.) Mosquitos are not always present, but will be more active when it has recently rained and water has pooled in the area.
Check Out
1. Checkout is always 11am on the departure date.
2. Sweep or vacuum floors (It doesn't have to be perfect but this helps a lot). Vacuum and broom can be found in front bedroom closet. *Sand can be minimized by rinsing downstairs after beach and shaking excess sand from items before entering.*
3. Rinse showers and sinks of excess dirt and hair.
4. Load dishwasher with the final load of dishes and start cleaning cycle. Please wash, dry and put away any dishes that do not fit in final load.
5. Counters wiped down with wash cloth. Cleaning staff will handle any stains, etc. during their full cleaning process.
6. All trash bagged and placed outside in the trash bin. Place bin at the curb on Monday and Thursday by 6 AM for trash collection service.
7. Place used towels in a pile in front of washer & dryer.
8. Strip only sheets and pillow cases from beds.
9. Leave folded bed quilts, bed pillows and blankets on the mattress pad for each bed.
10. Turn A/C to 80 degrees in the summer / Turn the system to OFF in the winter.
11. Make sure the door and all windows are closed and locked.
12. When locking the front door, please pull the door when pressing the lock button to ensure it properly locks.
We appreciate your participation and understanding in completing this checklist! These simple steps help us keep our cleaning fees as low as possible throughout the year.
Things To Do
1. Fishing - The Gulf Coast at Surfside Beach is known for its excellent bay and offshore fishing. Offshore, the depth of the water changes dramatically. This deep water habitat attracts many varieties of fish such as red snapper, ling, bonita, and kingfish.
2. Surfing - Surfside Beach is called "Surfside" for a reason. Surfside Beach produces some of the best, most consistent surf on the upper Texas coast. The best surf is usually a half mile+ or so north of the jetty, at or near Texas Street.
3. Boating - Nowhere else in Texas can you launch your boat and get into the Gulf of Mexico faster than at Surfside Beach. With dry stack marinas, boat ramps, beach launching locations, and traditional marinas, you are just five minutes from the Gulf. Whether you are looking to get out and go deep sea fishing, spend a leisurely day in the Gulf with your friends or family, take a diving trip, take your pontoon boat up the Intracoastal, go fishing in the backwaters, launch your jet skis or beach cat sailboats off the beach, or raise your sails enjoying a peaceful day out on the water, Surfside Beach is a great place to go cruising for every type of boating enthusiast.
4. Birding - Surfside provides a unique birding experience any time of year. Spring and Fall provide great opportunities to see migrating passerines as they pass through Texas on their way North and South. In Winter it becomes a haven for raptors and wildfowl and in Summer provides critical habitat for nesting plovers, oystercatchers and many others
5. Shelling - "Shell Shocked" is what you will be after discovering the 600 known shell species along our 27 miles of sandy Brazoria County beaches. Surfside Beach is one of the few of the shell hunting hot spots in the area. You will be astonished at the scads of seashells speckling Brazosport beaches. While you’re at it, don't forget to go crabbing on a summer evening at the Surfside Beach Crabbing Pier or along the beach
Emergency Information
> Property Address:
• 2715 Swan Court - Surfside Beach, TX 77541 (will sometimes show as Freeport, TX in map software)
> Contact Numbers Emergencies - 911
• City Hall - 979-233-1531
• Non-emergency Police - 979-233-1531
• Fire Department - 979-233-5926
• Coast Guard - 979-233-3801
• Sea Turtles Rescue - 866-Turtle5
• Wildlife Rescue - 979-849-0184
• Brazoria County Parks Dept. - 979-846-1541
> Fire extinguisher is provided under the sink.
> Hose is located downstairs on opposite side of house from stairs.
> In the event of a hurricane/tropical storm approaching:
Once a Mandatory Evacuation is Ordered for the Village:
• Residents are encouraged to leave the island and turn off power to their houses at the main breaker. Once the deadline for a mandatory evacuation has passed:
• The mayor has the authority to turn off water and sewer to protect infrastructure.
• The mayor has theauthority to request that power be turned off from the island to prevent electrical fires.
• To safely travel over the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge, fire trucks, ambulances, and other high profile emergencyvehicles will be evacuated from the island when wind speeds reach 50 mph.
• All other emergency personnel and equipment will be evacuated from the island when storm surge begins to flood city streets.
• Those who choose to remain on the island during a mandatory evacuation will be without water, without sewer, without power, and without emergency services.
Thank you for staying at The Sandy Swan!
We look forward to seeing you again!