RATES & POLICIES

At The Buccaneer Inn you get the right rate, the first time! We have always strongly disliked the usual hotel game where you are asked 101 questions before the reservations clerk can discover the right discount rate you fit into! When you book with us, you can rest assured that you are getting a fair, competitive rate. We don't artificially raise our prices so that we can give you a discount to make you feel like you got a great deal. Most people realize when they are having the wool pulled over their eyes.

A commitment we do make to you is that we will frequently monitor our competitor's rates to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money! And we are confident that the quality of our accommodation, wide range of amenities we provide, our environmental outlook on running our business and the cleanliness of our rooms will provide even more value for money for you!

All our rates vary by the season and are based on single or double occupancy. Surcharges do apply for additional guests.

To see a comparison of our rates in various world currencies go to our U.S. dollars, Euros and Pounds rate charts!

Please take the time to become familiar with our Canadian hotel taxes, payment methods, cancellation policies, check-in times, minimum stays, 100% smoke-free accommodation and grounds policy, smoking damage policy, no pets policy and the days we're closed.

As a convenience for our guests, we accept payment for your room on arrival which means that an early start is never delayed by having to check out before your departure.

IMPORTANT TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR U.S. CITIZENS

U.S. passports are not necessary at this time to visit British Columbia or other parts of Canada however you must have a passport to re-enter the United States by air. Not all aspects of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative have been put into effect yet. Visit the U.S. State Department for updates on this new travel policy.

As the Canadian Dollar has gained strength over the past few years, our U.S. dollar rate comparison chart is no longer necessary as the Canadian dollar rate is nearly the same rate as US Dollar rates.

Euro rates, listed below, are based on an exchange rate of $1.55 Cdn to 1€ (Euro) and are listed for comparison purposes only. When you check in we will be charging you the rates listed on our Canadian dollar rates. Rates are based on occupancy per room and not per person. To confirm what your rate today would be in in Euros or any other currency- please click here for an easy exchange converter. Please remember that the rate charged to you upon check in will be converted by your credit card company based on their current exchange rate. The rate as quoted in Canadian Funds, will not change.

United Kingdom Pound rates, listed below, are based on an exchange rate of $2.20 Cdn to 1£ (Pound) and are listed for comparison purposes only. When you check in we will be charging you the rates listed on our Canadian dollar rates. Rates are based on occupancy per room and not per person. Self catering only. To confirm what your rate today would be in in Pounds or any other currency- please click here for an easy exchange converter. Please remember that the rate charged to you upon check in will be converted by your credit card company based on their current exchange rate. The rate as quoted in Canadian Funds, will not change.

OUR TAXES

Nanaimo hotel taxes of 13% (5% Federal Goods and Services Tax and 8% Provincial Hotel Room Tax) are in addition to the rates posted above. These taxes are set by our Federal and Provincial governments. As you call around for prices from hotels in different communities in British Columbia you will notice that some towns also levy an additional 1% or 2% marketing tax however the accommodations in Nanaimo does not participate in this program. All our rates are per room, per night based on single or double occupancy. Additional guests are subject to additional charges described below.

PAYMENT METHODS

We gladly accept payment at check in time by Visa or MasterCard. We also accept Debit Card payments however they must be guaranteed by a preauthorization of a valid Visa or MasterCard. Please note that we do not accept PrePaid, or preloaded, MasterCard or Visa cards. These cards do not provide us with the security we require to provide accommodation to you.

OUR SEASONS

The dates of our seasons, until late 2009, are:

Rainy Season
October 12, 2008 to April 23, 2009

Spring Season
April 24, 2009 to June 18, 2009

Summer Season
June 20, 2008 to September 14, 2008
June 19, 2009 to September 13, 2009

Fall Season
September 15, 2008 to October 12, 2008
September 14, 2009 to October 11, 2009

OUR CANCELLATION POLICIES

Late cancellation of a confirmed reservation is a painful event for both us and our guests. You cancel because of some unexpected hardship; meanwhile we may have turned down rental opportunities and thus lost revenue. Late cancellations effect us greatly. After 11 years of owning The Buccaneer we have established different policies for the time of year and the type of activity you will be enjoying while you are here. We believe these policies are both fair and equitable to you and us.

All our reservations are confirmed by email and are guaranteed. By providing us with your credit card information we guarantee that we will have the room you have reserved and we have confirmed with you. In the event that you do not show up or provide a late cancellation, you guarantee to us that you will pay our late cancellation fee. If we accidentally over-book our rooms and we are not able to accommodate you, we will find you a similar or better quality hotel with a similar or better room at the same rate or less and if the room is more expensive we will pay the difference.

If you are staying with us for a long period of time or will be enjoying one of the packages we offer, you might consider taking out trip cancellation insurance. A large international online provider of trip cancellation insurance is TravelGuard.com Their rates are in the region of $70 per $1000 insured.

SPRING, FALL AND RAINY SEASONS

During our winter, spring and fall seasons, we have a 3 day cancellation period. If you cancel your reservation within 3 days of your arrival date or do not show before 9 pm on the day of your arrival, we will bill to your credit card 100% of the rate quoted for the first night and all applicable taxes.

SUMMER SEASON

During our Summer Season we have a 7 day cancellation period. If you cancel your reservation within 7 days of your arrival date or do not show before 9pm on the day of your arrival, we will bill to your credit card 100% of the rate quoted for the first night and all applicable taxes.

WEEKLY STAYS

For guests staying with us for 2 or more weeks on a weekly basis, we require a non-refundable deposit of 50% of your first weeks' stay with us at the time of booking. If you cancel any of your reservation within 14 days of your arrival date or do not show before 9 pm on the day of your arrival, we will bill to your credit card the remaining 50% of your first week's stay and all applicable taxes.

GROUP BOOKINGS

For bookings of 3 rooms or more, we have 14 day cancellation period. If you cancel any of your reserved rooms within 14 days of your arrival date or do not show before 9 pm on the day of your arrival, we will bill to your credit card all the outstanding amount for the rooms booked for the duration of your scheduled stay and all applicable taxes.

DIVE GROUP BOOKINGS

For dive group bookings, we have a non-refundable 50% deposit at time of booking. The remaining non-refundable 50% is due 14 days in advance of your scheduled arrival date.

ADDITIONAL GUESTS

If you wish to accommodate more than 2 guests in any of our suites, we do have a surcharge for additional guests.

We charge $10 per person for our Deluxe Channelview King Kitchen Suite and for our 1 Bedroom Kitchen Suites. We charge an additional $15 per guest for our Deluxe Channelview Fireplace Suite. Some hotels charge for different numbers of beds or other configurations. We have decided to have additional charges per person because each person has an impact on the amount of goods and services we need to provide you with. Rates are per person, per night plus hotel taxes. Maximum number of guests per suite is 4, depending upon availability.

Portable beds and baby cribs are available at an additional cost of $10 per night.

Our Patio Studio and Cozy Studio are only suitable for a maximum of 2 people, sharing the same queen size bed. No additional guests are permitted.

EXTENDED STAYS

The Buccaneer Inn is ideally suited for guests wishing to use Nanaimo as their base for a long summer holiday, working throughout the Central Vancouver Island or escaping the cold winter months. We really are your home away from home and we have all the comforts you need! For information on why you should consider staying with us for the winter, please visit our Extended Stays page or contact Dave or Marlene.

OUR 100% SMOKE-FREE ACCOMMODATION AND GROUNDS
As of April 1, 2008 the Province of British Columbia introduced new, restrictive rules regulating where people can smoke. In light of these changes and after listening to many repeat guests request we have a smoke free property, we have decided to establish the only 100% smoke free hotel or motel in Nanaimo. For the comfort of all our guests, smoking is no longer permitted in our rooms or on our property. There is a lovely oceanside park and walkway just across from us where you can enjoy the view and a cigarette.

SMOKING DAMAGE POLICY

As a result of several recent problems we have had with guests smoking in their suites, we have had to strengthen our smoking damage policy. Reluctantly, we have decided that if you choose to smoke in your room or cause your room to smell like smoke, without exception, we will charge a minimum $250 cleaning and damage fee to your credit card. This fee partially compensates us for the multi-day task of cleaning and eliminating the smell of smoke from your room, our expenses and lost revenue.

Please be aware that in the few instances that this has happened at The Buccaneer we have only found out after you have checked out of your room. Part of the contract that you have signed when you check in permits us to charge your credit card after your departure.

We apologize for being put in this situation. Thank you.

OUR PET-FREE ENVIRONMENT

Unfortunately we do not accept pets in our rooms or in your vehicle in our parking lot. Please do not plan to leave your pet unattended in your vehicle. This is both unfair to your pet and our other guests.

We do recommend two kennels in the Nanaimo area. Del Norte Kennels is in Lantzville. They have large, comfortable climate controlled pet accommodation. They provide a supervised play yard and twice daily walks. Their runs are covered and they provide both dog and cat washing services. Daycare and overnight accommodation is available. Their phone number is 250-390-3289.

Westwood Boarding Kennels is located at 170 Westwood Road near Westwood Lake in Nanaimo. Janice Williams is the owner/operator and she can be reached at 250-754-PETS (7387).

CHECK IN TIMES

Guests may check-in anytime from 3 pm to 9 pm daily. During the summer when BC Ferries is operating on their high season schedule we will keep our office open until 9:30 pm daily. If you do require an earlier check-in time, please call and we will try our best to accommodate you. You're welcome to drop off your luggage between 8:30 am and 3 pm.

Guests arriving on Christmas Eve need to check in prior to 6 pm. On Christmas Day we will be enjoying a day of festivities with our family and are unable to accept reservations arriving on the 25th of December. There will be no housekeeping services on December 25th as our staff will also be enjoying Christmas with their families. New Year's Eve guests need to check in prior to 6 pm.

MINIMUM STAYS

During some periods of the year we have instituted minimum stay requirements to accommodate large events and special occasions. We have listed the dates below and the minimum number of days required to book a room.

During the annual Dragonboat Paddlefest weekend we have a 3 day minimum stay.

December 24, 25 and 26 every year: 2 day minimum stay starting on December 24th..

DAYS WE'RE CLOSED

Our office will be closed from 4 pm December 24 until 10 am December 26 so that we and our employees can enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with our families.

On December 25 our office will be closed all day and we will not be offering any housekeeping services. Your room will be stocked with additional supplies on December 24. We will be available in case of emergencies. Unfortunately we can not accept any reservations checking in on Christmas Day.

CHECK OUT TIME

Check out is any time prior to 11 am. If you check out prior to 9 am, please the key in your room and any money you may owe for snacks and beverages. For those guests that would like to use our 'After Checkout Shower', we still require an 11 am checkout time, however you are welcome to come back at any time later in the day to clean up.

The Buccaneer Inn - Nanaimo BC's highest rated motel since 1998!
1577 Stewart Avenue Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada V9S 4E3
Tel: (250) 753-1246 Fax: (250) 753-0507
Toll Free Reservations (Canada & U.S.A.) 1-877-282-6337 Contact us by email: sleepwell@buccaneerinn.com

Copyright Buccaneer Inn, 1998-2008.
All contents remain the property of The Buccaneer Inn. All rights reserved and vigorously protected.