Bluefish Guest Frequently Asked Questions

A vacation rental is much more like a home. Each property is individually owned and is decorated in a unique style. Our Reservations Agents help guide guests to the right hand picked home, providing recommendations based on each guest’s needs and requests. With 24/7 service, our teams assure the highest standard of cleanliness and safety for every home, provide detailed knowledge and information about the surrounding area, and are there to help with service and maintenance requests. We invite you to experience the Bluefish Way of vacationing.  Book with Bluefish and vacation with ease!

VRBO, AirBnB, HomeToGo and Booking.com are advertising platforms. Bluefish Vacation Rentals is the property management company that manages everything for the property and homeowner, from marketing to maintenance and housekeeping. We advertise on VRBO and other booking sites to get our properties the most visibility.

Book directly with us Bluefish Vacation Rentals to receive the best rates and to save up to 15% in booking fees.  These advertising platforms charge guests a service fee for booking through their channels.

Yes, each of our properties have a minimum age requirement. Our minimum age required is either 25yrs or 30yrs depending on the location you select. The minimum age requirement is posted on the bottom of each property site.

Yes, once your booking deposit has been made you will receive our DocuSign rental agreement. You will need to provide a complete list of names and ages of all guests that will be at the property.

Each property has a maximum number of occupants. You will not be able to have more than the max number allowed at any time. Occupancy is strictly enforced and will result in additional fines and/or removal and forfeit of deposits. It is important that you provide a list of all that will be at the property. You will enter your guest list on your DocuSign rental agreement. Only the names listed on the Agreement may occupy the property at any given time.

Yes, we do have certain locations that allow longer term rentals. Typically, a longer term stay is 30 to 120 nights but in some situations we are able to accommodate 3 - 6 months.

Check in time at all of our properties is between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM EST on your arrival day. If you plan to arrive later than 7:00 pm, please let us know by calling our office at 269-469-0468 so we can make special accommodations for you (turning on interior/exterior lights and adjusting the thermostat). Checkout time at all of our properties is by 10:00 AM EST on your departure day. 

If your travel plans necessitate a check-in before 5:00 PM on the day of arrival, please inform our Guest Services team one week out from your stay. If our team is able to arrange an early check in for you, there will be a $50 Early Check-In Fee added to your reservation.  Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate ANY requests for a late check-out.

Check-in is at 5pm and guests can arrive any time after. All of our properties have lock boxes or keypads and you can go directly to the property.

Check-out is by 10AM EST on the designated date of checkout. Upon your departure we ask that you take the trash and recycling out, empty the fridge/freezer and pantry of all personal items, start the dishwasher with detergent, secure all windows and doors, turn off fans and lights. For those units with keys, please leave them on the kitchen counter, making sure that there is also a key in the lockbox.

Our Housekeeping service uses cleaning and disinfecting protocols recommended by the CDC and WHO to clean between guests, with particular attention paid to high-touch items such as door knobs, light switches, cabinet pulls, etc. Our cleaning policies and procedures also follow the SafeCommunity guidelines.

No. Guests are instructed not to clean or launder any items in the condo upon their departure. Our housekeeping team follows very strict cleaning and sanitation standards and is required to clean the condo after each guest vacates.

In order to keep our rates lower than hotel rates, we do not provide daily maid service. This leaves you with privacy and the convenience of washing your own laundry as most condos have a washer and dryer. A mid stay clean can be arranged for a nominal fee. Please contact our office at 269-469-0468 for details.

The housekeeping department provides a starter kit of basic necessities in the kitchen and bath(s), and these items will need to be replenished by guest(s) as needed during their stay.

Each property has its own amenity binder located in the welcome setup.  Property specific instructions are located within the property information section.  There is also a troubleshooting guide on property electronics in that same section. If further assistance is needed, you would reach out to our office or to the after-hours emergency line.

Yes.  Bluefish Vacation Rentals offers 24/7 guest service. Guests can call 269-336-9477 between 5:00 PM and 9 AM EST.

The Bluefish Vacation Rentals & Property Management team is located in Union Pier Michigan at the corner of Red Arrow Highway and Community Hall Road. 

Our address is: 10234 Community Hall Road, Union Pier, Michigan 49129

Our office is open 7 days a week from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST.  Our after hours guest services team is available to assist with any property issues or emergencies from 5:00 PM-9:00 AM EST.

All of our properties have a key box or keyless entry.  Your specific reservation code will be emailed to you 48 hours prior to your scheduled arrival. 

Where do I go to see information about my reservation?

Our guest portal is a backstage pass to your vacation. Connect with us in real-time to manage your vacation details and learn everything you will need to know before and during your Harbor Country vacation. Once your reservation is confirmed, you will be emailed information of how to access your personalized guest portal.

Each property has maximum parking allowed. The max parking depends on each location you select. The max parking is posted on the bottom of each property site.

Yes, you may rent and drive a golf cart in New Buffalo City, Union Pier and Lakeside. It is important that you rent a street legal golf cart. Check out our Concierge Services page located within the Bluefish Guest Experience for rental details.

No, we are unable to accommodate weddings of any size. The limitation on parking and occupants prevents us from allowing.

Smoking, vaping, or any other form of tobacco use is prohibited inside our properties. Guests can do these things outside the property provided they dispose of butts/ashes and be away from all windows and entryways.

No, our properties do not accommodate cats. Select locations allow dogs but it is important that you review your selected property site to find out if it is pet friendly or not prior to booking.

All of our vacation rentals are appointed with bath towels, beach towels and bed linens and, if there is additional sleeping space such as a sleeper sofa, there will be extra linens and towels accordingly. We provide enough towels for the number of guests the house can host.

Please note that additional bedding and blankets are not included. All beds will be made prior to arrival. If you tend to sleep colder or prefer extra weight , we encourage you to bring your own.

Our rentals are equipped with essential property and kitchen items. Upon arrival, your property will be stocked with an initial set of guest starter supplies to help you settle into your first evening quickly.

Stocked guest starter supplies includes:

Kitchen/Laundry: dish sponge, dish soap (2 oz), dishwasher tablets (2), laundry pods (2), cleaning wipes, paper towel (1), and trash bags (2)

Bathroom: shampoo (1 oz), conditioner (1 oz), body wash (1 oz), lotion (1 oz), soap (1 oz) and toilet paper (2)

Half Bathroom: soap (1 oz) and toilet paper (2)

Any supplies beyond the initial guest starter supplies are to be supplied by the guest.

Due to our county and state health regulations, we are not able to provide condiments or spices.  You will need to supply your own.  

All of our properties do have a standard drip coffee maker.  We provide the filters, but you will need to bring your own ground coffee.

Yes, all of our properties have complimentary wifi.

Yes, all of our properties offer outdoor grills.

Beach Towels are included in our regular linen service. Beach gear can be rented from one of our preferred vendors. For additional information, please visit our Concierge Services page.

These items are not provided due to sanitary reasons. We recommend renting from Babyquip. As a valued guest of Bluefish Vacation Rentals, you will receive an exclusive 10% discount. For additional information, visit our Concierge Services page.

The nightly rate + taxes, cleaning fee, booking fee, and rental guardian damage program are included on your reservation. Optional travel insurance is also available through Rental Guardian.  For additional information, please visit our Protect Your Trip page.

A Booking Deposit for 50% of the total reservation is due upon booking. This deposit will be applied to the grand total. Payments are completed online through our secure portal

The final payment is due one month prior to your stay unless you have already paid in full or have booked within 30 days of your stay.  The remaining balance will be charged automatically to the same credit card used to make the booking deposit.

Cancellation requests made within 24hrs of booking are eligible for a full refund minus the booking fee. The booking fee is non-refundable. 

Cancellation requests made within 24hrs of booking are eligible for a full refund minus the booking fee. The booking fee is non-refundable. 

If a guest cancels after 24 hours from the time of booking, a refund of 80% of the total deposit will be refunded if the reservation dates are rebooked by another party. If the property is re-booked under the same terms and conditions, 80% is refunded.  If the property is not re-booked under the same terms and conditions, the deposit is non-refundable and the full rental amount is due, and will be billed to Guest's credit card. All cancellations must be made in writing and delivered to the rental agent/company email.

We highly recommend purchasing cancellation for any reason Trip Cancellation Policy Insurance through Rental Guardian at www.rentalguardian.com.  Trip insurance has become very popular with our guests as it provides peace of mind during uncertain times. Additional information on Trip Cancellation Policy Insurance can be found under Protect Your Trip.

Yes, once your booking deposit has been made you will receive our DocuSign rental agreement. You will need to provide a complete list of names and ages of all guests that will be at the property.

We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express for the deposit. If you choose to make the payment by credit card there is a 3.0% processing fee. The processing fee can be avoided by paying via personal check.

Yes.  We offer Travel Insurance through Rental Guardian and it is a small price to pay for peace of mind. Our policy covers cancellations for any reason through Trip Cancellation Policy Insurance.  Additional information on Trip Cancellation Policy Insurance can be found under Protect Your Trip.

We will return your lost item to you if you call us within two weeks of your departure date. A $25.00 handling fee, plus postage, will be assessed for all lost & found items that have been recovered and returned. Any items not claimed within two weeks will be donated to a local charity.