Very good, cheap and very friendly welcome. Thank you, because for my first time kayaking, I love it. I recommend it. See you next time 👍🙂
Why booking fees?
KayakSemois-Ardenne is an online booking platform that connects kayak and canoe enthusiasts with approved local providers in the Belgian Ardennes. Like any intermediary platform (think Booking.com for hotels, or GetYourGuide for activities), we apply a 10% commission on the provider's base rate. This amount finances all the digital services you use when booking with us.
This commission is included in the price displayed on our site. There are no hidden fees. The price you see is the total price you pay.
What the platform fees actually cover
- Online payment security via Bancontact / credit card (SSL technology, PCI DSS compliance, Mollie integration)
- Real-time availability management: checking kayak stock by date, preventing overbooking
- Automatic confirmation system by email (immediate dispatch of the booking voucher with the details of your trip)
- Customer support and processing of modification or cancellation requests
- Live hydrological data: Semois water level, flow rate, kayak weather, and practicability alerts updated every 6 hours
- Technical maintenance of the platform, secure hosting, security updates
- SEO and digital marketing allowing local providers to be visible without their own advertising investment
How is your total price calculated?
The calculation is simple and completely transparent. Let's take a concrete example with a booking of 2 kayaks on the Membre–Vresse route for 2 adults.
| Provider rate (gross price of the service) | 68.00 € |
| KayakSemois-Ardenne platform fees (10%) | + 6.80 € |
| Total price displayed on our site | 74.80 € |
| Payment breakdown: | |
| 💳 Paid now online Platform fees | 6.80 € |
| 🏕️ Paid on site to the provider Gross rate | 68.00 € |
⚠️ Important to remember: Your booking voucher clearly indicates the exact amount to be paid to the provider on site. Respect this amount: it corresponds to the provider's gross rate, without any supplement. Do not pay more than this indicated amount.
Why does the online deposit correspond exactly to the commission?
This technical choice is deliberate and protects both parties. By setting the online deposit to the exact amount of our platform fees:
- The provider receives exactly their usual rate from the customer on site, without having to manage complex calculations.
- The customer never pays more than the displayed price: the sum of the two payments (online + on site) is strictly equal to the announced total price.
- The booking is legally secured: the payment of a deposit constitutes a contractual obligation enforceable against both parties.
Your rights as a customer
Transparency on the final price
In accordance with the European Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights, the total price you pay is communicated to you clearly and legibly before any order validation. The booking summary systematically breaks down:
- The total price of the service (all fees included)
- The amount of the booking fees paid online
- The remaining balance to be paid on site to the provider
Immediate confirmation and traceability
As soon as your online payment is validated, you automatically receive a booking voucher by email containing:
- The complete summary of your booking (date, route, number of kayaks)
- The name and contact details of the provider
- The exact amount to be paid on site (mentioned in bold)
- A unique booking number allowing identification on site
Protection in case of cancellation
If the descent is cancelled for reasons beyond your control (river flooding, administrative closure, dangerous weather conditions), the platform fees are fully refunded to you. In the event of cancellation on your part, the platform fees are non-refundable (they remunerate services already executed: availability check, sending confirmations, blocking the time slot).
Booking via our platform vs. booking direct: what do you gain?
Some providers accept bookings by phone or email. Here is what the KayakSemois-Ardenne platform brings you in addition for a 10% markup:
- ✅ Availability verified in real time (no risk of double booking)
- ✅ Instant confirmation by email (no waiting for a callback)
- ✅ Secure online payment via Bancontact (Mollie, PCI DSS certified)
- ✅ Semois hydrological conditions accessible before booking (level, flow, kayak weather)
- ✅ Enforceable booking voucher (legal document in case of dispute)
- ✅ Customer support in case of problems with the provider
- ✅ Access to the loyalty program KayakSemois-Ardenne (accumulate points and benefits)
In summary, platform fees offer you the peace of mind of a guaranteed, secure, and documented booking, while supporting local providers who do not have the resources to develop their own digital infrastructure.
Our partner providers: selected local professionals
KayakSemois-Ardenne collaborates exclusively with approved, insured providers trained in river rescue. Each partner provider has been selected according to strict criteria:
- Official approval issued by the Francophone Federation of Water Sports (FFSN) or equivalent body
- Civil liability insurance covering recreational water activities
- Equipment up to standard: regularly maintained kayaks and canoes, approved life jackets
- Staff trained in aquatic first aid
- Compliance with regulations of the Semois river (minimum flow rates, authorized navigation zones)
This rigorous selection partly justifies our platform fees: we invest in the verification and monitoring of these partnerships to guarantee you a high-quality and safe experience.
How do our providers receive their income?
The partner providers receive their usual rate directly from you on site. KayakSemois-Ardenne does not collect money on behalf of the provider and does not retain a portion of the service rate. The commission is taken upfront (during online payment) via the 10% price markup that you accepted during booking.
This model guarantees that the provider receives exactly their announced rate and that you have no bad surprises regarding the amount claimed on site.
Calculation examples based on group size
Example 1 — Solo in a single kayak (short route)
| Single kayak provider rate | 25.00 € |
| Platform fees (10%) | + 2.50 € |
| Total displayed price | 27.50 € |
| 💳 Paid online (platform fees) | 2.50 € |
| 🏕️ Paid on site to the provider | 25.00 € |
Example 2 — Family: 2 singles + 1 double (medium route)
| 2 × single at 25 € = 50 € + 1 × double at 46 € = 46 € | 96.00 € |
| Platform fees (10%) | + 9.60 € |
| Total displayed price | 105.60 € |
| 💳 Paid online (platform fees) | 9.60 € |
| 🏕️ Paid on site to the provider | 96.00 € |
Example 3 — Group of 5 single kayaks (long route)
| 5 × single at 31 € = 155 € | 155.00 € |
| Platform fees (10%) | + 15.50 € |
| Total displayed price | 170.50 € |
| 💳 Paid online (platform fees) | 15.50 € |
| 🏕️ Paid on site to the provider | 155.00 € |
Frequently asked questions about booking fees
The booking fees (10% of the provider rate) cover the maintenance of the online booking platform, securing payment via Bancontact, real-time availability management, sending automatic confirmations, and customer support. This amount is collected during your booking and constitutes the entire remuneration of KayakSemois-Ardenne.
On site, you pay exactly the provider's base rate, without any supplement. This amount is clearly indicated on your booking voucher in the "Remaining amount to pay on site" section. Do not pay more than this amount to the provider.
The platform fees cover services activated upon confirmation (availability check, sending confirmations, blocking the time slot). They are non-refundable in the event of cancellation on your part. However, if we or the provider cancel (flooding, river closure, force majeure), you are fully refunded, platform fees included.
Yes, absolutely. The price displayed during your booking is the final price including all charges. There are no hidden fees, no surprises. This total amount is simply split into two payments for practical and legal reasons.
This system is common in the leisure and tourism sector. It guarantees your booking via a legally binding deposit, while allowing local providers to manage their collections on site with their own tools. Providers thus receive their exact rate without complex accounting manipulation.
Yes. We use Mollie, a European payment operator certified PCI DSS level 1 (the highest level of security). Your banking data never passes through our servers. Payment is accepted via Bancontact, the preferred solution for Belgians.
No. The platform fees are included in the price and are an integral part of the online booking service. If you wish to avoid these fees, you can contact the local providers directly by phone, but you will then not benefit from any of the guarantees offered by our platform (instant confirmation, booking voucher, real-time availability).
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