Effective Date: 21 February 2026
1. Nature of the Residency
Vicky’s Keys (“VK”) operates as a Heritage Agrarian Campus and structured residency program aligned with Plantation Succour and the Heritage Agrarian Institute of Caribbean Innovation (HAICI).
The Residency Program is participatory, field-based, and community-oriented. It is NOT a hotel, hostel, or short-term tourism accommodation.
By enrolling, residents agree to participate in structured learning sessions, agricultural fieldwork, and community contribution activities.
2. Eligibility & Admission
Residency placement is application-based and subject to review and acceptance by VK management.
Applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Demonstrate alignment with VK’s agrarian and community values
- Possess adequate physical fitness for light-to-moderate agricultural activities
- Provide accurate personal and emergency contact information
VK reserves the right to refuse admission at its discretion.
3. Residency Structure & Participation Requirements
Residents are required to:
- Attend weekly structured agrarian learning sessions
- Participate in at least one weekly field day
- Contribute a minimum of six (6) hours per week to campus activities
- Participate in monthly heritage or community dialogue sessions
- Complete a small applied agrarian or community project
Residency is participatory. Passive occupancy is not permitted.
Failure to meet participation requirements may result in termination of residency without refund.
4. Residency Fees & Payment Terms
All fees are quoted in United States Dollars (USD).
Deposit
A forty percent (40%) non-refundable deposit is required to secure residency placement.
The deposit confirms acceptance and reserves the residency period.
Remaining Balance
The remaining sixty percent (60%) is due:
- Twenty-one (21) days prior to arrival, or
- Immediately for bookings made within 21 days of start date.
Failure to pay the remaining balance by the due date may result in cancellation and forfeiture of the deposit.
5. Cancellation Policy
More than 30 days before start date
Refund of 60% balance. Deposit retained.
14–30 days before start date
Fifty percent (50%) of total program fee refundable.
Less than 14 days before start date
Non-refundable.
No Show
Full fee forfeited.
All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing.
6. Hurricane & Force Majeure Policy
In the event of:
- Official named hurricane warning affecting Sint Maarten
- Airport closure
- Government emergency declaration
- Natural disaster rendering operations unsafe
Residents may choose:
Option A: Program credit valid for twelve (12) months
Option B: Refund minus a 15% administrative fee
VK is not liable for travel disruptions outside its control.
7. Travel Insurance Requirement
All residents must obtain comprehensive travel insurance covering:
- Medical emergencies
- Evacuation
- Trip interruption
- Personal liability
Proof of insurance may be requested prior to arrival.
VK is not responsible for medical costs, evacuation expenses, or travel losses.
8. Agricultural Activity & Liability
Residents acknowledge that agricultural activities involve inherent risks, including but not limited to:
- Use of tools and equipment
- Heat exposure
- Slips and falls
- Uneven terrain
- Weather-related hazards
Participation is voluntary and at the resident’s own risk.
Residents must sign a separate Liability Waiver upon arrival.
9. Code of Conduct
Residents are expected to:
- Act respectfully toward staff, fellow residents, and community members
- Follow safety guidelines
- Respect shared spaces and property
- Abstain from disruptive, abusive, or unlawful behavior
VK reserves the right to terminate residency immediately, without refund, for:
- Harassment or violence
- Substance abuse affecting safety
- Property damage
- Repeated failure to meet participation requirements
- Any behavior deemed harmful to community integrity
10. Accommodation & Facilities
Accommodation type is assigned by VK management.
VK operates within a developing agrarian campus environment. Residents acknowledge:
- Off-grid or semi-off-grid systems may be in place
- Water and power usage may be regulated
- Rural and environmental conditions may apply
Facility use must comply with campus guidelines.
11. Intellectual Property
Projects developed during residency remain the intellectual property of the resident unless developed jointly with VK infrastructure or under specific collaboration agreements.
VK may reference non-confidential projects for educational and promotional purposes.
12. Media & Photography
VK may document campus activities for educational and promotional use.
Residents may opt out of identifiable photography by submitting written notice.
Residents must obtain permission before photographing community members.
13. Privacy & Data Protection
VK operates in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.
Personal information is used solely for residency administration and will not be shared with third parties without consent unless required by law.
14. Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Sint Maarten and, where applicable, the Netherlands.
Any disputes shall fall under the jurisdiction of the competent courts of Sint Maarten.
15. Agreement
By submitting a deposit and participating in the Residency Program, the resident acknowledges acceptance of these Terms & Conditions.
END OF RESIDENCY TERMS
Community Agrarian Apprentice (Volunteer) Terms
1. Nature of the Apprentice Program
The Community Agrarian Apprentice Program is a short-term participatory engagement within the Vicky’s Keys Heritage Agrarian Campus.
This program is designed for individuals who wish to gain introductory hands-on experience in regenerative agriculture, community food systems, and land-based learning.
This is not a hotel, hostel, or tourism package.
Apprentices are expected to actively contribute to campus activities.
2. Duration
Apprentice participation is limited to:
- Minimum stay: 1 week
- Maximum stay: 4 weeks
Extensions beyond 4 weeks require transition into the Residency Program and approval by VK management.
3. Eligibility
Apprentices must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be physically capable of light-to-moderate agricultural activity
- Agree to participate in structured contribution hours
- Provide accurate personal and emergency contact details
VK reserves the right to accept or decline applications.
4. Community Contribution Requirement
Apprentices are required to contribute:
Minimum of 20 hours per week
Contribution may include:
- Garden maintenance
- Composting
- Market preparation
- Site upkeep
- Light construction or repair tasks
- Event assistance
Apprentices are not employees and receive no wages.
Participation is educational and experiential.
5. Program Fee & Payment
All fees are quoted in United States Dollars (USD).
A Community Contribution Fee is required to participate.
Recommended range:
$200 – $350 per week
or
$750 – $900 per month
Deposit
A 25% non-refundable deposit is required to secure placement.
Remaining balance is due upon arrival.
Failure to pay remaining balance may result in cancellation and forfeiture of deposit.
6. Cancellation Policy
More than 14 days before arrival
Refund of remaining balance. Deposit retained.
Less than 14 days before arrival
Non-refundable.
No Show
Full fee forfeited.
All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing.
7. Hurricane & Force Majeure
In the event of:
- Official hurricane warning
- Airport closure
- Government emergency declaration
- Natural disaster
VK may suspend or modify the program.
Apprentices may receive program credit valid for 12 months.
Refunds due to force majeure are not guaranteed and may be subject to administrative deduction.
8. Health, Insurance & Liability
Apprentices must:
- Maintain valid travel or health insurance
- Disclose any relevant medical conditions
Agricultural work involves inherent risks including:
- Use of tools
- Exposure to heat and weather
- Uneven terrain
- Manual labor
Participation is voluntary and at the apprentice’s own risk.
All apprentices must sign a separate Liability Waiver upon arrival.
VK is not liable for personal injury, illness, loss, or damage.
9. Code of Conduct
Apprentices must:
- Follow safety instructions
- Respect staff and residents
- Maintain respectful behavior
- Abstain from disruptive or unsafe conduct
VK reserves the right to remove any apprentice immediately and without refund for:
- Harassment or violence
- Substance abuse affecting safety
- Property damage
- Repeated failure to meet contribution requirements
- Behavior harmful to campus integrity
10. Accommodation
Accommodation type is assigned by VK management.
Apprentices acknowledge that VK operates within a developing agrarian campus environment, which may include:
- Shared rooms
- Off-grid or semi-off-grid systems
- Regulated water and electricity use
11. Photography & Media
VK may document activities for educational or promotional purposes.
Apprentices may opt out of identifiable photography by submitting written notice.
12. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Sint Maarten and, where applicable, the Netherlands.
13. Agreement
By submitting payment and participating in the Apprentice Program, participants acknowledge acceptance of these Terms & Conditions.
END OF APPRENTICE TERMS
Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability
This site is provided by Stichting Marlin Yard (foundation) on an "as is" and "as available" basis. You expressly agree that use of this site is at your sole risk. To the full extent permissible by applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, as to the operation of this site or the information, content, materials, or hostels included on this site. Marlin Yard does not warrant that such items are complete, accurate, reliable, current or error-free. We do not warrant that this site, its servers, or e-mail sent from services on behalf of www.vickyskeys.com are free of viruses or other harmful components. We will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this site. Hypertext links to other Internet resources, which are not under the control of Marlin Yard, are used at your own risk. The products, services, information, and materials obtained through this site are provided, serviced by, and subject to the terms, conditions and warranties, if any, offered by the respective provider of such products, services, information and materials. In the event of a problem arising, our liability, if any, is limited to the fees paid by you on this website. Marlin Yard and its members make no representation with respect to, and shall not be held liable or accountable for, the conformity of third party products, services, information and materials to such terms, conditions and warranties.
Complaints
Stichting Marlin Yard and affiliated organizations and associates operate a quality assurance scheme for all its businesses, based on internationally agreed standards, and therefore take any complaints received very seriously. If you have cause for complaint during your stay that cannot be satisfied by dealing directly with the hostel manager or if you have a complaint about any aspect of our booking process or services please write or e-mail us, using the contact details provided on this site, and we shall try to resolve the matter quickly and confidentially.
Applicable Law
The contract and these terms and conditions are governed by the laws of St. Maarten / Netherlands. The courts of St. Maarten /the Netherlands shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine any dispute in connection with such terms and conditions or use of the website.
Site Policies, Modification, and Severability
We reserve the right to make changes to our site, policies, and these Terms and Conditions of Use at any time and you should therefore visit www.vickyskeys.com regularly to view recent changes. If any of these conditions shall be deemed invalid, void, or for any reason unenforceable, that condition shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining condition.
Privacy Policy
We know that you care how information about you is used. We are committed to protecting your privacy. We will only use the information that we collect about you lawfully and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. The information about you is collected if you make a booking and includes your:
Name
E-mail address and password
Credit card processing details
The software we use encrypts all your personal information so that it cannot be read as it travels over the Internet. You can check that the information we hold about you is accurate and up-to-date by contacting us. If you find anything is inaccurate we will delete or amend the error promptly. We will never collect sensitive information about you without your explicit consent. Apart from the purpose of making a booking, if relevant, we will always obtain your consent before transferring your information outside the European Economic Area or e-mailing you in connection with matters that do not relate to your travel and accommodation plans with us. We will not pass your information to any third parties. This site does not use cookies to trace the patterns of behaviour of visitors. However first party cookies are used to improve the quality of navigation experienced by site visitors.
Card Payment Security
Using your credit card to make purchases via this site is a secure way to confirm your booking. Marlin Yard has put a number of security steps in place to give you confidence when booking on-line. The communication of all sensitive information, including personal details and credit card information, is encrypted through the use of our secure server and your web browser. This means that information can only be exchanged between you and Marlin Yard and that no third party can access this data whilst it is being sent over the internet. All booking details are then held on a secure computer. We do not retain live records of credit card information on our internet web servers after the booking and payment transaction have been completed.
Facebook App Privacy Policy
Friends@VickysKeys Facebook App
The Facebook App allows registered visitors to add their hostel stay (location and travel dates) to their Facebook profile and also makes this information available to all other users of the application. Friends@VickysKeys allows users to write blog entries, photos and videos to each stay, which the user can set to either private or public. The Facebook App stores the Profile ID together with destination hostel and travel dates which is made available to other registered App users. This information is used only within the application. Facebook profile photos and links to Facebook profiles for registered users of the App are displayed on www.vickyskeys.com hostel pages whose travel dates match those of a hostel search. We don't share this data with any third parties.
