Terms of Service – Whale House & Whale House Magazine

  • Introduction
    These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of the Whale House website, online store, and Whale House Magazine SMS messaging program (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing the website, making a purchase, or enrolling in our SMS program, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.

  • Program description
    Whale House operates an online presence for lodging, retreats, events, and related offerings, as well as Whale House Magazine, a text-message-first zine subscription and community program. The website may offer information about stays, events, products, memberships, or digital content, and may include an online shop for merchandise, printed materials, and other items. The SMS program provides recurring text messages about zine issue drops, products, events, subscription updates, and related communications.

  • Eligibility
    You must be at least the age of majority in your jurisdiction and legally capable of entering into contracts to use the Services. By using the Services, you represent that you meet these requirements and that any information you provide is accurate and current.

  • Account and information
    You may be asked to provide information, such as your name, email address, phone number, and billing details, to join mailing lists, book stays, make purchases, or subscribe to Whale House Magazine. You are responsible for ensuring the information you provide is accurate and for updating it as needed. If you create an account, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any login details and for all activities that occur under your account.

  • SMS opt-in and consent
    Whale House Magazine offers a recurring SMS program. You may opt in by texting JOIN, SUBSCRIBE, START, or ZINE to our designated number, or by providing your phone number through a website form that describes the SMS program and then confirming your enrollment by replying YES to a confirmation message. Your consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of any purchase. Message frequency varies based on issue releases, events, store activity, and communications related to your relationship with Whale House and Whale House Magazine. Message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan.

  • SMS opt-out and help
    You may opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. After you opt out, you will no longer receive recurring SMS messages from the program unless you opt in again. For help with the SMS program, you may reply HELP to a message or contact us at the email address listed in our site footer.

  • Online store and purchases
    The website may offer physical and digital goods or services, such as merchandise, printed zines, event tickets, memberships, or lodging-related offerings. Prices, descriptions, and availability are subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to limit quantities, refuse, or cancel orders at our discretion, including where we believe an order may be fraudulent or in violation of these Terms. If we cancel an order after charging your payment method, we will issue a refund for the amount charged, subject to payment processor timelines.

  • Payments and billing
    Payments for products, subscriptions, and services are processed through third-party payment providers or ecommerce services integrated into our website. By submitting a payment, you authorize us and our payment processors to charge the payment method you provide for the total amount of your order, including taxes, fees, and any applicable shipping or service charges. You are responsible for any fees charged by your bank, card issuer, or payment provider.

  • Subscriptions and renewals
    If you purchase a subscription or membership that renews automatically, recurring charges may be processed at the interval described at checkout. You can manage or cancel your subscription through the methods described in your order confirmation or account settings, subject to any stated cancellation windows and refund policies. Canceling a subscription will stop future renewals, but may not automatically refund past charges unless required by law or our specific policies.

  • Shipping, fulfillment, and access
    For physical products, we will arrange fulfillment and shipping to the address you provide at checkout. Estimated delivery times are not guaranteed and may vary due to carrier delays, inventory, or other factors. For digital content or memberships, access may be delivered via email, website login, or SMS, as described at checkout. Once an order is fulfilled, you are responsible for promptly reviewing any materials or content delivered.

  • Cancellations, refunds, and changes
    Our specific policies on cancellations, rescheduling, refunds, and changes for lodging, events, and products may be described on the website or during checkout. Where such policies are provided, they form part of these Terms. Where not otherwise specified, requests for cancellations or changes will be considered on a case-by-case basis at our discretion.

  • Use of the website and content
    The website, its design, text, images, videos, and other content are provided for your personal, non-commercial use. You agree not to copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from the website or its content except as allowed by law or with our prior written permission. You agree not to use the Services in any manner that is unlawful, infringes any rights of others, or interferes with the normal operation of the website or SMS program.

  • Analytics, cookies, and tracking
    Our website and online store may use cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies to understand visitor behavior, measure performance, and improve the Services. This may include information such as pages visited, links clicked, time spent on site, approximate location, and device or browser information. These tools may be provided by third-party services that process data on our behalf. You can adjust your browser settings to limit or block certain cookies, but doing so may affect site functionality.

  • Data retention and security
    We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the Services, maintain records, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect information we collect, but no system is completely secure. By using the Services, you acknowledge that transmissions and storage may carry some inherent risk.

  • Intellectual property
    All trademarks, service marks, logos, and trade names associated with Whale House and Whale House Magazine, as well as the unique architecture, imagery, and editorial voice presented on the website, are the property of their respective owners and may not be used without permission. Nothing in these Terms grants you any license to use such intellectual property except as necessary to use the Services in accordance with these Terms.

  • Third-party services and integrations
    The Services may rely on or integrate with third-party platforms for payments, bookings, analytics, email, messaging, or other functionality. These third parties may have their own terms and privacy practices. While we select providers we believe to be reputable, we are not responsible for the content or practices of third-party services.

  • No guarantees and limitation of liability
    The Services are provided “as is” and “as available,” without any warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Whale House, Whale House Magazine, and their owners, employees, and collaborators will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the Services, including any lost profits or data, service interruptions, or errors.

  • Indemnification
    You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Whale House, Whale House Magazine, and their owners, employees, and collaborators from and against any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to your misuse of the Services, violation of these Terms, or infringement of any rights of another person or entity.

  • Changes to the Terms
    We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will change the “Last updated” date at the bottom of this page. Your continued use of the Services after any changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

  • Governing law
    These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles, and by applicable federal law. Any disputes arising out of or relating to the Services or these Terms will be resolved in the courts located in California, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

  • Contact
    For questions about these Terms or the Services, you may contact us at the email address listed in the site footer.

  • Last updated
    Last updated: July 8, 2026.