Night For Night Governing Bylaws

These Bylaws govern the Night For Night Innkeeper Exchange Program.
Members agree to abide by these bylaws for the duration of their participation in the program.

AMENDED March 11, 2007

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
ALL INFORMATION HEREIN IS THE SOLE PROPERTY OF SANDRA J. WRIGHT
and may not be copied, transposed, or transmitted without express permission

As fellow innkeepers, we each empathize with other innkeepers arranging to travel. We know that it's a costly venture, requiring us to close our properties or hire innsitters. No money ever changes hands in a Night For Night hosting exchange. So we don't offer up, 'the room that never rents.' Instead, we host one another in our finest rooms or homes, and serve our best breakfasts. In the spirit of Night For Night, this is to insure that our travels accomplish our goals: to experience the best possible vacations. Understandably, every property varies. Room tariffs, amenities, locations, etc. will vary from inn to inn. This is not a dollar-value for dollar-value exchange, nor is it a barter club in which precise values are traded. This is strictly a courtesy amongst innkeepers. It is not the intention of Night For Night to determine a system of exchange which calculates the value of fireplaces, jacuzzi tubs, historic rooms, or grand breakfasts. Rather, it is a plan by which we may host other members as graciously as possible, and expect the same when we travel.

Special Note:
As of January 1, 2004, all exchanges extended to Timberwolf Creek will receive double nights. This applies to both the Timberwolf Creek innkeepers and their designees. This is our way of saying "thank you!" to all our wonderful members who have so graciously welcomed us into their inns. (Example: if you host Timberwolf Creek for 2 nights, you will earn 4.)

1. NOTIFICATION OF BYLAWS
Each member will read the Bylaws as a prerequisite for joining Night For Night, and agree to abide by them. All members will be notified by email immediately upon any amendments to these Bylaws. Members are encouraged to make suggestions for amendments to Bylaws or procedures. Every effort will be made to keep all members satisfied with their memberships. All decisions of Night For Night are final.

2. DEFINITIONS
In the interest of clarity, the following terms have been adopted:
MEMBER: The innkeeper or innkeepers of a single property that has joined Night For Night
HOST: the hosting Member
TRAVELER: the traveling Member or Designee, who is a guest at a Host's property
DESIGNEE: a person or couple acting as Traveler upon behalf of a Member
STAY: the complete time that a single Traveler stays with a single Host
HOST NIGHT: a night in which a Member was a Host
TRAVEL NIGHT: a night in which a Member or Designee was a Traveler
TALLY: total number of Host Nights minus the total number of Travel Nights
B&B: a bed and breakfast, inn, or similar establishment that typically provides a room or suite, with private bath, and breakfast for 1 or 2 guests.
NON-HOSTED PROPERTY: a cottage, cabin, condo, or villa that typically provides a living & dining room, kitchen, bedrooms & baths, but not breakfast.
(Non-hosted properties are an excellent choice for families, or couples traveling together, or longer stays.)
MEMBERSHIP FEE: There is no monetary fee for membership. Each member is assessed one Host Night per year.
("Assessed" means the night is subtracted from the Member's tally.)

3. REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION
Members must currently own and operate a Bed & Breakfast, or comparable property, which provides both lodging and breakfast, and private baths. Cabins/condos may have kitchens with cooking facilities in lieu of providing breakfast. Qualification for membership is determined by Night For Night. As all arrangements will be handled via email, participation is limited to those Innkeepers with internet and email access. Benefits are transferable as gifts to friends and family of the participating Members. Under no circumstances may such benefits be sold or bartered. Participation is open to Innkeepers and cabin owners worldwide, pending approval from Night For Night.

4. TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP AND ANNUAL FEE
There is no monetary fee for membership in Night For Night. The only "fee" is one night, per inn, per year, for membership. Each Member property is assessed one Host Night per year to participate in the Night For Night program. The year is determined to be January 1 to December 31 of each year. All properties will be assessed the annual membership night on January 1st of the year. Memberships are not pro-rated. Therefore, each tally will reflect an "exchange" on January 1st of each year of membership, that appears as follows: "From [Member] To Night For Night Membership: 1 night".

5. DISTRIBUTION OF MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Members will be listed on the Night For Night web site, with links provided to the Member's web page. The purpose of this is to provide prospective Travelers with photographs and descriptions of inns and rooms. Night For Night web site address: http://www.nightfornight.com . Members' email addresses are maintained in a mailing list by Night For Night. This mailing list is neither published, nor sold, nor provided to any other person or entity. We hate spam. The mailing list is used to distribute notices of new members and to notify members of their current Tally.

6. TIME LIMITATIONS FOR EXCHANGE REQUESTS
All requests are made via the Exchange Request form on the Night For Night website. Telephone requests are not acceptable for Night For Night exchanges. Last minute requests are not discouraged, but there must be sufficient time for the exchange of email. Recognizing that every geographical area has its own particular season, Travelers must be aware that their requests will be affected by projected occupancy. In consideration of your fellow members, all exchange requests should receive prompt responses.

7. OBSERVANCE OF NIGHT FOR NIGHT CONTACT POLICIES FOR INNKEEPER COMFORT
All initial contacts must be made via Night For Night, thus allowing an innkeeper to decline to Host with the least discomfort. Night For Night credit will not be given if this procedure is not followed. Each Member is assured that requests will arrive via email from Night For Night, and that a simple "no thanks" is sufficient response when declining to host. Direct contact places a prospective Host in the uncomfortable position of having to decline the Traveler directly, which violates the spirit of Night For Night. Innkeepers are under no obligation to Host a particular Stay. Innkeepers are under no obligation to explain a refusal. In order to maintain a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, and in recognition that there are simply times when we don't want to be hosts, all initial contacts MUST be made through the Night For Night online request form. This is to allow an Innkeeper to say "No" without pressure or the need for apology. This is not an effort to limit relationships or contact between members - to the contrary! - this is an effort to make membership a pleasurable experience for all concerned. The spirit of Night For Night is to make exchanges with the greatest of ease. Therefore, non-observance of this policy may result in membership termination.

8. COMMITMENT TO THE HOST: ADHERENCE TO HOST POLICIES
All policies of the Host property will be observed. (Example: check-in/out times, maximum occupancy, nonsmoking and pet policies, etc.) Hosts are responsible for informing Travelers of policies, as they would a typical guest, preferably at the time of exchange confirmation. Travelers are responsible for adhering to said policies. Travelers are encouraged to seek out policies listed on a Host's website prior to requesting a Stay. In particular, Cancellation Policies will be observed. Should a Traveler arrange a stay and then cancel within the Host's posted cancellation policy terms, nights will be exchanged as if the stay had occurred.

9. COMMITMENT TO THE TRAVELER: REQUIREMENTS FOR CONFIRMED ACCOMMODATIONS
Each Host is expected to provide his/her finest most luxurious accommodations and breakfasts to Travelers. When contacted by Night For Night with an exchange request, prospective Hosts are asked to reply as promptly as possible. Members who accept an exchange request are not required to maintain room availability until the exchange is confirmed. Once a Stay has been arranged, the Host agrees to RESERVE their most luxurious accommodations for the Traveler. The Host should immediately respond with a confirmation message to the Traveler. (Both email addresses appear in the 'to' field in the exchange notice.) The room designation should appear on the confirmation response to the Traveler from the Host. While Night For Night is designed to offer only our finest accommodations, occasionally a last-minute request will coincide with the best room already occupied. It is left to the discretion of the prospective Host to offer an alternative accommodation (or not) at the time of the request, and left to the discretion of the Traveler to accept or decline such offer. This should be the only time a lesser accommodation is provided to a Traveler, and a Night For Night reservation which has been confirmed for a particular accommodation shall NOT be switched to a lesser accommodation. This is not a caveat to allow a Host to preserve their finest accommodation for future rental, as such would violate the spirit of Night For Night.

10. B&BS / NON-HOSTED PROPERTIES
Breakfasts vary as much property to property as rooms do. In the spirit of Night For Night, breakfast will be provided as it is to a typical guest. (If the Host property typically provides other meals to their guests, they are under no obligation to do so for Night For Night Travelers. These meals may be offered for purchase, at the discretion of the Host.) Non-hosted properties which do not normally include breakfast are not required to do so for exchanges. These properties are required to provide a kitchen with cooking facilities, dining and living area, and housing for guests up to their posted maximum occupancy. The intention is to provide an equitable '1 night for 1 night' exchange for both B&B members and Rental Unit members. NON-HOSTED properties are not B&Bs, but are stand-alone cabins, cottages, and villas with kitchens & living rooms. No meals are included with a non-hosted stay.
Non-hosted properties are an excellent choice for families, or couples traveling together. Exchanges with non-hosted properties work in an identical manner to the traditional 1 night for 1 night exchange.
--A typical one-night B&B stay includes a bedroom or suite for one or two guests, and a private bath, plus breakfast for those guests.
--A typical one-night Non-hosted stay includes a kitchen, dining & living room, and bedrooms and baths for as many guests as allowed by their posted policies.

11. MEMBERSHIP RECORDS
All membership, travel, and host records shall be maintained by Night For Night. Periodically (at least annually), an updated record of individual activity will be emailed to each member.

12. TRANSFER TO DESIGNEES
Members may give Travel Nights as gifts to friends and family. These nights are treated identically as if the members were themselves traveling. Exchange requests are made by the Member, stating the name and relationship of the Designee. The Designee should be informed of the Host's policies prior to the exchange request.
NOTE: The Host must be notified that a Designee will be traveling upon initial contact when requesting the Stay.
NOTE: Members are reasonably answerable for the behavior of their Designees. Please brief your Designees to be understanding in the event of situations in which you yourself would be understanding, as one Innkeeper to another. Designees should receive a copy of the Host's policies as well as confirmation information.

13. USE OF ACCUMULATED NIGHTS
Members may accumulate maximum of 5 Travel Nights without hosting (i.e. a Tally of -5). That is, once Members have traveled 5 more nights than they have hosted, they may not travel again until they have hosted another member. A Member's Tally does not expire, and a member may accumulate as many hosted nights as desired.

14. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Members may terminate their membership at any time.

15. GROUNDS AND PROCEDURES FOR MEMBER EXPULSION
Misrepresentation to a Host that a Traveler has a sufficient Balance to complete a Stay, and the completion of such a stay, is grounds for immediate expulsion. Sale or Barter of Travel Nights is grounds for immediate expulsion. Non-observance of Night For Night Bylaws is grounds for expulsion. Complaints lodged against participating members will be handled in a prompt and equitable fashion. Every effort will be made to resolve all disputes to the satisfaction of both parties. However in the event that no such resolution can be reached, decisions of Night For Night are final.

16. DISCLAIMER
Night For Night in no way represents either Innkeepers or lodgings. Night For Night is not responsible for any damages or disappointments incurred during participation in this program. The responsibilities of Night For Night are entirely limited to the record-keeping process. No money ever changes hands in Night For Night, nor are goods bartered value-for-value. Night For Night is strictly a courtesy arrangement among innkeepers.