Travel with Joe Company Policy (Applies for Next Step Thailand Eco-Tourism and Spicy Villa Eco-Lodges)
1. Tour and accommodation booking
1.1 You can book a tour/accommodation with us through our online booking system or by writing to our company e-mail. To make a booking, specify your start/arrival date, end/departure date, number of guests, and your wishes.
Note: please use the above specified ways to make a booking, do not book through other agencies, as they will take an agency fee for themselves. Bookings cannot be made over telephone, you can call us for information and to discuss options, but all bookings will be finalized in writing.
1.2 Once we receive your booking request, we will inform you about availability and pricing for your stay, and send you an invoice for a 30% deposit for your tour/accommodation booking.
1.3 To finalize arrangements for tours and trips we also require a filled out booking form. We will send the form in an email, and will need it returned at least 24 hours before your tour starts, except for last minute bookings.
1.4 After receiving the deposit payment for your tour/accommodation, your booking is confirmed. You will receive your itinerary and receipt to your email at least a day before your tour starts, unless you are making a last minute booking and this is not possible.
1.5 Check the details in your itinerary and receipt carefully once you receive them. It is your responsibility to make sure your itinerary and receipt are correct.
2. Pick up and drop off
2.1 We will pick you up at time and date specified in your itinerary. Please check that all details on the itinerary are correct. It is customer’s responsibility to ensure tour dates and times are stated correctly and to their requirements, so please check the itinerary and receipt carefully once you receive it.
2.2 Let us know your pick up details at least two days prior to arrival/tour start date. If we do not receive pick up details from you at least 48 hours prior to your arrival, we can no longer guarantee that you will be picked up at the time indicated on your itinerary.
2.3 We will pick you up promptly at the designated airport, bus or train station according to the arrival information you provide to us. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the correct arrival information is provided to us. State clearly at which hotel, airport, bus station, or train station you require pick up.
2.3.1 If pick up is at a hotel, we will need hotel’s name, address, room number, and contact number. For hotel pick ups and transfers it is the client’s responsibility to provide the full name and full address of the hotel. If you only provide the hotel name then we will search on-line for an address of your stated hotel, but please note that it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure we have the correct address.
2.3.2 If pick up is at bus station, we will require the name of bus station, bus number, company, and estimated time of arrival.
2.3.3 If pick up is at train station, we will require train number, and estimated time of arrival.
2.3.4 If pick up is at the airport, we will require port of embarkation (please state clearly if you are arriving with a domestic or international flight; if you only transfer in Thailand before flying to Chiang Mai, the flight will be international, not domestic), name of airline carrier, flight number, and estimated arrival time.
2.4 If you are unable to provide full pick up information as stated in points 2.3.1 through 2.3.4, we cannot guarantee pick up. We reserve the right to cancel the transport/transfer service and the transfer fee will be forfeited by the customer. Additional charges for scheduling new transport/transfer service will also apply.
2.5 If you arrival transport is more than two hours late, we reserve the right to cancel the transport/transfer service and the transfer fee will be forfeited by the customer. Additional charges for scheduling new transport/transfer service will also apply.
2.6 If pick up and drop off are included in the price of your tour/accommodation, they are free of charge for Chiang Mai city area (Muang Chiang Mai). If pick up and drop off are included in the price of your tour/accommodation, and you would like us to pick you up/drop you off at a location outside of Chiang Mai city area, additional charges will apply.
2.7 If you would like your driver to take you off the route specified in your itinerary, additional charges will apply.
2.8 Transportation is not private, we might take our volunteers and staff with us in order to preserve gas, and care for the environment. We also value supporting the local community, so we will prioritize using transportation services run by local people. However, if you prefer a private and air-conditioned transportation option, we can certainly arrange it for you at an additional cost of 500 THB per trip. Please feel free to let us know your preference, and we’ll be happy to assist!
3. Itinerary modifications
3.1 All requests for itinerary modifications, such as date and time changes, scheduled activity changes, requests for additional activities, and similar, must be made in writing and sent to the company e-mail prior to your arrival/start date. If you request an itinerary modification, we will attempt to honor your request at no charge; however an itinerary modification may present an additional fee. Date-change requests are subject to availability.
3.2 Once your tour/stay with us has started, the order and timing of activities, as well as departure time and date, can be changed:
3.2.1 If we evaluate that current weather, road, and traffic conditions are not suitable. In that case, we will discuss itinerary changes with you. No extra charges will apply.
3.2.2 If your arrival/departure time changes, we will re-evaluate your itinerary, and inform you of any necessary changes. Extra charges might apply.
3.2.3 If you make a request to change the itinerary, we will try to honor that request at no additional charge; however additional transportation/staff charges might apply.
3.3 If due to traffic, weather, road conditions, guests’ pace, and similar circumstances, there is a need for exempting some activities from itinerary, costumers are not entitled to a refund.
3.4 You can request to shorten/lengthen your stay/tour once your stay/tour has already started:
3.4.1 Lengthening of tour/stay and adding additional services/activities is subject to availability. We will try to accommodate your wishes. Additional charges will apply.
3.4.2 We will honor your request to shorten your tour/stay and make arrangements for transportation and staff required. You are not entitled to a refund, either partial or full. Extra charges for transportation/staff might apply.
3.4.3 If you decide to skip any activities in the itinerary, you are not entitled to a refund, either partial or full.
3.4.4 If we are unable to provide an activity/service from itinerary, you are entitled to a partial refund. To receive a refund, a request must be made in writing to spicywildpumpkin@gmail.com.
4. Cancellation
| Number of Days Before Trip Starts or Check in Date | Cancellation Fee Per Person |
|---|---|
| 8+ days | Administrative expenses only* |
| 48 hours – 7 days | 50% refund in cash (minus bank charges and any fees*) or credit (no fees) |
| Less than 48 hours or No show | No refund possible |
- Bank fees and any tour costs incurred by the company as a result of the cancellation.
- * 30% of the total cost
5. Balance payments
5.1 Upon booking, a 30% deposit is required for your accommodation or tour, which can be conveniently made through TransferWise or Stripe. Please note that transfer charges will be the responsibility of the client. The remaining balance of 70% must be settled no later than 7 days prior to your scheduled arrival.
5.2 A reminder will be sent to you regarding the balance payment.
5.3 In the event that the balance payment is not received within 48 hours of the final payment reminder, we regret to inform you that we will have to proceed with the cancellation of your booking, in accordance with our established cancellation policy.
6. Rented motorbikes
Any damages caused to rented motorbikes on any of our motorbike tours have to be covered by guests.
7. Child Policy
At our travel company, we strive to make our services accessible and enjoyable for families with children of all ages. Our child policy is as follows:
Children under the age of 3 are welcomed free of charge when sharing a bed with their parents or guardians.
For children aged between 3 and 8, a generous discount of 50% will be applied.
Likewise, children aged 8 to 12 will receive a 20% discount.
Children aged 12 and above are considered adults and are charged the same price as adult guests.
We hope this policy will make your stay with us more enjoyable and affordable for families with children.