WHAT EXACTLY IS MT. BAKER LODGING ANYWAY???

We feel that it is important for Guests and potential Guests to note what Mt. Baker Lodging is, and perhaps just as important to note what it is not!

 To assist in making your stay as enjoyable as possible, we’ve compiled an information sheet including a Q&A segment.  Persons who have stayed at private vacation properties in the past, will readily identify with and greatly appreciate the extras that a stay with Mt. Baker Lodging has to offer!  If, on the other hand, this is your first experience staying at a private vacation property, you will find it to be unlike a stay in a hotel, motel, or inn.  Our policies are quite different.  Therefore, your expectations should be different and, (so as to avoid confusion later) it is an excellent idea to print this out and take it with you as a point of reference during your stay!

Setting The Mood…

 Think: “Cabin in The Woods…Not Penthouse at The Hilton®”.  The terms “butler”, “valet” “concierge”, and “daily maid service” are not a part of the picture. There is no cell phone or television reception up here in the mountains.  Just think; (as scary as it might sound) you may actually have to sit around the living room and talk to one another…just like they did back in the good ole days!  Ok, if you r-e-a-l-l-y get bored, all vacation properties are equipped with VCR’s, (some also have DVD’s and/or cable access…please inquire) so feel free to bring movies (or they can be rented locally).  Please be mindful that you will be staying in someone’s 2^nd home, not some large commercial conglomerate.  Most of our Clients have scrimped and saved for years in order to purchase and maintain their humble abode.  They are now offering it for you and yours to enjoy, just as they have done with their families and friends.  You are expected to treat their property with the utmost respect at all times during your stay.

What We Are…

 Mt. Baker Lodging is an AGENCY that rents “privately and individually owned”, “self-catered”, “fully equipped” cabins, cottages, condos, and chalets…all of which span a distance of approximately eight miles along the Mt. Baker Highway (I-542), in and around the communities of Glacier and Maple Falls, at the entrance to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.  The Mt. Baker Ski Area is located approximately 17-miles from the closest accommodations.  The distance in-between is national forest, with no public overnight accommodations.

*Privately and Individually Owned:

 This means that Mt. Baker Lodging does NOT own any of the vacation properties that it represents, nor does it provide any of the furnishings, decorations, and accompaniments that are included as a part of the rental.  All furnishings, including indoor, outdoor, and recreational appliances, amenities, and accompaniments (such as cookware and linens) are provided by Mt. Baker Lodging’s Clients (the property owners), and in some instances, the resort-recreational developments in which the properties are located.  Although Mt. Baker Lodging strives to offer only well-maintained vacation properties in good, clean, and sanitary condition, all properties are rented as-is, where-is, and no refunds will be issued based upon our Guest’s dissatisfaction with furnishings,  accompaniments, or other similar criteria.

*Self-Catered:

 All vacation properties are located on private property…some distance from the Mt. Baker Lodging office.  There is no on-site Mt. Baker Lodging manager or maintenance person, except at the Mt. Baker Lodging office in Maple Falls.  This means that foodservice, room service, and daily maid service is NOT a part of the picture in the standard rental.  Guests who desire extra “foo-foo” services such as private catering can make such arrangements through Mt. Baker Lodging (or independently, if they so choose) at additional cost, at least 14-days prior to their scheduled date of arrival.  It is also important to note; some of the private vacation properties that Mt. Baker Lodging represents are located in private gated developments (such as Mt. Baker Rim, Snowline, and Snowater).  These private developments employ on-site managers who work directly for the community homeowner’s associations, and are responsible for regulating and enforcing their development’s rules and regulations (in addition to many other tasks).  They are NOT, however, responsible for providing services to Mt. Baker Lodging’s Guests.  Therefore, if you require assistance during your stay, please contact the Mt. Baker Lodging office, NOT the development manager’s office, as they will be unable to assist you!    Guests who desire daily maid service can make such arrangements through Mt. Baker Lodging (at additional cost) at least 7-days prior to their scheduled date of arrival.  To facilitate scheduling, all such matters are best discussed well in advance.

*Fully Equipped:

For those of you who have previously stayed in private vacation properties, you’ll be delighted to note that (unlike most vacation rentals) all Mt. Baker Lodging vacation properties are equipped with standard bed and bath linens, and basic cabin cookware for our Guest’s use.  All linens are provided by our Clients, (the property owners) appropriate to the designated occupancy limits of the vacation property.  Additional linens and beach towels are NOT available.  When your supply of fresh linens is exhausted, you are most welcome to use the washer/dryer that is included with most (but not all…please inquire) rentals.  You are also most welcome to bring additional linens (including beach towels) with you.  With regard to bed linens, (unlike most vacation rentals) you’ll be pleased to discover that the beds are already made!  Basic cabin cookware is included in all Mt. Baker Lodging vacation rentals, appropriate to the designated occupancy limits of the property.  If you are planning to prepare and serve an upscale gourmet feast or traditional holiday meal, you are most welcome to bring your own specialty cookware, serving dishes, and the like…but please note that such items are generally NOT provided as a part of the rental of your “Cabin In The Woods”.  When grocery shopping for your stay, don’t forget spices and condiments (eg: salt, pepper, sugar, coffee, etc.) as, per local Health Department regulations regarding product tampering, they are NOT provided as a part of the rental.  For our Guest’s convenience, Mt. Baker Lodging provides a “starter supply” of bath soap, dish soap, dishwasher detergent (in properties equipped with dishwashers), laundry detergent (in properties equipped with washing machines), dryer sheets (in properties equipped with clothes dryers), toilet tissue, paper towels, coffee filters, and garbage bags.  Please note that “starter supplies” are NOT unlimited.  If your stay is extended, (or you just have a propensity for going through a lot of a given item) you’ll want to plan ahead to bring additional supplies with you, as appropriate.  Most supplies can also be purchased locally.  Firewood is provided in most (but not all…please inquire) vacation properties that are equipped with woodstoves or wood burning fireplaces.  However, due to local fire and insurance regulations, we are NOT permitted to provide matches, fire starter, or candles.  Please prepare accordingly.

What We Are Not…

Mt. Baker Lodging provides a very unique lodging experience!  However, we are NOT a hotel, motel, B&B, or inn, and do not operate as such.  Our policies differ greatly with those of most traditional lodging accommodators.  As an agency, all rental monies are collected in advance on behalf of and disbursed to our Clients (the property owners).  Guests are STRONGLY advised to review our Reservation, Cancellation, Rescheduling, and Limited Refund Policies in advance of placing a reservation, so as to avoid confusion and possible disappointment later!

A COUPLE OF ITEMS OF NOTE:

CHECKING-IN:

Check-in Time is 4:00pm (or after) at our office in Maple Falls, not in the developments themselves.  Keys and gates passes (if applicable) are dispensed from this location only, and are NOT dispensed early.  Therefore, please don’t show up early, as it may lead to a long wait.  Remember…”just stopping by to pick up keys” is called checking-in!

Guests:  Please be prepared to show two forms of identification at check-in.  This can include (a) a valid state or provincial driver’s license, (b) a valid state or provincial identification card, (c) a valid passport, (d) a valid military ID, AND a valid credit card (with picture ID preferred).

**IMPORTANT**

If the Registered Guest is intending to have someone other than themselves pick-up the keys/passes on their behalf, they are required to contact us in advance.  For security purposes, keys/passes to our Client’s private vacation properties are NOT dispensed to just anyone walking through our front door!  Prior arrangements must be made.  PLEASE PLAN AHEAD!

**EQUALLY IMPORTANT**

If part of your Guest party is spending the day in the national forest or up at the ski area, please instruct them NOT to clog up the development entrances with their vehicles, while another party member back-tracks to our office in Maple Falls to pick-up the keys/passes.  Instead, request them to meet you in the Glacier or Maple Falls villages, where they can stop, stretch their legs, and relax.  There have been several recent occasions, when near accidents were caused by Guest party members who were waiting and consequently tying up the entrances to the gated developments…creating traffic jams and the like. The entrances can become precarious at the best of times…please, please don’t lend to the confusion!!  

CHECKING-OUT:

Check-out is 11:00am (sharp).  In consideration of future Guests and housekeeping, please prepare accordingly.  All keys/gate passes must be returned to the Mt. Baker Lodging office, not the development manager’s office.  Keys not returned to the Mt. Baker Lodging office by 12:00 noon, will result in an automatic charge equal to the cost of one additional nights stay, including tax, and the Guests will be subject to immediate eviction.  Remember…”you drop the keys off where you picked them up”!

A complete set of Check-Out Procedures is included with the Confirmation Documents.  They are very basic, but please review them carefully!   Every once in a while we receive a complaint from a Guest that… “boy, we didn’t think that we were going to have to do all of the housekeeping”  The short story is…you don’t!  We only ask that you perform the basics; start (not finish) a wash load of soiled laundry, do up your dirty dishes, close and lock the windows, turn down the thermostats, and turn off the lights…all very basic stuff!    Now, when you’re asked to get down on your hands and knees to scrub the bathrooms, kitchens, etc..that’s called housekeeping!  That’s what the real housekeepers do and is what is covered under the Cleaning Fee. However, if you decide not to do the check out proceedures or not to leave the property in same general and good habital condition (as when you arrived) there will be additional cleaning charges of $50.00 per hour.

There is no cell phone reception up here in the mountains, and many of the vacation properties that we represent are located in dimly lit, gated communities!  If you and other members of your party are not properly prepared in advance, this can be a very frustrating experience for everyone that shows up in the late evening and early morning hours.  Therefore, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you communicate directions to other members of your party in advance of your stay.  Upon placing a reservation, Guests are sent via e-mail (hard copy is available upon request) a Confirmation Document that includes an attached file in PDF format with directions to our office, directions to the vacation property, the emergency after-hours telephone number to our office, the telephone number to the vacation property (if vacation property is so equipped), the gate access code (if the vacation property is located in one of the gated communities…except Snowater), check-out procedures, our Pet Policy (if the vacation property is pet friendly), community rules and regulations, and other important information.  You’ll want to forward this information to all members of your party that may be arriving separately.  DON’T LOSE THESE ITEMS!  Upon arrival at our office, we can distribute a maximum of 2-sets of keys (and gate passes, if applicable) for each property.  PLEASE PLAN AHEAD!

HERE’S THE FUN Q & A STUFF! 

Believe it or not, these are really questions that have been asked!!

Q:  Wow, I’m not really comfortable with the Guest Rental Agreement.  Can I make a

     reservation without it?

A:  Absolutely not!  The Guest Rental Agreement is a legally binding document that was

     designed for insurance purposes.  Yes it’s heavy-duty…after all, attorneys get paid the big

     bucks to write this kind of stuff.  The Agreement is very similar in concept to a car rental

     agreement.  Again, it’s an insurance requirement that was designed to cover potential losses

     against our Clients (property owners) and their self-catered vacation rental properties.  Just

     like at the car rental agency, no endorsement by our Guest equals no keys dispensed!

Q:  I need to cancel, but I only made the reservation yesterday, so I won’t be charged

     for anything…right?

A:  Sorry, NO.  Unlike most hotels, motels, and inns, It doesn’t matter when the reservation

     was placed…the same guidelines apply.  If you make a last-minute reservation in the

     morning and then cancel out in the afternoon, you run the risk of losing the entire rental

     amount, unless the vacation property can be re-rented.

Q:  But…but…but they let me cancel with 24-hour notice at the last hotel that I stayed at!

A:  Yes, that is indeed standard policy with most hotels/motels.  Remember, Mt. Baker Lodging

      is an agency, NOT a hotel.  We do not own the vacation properties that we represent AND

      we have strict contractual obligations with the people who do!

Q:  I reserved two vacation properties and now I need to cancel them both…so that was

     actually only one reservation and I’ll only be charged for one cancellation…right?

A:  WRONG.  Since all Mt. Baker Lodging vacation properties are individually owned, every

     booking is considered to be a separate reservation, regardless of the quantity of vacation

     properties reserved.  Therefore, eight vacation properties cancelled equal eight reservations

     cancelled, and the usual per-property Cancellation Policy applies.

Q:  I reserved two vacation properties and now I need to cancel one of them…can you apply

     the money from the cancelled property to the one that I intend to keep?

A:  Yes we can, provided that the cancellation occurs a minimum of 21-days prior to our

     Guest’s scheduled date of arrival, less a $65.00 Cancellation Fee.  Less than 21-days can’t

     be cancelled without forfeiting either the Advanced Lodging Reservation Payment (equal to the cost of

     1-night’s stay, including tax) or the entire rental amount (depending upon the time frame) unless the

     cancelled vacation property can be re-booked.  Again, every vacation property booked is

     considered a separate reservation, and the usual Cancellation Policy applies.

Q:  Can I just pay when I get there?

A:   Sure you can…but remember, (under 14-days) you don’t have a confirmed reservation

      until it’s been paid-in-full.  So, if you come all the way up here and we’re sold out by the

      time you arrive, or you’re running late and arrive after regular office hours, you probably

      won’t have a place to stay!

Q:  I would really prefer to pay cash.  Can I do this?

A:  Sure you can.  However, if you’re intending to use cash in lieu of a credit card in conjunction with the

     Guest Rental Agreement, there will be a $1000.00 cash (no checks) deposit required.  The deposit 

     will then be refunded (subject to a complete premises inspection) within 7-days after your date of

     departure, via company check.

Q:  I’ll be arriving during regular office hours, so can you go ahead and charge it to

     my credit/debit card, (to reserve) and I’ll pay cash when I get there?

A:  Absolutely, but there is a 6% “In & Out” fee for doing this.  That’s what the credit card

     processing company charges Mt. Baker Lodging, so we have to pass those charges along

     to our Guests!  Remember, unlike the hotel/motel industry, Mt. Baker Lodging does not

     place a “hold” on our Guest’s credit/debit cards.  The reservation monies are indeed

     processed to confirm the reservation in our Client’s (property owners) vacation properties

     at such time as the reservation is placed.

Q:  The size of our party has changed…can we downgrade to a smaller (less expensive)

      vacation property to save some money?

A:  Yes you can, as long as the change is received a minimum of 21-days prior to your

     scheduled date or arrival, and is then subject to current availability of unreserved properties.

     Please be advised, however, that such changes are subject to a $25.00 non-refundable

     Re-scheduling Charge.  Less than 14-days = NO changes.

Q:  I need to change the dates of my reservation…can you do this for me?

A:  Yes we can, subject to current availability for your desired dates, plus a $25.00 non-refundable

     Re-scheduling Fee.  Please note that if the change results in a reservation of lesser value, Guests are

     NOT entitled to a partial refund of the difference in cost!  In addition, if the change results in a

     reservation of a higher dollar value, Guests are required to pay the difference in cost.

Q:  I will be checking-in late in the evening (after regular office hours)…how do I pick-up the

      keys/passes?

A:  By advance prior arrangement only, Mt Baker Lodging will arrange for late key/pass pick-up at our

     office, PROVIDED that (a) the reservation has been paid-in-full, and (b) the Guest Rental Agreement

      has been received in advance of Guest arrival.

      Remember: No Payment and/or Rental Agreement = No Keys!  Guests must contact our office

     during regular business hours on their scheduled arrival date for information regarding late

      check-in.  Guests who fail to do so will likely end up without a place to stay, and no refunds will

     be provided! 

Q:  I can’t complete my stay…can I get a refund for the unused portion?

A:  Not unless the vacation property can be re-booked for the entire duration with a 2-night minimum, in

     which case the $65.00 Cancellation Charge applies.  Remember…whether you’re canceling one 

     night or you’re canceling the entire reservation, you’re still canceling.  A cancellation is a

     cancellation!

Q:  Only three members of my party were able to show up, but the vacation property that we reserved

     sleeps ten persons…can I get a pro-rated refund?

A:  You’re kidding…right?  Although designated maximum occupancy limits are strictly enforced, nightly

     rates are based by-the-property, not by the number of occupants.  If the vacation property sleeps up to

     12-persons, but only 1-person shows-up, the rate is still the same.  Kind of like buying two 

     hamburgers at the restaurant, and trying to return one for credit because you couldn’t eat it!  Good

      luck with that one!

Q:  Gee, I really didn’t like the color of the carpeting, the furnishings were not to my liking, and there was 

     no Cuisinart®…can I get some money back?

A:  Ahhh…NO!  However, Guest Comment Forms are provided for your feedback.  This is your conduit 

    to our Clients (the property owners who provide the furnishings and accompaniments).  We strongly

    encourage you to fill them out (properly) and turn them in!  Believe us when we say that…”if it’s really

    worth the time to say it…it’s worth taking the time to write it!”  Good and bad, all WRITTEN Guest

    comments are forwarded directly to our Clients.  We mean no disrespect, but with approximately

     75+ vacation properties being handled through a very busy office, your verbal comments will most 

    likely be forgotten before you get 5-miles down the road!

Q:  We found a spider in the sink.  Now we can’t stay, so can we get some money back?

A:  (we l-o-v-e this one!)  The short answer is no!  Here’s the deal; you’re staying in a

    “Cabin-In-The-Woods”.  Spiders, mosquitos  & other insects, and small critters are an integral part

     of the national forest.  There were here long before we were, and they’ll most likely be here long after

    we’re gone.  If you have a real problem with “critters”, staying in a vacation property that is

     located at the entrance to the national forest is probably not going to be your best choice.  The critters

    have agreed, for the most  part, to put up with us...now we have to put up with them!  Plan ahead…bring

    some spray and/or repellent with you!

Q:  The power went out during our stay, so can we get some money back?

A:   Again, you’re staying in a “Cabin-In-The-Woods”!   Our rural environment subjects us to a more

     rough-and-ready lifestyle than a lot of city folks are accustomed to.  It’s part of our scene; you trade off

     some of the smog, chaos, and congestion for a slice of some of the most beautiful land on earth.  

     Along with that trade-off comes a few minor irritants; occasional power outages, road construction 

     delays, freak weather patterns, and the like.  Just like the rest of us, you need to prepare  accordingly.

     Bringing along a flashlight with a few extra batteries, for example, is prudent advice.  In so far as 

     refunds are concerned, the answer is no.  We are not in a position to provide any sort of refunds for

     circumstances that are completely out of our control.  When we learn how to control mother nature, 

     we'll probably be in a better position to provide refunds for these sorts of occurrences.  Until then, you 

     may wish to consider purchasing travel insurance!  

Q:  I stayed in one of your vacation properties last weekend, and left my prized widget behind.  Can you

     retrieve it and send it  back to me?

A:  First:  Mt. Baker Lodging is its Clients assume no responsibility for items left behind by our Guests. If

      housekeeping can  readily locate the item, we will gladly send it back to our Guest.  There is a $25.00

     Service Charge, plus shipping, for all items  returned.  Alternately, we can hold it (without assuming

     responsibility) at our office for up to 60-days and you can come-and-get-it!  Please be advised that 

      after 60-days, it goes in the trash or is donated to one of the local charities.  After all, we’re not a

     storage warehouse.

Q:  I want to have it shipped back to me, but why does it cost so much?

A:  As you may have noticed, we’re tucked away up here in the sticks.  It’s a 60-mile round-trip into

     Bellingham, where packaging materials are readily available and where shipping takes place.  Now, if

     we have to pay someone to drive your widget into town,  purchase the necessary packaging materials,

     package up the item, transport it to the shipping location, pay for shipping, then drive back to our

     location…it costs Mt. Baker Lodging time and money.  Here’s the bottom line…”We’re really sorry that

      you forgot to take your widget with you when you left, and we’ll be more than happy to send it back to

     you…but we’re not willing to pay for your mistake”!

Q:  Why was I charged for additional cleaning?

A:  This one’s easy!  You did not leave the home in the same general good habital condition as it was

     when you arrived or you didn’t follow the Check-Out Procedures that were (a) sent to you with your