Policies & Procedures

Reservation (definition): A reservation must be secured by a contract and be confirmed by receipt of a deposit.

Deposits: The deposit amount is $15 per registered person and is not returnable unless cancellation is due to bad weather.

Final Count & Minimum Billable Amount: Final count must be received no later than twenty-one (21) days prior to your event or your Minimum Billable Amount will be based on your original contracted number. Please remember, you or your group will be billed for space reserved and not used.

Deductions and additions after arrival: Deductions for person count for food or lodging will not be allowed after your group’s arrival. Your minimum billable amount will be determined by your contract in conjunction with information submitted prior to twenty-one (21) days before your event. Additional guests will be charged per the contracted rate.

Check-in/Check-out: Registration for your event is required before 7:00 PM. We will not guarantee check-in for your event if a representative of your organization is not present to pick up keys, etc. before 7:00 PM.

Check-in for lodging is 3:30 PM. Facilities are not guaranteed before this time.
Check-out is 10:00 AM. There will be an added charge of $25.00/hour, per room if room is not vacated by 10:00 AM.

Payment: The group is to collect all fees for each conferee and have one person pay the final bill. All checks should be made payable to Watson Homestead. Complete payment is required at the beginning of your stay. Groups checking in Friday evening should be ready to make payment by Saturday 11:00 AM.

Weekend Package: For those organizations registering for weekend packages of 2 nights/5 meals, meals will begin Saturday breakfast and end Sunday lunch.

Food Service Minimum: Minimum Food Service is 20 people. Contracts will not be entered into for under 20 persons for Food Service unless it is known that other groups in-house during a concurrent stay will allow for a greater than 20 person meal count.

Equipment and Linens: Any equipment (TV, VCR, flip charts etc.) provided by, or linens rented from WHC&RC must be requested no later than twenty-one (21) days prior to your event. Equipment will be made available on a first-come-first-served basis. Equipment must be requested prior to arrival.

Set-ups: Special meeting room set-ups must be requested no later than twenty-one (21) days prior to your event.

Group Programs required: Each organization bringing an event to WHC&RC is requested to submit an event program schedule to Guest Services no later than twenty-one (21) days prior to the event.

Names & Addresses: Each organization bringing an event to WHC&RC is requested to submit a list of participants to their event along with addresses, telephone numbers, and ages if below the age of eighteen (18).

Meeting Space: The number and size of meeting rooms allowed per group per event will be determined by WHC&RC dependent upon group size and the program requirements of the group. WHC&RC reserves the right to charge for meeting rooms requested above and beyond our determination. Due to high demand, use of the Chapel must be scheduled prior to your arrival.

Renting the "entire house": This shall be understood to mean contracting for 200 or more guests per event.

Registration of a Group’s participants: If WHC&RC agrees to register participants in a group’s event, an administration fee of $5.00 per registrant shall be applied.

Posters & Signs: The use of posters and signs by your group is subject to approval by Guest Services or the Director of Operations. Please do not use tape or tacks to hang signs on painted or varnished surfaces.

Use of Lobby: The Main Lobby is a common area to be used by all our guests. Please do not program this area for your group. We think of it as our living room and wish to make all guests welcome as they come through our door.

Food Service: The Dining Hall at WHC&RC is intended to serve all groups in-house and shall be considered "common ground". No group should assume exclusive ownership of the dining hall during their stay unless that group rents the entire house. We request that group prayer, announcements, or other similar activity be conducted quietly at group tables or before entering the Dining Hall.

Serving style at Watson Homestead is Buffet. A salad bar is available at Lunch and Dinner times. The menu is "Cook’s Choice".

Times are as follows:

Breakfast: 8:00 AM
Lunch:     12:30 PM
Dinner:      6:00 PM

Please arrange your group’s schedule to be on time for meals.

Lodging without meals: Lodging with meals shall be sold as an undivided package. Guests are not permitted to prepare their own meals to the exclusion of purchasing meals from WHC&RC. Lodging at Hillside may be an exception to this rule providing all guests for a given event are wholly lodged at Hillside House. The use of crock-pots and other cooking appliances brought for the purpose of serving snacks shall be limited to use in the kitchenette area on the lower level of the Chapel extension.

Special Dietary Needs: Please notify Watson Homestead of any special dietary needs no less than 21 days prior to your arrival. We will do our best to accommodate guests with special food conditions whenever possible, but due to the quantity of people we serve, we cannot cook special meals for individual guests during their stay. Those guests with severe allergies, or special medical food conditions should make alternative plans for food before their arrival. Food Services at Watson Homestead uses low salt menus whenever feasible and always offers vegetarian alternatives at the buffet. Lactose free milk is also regularly offered during meals.

For more information please contact Donna V. Cummings, Guest Service Coordinator.  607.962.0541 or  watsondonna@stny.rr.com