Dora Canal Court Inc. · P.O. Box 220, Tavares, Florida 32778
Version 2.1 · Effective 11 October 2026
1. Who we are
Dora Canal Court is a family-run cottage court on the Dora Canal in Tavares, Florida, operating in the same family since 1971. The eight vacation cottages are operated by Dora Canal Court Inc., a Florida corporation, document number P18000060263, on land owned by the Mary Ann Brown Family Trust at 224 S Lake Avenue, Tavares, Florida 32778.
We are not affiliated with any other business trading under a similar name.
In these Terms, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Dora Canal Court Inc., the owner of the property and its trustees, and their respective officers, employees, agents and contractors. Every protection, limitation and release in these Terms applies to each of them.
“You” and “Guest” mean the person who made the reservation and everyone staying or visiting under it. You are responsible for everyone in your party.
2. How booking works, and when these Terms apply
A booking made on this website is a request, not a confirmed reservation. No payment is taken by this website. We confirm every booking personally, and when we confirm it we will tell you how and when payment is due. We accept credit card, bank deposit, check or cash.
If you booked directly with us — on this website, by phone or by email — these Terms are your agreement with us. Please read them before you book. By making a reservation and staying with us, you agree to them.
If you booked through Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com or Expedia, that platform’s terms govern your payment, your cancellation rights and the taxes you are charged. Those platforms collect and remit lodging taxes on the bookings they take. Our Cancellation & Refund Policy does not apply to you — theirs does.
Sections 5, 6 and 7 apply to every guest however they booked, because they are how the property is run and they protect the people who live here.
The version of these Terms in force for your stay is the one published when you booked. We may update them, and we will tell you if anything material changes before you arrive.
3. What this agreement is
Your stay is a revocable licence for transient use of a cottage. It is not a residential lease and does not create a tenancy. Our relationship is that of a public lodging establishment and a guest under Chapter 509, Florida Statutes.
In making this booking you confirm that:
- the cottage is not your sole or primary residence, and you maintain a residence elsewhere;
- your stay is temporary, for the dates reserved; and
- you do not intend to establish residency at the property.
4. If we have to ask you to leave
Under § 509.141, Florida Statutes, we may ask any guest to leave who breaks these Terms, fails to pay, or whose continued presence is detrimental to the property.
- Notice. We will tell you, in person or in writing, that you must leave. You must leave promptly.
- Money. At the time we give that notice, we will return the unused portion of anything you have paid in advance. We may keep payment for each full day you have stayed, counting any part of a day as a full day.
- If you stay anyway. A guest who remains after being asked to leave commits a misdemeanor of the second degree under § 509.141(3), and law enforcement may remove you as a trespasser.
Being asked to leave does not affect your responsibility for damage, loss or costs you caused.
5. Who can stay, and how many
Age. The person who books must be 30 or older and must be one of the people staying.
Adults only. Our cottages are adults only. We do not accommodate children or minors. This is a rule about the cottages and has nothing to do with the separate residential community on the same property.
Minimum stay. Two nights.
Occupancy. Maximum occupancy is set per cottage and shown on that cottage’s page:
- Cottages 22, 23, 31, 32, 35 and 36 sleep up to four — two in a queen bed, and two on a pull-out couch in the living area. The pull-out couch is the only additional bed; we provide the extra bedding on request.
- Cottages 33 and 34 sleep two.
The nightly rate covers two guests. The extra-guest fee shown on your cottage’s page applies per additional guest per night and is added to your reservation. Exceeding the stated maximum for your cottage is a material breach of this licence.
Visitors. Day visitors are welcome — please just be considerate of your neighbours and of other guests.
If you would like someone to stay overnight, we allow one overnight visitor, for one night. They must be approved by us in writing in advance, and we may ask to see photo identification. An overnight visitor counts toward your cottage’s maximum occupancy, so it is only possible where you are below that maximum — which means it is not possible in Cottages 33 or 34, or in a four-sleeper that already has four guests.
How we handle identification is set out in our Privacy Policy.
6. House rules
Breaking these is a breach of this licence and may lead to the notice described in section 4.
Service animals. Service animals are welcome in every cottage. They are not pets, no pet fee applies, and no advance approval is needed. If it is not obvious what service an animal provides, we may ask only the two questions the law permits: whether the animal is required because of a disability, and what work or task it has been trained to perform. We will not ask about your disability and we will not ask for documentation. You remain responsible for your service animal’s behaviour and for any damage it causes.
Pets. Cottages 22, 23, 31, 32, 33, 35 and 36 are pet-free. Cottage 34 accepts one dog up to 20 pounds, by prior written approval arranged before arrival, with the pet fee shown on that cottage’s page. Approval is at our discretion and is not guaranteed.
Smoking. Smoking and vaping are prohibited inside every cottage and on all screened porches. If you smoke outdoors, cigarettes must be fully extinguished and disposed of in a suitable container — never on the ground, the dock, or in the canal.
If we find evidence of smoking, or of an animal brought without prior approval, we will charge the reasonable cost of putting it right, itemised and evidenced, under section 10.
This is a shared property. As well as the eight vacation cottages, Dora Canal Court includes private homes and residential lots occupied by people who live here year-round. Please treat it as somebody’s neighbourhood, because it is. Private homes, residential lots and the areas around them are not part of your stay.
Noise. Because people live here, we ask you to keep noise down between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM. You are responsible for any municipal fine resulting from noise or conduct during your stay.
Gatherings and events. The Clubhouse is our venue for gatherings, and events of up to 30 people are welcome. Please tell us in advance so we can help and so we can let the neighbours know.
Shared facilities. The Clubhouse, the sun deck, the coin-operated laundromat, the dock and the boat slips are shared by all our guests and by residents. Please leave them as you found them.
Parking and boats. Each cottage has a designated parking space. Please use yours and no one else’s. You are welcome to use any free boat slip at our dock during your stay.
7. Arriving and leaving
There is no front desk or office at Dora Canal Court. Our property manager meets you at your cottage, so please send us your estimated time of arrival once your booking is confirmed, and let us know if it changes.
- Check-in is from 2:00 PM. We ask you to arrive by 5:00 PM where you can, so we can meet you properly. Later arrivals are fine by arrangement.
- Check-out is by 11:00 AM. If you need a later check-out, ask — we will accommodate it when the cottage is free. Where another guest is arriving the same day we may not be able to.
- Before you go, please follow the check-out list in the Guest Guide linked from your booking confirmation email.
8. Entering your cottage
We may need to enter for maintenance, in an emergency, or where we reasonably believe these Terms are being broken. Except in an emergency, we will give you reasonable notice and will not enter without it.
9. The cottage, safety, and things that break
Every cottage has smoke alarms, a carbon monoxide detector and a fire extinguisher. Please tell us immediately if any of them is missing or not working.
There are security cameras covering outdoor areas of the property. Footage is viewed only where there is a reason to — a reported incident, damage, or a safety concern.
We keep the cottages in good order and we fix things promptly. If something stops working during your stay, tell us and we will deal with it.
If a fault makes a cottage genuinely unsuitable to stay in — loss of air conditioning, water or electricity — and we cannot resolve it within a reasonable time, we will move you to another cottage where one is available, or refund the nights affected. For anything less than that, including a temporary loss of internet, no refund is due.
10. Damage, and how we charge for it
You are responsible for damage beyond normal wear and tear, missing items, and cleaning substantially beyond what a stay normally requires.
If we need to charge you for any of that, here is exactly how it works:
- We will tell you within 14 days of your check-out, in writing.
- We will send you an itemised account of what was damaged or missing and what it cost, with photographs.
- You have 7 days to respond and tell us if you disagree. We will work it out with you.
- Only then will we invoice you for it, or charge a payment method you have given us where you have authorised us to do so.
We will charge only the reasonable cost of putting things right, and we will not charge you for anything we have not evidenced to you first.
11. Your belongings
We are not responsible for loss or damage to your property, or your guests’ property, left at the cottages or anywhere on the premises, including anything left in a vehicle or on a boat. Items left behind will be held for 14 days and then disposed of; we will return them at your cost if you ask within that time.
12. The canal, the dock and the outdoor areas
The property fronts the Dora Canal and has a seawall, a dock with boat slips, a fish-cleaning station, a sun deck with a fire pit and a grill, and a clubhouse. These carry real risks and you use them entirely at your own risk.
- No diving, anywhere, at any time.
- Children are not permitted at the property, so the water is not supervised and there is no lifeguard.
- The fire pit and the grill involve open flame. Do not leave either unattended.
- The fish-cleaning station involves sharp tools. Use it with care and clean up after yourself.
- Use of a boat slip is at your own risk. We are not responsible for your vessel, its contents, or anything that happens to it while it is here.
- Alcohol and water do not mix. Please use your judgment around the canal and the dock.
To the fullest extent permitted by Florida law, and including for our own negligence, we are not liable for injury, loss or death to you or anyone with you arising from use of the canal, the seawall, the dock, any boat slip, the fish-cleaning station, the sun deck, the fire pit, the grill or the clubhouse.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability for gross negligence or wilful misconduct.
13. Liability and indemnity
Our liability to you for anything arising out of your stay is limited to the total amount you have paid us for that stay, except where the law does not permit that limit.
Your liability to us. You will reimburse us for loss or damage we suffer as a result of your acts or omissions, or those of anyone staying or visiting under your reservation.
We do not insure your belongings, your vessel, or your travel arrangements. We recommend travel insurance — see our Cancellation & Refund Policy.
14. General
Governing law and venue. These Terms are governed by the law of the State of Florida. Any dispute will be brought in the state courts of Lake County, Florida.
Severability. If any part of these Terms is held unenforceable, that part is severed and the rest continues in force.
Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Cancellation & Refund Policy, our Privacy Policy and the details on your cottage’s page, are the whole agreement between us about your stay.
Notices. We will contact you using the email address and phone number on your reservation. Written notice to us should be sent to Dora Canal Court Inc., P.O. Box 220, Tavares, Florida 32778, or by email to contact@doracanalcourt.com. Our registered agent for service of process is on file with the Florida Division of Corporations under document number P18000060263.
Events outside our control. Neither of us is liable for failing to perform because of something genuinely outside our control. What happens to your money in that situation is set out in our Cancellation & Refund Policy.
No transfer. You may not transfer your reservation, sublet the cottage, or list it for rent.
No waiver. If we do not enforce part of these Terms on one occasion, that does not prevent us enforcing it later.
Survival. Sections 10 to 14 survive the end of your stay.
Headings are for convenience only.
Questions? Call (352) 978-3914 or email contact@doracanalcourt.com. A real person answers.