Bookings & Reservations

  • Tours and culinary workshops are reserved and confirmed on a first-paid basis. When scheduling conflicts occur, priority is given to the customer who pays first. We will not hold a date without payment.

  • All tours and workshops are considered tentatively booked until full payment is received. BTK reserves the right to cancel reservations that have not been paid in full. When you receive your BTK invoice, time is of the essence - reservations are guaranteed on a first-paid basis (if you fail to pay your invoice on time and another party pays for the same time slot before you, this may result in cancellation of your reservation - in which case you will receive a full refund, minus a $75 booking charge).

  • Hold deposits paid to Baja Test Kitchen, to hold a specific date or dates for larger groups, are non-refundable and non-transferable. Failure to pay the balance due for your reservation 30-days prior to your tour or workshop date will constitute your reservation's cancellation without refund. Rescheduling may be allowed under certain circumstances-- for public tour/workshop bookings see "Public Tour/Workshop Cancellations, Rescheduling, & Refunds" -OR- for private tour/workshop bookings see "Private Tour/Workshop Cancellations, Rescheduling, & Refunds" below for more details.

  • We encourage early payment to secure your tour or culinary workshop date(s).

  • If we have not received your full payment at least 72 hours before your tour or workshop's scheduled time, your reservation will be cancelled, and any prior payment or deposit received will be forfeited. If you are your group's primary contact, it is you sole responsibility to coordinate payment for your entire group.

  • Payments made within 72-hours of your tour's scheduled departure time are non-refundable and non-transferable; you will not be able to reschedule a tour paid within 72-hours of the tour's scheduled departure time; failure to appear at your tour's designated meeting point at the scheduled time will constitute your cancellation without refund or credit.

  • Pre-scheduled public group tours will run as scheduled when four (4) or more paid participants are registered for the tour. In the rare case that less than four (4) paid participants register for a tour, we reserve the right to cancel your tour reservation with 72-hours written notice (via email), in which case we will issue a full refund of your tour fees (note that most of our tours sell out in advance and will run as scheduled).

  • Drop-offs in the Valle de Guadalupe: when arrangements are made and confirmed in advance, in most cases we can drop you off in the Valle de Guadalupe after your tour. In such cases, luggage is limited to one (1) small overnight bag per person and all overnight bags should fit neatly under your seat in the tour van (for public tours we will not be able to accommodate roller-bags and suitcases; when our tour vehicles run full, there is no extra luggage hold available). For private tours, please advise your BTK booking agent well in advance of your luggage quantity and size. Be advised that poor road conditions (i.e. mud, standing water, road closures, etc.) may not allow us to take you all the way to your lodging destination - we will do our best to safely reach your destination, but we cannot risk getting stuck - and in such cases, you may have to arrange alternate transportation (not included with your BTK tour fees) from the tour's last stop in the Valle de Guadalupe to reach your lodging destination. Unless you have arranged for a private tour with return transportation, your tour will end once we have dropped you off, and from there you will be solely responsible for your return transport.

  • When programing your tour or workshop experience, Baja Test Kitchen reserves the right to select and substitute vendors, and/or alter your itinerary as may be necessary or appropriate, at any time. Specific vendors (wineries, restaurants, venues, etc.) cannot be guaranteed, however we will make reasonable attempts to fulfill your reasonable requests. Please understand that our vendors are independent businesses and we ultimately have no control over vendor availability, cancellations, and other inconveniences imposed by our vendors. We work with most of the top wineries, restaurants, and venues in the Region, and if we must substitute a vendor or vendors on your itinerary, the overall quality of your experience will not be altered. Once your reservation is confirmed, cancellation or rescheduling of your reservation due to vendor substitution(s) or itinerary modification(s) are subject to our Cancellations, Rescheduling and Refunds, policy -- see below.

  • Reservations and bookings are non-transferable and may not be advertised, publicly promoted, re-marketed, re-sold, bartered, traded, or given away to another party without the express written permission of Baja Test Kitchen.

  • In the spirit of acting in good faith to resolve any/all issues you have, or may come to have, with Baja Test Kitchen, you agree to surface any dispute or displeasure you have with/about BTK, its employees, representatives, volunteers, agents, contractors, vendors or associates, in writing with BTK management directly and privately, and before taking any action which is intended, or would reasonably be expected, to harm BTK or BTK’s reputation, or which would reasonably be expected to lead to unwanted or unfavorable publicity for Baja Test Kitchen. By booking and/or paying for and/or participating in a tour or culinary workshop with Baja Test Kitchen, or by participating in BTK activities, you agree to act in good faith to resolve any dispute or displeasure you have before making disparaging or negative remarks in a public forum (online or otherwise) about Baja Test Kitchen, its employees, representatives, volunteers, agents, contractors, vendors or associates, and further agree not to make any public statements that are false, untrue, do not represent the whole truth regarding the matter, or are purposefully misleading.

  • Force Majeure. In no event shall Baja Test Kitchen be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes, pandemics, acts of God or nature, government mandated interruptions or closures, loss or malfunctions of utilities, travel interruptions, border closures, interruptions to communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that Baja Test Kitchen shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the tourism industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[return to top]

Payment

  • Acceptable forms of payment are cash, check, or credit card. Payment is only accepted in U.S. Dollars (USD).

  • Split payments (multiple payments for one group/reservation) will be charged an additional $10.00 PER INVOICE administrative fee (e.g. if you want to split your group's invoice 3-ways and pay separately, you will be charged $10 x 3 = $30 administrative fee), and your tour date will NOT be confirmed until ALL payments from your group have been received. For ease of booking, ongoing communication and scheduling coordination, we require that you designate a single point of contact for your group, and recommend that you make a single payment for your entire group's reservation. If we have not received your group's FULL payment at least 72 hours before your tour or workshop's scheduled time, your reservation will be cancelled, and any prior payment or deposit received will be forfeited. If you are your group's primary contact, it is you sole responsibility to coordinate payment for your entire group.

  • Do not send cash via mail or courier. All cash payments must be made in advance, in person, at our offices in San Diego. If you would like to pay by cash, please contact BTK to make payment arrangements. For security reasons, we do not accept drop-ins for cash payments. Request a receipt for cash payments.

  • To pay by credit card, please request an electronic invoice for your tour or workshop. For some group tours and workshops, you may pay with a credit card directly on our website. Upon request, you will be sent payment instructions and an electronic invoice via email. The email containing your invoice will come directly from our credit card processor, Square/Squareup. Simply follow the instructions in the email you receive to pay your invoice online. Once we have confirmed receipt of your payment in full, your BTK representative will email you with a confirmation. Note that when paying via our secure electronic invoice system, in order to protect your identity, BTK never sees your full credit card information.

    • Terms and conditions governing your payment by credit card: When paying by credit card, you agree to honor and personally guarantee all payments you make with your credit card, agreeing to pay all amounts invoiced, and further agree not to make a chargeback for any valid credit card transaction you initiate. Chargebacks for valid credit card transactions will be considered a breach of these Payment Terms & Conditions (a breach of contract) resulting in a bad debt owed, with such breach and bad debt subject to all legal remediations available to BTK, including, but not limited to debt collection proceedings, referral of your debt to a collections agency, and interest and penalty fee accumulation according to the maximum amount allowed by law. Additionally, all credit card chargebacks will be subject to an administrative chargeback fee of USD $150.00 for each chargeback occurrence. If you feel that you are owed a refund for any reason, please follow the instructions below under "Requests for Refunds."

  • When paying by check, your check must be received at least seven (7) days prior to your tour date. Allow at least four (4) full business days for the check to arrive at our office via United States Postal Service. We advise that you send your check at least 14 days before your tour date. When paying by check, your tour date or culinary workshop will be considered tentatively reserved until the funds have cleared your bank. If your check bounces or is not honored by your bank, and you are not able to immediately remit the full amount due with another form of payment, upon notification of such an occurrence, your reservation will be cancelled and any prior payment or deposit received will be forfeited.

    • Make checks payable to "Baja Test Kitchen".

    • Please note the following information on the face of your check: your reservation date, your phone number, and your mailing address and your name (if the name on your check is different than the primary contact's name on your reservation).

    • Send checks to Baja Test Kitchen, 3264 Governor Drive, San Diego, California, 92122.

    • Checks that are returned by your bank are subject to a USD $85.00 administrative fee, such fee to be collected in addition to any other amount due for your tour or workshop.

  • Requests for Refunds: If you feel that you are owed a refund, we encourage you to first read these Payment Terms & Conditions in their entirety to ensure that your refund request falls within the terms and conditions of your agreement to pay BTK for its services. If after reviewing the Payment Terms & Conditions that govern your agreement to pay BTK for the services you have purchased, you still believe that you are owed a refund, you should first contact BTK in writing to make your request, clearly citing the amount of refund you are requesting, as well as your reason and rationale for making the request (please be sure to include all pertinent details in your written request). Upon receiving your written request for refund, BTK will review the facts and make a reasonable refund determination based on these Payment Terms & Conditions (the contract governing your payment to BTK for its services) within 30-days of receiving your request. If it is determined you are owed a refund, it may take up to 30-days to process your refund. If you are unsatisfied with BTK's refund determination, you should then follow the mediation, and if necessary, the arbitration provisions as outlined in the "Complaints and Dispute Resolution" section below. All requests for refunds must be made in writing, within 90-days of your payment date. There are no refunds for gift certificates.

[return to top]

Important Tour & Workshop Requirements FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS

  • All tour and culinary workshop participants must agree to and sign the appropriate Baja Test Kitchen Participation Agreement (release of liability agreement) at least 1-day prior to participating in a tour or workshop. Every adult participant should complete, sign, and submit his/her own agreement. Failure to complete, sign, and submit a Participation Agreement (release of liability agreement) in advance of your tour or workshop date, for every member of your group, will constitute your reservation's cancellation without refund or credit. As our tours and workshops travel in/to a foreign country, we cannot allow for "surprise" tours or workshops -- all participants must have adequate time to prepare for their tour or workshop, to review the Participation Agreement's Terms and Conditions, and agree to those terms and conditions. We ask that Participation Agreements be submitted at least three (3) days in advance of your scheduled tour or workshop date - the sooner the better. We will not accept Participation Agreement submissions on the day of your tour or workshop - Participation Agreements must be submitted in advance of your tour/workshop date - this is an absolute requirement for participation. We cannot accept modified agreements, nor will we make modifications to the Participant Agreement (release of liability agreement). To offer our service and to keep our and your costs low, it is imperative that all tour and culinary workshop participants agree to ALL of the terms, conditions, and provisions of our Participation Agreement - this is an absolute requirement for participation. If you or someone in your group cannot agree to a particular term or condition of participation, you should not book the tour/workshop with Baja Test Kitchen, and you should not participate in such tour/workshop.

  • By booking and/or paying for and/or participating in a tour or culinary workshop with Baja Test Kitchen, you agree to abide by the BTK Tour & Workshop Policies. You agree that failure to sign and submit the appropriate Participation Agreement (release of liability agreement) in advance of your tour or workshop date, and/or you or your group's failure to follow the BTK Tour & Workshop Policies, will result in immediate cancellation of your tour or workshop without refund or credit. BTK reserves the right to require any participant to withdraw from a trip or workshop (at the participant's own expense) at any time if the trip director (BTK tour guide, workshop leader, or driver) deems that the participant's acts, conduct, or health and welfare to be detrimental to, or incompatible with, the interest, harmony, comfort, or welfare of the trip, BTK personnel, BTK vendor staff, or that of its other participants. In the case of withdrawal, whether required by BTK or voluntary, withdrawing participant(s) will be responsible for all their own arrangements and costs of return travel home, and will be responsible to pay or forfeit the full cost of their confirmed tour or workshop as quoted/invoiced before the trip commenced, regardless of any unfulfilled portion of the itinerary due to withdrawal - no refunds, credits, or rescheduling allowances will be issued in case of involuntary trip withdrawal due to participant misconduct.

  • Participants must disclose recent exposure (in the 30-days prior to participation/travel with BTK) to viruses or other pathogens that could cause other participants or BTK guides/staff to become infected, whether or not the participants who were exposed are showing or feeling symptoms of illness on the day(s) of participation. Participants may be required to complete and submit an additional health screening questionnaire prior to participation, to submit a copy of their most recent immunization records (certain immunizations, including the COVID-19 vaccination administered by an authorized medical provider, must be current prior to participation), and to have their temperature taken by BTK staff prior to participation. Participants without required immunizations and those participants displaying any physical signs of illness (including but not limited to runny nose, cough, sneezing, fever, chills, sweats, etc.) or with body temperatures outside of the normal range will not be allowed to participate. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUPPLY AND WEAR SNUG FITTING FACE/MOUTH/NOSE COVERINGS AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN THE TOUR VEHICLE OR IN ANY ENCLOSED FACILITY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASE - FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT OF PARTICIPATION WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE TRIP WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT REFUND, CREDIT, NOR RESCHEDULING ALLOWANCE. Participants are required to bring scent-free alcohol-based hand sanitizer and agree to use hand sanitizer before entering the tour vehicle at every stop.

  • Participants must be sober at the inception of the tour/workshop. If the trip director deems that a participant is under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the inception of the tour/workshop (in his/her sole yet reasonable judgement), that participant will be dismissed and will not be allowed to participate in the tour/workshop. There will be no refunds, credits, or rescheduling allowances for dismissal due to insobriety at the inception of a tour/workshop.

  • You must be at least 18-years old* to participate in Baja Test Kitchen tours and workshops. Proof of age may be requested by BTK staff before participation is allowed.

    • *Minors (those under the age of 18 years) may participate in select Baja Test Kitchen private tours or workshops with advanced written permission from Baja Test Kitchen. Participation by minors, when allowed, is subject to the following terms and conditions:

      • Children under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by and under the direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian at all times while on tour or while participating in classes/workshop(s) or other BTK activities. Participating minors under the age of 18 years may not consume alcohol in Mexico — no exceptions. All participating minors must posses and bring/carry a valid original passport document OR a valid original passport card document - no exceptions. The surname written on the minor's passport must exactly match the surname on the participating parent's passport, OR you must carry an original notarized court document showing clear parental rights in addition to the passports (if there is any doubt about what documents to bring/carry, contact your BTK tour liaison well in advance of your tour).

      • A participating legal parent/guardian will be required to sign the Participation Agreement for children under the age of 18 years. The participating parent/guardian must email BTK at least 3-days in advance of the tour with the participating minor’s full legal name (as it appears on their passport document), age, birth date, passport number, passport expiration date, food allergies & food aversions, known medical conditions, and known allergies to medications.

      • You must bring a child safety restraint seat or booster seat in good working order for all children under the age of eight (8) years and for any child under 4'9” tall. Children under eight (8) years must be seated in a rear seat of the tour vehicle in a properly installed car seat or booster seat (as appropriate for the child's height/weight/age) and children weighing under 40 pounds or less than 40-inches tall must ride in a rear-facing car seat. All car/booster seats must be compatible with the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) child safety restraint system. YOU MUST INSTALL YOUR OWN CAR/BOOSTER SEAT(S) (we recommend bringing the installation manual for your car/booster seat(s)) and you will be responsible for ensuring that your children are properly restrained at all times while in the tour vehicle - our guides are prohibited from assisting with the installation of a car/booster seat and our guides cannot assist with buckling/restraining your children in the tour vehicle. BTK DOES NOT PROVIDE CAR SEATS OR BOOSTER SEATS — YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN CHILD CAR/BOOSTER SEAT(S) AND YOUR CAR/BOOSTER SEAT(S) MUST BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. Failure to bring your own car and/or booster seats for minor participants who require them will result in cancellation of your tour without refund, credit, or rescheduling allowance. Your children will not be allowed to ride in our tour vehicle unless they are restrained in properly functioning car safety restraint seats as described above - no exceptions.

  • All participants must have and cary a valid passport, and if necessary for travel to Mexico and the United States, a valid multiple-entry Visa or Resident Card. We advise you to also carry a second government-issued photo identification document (i.e. driver's license, state/government issued photo ID).

  • Cruise ship passengers must also carry the identification issued by their cruise line — this identification is required for re-entry to the Port's secured facility.

  • All participants are solely responsible for the safekeeping of their own identification and travel documents. You agree to not leave your identification or travel documents unattended at any time, or stored in an unattended BTK vehicle. You acknowledge and agree that Baja Test Kitchen is not responsible for the safekeeping of your identification or travel documents.

[return to top]

GROUP TOUR/WORKSHOP REQUIREMENTS - applies to GROUPS OF SIX (6) OR MORE tour OR WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS, AND ALL BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE PARTIES

  • An 18% non-refundable service gratuity will be added for groups of six (6) or more, and for all bachelor/bachelorette parties of any size. This requirement for larger groups is in keeping with hospitality and service industry standards (standard practice at most restaurants). The gratuity will be used to tip the service staff at the wineries, breweries, and restaurant(s) you visit, as well as your tour/workshop guide.

  • A $250 per tour vehicle refundable deposit for damage, excess wear, and/or excess cleaning is required for groups of six (6) or more, and for all bachelor/bachelorette parties of any size. If there is no damage or excess wear to our tour vehicle(s), and if no more than normal cleaning is required, BTK will refund your deposit within 3-7 business days of your tour date. Your group's organizer/primary contact is responsible for paying this deposit, and the deposit must be received by BTK at least 5-days prior to your tour or workshop date. Failure to make this deposit by the required date will constitute your reservation's cancellation without refund. After your tour/workshop, your tour vehicle will return to the BTK facility where BTK management will inspect the vehicle for damage and excessive wear. If damage or excessive wear is found, and/or the vehicle requires more than usual cleaning, a damage/cleaning fee assessment will be made and you will be notified of the assessment. If the cost of repair and/or cleaning is less than your deposit, you will receive a refund for the difference once the repair and/or cleaning work has been completed. If the cost of repair and/or cleaning is more than your deposit, you will receive an invoice for the difference. Failure to pay for the full cost of repair or cleaning within 5-days of receiving an invoice for such work will be considered a material breach of your Participation Agreement, subject to legal remedy. BTK reserves the right to select its vendors for repair and cleaning, or in some cases, we may perform this work in-house, in which case you will be charged market rate for the work completed.

  • Split payments (multiple payments for one group/reservation) for a group will be charged an additional $7.00 PER INVOICE administrative fee (e.g. if you want to split your group's invoice 3-ways and pay separately, you will be charged $7 x 3 = $21 administrative fee), and your tour or workshop date will NOT be confirmed until ALL payments from your group have been received. The split invoice administrative fee will be incurred for ALL invoices issued for a group, even invoices that are subsequently cancelled for any reason, and the group organizer is responsible for paying these administrative fee(s) when invoices are cancelled after being issued. For ease of booking, ongoing communication and scheduling coordination, we require that you designate a single point of contact for your group, and recommend that you make a single payment for your entire group's reservation. If we have not received your group's FULL payment at least 72 hours before your tour or workshop's scheduled time, your reservation will be cancelled, and any prior payment or deposit received will be forfeited. If you are your group's primary contact, it is you sole responsibility to coordinate payment for your entire group.

  • Change of Tour or Workshop Group Size After Booking: Once a tour or workshop reservation has been confirmed (paid), you may not change the group size without prior written approval from Baja Test Kitchen. Additions may be allowed on a space available basis, and must be paid for in full and in advance of your tour date (note that additional/supplemental invoices will incur a $7.00 split-invoice administrative fee for every additional invoice). We will not issue a partial refund due to a decrease in your confirmed group size, however you may fill your paid tour or workshop spots with alternate guests who meet the tour/workshop participation requirements, who agree to our Tour and Workshop Policies, and agree to execute and submit our Participation Agreement (release of liability agreement) in advance of the tour or workshop date. Participant substitutions will not be allowed on the day of the tour or workshop - all substitutions should be requested at least three (3) days in advance of your tour/workshop start time.

  • All other Payment Terms & Conditions apply to groups of 6+ participants.

[return to top]

PRIVATE TOUR/WORKSHOP REQUIREMENTS - APPLIES TO ALL PRIVATE TOURS OR WORKSHOPS

  • A mandatory 18% non-refundable service gratuity will be added for all private tours. This gratuity is collected by BTK, and will be paid by BTK to your tour guide or workshop leader and service staff. At the end of your tour, you may elect to pay an additional service gratuity directly to your guide, however, doing so is optional, but encouraged for exceptional customer service. This requirement for private parties is in keeping with hospitality and service industry standards (standard practice at most restaurants).

  • BTK is a culinary tour operator, and is NOT a private transportation service. You understand and agree that by booking with BTK, you are booking and paying for a specific itinerary that is pre-planned by BTK. Itinerary planning and logistics are included in your private tour or workshop fees. The itinerary for your tour or workshop will be provided to you in advance of your tour/workshop date, and any requested adjustments or changes to your itinerary that are not as a direct result of a vendor cancellation or emergency, must be made and confirmed in writing and in advance of your tour or workshop date. Last-minute or impromptu changes to a confirmed itinerary are only allowed when a vendor becomes unexpectedly unavailable (in which case, BTK reserves the right to substitute a vendor of similar quality), or in the rare case of a bonafide emergency. For the security of our guides, and for your own safety and security, our guides are instructed not to make impromptu changes to a scheduled itinerary without first receiving permission for an itinerary change from BTK management; once a tour has commenced, itinerary changes are only approved when there are extenuating vendor circumstances (i.e. last minute reservation cancellation initiated by the vendor) related to the originally planned itinerary.

  • Once a private tour or workshop has commenced, you may elect to terminate the tour or workshop for any reason, and at any time, however, your voluntary early termination will not result in a refund or credit for the portion of the itinerary that has been cancelled - by terminating early, you will forfeit all tour or workshop fees and gratuity paid for the pre-scheduled tour or workshop.

  • When private tour or workshop services are billed by the hour, the minimum billing period is 8-hours per day. Tours and workshops that exceed 8-hours in a day are subject to an overtime rate that is 1.5-times the quoted hourly rate, plus non-refundable gratuity at the percentage stipulated above.

  • When booking a multi-day private tour or workshop, you will be responsible for paying for your guide's lodging and meals.

  • All other Payment Terms & Conditions apply to private tour or workshop participants.

[return to top]

PUBLIC TOUR/Workshop Cancellations, Rescheduling, & Refunds

  • We advise all participants to purchase/carry third-party trip/travel insurance to cover any tour or workshop cancellation losses related to your own trip interruption or rescheduling, interruptions or cancelations related to acts of God/nature, acts of war, government shutdowns, illness/injury/medical treatment, transportation delays, transportation outages/closures, and/or road/border closures. We are a small family-run company with limited tour/workshop resources (guides, tour vehicles, chef instructors, etc.), and once a tour or workshop has been confirmed with payment, the reserved resources are held for you, and thus not available for others to book. We are not an insurance company — if you elect not to purchase trip/travel insurance, you are effectively self-insuring against any losses related to your own rescheduling or trip interruption/cancellation for any reason.

  • For public group tours/workshops, all sales are final. There will be no refunds, credits, or rescheduling for public group tours or workshops once you have paid. Please appreciate that once you pay for your tour or workshop, we hold your tour/workshop spot(s) and other interested parties are not able to book those held spots. Our commitment is to deliver your tour or workshop experience on the date you booked/confirmed.

  • Tours and workshops are conducted rain or shine. If Baja Test Kitchen must cancel your tour or culinary workshop for some unforeseeable reason, we will endeavor to notify you as soon as possible, and offer you the ability to reschedule to another available date.

  • Change of Tour Group Size After Booking: Once a tour or workshop reservation has been confirmed (paid), you may not change the group size without prior written approval from Baja Test Kitchen. Additions may be allowed on a space available basis, and must be paid for in full and in advance of your tour date (note that additional/supplemental invoices will incur a $7.00 split-invoice administrative fee for every additional invoice). We will not issue a partial refund due to a decrease in your confirmed group size, however you may fill your paid tour or workshop spots with alternate guests who meet the tour/workshop participation requirements, who agree to our Tour and Workshop Policies, and agree to execute and submit our Participation Agreement (release of liability agreement) in advance of the tour date. Participant substitutions will not be allowed on the day of the tour or workshop - all substitutions should be requested in writing (via email) at least 72 hours in advance of your tour/workshop start time.

  • Arrive on Time: Failure to arrive on time (at the scheduled start time) at the designated meeting location specified in your confirmation email will result in cancellation of your tour without refund, credit, or rescheduling. Plan to arrive EARLY at your scheduled meeting location. If you are unsure about how to locate your scheduled meeting location, contact your BTK representative well in advance of the scheduled start/meeting/departure time for more detailed instructions. Out of respect for other tour and workshop participants, BTK staff will not wait past the scheduled start time to begin a public tour or workshop. Once your tour or workshop itinerary has been programmed (your itinerary has been communicated to you via a confirmation email), changes to your tour's designated meeting point, pick-up location, and/or drop-off location may only be considered when a request for change is received in writing (via email) at least 72-hours before the tour's/workshop's scheduled departure time, and if the requested change is possible (no guarantee), the requested itinerary change may incur extra charges that must be paid for in advance of your tour/workshop date (for security and logistical reasons, there will be no reprogramming within 72-hours of your scheduled start time - it's your responsibility to arrive at the scheduled meeting or pick-up location on time). Rescheduling will not be allowed for tours or workshops cancelled by failure to appear, and there will be no credits or refunds.

  • Pre-scheduled public group tours will run as scheduled when four (4) or more paid participants are registered for the tour. In the rare case that less than four (4) paid participants register for a tour, we reserve the right to cancel your tour reservation with 72-hours written notice (via email), in which case we will issue a full refund of your tour fees (note that most of our tours sell out in advance and will run as scheduled).

  • In rare cases, tasting tours or culinary workshops may need to be rescheduled by Baja Test Kitchen due to unforeseeable circumstances. We will make every attempt to contact you as early as possible if rescheduling is required.

  • In very rare cases the border port of entry at your pre-arranged border meeting point may be temporarily closed on your scheduled tour date. In this case, we will contact you via email in advance of the tour with an alternate meeting point at one of our other border ports of entry. Border closures will not result in a refund - in case of a border closure, we reserve the right to change your tour/workshop date and/or meeting point. Rest assured that we monitor the border ports of entry closely, following reliable information sources in Mexico and in the U.S.

[return to top]

Private AND MULTI-DAY Tour/Workshop Cancellations, Rescheduling, & Refunds

  • We advise all participants to purchase/carry third-party trip/travel insurance to cover any tour or workshop cancellation losses related to your own trip interruption or rescheduling, interruptions or cancelations related to acts of God/nature, acts of war, government shutdowns, illness/injury/medical treatment, transportation delays, transportation outages/closures, and/or road/border closures. We are a small family-run company with limited tour/workshop resources (guides, tour vehicles, chef instructors, etc.), and once a tour or workshop has been confirmed with payment, the reserved resources are held for you, and thus not available for others to book.

  • Canceling within 72 hours of your scheduled tour or workshop: No refunds or credits will be issued if you should need to cancel or reschedule your private or multi-day tour or workshop within 72 hours of your tour or workshop's scheduled start time. Rescheduling will NOT be allowed for tours or workshops cancelled in this window. Payments made within 72-hours of your tour's scheduled departure time are non-refundable and non-transferable; you will not be able to reschedule a tour paid within 72-hours of the tour's scheduled departure time; failure to appear at your tour's designated meeting point at the scheduled time will constitute your cancellation without refund or credit. We advise you to carry third-party trip/travel insurance to cover any tour or workshop cancellation-related losses that are due to your own trip interruption or rescheduling, interruptions or cancelations related to acts of God/nature, acts of war, government shutdowns, transportation delays, transportation outages/closures, and/or road/border closures; we are not an insurance company — if you elect not to purchase trip/travel insurance, you are effectively self-insuring against any losses related to your own rescheduling or trip interruption/cancellation for any reason.

  • Canceling between 6-days and 72 hours of your scheduled tour or workshop: Private and multi-day tours or workshops cancelled between 6-days and 72 hours of your tour or workshop's scheduled start time will be refunded 50% of your payment, minus a $85 cancellation processing fee. Rescheduling may also be allowed under certain circumstances, and is subject to our rescheduling provisions, policies, and rescheduling fees (see below).

  • Canceling between 16 days and 7 days of your scheduled tour or workshop: Private and multi-day tours or workshops cancelled between 16 days and 7 days of your tour or workshop's scheduled start time will be refunded 60% of your payment, minus a $85 cancellation processing fee. Rescheduling may also be allowed under certain circumstances, and is subject to our rescheduling provisions, policies, and rescheduling fees (see below).

  • Canceling between 30 days and 17 days of your scheduled tour or workshop: Private and multi-day tours or workshops cancelled between 17 days and 30 days of your tour or workshop's scheduled start time will be refunded 70% of your payment, minus a $85 cancellation processing fee. Rescheduling may also be allowed under certain circumstances, and is subject to our rescheduling provisions, policies, and rescheduling fees (see below).

  • Canceling with 31 or more days notice: Private and multi-day tours or workshops cancelled with 31 or more days notice will be refunded 80% of your payment, minus a $85 cancellation processing fee. Rescheduling may also be allowed under certain circumstances, and is subject to our rescheduling provisions, policies, and rescheduling fees (see below).

  • Rescheduling: Tours or workshops cancelled prior to 72 hours from your tour or workshop's scheduled start time may be rescheduled to another available date within three (3) months of your original reservation date by paying a $35 per participant rescheduling fee—in this case, notice of cancellation for your confirmed tour or workshop must be submitted in writing (via email) at least 72 hours prior to your tour or workshop's scheduled start time, and you must also contact BTK in writing (via email) to reschedule your tour within 72 hours of canceling. Failure to contact BTK with your rescheduling request within 72 hours of canceling will result in forfeiture of your ability to rescheduled your canceled tour or workshop. Rescheduling requests will incur a $35 per participant rescheduling fee and the new date is subject to BTK's availability. The rescheduling fee(s) must be paid at the time of cancellation, and the new reservation will not be confirmed until the rescheduling fee(s) are received. Rescheduling is not allowed for missed tours (cancelling as a result of failure to appear), or for cancellations received within 72 hours of your tour or workshop's scheduled start time. In order to be eligible for rescheduling, you must cancel your original reservation in writing (via email) at least 72 hours in advance of your original tour or workshop date, you must be eligible for rescheduling according to the terms and conditions herein, and you must make earnest rescheduling efforts in writing at the time of cancellation. If eligible for rescheduling, you are allowed one (1) rescheduling allowance — you may not reschedule a previously rescheduled tour/workshop a second time. After rescheduling, your originally scheduled tour/workshop date will be used to calculate any credit or refund if you should cancel your attendance for the new tour/workshop date for any reason (credit or refund will be calculated from your original tour/workshop date per our cancellation notice timeline above).

  • Tours and workshops are conducted rain or shine. If Baja Test Kitchen must cancel your tour or culinary workshop for some unforeseeable reason, we will endeavor to notify you as soon as possible, and offer you the ability to reschedule to another available date(s).

  • Change of Tour Group Size After Booking: Once a tour or workshop reservation has been confirmed (paid), you may not change the group size without prior written approval from Baja Test Kitchen. Additions may be allowed on a space available basis, and must be paid for in full and in advance of your tour date (note that additional/supplemental invoices will incur a $7.00 split-invoice administrative fee for every additional invoice). We will not issue a partial refund due to a decrease in your confirmed group size, however you may fill your paid tour or workshop spots with alternate guests who meet the tour/workshop participation requirements, who agree to our Tour and Workshop Policies, and agree to execute and submit our Participation Agreement (release of liability agreement) in advance of the tour date. Participant substitutions will not be allowed on the day of the tour or workshop - all substitutions should be requested in writing (via email) at least 72 hours in advance of your tour/workshop start time.

  • Arrive on Time: Failure to arrive on time (at the scheduled start time) at the designated meeting location specified in your confirmation email will result in cancellation of your tour without refund, credit, or rescheduling. Plan to arrive early at your scheduled meeting location. If you are unsure about how to locate your scheduled meeting location, contact your BTK representative well in advance of the scheduled start/meeting/departure time for more detailed instructions. Out of respect for other tour and workshop participants, BTK staff will not wait past the scheduled start time to begin a group tour or workshop. Rescheduling will not be allowed for tours or workshops cancelled by failure to appear, and there will be no credits or refunds. For private tours only, our guide will wait for 30-minutes past your tour/workshop's scheduled meeting time before cancelling due to your failure to appear at the designated meeting point noted on your itinerary and specified in your confirmation email. Arriving late may necessitate alternation(s) to your itinerary, including cancelation of certain or all itinerary items without refund or other compensation.

  • Once your tour or workshop itinerary has been programmed (your itinerary has been communicated to you via a confirmation email), changes to your tour's designated meeting point, pick-up location, and/or drop-off location may only be considered when a request for change is received in writing (via email) at least 72-hours before the tour's/workshop's scheduled departure time, and if the requested change is possible (no guarantee), the requested itinerary change may incur extra charges that must be paid for in advance of your tour/workshop date (for security and logistical reasons, there will be no reprogramming within 72-hours of your scheduled start time - it's your responsibility to arrive at the scheduled meeting or pick-up location on time).

  • In rare cases, tasting tours or workshops may need to be rescheduled by Baja Test Kitchen due to unforeseeable circumstances. We will make every attempt to contact you as early as possible if rescheduling is required.

  • In very rare cases the border port of entry at your pre-arranged border meeting point may be temporarily closed on your scheduled tour date. In this case, we will contact you via email in advance of the tour with an alternate meeting point at one of our other border ports of entry. Border closures will not result in a refund, credit, or rescheduling allowance unless Baja Test Kitchen is not able to render its services - we reserve the right to change your tour or workshop meeting point. Rest assured that we monitor the border ports of entry closely, following reliable information sources in Mexico and in the U.S.

  • Refunds, if warranted, are processed within 30-days of your written cancellation notice, and funds may take longer to reflect back in your account when you have paid via credit card.

[return to top]

SHIP-TO-SHORE Tour/Workshop Cancellations, Rescheduling, & Refunds

  • We advise all participants to purchase/carry third-party trip/travel insurance to cover any tour or workshop cancellation losses related to your own trip interruption or rescheduling, interruptions or cancelations related to acts of God/nature, acts of war, government shutdowns, illness/injury/medical treatment, transportation delays, transportation outages/closures, and/or road/border closures. We are a small family-run company with limited tour/workshop resources (guides, tour vehicles, chef instructors, etc.), and once a tour or workshop has been confirmed with payment, the reserved resources are held for you, and thus not available for others to book. We are not an insurance company — if you elect not to purchase trip/travel insurance, you are effectively self-insuring against any losses related to your own rescheduling or trip interruption/cancellation for any reason.

  • For all group bookings, partial rescheduling of confirmed (paid) tours or workshops (i.e. rescheduling for some participants of a confirmed tour or workshop group), due to a reduction in group size for any reason, is not allowed - see "Group Tour/Workshop Requirements" above. However, you may fill your paid tour or workshop spots with alternate guests who meet the tour/workshop participation requirements, who agree to our Tour and Workshop Policies, and agree to execute and submit our Participation Agreement (release of liability agreement) in advance of the tour or workshop date.

  • Tours and workshops are conducted rain or shine. If Baja Test Kitchen must cancel your tour or culinary workshop for some unforeseeable reason, we will endeavor to notify you as soon as possible, and offer you the ability to reschedule to another available date.

  • Involuntary Changes to Your Cruise Ship Itinerary: For passengers arriving to the BTK designated meeting point via cruise line, in the VERY RARE case that your cruise line changes your itinerary in a way that will affect your ability to arrive at the BTK designated meeting point on time as scheduled, cancels the Port, or cancels your cruise altogether, YOU AGREE TO NOTIFY BAJA TEST KITCHEN IN WRITING AS SOON AS YOU ARE NOTIFIED OF SUCH CHANGE IN ITINERARY BY THE CRUISE LINE (and in any case, within ONE HOUR of the cruise line's notification to you - you should forward any related correspondence issued to you by the cruise line to BTK). In case your cruise line changes your cruise's scheduled day in Port with at least three (3) days advanced notice, we will attempt to re-schedule your tour to the new day in Port if we are available on that new date. If re-scheduling on the new date in port is not possible due to our own availability, we will endeavor to verify the itinerary change notification(s) issued by your cruise line, and if verified, we will refund your tour or workshop fees minus a USD $75.00 per paid participant cancellation charge if we can further verify that you notified BTK of the cruise-line-imposed itinerary change within one hour of such notification being issued to you by the cruise line. If you do not notify us in writing about changes to your cruise itinerary within one hour of such notification being issued to you (we will verify directly with the cruise line when you were notified), and you do not appear for your tour or workshop as scheduled, there will be no refund or credit for failure to appear at the designated meeting point as scheduled. BTK is not responsible for communication interruptions (i.e. no Internet available, no wifi available, no cell phone signal, no ship-to-shore phone service available, etc. - you should address such issues and ramifications thereof with your cruise line directly).

  • Pre-scheduled public group tours will run as scheduled when four (4) or more paid participants are registered for the tour. In the rare case that less than four (4) paid participants register for a tour, we reserve the right to cancel your tour reservation with 72-hours written notice (via email), in which case we will issue a full refund of your tour fees (note that most of our tours sell out in advance and will run as scheduled).

  • In rare cases, tasting tours or culinary workshops may need to be rescheduled by Baja Test Kitchen due to unforeseeable circumstances. We will make every attempt to contact you as early as possible if rescheduling is required.

  • Refunds, if warranted, are processed within 30-days of your written cancellation notice, and funds may take longer to reflect back in your account when you have paid via credit card.

[return to top]

COMPLAINTS AND Dispute resolution

  • Our goal is your satisfaction. If there is anything we can do to make your booking, tour, or workshop experience more enjoyable (within reason of course), please don't hesitate to ask your booking advisor, tour guide, workshop leader, or driver. We'll do whatever we can reasonably do to ensure that you experience a smooth booking experience, and have a great time participating in BTK tour/workshop activities.

  • Please direct any complaints or compliments to BTK management using this contact form.

  • In the spirit of acting in good faith to resolve any/all issues you have, or may come to have, with Baja Test Kitchen, you agree to surface any dispute or displeasure you have with/about BTK, its employees, representatives, volunteers, agents, contractors, vendors or associates, in writing with BTK management directly and privately, and before taking any action which is intended, or would reasonably be expected, to harm BTK or BTK’s reputation, or which would reasonably be expected to lead to unwanted or unfavorable publicity for Baja Test Kitchen. By booking and/or paying for and/or participating in a tour or culinary workshop with Baja Test Kitchen, or by participating in BTK activities, you agree to act in good faith to resolve any dispute or displeasure you have before making disparaging or negative remarks in a public forum (online or otherwise) about Baja Test Kitchen, its employees, representatives, volunteers, agents, contractors, vendors or associates, and further agree not to make any public statements that are false, untrue, do not represent the whole truth regarding the matter, or are purposefully misleading.

  • If a dispute arises under this Agreement or between the parties, you agree to first try to resolve the dispute in good faith with the help of a mutually agreed-upon and certified mediator in San Diego County, California. Any costs and fees other than attorney fees associated with the mediation shall be shared equally by the parties. If it proves impossible to arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution through mediation, the parties agree to submit any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this agreement, or the breach thereof, to be settled by arbitration administered in San Diego County, California by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

[return to top]

GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR TASTING TOURS

Baja Test Kitchen Tasting Tour Gift Certificates have the following features, redemption requirements, terms, and conditions:

No expiration date; Must be redeemed for a Baja Test Kitchen Tasting Tour; Tour offerings are not guaranteed and pricing is our normal pricing at time the tour reservation is confirmed; Inquire for current pricing; Contact Baja Test Kitchen to inquire about our availability for specific tour dates and to book a tour; Tour reservation must be made and confirmed in advance, and is subject to availability; The minimum private tour size is two (2) participants, and the minimum public tour size is four (4) participants; This gift certificate's value will be applied (redeemed) at the time a tour reservation is confirmed by Baja Test Kitchen; Once redeemed for a tour reservation, cancellation or rescheduling of a confirmed tour reservation is subject to Baja Test Kitchen's standard Payment Terms & Conditions (see above); Must be at least 18+ years old to redeem; Gift certificates may not be redeemed for cash; No refunds; BTK is not responsible for lost or stolen gift certificates; Gift certificates are issued to a specific person(s), and may not be transferred, sold, or bartered without the express written permission of Baja Test Kitchen (if approved, transfer requests are subject to a $25.00 administrative transfer processing fee); Gift Certificate redemption may only be completed by the person(s) whose name is printed on the Gift Certificate; Certificate holder should relay the gift certificate serial number (printed on the gift certificate) at the time a tour reservation inquiry in made.

[return to top]

THESE PAYMENT TERMS & CONDITIONS MAY BE UPDATED OR AMENDED AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.