Our policies at Longford Hideaway

RESERVATIONS/CANCELLATIONS

A 50% deposit is required to hold your reservation. Your deposit will be refunded if the reservation is cancelled 30 days prior to arrival, less a $50 cancellation fee.

PAYMENT

We accept cash, money orders and personal checks for payment (sorry, no credit cards). Of course your check must clear before your deposit holds your reservation.

NO SMOKING OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS

The Longford Hideaway cottage, and the vegetable farm which surrounds it, are a strictly NO SMOKING/NO TOBACCO area.

This is for two important reasons: First due to a serious plant disease called "Tomato-Tobacco Mosiac Virus" which can adversely and permanently affect the vegetable crops from which we derive the majority of our family's income. Second, to honor our commitment to a sustainable, healthy environment for ourselves and our children living on the property. Recent studies have shown that both second and third-hand smoke from cigarettes leave residues that are toxic and hazardous, particularly for young children. We appreciate your understanding that we cannot be flexible about this.

PLEASE RESPECT THE FARMING OPERATIONS

The ARTfarm, adjoining the Longford Hideaway rental, is a commercial vegetable and livestock farm, and we ask that guests respect farm boundaries and rules, and ask for permission and guidance from your hosts or from ARTfarm managers Luca or Christina Gasperi before venturing beyond our spacious yard into working farm areas.

The ARTfarm is an Employees Only zone that you enter at your own risk. The rules are simple:

ARTfarm's commercial crop plants, irrigation equipment and soil beds are delicate, valuable, and easily damaged by foot traffic or handling. Poultry and livestock can be injured, stressed or killed by chasing, harrassment or littering, and can respond unpredictably to provocation. Unmarked hazards can and do exist on the farm, including deep holes, large and small bodies of water, construction sites, sharp tools, bee hives, aggressive animals, chemicals, hidden pipes, and machinery, that are potentially dangerous for unsupervised children or adults.

When in doubt please ask! We are happy to show our guests around the farm, identify visitor-friendly areas, explain our sustainable growing methods, and answer any questions you might have.

SUPERVISED CHILDREN WELCOME

Longford Hideaway is particularly fun for kids. They love our pool, they love the farm setting, and as seasonal farm activities permit, kids and parents can get an up-close look at livestock, pineapples growing, and other tropical fruit and vegetable crops.

We ask that children ALWAYS be supervised by a responsible parent or guardian during your stay. For your own safety, please ask for guidance from your hosts or from ARTfarm managers Luca or Christina Gasperi on safe areas to visit on the farm. We want children to explore and learn new things, but please allow us to give you a brief tour and help you to identify potential hazards, off-limit or fragile zones, and suggest appropriate areas to visit, hike, climb, run, dig, explore and enjoy with your kids.

NO PETS PLEASE

No pets in the cottage, and no visiting animals permitted on the property. The cottage must remain pet-free (of your and our animals!) so that we can offer the accommodation to those with allergies. Visiting animals, including the best-trained pets, can behave unpredictably and experience stress in a strange environment, particularly a farm with ranch animals. For the welfare of your pets, and of our livestock, poultry and wildlife, it is safest for your pets to stay at home. Bring us some pictures of your furry loved ones, though!

Our friendly ranch animals will be delighted to adopt you during your stay. If you'd like to take one of our family dogs for a hike to the beach there is usually one available at no charge. :)

Please also note, if you would like a Crucian Terrier or Coconut Cat to take home with you: the local St. Croix Animal Welfare Center (STX AWC) offers animals for adoption to visitors, and has a Pets From Paradise program to save adoptable animals, if you are not ready to adopt your own.

CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR'S

Because we operate just one rental unit, we hold the following policy if you are planning to come during the period of December 21st through January 6th: A one week stay at our regular weekly rate may include either the Christmas or New Year's holiday. If you stay for both holidays but are staying less than two weeks in the cottage, there will be a surcharge of 20% on your stay, or a 2 week charge, whichever is less.

RENTAL DISCOUNTS

We offer a 10% discount for guests who reserve and stay for one month or more. We reserve the right to limit guest stays on a case by case basis.

We feel that Longford Hideaway is very reasonable in price, and definitely below market prices. You'll find that you will have much more privacy (including exclusive use of your own swimming pool) than you would at a fancy, higher priced commercial hotel or resort.

Comparatively speaking, Longford is a real bargain and a very unique vacation opportunity.