This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Better late than never ! You’ve finally made up your mind that your holiday season will be spent in a cottage, far from the city. You can already see your grandchildren unwrapping their presents and all the good visitors you could receive by the fireside. But how to find the rare pearl? Here are a few ways to make an informed choice and find the chalet of your dreams.
Sites for luxury chalets
Philippe Hamel founded MonsieurChalets in 2015 for customers who prefer to be treated with small onions since it is a rental agency that offers “luxurious chalets for a demanding clientele”. The company offers more than 700 dream homes and condos throughout Quebec, all located in a natural setting. “For this type of rental, you speak to a customer service agent on the phone and you get advice from a knowledgeable person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” says Mr. Hamel.
This type of agency is popular with a clientele less inclined to rent directly on a rental site, according to Barbara Ménard, assistant manager of Hébergements Charlevoix, which brings together several independent owners of country houses and luxury condos. “The advantage is to be assured of a follow-up in the event of a problem. If something major should happen, clients are relocated to another accommodation. » Mme Ménard admits that this compensation can be problematic when renting in a remote location, in a very sought-after area or during a busy period; we must then agree to go to a place that might not be our first choice.
Both companies only negotiate with landlords who are members of the Quebec Tourism Industry Corporation (CITQ), which certifies that landlords are licensed and properly insured in case of problems. However, this does not guarantee that the chalets have all been inspected by the agency. “But we try to visit most of the chalets and talk to the owners as much as possible,” says Ms.me Menard.
Be careful though, being so pampered has a cost and this type of rental agency charges a 15% fee in exchange for the service.
A Quebec Airbnb
Dany Papineau, with his WeChalet site, launched in 2019, wants to become the largest online chalet rental platform in Quebec: “Several online ad sites were not secure, so we created this platform to put contact the owners of chalets in Quebec with the clientele. The formula is the same as on Airbnb: people choose their accommodation, their dates and their length of stay. For questions, the customer interacts with the host through the chat bubbles. “For many, it’s simpler and faster. They then pay online. “As it’s a transactional site and we pay by credit card, we have a record if we have to intervene,” says Mr. Papineau.
Cancellation policies vary from rental to rental. As a general rule, the more isolated and remote the place, the more difficult it is to recover his money, because it will not be easy for the renter to find a buyer at the last minute. The owner is paid when the client takes possession of the chalet. If the latter has a problem upon arrival, he must contact the host.
In this kind of transaction, negotiation is impossible.
A resource focused on tourism
The Bonjour Québec site offers options for chalets throughout the province as well as tourist attractions in the surrounding area. Under the “Accommodations in chalets” section, you can find everything: from condos at the foot of the ski slopes, to ancestral homes by the river. In all, more than 10,000 different cabins throughout Quebec. We are also given information on the route to get there, the activities that can be practiced there, the services and equipment available for rent. However, this site does not allow you to book directly. It is necessary to call the owner of the establishment, with the number which appears on the page, to know the availabilities and to make the payment with him. We take the opportunity to ask him all the questions related to our needs and we negotiate the price, if possible.
The chalet lessors on the site are all certified by the CITQ. For problems that cannot be resolved with the owners, you must contact the Consumer Protection Office.
For the rest, it is best to inform yourself with the agency or the owner, by phone or chat, of all the options and inclusions available to you. Also ask the landlord or the tourist office for information on shops, grocery stores, gas stations and restaurants near the chalet. This will avoid unpleasant surprises.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.