Cancellation & Refund Policy

1. General Principles

All reservations at Woods at Cantonment are confirmed upon receipt of an advance deposit as communicated at the time of booking. This deposit secures your room(s) and is non-refundable in the event of a last-minute cancellation or no-show, in accordance with the schedule below.

Cancellation charges are calculated as a percentage of the total booking value (room tariff for all nights booked, inclusive of applicable taxes), not of the advance deposit alone.

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing — via email or WhatsApp — and are only considered received upon acknowledgement from the Management. Verbal cancellations are not accepted.

2. Standard Cancellation Schedule

The following cancellation charges apply to all standard bookings, calculated from the date the written cancellation notice is received by the Management:

Important note on advance deposits

The advance deposit is non-refundable in all scenarios. In cases where a refund is due, the amount will be calculated on the total booking value and the deposit amount will form part of the cancellation charge already retained.

3. Peak Season Cancellation Policy

A stricter cancellation policy applies during peak travel seasons when demand for accommodation in the Darjeeling Hills is highest. Peak seasons typically include, but are not limited to:

• Christmas and New Year (20 December – 5 January)
• Durga Puja / Dussehra holiday period
• Diwali holiday period
• Spring season (March – May)
• Summer holidays (April – June)
• Long weekends and national holidays as declared by the Management

The applicable cancellation policy (standard or peak season) will be clearly communicated to you at the time of booking confirmation. Please retain your booking confirmation for reference.

4. No-Show Policy

A no-show occurs when a guest fails to arrive on the confirmed check-in date without providing prior written notice of cancellation to the Management.

• In the event of a no-show, the full booking value for all reserved nights will be forfeited — no refund will be issued.
• The room reservation will be released at the Management’s discretion if the guest has not arrived and has not made contact by 21:00 on the check-in date.
• If a guest anticipates a delay in arrival, they must notify the Management in advance via WhatsApp or phone to protect their reservation.

5. Early Departure

If a guest checks out before their confirmed check-out date, the following terms apply:

• Guests who depart early without prior written notice of at least 48 hours will be charged for the full remaining nights of the original reservation.
• Where 48 hours or more written notice is given, the Management will endeavour to accommodate the early departure and may, at its sole discretion, offer a partial refund or credit for unused nights. This is not guaranteed.
• No refund will be issued for early departure during peak seasons.

Mountain travel note

We understand that weather, road conditions, and landslides in the Darjeeling Hills can sometimes make early departure a necessity rather than a choice. In genuine cases of force majeure, the Management will consider requests for credit or date adjustment on a case-by-case basis. Please see Section 10.

6. Booking Modifications

6.1 Date changes

Requests to change your check-in or check-out date must be submitted in writing at least 7 days before your original check-in date. Date changes are subject to availability and may attract a difference in tariff if the revised dates fall in a different rate period or season. Date changes within 7 days of check-in will be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and a new reservation.

6.2 Room type changes

Requests to change room type are subject to availability. An upgrade may attract an additional charge; a downgrade may not result in a refund of the tariff difference, depending on the notice period and Management discretion.

6.3 Reduction in nights or occupants

A reduction in the number of reserved nights or registered occupants after booking confirmation will be treated as a partial cancellation and the applicable cancellation charges from Section 2 or 3 will apply to the cancelled portion.

6.4 Increase in nights or occupants

Requests to extend your stay or add occupants are always welcome and subject to availability. Additional charges at the prevailing tariff will apply. The Management will confirm extended availability as promptly as possible.

7. Cancellation by the Property

In rare and exceptional circumstances, Woods at Cantonment may need to cancel a confirmed booking. This may occur due to:

• Significant damage to the property or rooms due to fire, flooding, or structural issues
• Natural calamities, landslides, or events rendering the property inaccessible or unsafe
• Government orders, public health emergencies, or force majeure events
• Circumstances entirely beyond the Management’s reasonable control

In all such cases, guests will be notified at the earliest possible opportunity and will receive a full refund of all amounts paid, processed within 14 working days. The Management will also endeavour to assist guests in finding alternative accommodation where possible, though this cannot be guaranteed.

The Property shall not be liable for any additional costs incurred by the guest (such as travel, transport, or other accommodation) arising from a Management-initiated cancellation.

8. Refund Process

8.1 Refund timeline

Where a refund is due under this policy, it will be processed within 14 working days of the cancellation being confirmed in writing by the Management.

8.2 Refund method

Refunds will be issued via the same payment method used at the time of booking, wherever practicable:

• Bank transfer / UPI — refunded to the originating account
• Debit card — refunded to the originating card (subject to bank processing timelines)
• Cheque — a refund cheque will be issued in favour of the guest’s name as registered at booking
• Cash payments — refunded as cash or bank transfer at the Management’s discretion

8.3 No refund in cash on departure

Refunds are not issued in cash at the time of departure. All refundable amounts will be processed after check-out through the methods described above.

8.4 Currency and charges

All refunds are processed in Indian Rupees (INR). The Property is not responsible for any currency conversion losses or bank charges incurred by the guest in connection with a refund.

9. Bookings via Third-Party Platforms

If your reservation was made through a third-party booking platform (such as an online travel agency, aggregator, or travel agent), the cancellation and refund policy of that platform may differ from the policy set out here. In such cases:

• The platform’s own policy will govern the cancellation terms applicable to your booking with them.
• Refunds for third-party bookings are processed by the platform and are subject to their timelines and procedures.
• Guests are strongly advised to review the cancellation terms on the platform through which they booked before confirming their reservation.
• For bookings made directly with Woods at Cantonment (via website, WhatsApp, or phone), this policy applies in full.

10. Force Majeure

Woods at Cantonment is located at 5,100 feet in the Darjeeling Hills — a region known for its natural beauty but also subject to unpredictable mountain weather and terrain conditions. Events that may be considered force majeure include:

• Landslides or road blockages affecting access to Takdah and surrounding areas
• Severe storms, earthquakes, or other natural calamities
• Prolonged power or utility failure outside the Property’s control
• Government-mandated closures, curfews, or restrictions on travel
• Bandh or civil disruptions affecting the Darjeeling Hills region
• Declared public health emergencies

In the event that force majeure prevents a guest from reaching the Property or the Property from operating, the Management will offer one or more of the following at its discretion:

• A complimentary date change to a mutually agreed future period (subject to availability)
• A credit note valid for 12 months from the original check-in date
• A partial or full refund, assessed on a case-by-case basis based on costs already incurred by the Property

We encourage all guests travelling to the Darjeeling Hills to consider travel insurance that covers trip cancellations due to weather or natural events. The Property cannot be held liable for circumstances beyond its reasonable control.

11. How to Cancel or Modify Your Booking

To submit a cancellation or modification request, please follow these steps:

• Step 1 — Contact the Management in writing via WhatsApp or email (details available on our website)
• Step 2 — Include your full name, booking confirmation number, check-in date, and the nature of your request (cancellation or modification)
• Step 3 — Wait for a written acknowledgement from the Management confirming receipt of your request. The cancellation date is the date of this acknowledgement, not the date of your message.
• Step 4 — The Management will confirm the applicable charge (if any) and the refund amount and timeline within 3 working days of acknowledgement

Verbal cancellations — whether in person, by phone, or via voice note — are not accepted and do not constitute a valid cancellation under this policy.

12. Contact Us

For cancellations, modifications, or any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Management: