Policies & Good-to-Knows
No fine-print surprises: everything below is also spelled out on your quote and confirmation email, including which cancellation policy applies to your specific stay and why.
Cancellation policy — computed per booking
Strict
Applies when any part of the stay falls May 1 – Sep 30, or the stay is 5+ nights.
- Full refund 30+ days before check-in
- 50% refund 14–29 days before check-in
- No refund under 14 days
Moderate
Applies to short off-season stays (Oct–Apr, under 5 nights).
- Full refund 14+ days before check-in
- 50% refund 7–13 days before check-in
- No refund under 7 days
Your quote states which policy applies before you commit to anything.
Payment schedule
- 50% deposit secures your dates once we approve your request.
- Balance is due 14 days before check-in — we email a payment link.
- Booking less than 14 days out? Full payment up front.
- All payments are by card through Stripe — we never see or store card numbers.
Damage deposit
A $250 CAD pre-authorization hold (not a charge) is placed on a card 1–2 days before check-in and released after checkout, assuming the nest is left happy.
Taxes — itemized, as BC requires
| Line | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| GST | 5% | accommodation + cleaning fee |
| BC PST | 8% | accommodation + cleaning fee |
| MRDT (Municipal & Regional District Tax) | 2% | accommodation + cleaning fee |
15% combined. Shown as three separate lines on every quote and receipt.
House rules
- Check-in after 3:00 pm, check-out before 11:00 am (owner-confirmed 2026-07-11 — standardized on Airbnb's times over VRBO's 4:00 pm check-in).
- Maximum 2 guests — the cabin is genuinely tiny and we love it that way.
- 2-night minimum stay (3 nights in peak summer).
- No pets, no smoking or vaping anywhere on the property.
- No parties or events; quiet hours 10 pm – 8 am.
- Outdoor fires only in the firepit, only when no fire ban is in effect.
Max-guest count and quiet hours confirmed against the current Airbnb listing (2026-07-11). 2-night minimum and firepit-only rule are still a draft carried over from the design — worth a final check against the live listing before launch.
Licensing
A Happinest Cabin is a registered BC short-term rental — registration H992392407, property address 380 Cranberry Rd, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 2H2.