Reservation and Cancellation Policies

Please read these Booking Policies for the applicable category of your reservation before clicking, "Complete Resrvation"

If you didn't read our policies prior to making your reservation these policies (this page) are prominently restated in your "Pending Confirmation" email. If they are too strict for you, or unsuitable in any regard please Reply to that email within 2 hours to cancel your reservation without penalty. 

Birds of a Feather Bed & Breakfast Ltd.
206 Portsmouth Drive, Victoria
Vancouver Island, British Columbia  V9C 1R9

Phone / Text: 1.250.858.7308
Email: victoria @ birdsofafeather.ca (spaces intentional to thwart spambots)

• All bookings include complimentary use of our private dock, canoes, kayaks, and bicycles

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Reservation and Cancellation Policies

BED & BREAKFAST

POLICIES

• All B&B ACCOMMODATION RATES are based on 1 nights accommodation for max. 2 people (add $35.00 per extra person in same room.) Breakfast is a paid option from March to October only for all minimum 2-night bookings which are booked directly with us; not available on an OTA platform. Fully equipped kitchenettes in each suite except the Family Studio has a full kitchen. There is also a BBQ onsite for guest use.
• CHECK IN: anytime after 3:30 pm. Self-check-in for late arrivals.
  * We communicate by text & phone while you're here as a guest.
  * On check-in day you'll receive a text from us advising your room is either ready, or where possible is ready for early check-in.
  * Please expect a Welcome Letter with self-check-in instructions posted to the white glass B&B entrance door, next to the huge wooden door marked "Private Residence"
   
• Honeymoon Studio (Room #1): 2 (+child) persons max.
• Luxury Studio (Room #2): 4 persons max.
• Family Studio (room #3): 4 persons max. (contact us to inquire about 5 people)
• Pets: Don't show up with a pet without first reading these pet policies, and then booking the pet friendly unit at the pet included rate, otherwise there is a very good chance you'll be turned away without refund.
• Number of Guests cost calculation is based on maximum number of guests staying on any one day during the reservation. The extra guest fees are there to offset associated costs including housekeeping. If for example some members of your party stay a shorter period than the rest of the people in the same booking we will not be prorating the fees.

20 Day Cancellation Policy for Nightly bookings with EXCLUSIONS noted below

• First Night Prepaid Non-Refundable will be charged to your credit card at time of booking. The balance of your stay will be charged to your card 20 days prior to check-in, except all "pre-paid" reservations as noted in "Exclusions" below. 
• Forfeited Payment & Reservation - first night whenever cancelled plus remaining nights if cancelled within 20 days of arrival, or you don't show by by 9:00 am the following day
• Shortening your Stay - within 20 days of your arrival will be treated as a cancellation. Also when shortening your stay to 1 night were the 2-night minimum applies the 2nd night will still be charged.
• Rebooking new dates - considered on a case by case basis having regard to dates booked, and new dates requested, and advance notice. If permitted then must be rebooked at that time typically for a date in the same calendar year, and is not a standing credit for a future reservation, and the remaining days are then also prepaid and non-refundable. 
• November - February NO BREAKFAST is served during this period - please see our home page for details.
• EXCLUSIONS not covered by 20 day policy are all "Pre-Paid, non-refundable reservations which include: weekly rate bookings, wedding Packages, exclusive Hot Tub bookings, bookings with Pets in suite 2, all bookings during November through March, rebooked new dates, and bookings of any duration year-round with 2 or more rooms (we only have a few rooms and cannot risk a multiple room cancelation when the majority of our bookings are made well in advance)

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Student & Faculty Short Term Accommodations for Royal Roads University

• The same 3 Studio Rooms discounted 20% for weekly RRU rates
• Promo Code 20% discount given upon proof of current enrollment
• Prepaid non-refundable rates
• Returning guests may pay 1 week deposit with the balance due 30 days prior to arrival

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BESPOKE PRIVATE ADVENTURE TOURS

Boat, Wine & Sightseeing Tours are fully pre-paid, non-refundable and no future credit is given. We book off our entire day for this. On a case by case basis, especially with inclement weather we will attempt to reschedule to an alternative day within 7 days of your booking..

 

NON-SMOKING PROPERTY

The entire property is NON SMOKING. Smoking anywhere on our property, inside or outside, will result in immediate cancellation of your stay, forfeiture of payment, and your credit card being charged $250 to pay for relocation of other guests while your room is aired out. Smoking bench located at end of boat ramp and is also 420 friendly

FORCE MAJEURE /  Major Disruptive Events Policy

While world events hurt us all economically we have opted to share the financial impact with our guests, in effect spreading it around over the many instead of us trying to absorb it all. If our policies are too strict for you please consider booking at a hotel. Don't book and later ask us to make an exception for you. 

• No Refunds
• No rebooking to another date; this would preclude new reservations
• No credit in lieu of refunds; this too would impact new reservations

EXPLANATION - Hotels have a huge inventory of rooms. We have 3. Many of our bookings are made well in advance to secure preferred dates and the closer we get to the arrival date the less likely we are to re-book them except perhaps as a discounted "Last Minute" special. Often other reservations also booked around existing availability with room switching. We also have many repeat guests who plan their vacation around our availability at the time of booking. They may have booked longer, or even multiple rooms were they available. In some cases our guests have needed to book a 2nd room at another facility.

OTA's (Online Travel Agencies) are necessary for us to stay in business, however, they are also the most sterile, self-serving, and time consuming systems to deal with. They charge us up to 20% commission and while they'll often waive it if we make a mutual cancelation the process by which we have to claim back commissions is incredibly time consuming; so much so that we opted for all OTA reservations to be pre-paid non-refundable - no exceptions.

We will of course consider each situation on a case by case basis - except OTA bookings - having regard for all the circumstances. Remember though that our stricter policies were designed, in part, for us to remain financially viable - to be able to reopen after the event. That means you'll also get a business response and not necessarily an empathetic one, unless you are a repeat guest in which case we'll make an exception to this policy.

 

Q&A

1. If you rebook all or some of the dates I cancelled why can I not receive a partial refund?

   The banks charge us almost 3% to take your payment and again if we refund you

   Others have booked their stays around the dates left open after your reservation

   Most of our reservations are made months in advance. When you cancel a reservation we often need to make extra efforts to market and discount the units as a last minute discounted special

   You were already given every opportunity to read our policies which you accepted when you booked
    

2. Exceptional circumstances prevent us from keeping our reservation. Why do your policies not accommodate such circumstances?

   We're not going to start discussions asking you for proof of your personal circumstances.

   You assumed the risk and we told you you are assuming the risk at time of booking.

   We no doubt receive less reservations because of our strict policies. We are prepared to forgo those potential reservations at the front end but not also again after you have accepted our policies

   We are a small business. We do not have the flexibility a full size hotel does. Book a hotel please if our policies are too strict.

 

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