“A Walk in the Park” Guidebook
Welcome to Savannah! This guide is very useful and will save you valuable time during your vacation! Please take a few minutes to read through it and familiarize yourself with its contents. Most importantly, please either bookmark this web page or keep it open in your device’s browser, so it’s easy to reference during your stay with us! If, for some reason, a question isn’t answered, PLEASE call us. We are here to ensure you have a perfect vacation!
If you have a sec while visiting SAV, please tag @BeOurGaston in a photo! We’re trying to get our name out there!!
Getting here/Contacting Us
Address
206 E. Gaston St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Accessing the Rental
Like nearly all houses in the historic district, our home occupies a full block: so the front of our house sits on Gaston St. and the back on Gordon Lane (the alley). We are the house with the fire hydrant in front! Also, above our front door, you will see the numbers 206. To access A Walk in the Park, walk through our front wrought iron gate and veer right along the brick path. The entrance is on the ground level through the iron door. Please watch the video below on using the Lockly digital lock!Having an issue? Call us!
(757) 293-8324/Kelly or (757) 293-8323/Patrick
Using the Digital Lock to Access A Walk in the Park
This is a Lockly lock, which is known for its security features, but it can be tricky to use at first. Watch the video, and you will get the hang of it in no time. Please Note: You will see the same digit appear in more than one circle, but it doesn’t matter which circle you tap. The door locks automatically behind you.
Also to note, there is a fingerprint sensor on the right side of the lock. If you grab the sides of the lock while tapping in your pin, it will think you are trying to use the fingerprint sensor…and subsequently lock you out because it thinks you’re breaking in (since it doesn’t recognize your fingerprint).
Also, there is a fan mounted on the wall in the alcove, which will be turned on in the warmer months. We use this to discourage mosquitos, etc from entering the apartment. You are welcome to turn it off if you prefer.
Arrival and Departure Information
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Parking is free around Be Our Gaston from 5 PM Friday until 8 AM Monday. Outside of that window, you can find free street parking just south of Gaston, as well as metered spaces on Abercorn. The following link takes you to a page on our website that fully details your options! Parking Link
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You can check in as early as 3 PM on your day of arrival. If A Walk in the Park happens to be ready earlier than that, you will receive a text letting you know. Conversely, if you know your time of arrival, please let us know. We like to have someone on site in case you need assistance operating the locks for the first time.
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The digital code to access A Walk in the Park will be sent to you 2-3 days prior to your arrival. If a mobile number was provided on the reservation, the codes will be texted to you, as well.
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Check out is no later than 11 AM. As you are departing, we often have guests checking in the same day at 3 PM, so we need all four hours for housekeeping to properly clean the apartment. Occasionally, we don’t have anyone checking in the same day, so you are welcome to ask for a late checkout! It can’t hurt!
In terms of a checklist of things you need to do upon checkout, there isn’t one. This was your vacation.
The one thing I would appreciate is if you could shoot me a quick text, letting me know that you have, in fact, checked out. This allows me to alert housekeeping. 757.293.8324
“Provisions” Fridge, Groceries, & Wine/Liquor Stores
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It’s kind of late but you want a glass of wine, or you arrived late and you need a bite to eat…. Or heck, it’s noon and you want a beer!
Through the bedroom door and across the courtyard, you’ll find our garage, within which is a refrigerator aptly named “Provisions.” Inside, there is a variety of alcoholic/non-alcoholic items, as well as a couple of snacks, for purchase, which can be paid in one of two ways (note that a 7% required GA sales tax will be added to the digital payment apps but not the cash payments):
Scan the Venmo link on the fridge and pay @BeOurGaston directly via Venmo (put “snacks” in the “What’s this for?” box, or
Leave the amount you owe in cash in the envelope on the refrigerator shelf.
Fun Fact: See the arched doorway into the garage? This was shaped this way to accommodate the horse-drawn carriages back in the 1800s. Up above this space is our “carriage house,” which is where the “horseman” would sleep….and which is now another apartment!
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The nearest large grocery store is Kroger, which is about three blocks away. 311 East Gwinnett. Head left on Gaston and turn right on Lincoln. Go straight and it’s on your left.
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There is a shop called “Provisions Wine and Groceries” that has the perfect selection of items to fill the picnic basket in your room. It’s located at 101 West Liberty Street.
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“Johnnie’s” is just over a block away and has a very, very good selection of wine, beer, and liquor. Head left on Gaston for one and a half blocks, and it will be on your right (where Gaston and Habersham intersect). 501 Habersham St.
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We have a page on our website that is dedicated to restaurants and bars, which can be found via the following link: restaurants & bars
About A Walk in the Park
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The WiFi network you should connect to is “VIRUS,” which is my father’s idea to prevent people from unnecessarily using it! The password is 206Gaston
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There is a thermostat in between the laundry room and interior lamppost, which is usually set to 72. Feel free to adjust the temperature to your preference. In the warmer months, if you don’t mind, please set it to 75 or so if leaving for the day to prevent it from running continuously when no one is there.
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The Frame TV offers you the ability to select your own artwork during your stay instead of looking at a blank screen! Also, if, for some reason, the TV doesn’t automatically turn off when it gets dark in the evening, press and hold the power button to turn it off.
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There are two air purifiers in A Walk in the Park: one in the living area, as well as one in the bedroom. In the spring especially, pollen can be out of control. Allowing the purifiers to run drastically cuts down on the pollen indoors.
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The laundry room has a full-size washer and dryer and is equipped with detergent, dryer sheets, stain spray, etc. There is also an ironing board and iron.
When finished using the washer, please leave the detergent and drum drawers open to air dry.
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”Picnicking” in Forsyth Park is a very popular activity in Savannah, so, above the refrigerator, you will find everything you need to enjoy your very own picnic!
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If you choose to cook something, please run the stove fan while doing so. These old buildings hold onto odors more so than their modern counterparts!
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A Walk in the Park has supplies for making pour-over coffee, as well as a traditional coffee maker, which can be found in the bottom drawer. You’ll find a selection of flavored sugars, too, and organic half-n-half in the refrigerator.
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There are tea bags in a glass jar on the counter, which pairs well with our rose and lavender sugars!
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A microwave is by-request only. Honestly, in the years we have been operating, thus far, only one person has asked for it! If you need one, though, we are happy to deliver it to you.
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The bathroom has a self-draining dehumidifier that we try to permanently keep on. When renovating this property, it wasn’t feasible to add an exhaust fan to the bathroom, so using a dehumidifier was our only option. The furthest switch on the bathroom wall powers it. If you don’t mind, please leave it on.
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If you need to take the trash out, there are bins in the lane/alley. If you open the bedroom door, you can walk through the courtyard and garage directly into the lane. Turn the lock to the open position while you put the trash/recycling in the bins, or else it will lock automatically behind you. Simply lock the door when coming back through. The black and yellow bins are for recycling, while the green are for trash. Feel free to use any of them because even the residents are unsure of which ones belong to each house!
Guest Rules
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This is a largely residential area. Many of us have short-term rentals, but we live in the main house year-round. We kindly ask that you keep noise to a minimum between the hours of 9 PM and 8 AM.
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This is a smoke-free and vape-free property — no exceptions. If you’d like to smoke, we ask that you leave the property to do so.
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We love dogs. In fact, we have three of our own, but we do not allow them in the rentals. Sorry!
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Sorry, but no parties.
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We get it; accidents happen. Please just let us know, so we can try to repair/replace the damaged item as quickly as possible.
We had a guest once who spilled a really oily substance (salad dressing??) on the sheets and, instead of letting us know. just continued to sleep in the soiled sheets.
First, no one should have to sleep in dirty sheets! And second, we could have removed the stain had she told us immediately.
Really, it’s okay!! Just let us know.
This is Savannah!
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You are in the south and, unfortunately, surrounded by bugs. We do have a mosquito control system in both the courtyard and front yard, which drastically cuts down on the population. I often prefer to be on our property having wine vs elsewhere because I don’t really get bit when I’m here!
All of that being said, there is all-natural repellant underneath the kitchen sink.
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I probably hate them more than you. It’s an abnormally severe fear of mine that I’ve had since I was a child. And, because of the insane panic their mere sight brings on, I have the entire property treated regularly. Cody, my pest control guy, will tell you that I go above and beyond to ensure those evil predators cannot survive on our property.
If you see a live roach, it’s about to die. If you see a dead one, I am so sorry, but at least it’s not alive!
USEFUL LOCAL SERVICES
Savannah on Wheels
Get 10% off of rentals and tours with code 206Gaston
Savannah on Wheels is a local bike rental and tour agency. It’s a great way to explore Savannah’s historic district, especially if you’re only here for a couple of days!
ConnectOnTheDot.com
Provides free transportation downtown
This is an excellent service for a particular cadré of people — those who need to get around but aren’t interested in a “tour bus,” per sé. If you’re not very mobile and need to get from point A to point B, this is worth checking out.
Royal Bike Taxi Pedicab
Is another pedicab option
If you can’t schedule/reach Savannah Pedicab, this is an option, as well.
Old Town Trolley Tours
The green and orange tour buses
See the explanation for “Old Savannah Tours.”
Old Savannah Tours
The white tour buses
Both companies (this one and Old Town Trolley Tours) operate hop-on/hop-off tours, enabling you to see the entire historic district. Check out their websites and decide which one appeals to you more. Most importantly, one of the stops is literally located by our house, and it’s used by both tour companies. Consequently, you can start and end the tour right by The Garden of Good! Turn left in the alley, then right on Abercorn. The Massey Center on the corner is a stop for these tour buses. Buy your tickets online first!
Savannah Pedicab
Our go-to pedicab option
Savannah Pedicab is great. They are well-priced and they can be scheduled. If you have dinner on River or Bay and you’re in a rush, just give them a call. It’s a convenient service for transportation.