COVID-19 & Sand `N Sea Properties Management

As the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic ripple out across our city, state and nation, we feel it’s important to keep our homeowners updated on what those changes look like in our office and on Galveston Island.

We continue to welcome vacation rental guests to their private beach houses, and we are still accepting reservations as usual for the rest of 2020. This could change at any moment, depending on orders issued by local or state officials.

As of Thursday, March 19, our Pirates Beach lobby is closed to all guests and visitors. However, our office is still fully staffed and operational! Rental team members are now working remotely to assists guests, and our 24/7 maintenance staff remains available for any unexpected issues at your beach house.

We will continue to post updates here as the COVID-19 situation evolves on Galveston Island, and will remain available via email at [email protected] or by phone at 409.797.5500.

Contact Information

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Continue to reach our full vacation rentals team at [email protected].

If you…

Have a question about reservations in your beach house….. 409.797.5505 (Anne) 

Need to place a new owner reservation….. 409.797.5500 or online via OwnerWeb.

Need after-hours maintenance assistance…. 409.797.4444

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SNS Housekeeping Procedures

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March 19, 2020

We continue to closely monitor statements regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) and remain in close communication with state & local tourism officials and other business owners. Like the majority of businesses, we are following guidance from federal, state and local agencies, including the CDC and WHO.

As of March 19, our physical office is closed to guests & visitors. The few staff members who have not begun working remotely utilize hand sanitizer stations throughout the office. Housekeeping addresses high-touch areas daily with professional disinfectants.

At your beach house:

• Our professionally trained housekeeping teams continue to use professional level disinfectants and cleaning supplies. They are concentrating on high-touch areas like doorknobs, light switches, cabinet handles, etc.
  
  
• Our commercial laundry washes towels and sheets professionally – at 160 degrees (your home washer typically reaches 100 degrees).
  
  
• Inspecting & Property Services staff that are entering houses have been extensively trained and are being super vigilant about disinfectants and cleanliness standards.

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Island Updates

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The situation continues to be very fluid regarding business closures and modifications to normal services.

The Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees has a webpage they are updating with various Island closures and additional information about what is happening in our community.

General Updates:

• As of Thursday, March 19 at 5:00 p.m. all beach park public service amenities are closed. This includes restrooms, shops, and lifeguard services at East Beach, Stewart Beach, Seawall Urban Park, Dellanera RV Park and Seawolf Park. (Beaches themselves are still open to the public. Per the Governor's executive order, gatherings are limited to under 10 people.)
  
  
• As of Tuesday, March 17 at 4:00 p.m. Galveston Mayor Jim Yarbrough enacted two orders closing public amusement venues, including bars, and limiting restaurants to take-out, delivery and drive-thru services, following federal guidelines regarding Coronavirus and public gatherings.
  
  
• A number of restaurants have adjusted their services to carry-out or delivery options. If you're self-quarantining at your beach house, please consider taking advantage of these options. If you aren't currently on Galveston we encourage you to purchase gift cards for your future visits. 
  
  
• City of Galveston suspended rubber wheel trolley service through March 31. Fixed-route service will continue to operate as normal, with modifications to keep passengers at least six feet apart.
  
  
• Pointe West announced that their community pools will be closed as of 9:00 a.m., Thursday, March 19, until further notice.

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NEW Check-in/out Procedures for Guests

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Effective Thursday, March 19, we have new contact-free, express check-in procedures for rental guests.

Check-in

Guests will no longer check in at our Pirates Beach office.

All check-in paperwork will be signed electronically via DocuSign. Keys are now located in lockboxes at each beach house. Lockbox codes will be provided via text message on the day of arrival, once the home is ready for occupancy.

Prior to arrival, guests:

• Receive DocuSign email with express check-in paperwork via email.
• Sign & submit their documents electronically.

Day of check-in, guests:

• Receive a text with the beach house address & their code for the key lockbox.
• Use the texted code to retrieve keys from the home's lockbox.

Check-out

Check out is 10:00 a.m. At this time, we are not able to extend late check-outs to any of our homeowners or guests.

Day of check-out:

• Make sure you have all of your belongings (lost item return is severely delayed at this time).
• Remove all food items.
• Bag all trash and place in trash cans outside.
• Lock all doors.
• Guests return keys to the lockbox at the home. 

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Guest Communications

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As we all know, modified schedules and plans for closings are changing rapidly. We are encouraging all of our guests to take advantage of the wide open beaches and self-led tours that allow for social distancing while still taking advantage of the unique things that Galveston has to offer. Some of our suggestions include:

Self-Guided Tours, perfect for stretching your legs and getting some fresh air:

• Turtles About Town
• Tree Sculpture Tour
• Oppenheimer Bird Observatory
• East End Historic District & Victorian Homes walking tour 
  
  

Other Activities

• Clay Cup Studios - “To Go” kits for pick-up or studio time by appointment for groups under 10 people.
• Homeschooling & Remote Learning Resources - check out our printables and learn about Galveston's unique coastal ecosystem during their beach trip.
• Galveston Historical Foundation - Facebook Live lectures, Instagram takeovers by GHF staff and residents with unique perspectives, and more!
   

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