Terms & Conditions

Accommodation Booking Terms & Conditions

 

1
Who We Are & Our Agreement With You

Sand & Stone Escapes Ltd is A Company registered in England and Wales under number 10094888, whose registered office is at Unit 5, The Bull Pen, Churchill Heath Farm, Kingham Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England, OX7 6UJ) (“We” / “Us” / “Our”) is the booker of Your (“Your” / “You”) Accommodation subject to these Booking Conditions.

2
Booking Process

2.1 These Booking Conditions apply to Your Booking of Accommodation set out in Your Booking Confirmation. We are either the owner of the Property or have the full legal authority from the owner of the Property to enter into this Agreement with You.

2.2 Unless otherwise agreed, all Bookings are to be made via Sand & Stone Escapes Ltd (Us). We may require You to complete a booking form or to make Your Booking via the Sand & Stone Escapes website. Notwithstanding, We are the principal supplier of the Accommodation to You.

2.3 When You book Your Accommodation with Us, You guarantee that You have the
authority to do so as Lead Booker on behalf of Your party and You accept these Booking Terms and Conditions.

2.4 The Lead Booker must be at least 21 years of age to book Accommodation with
Sand & Stone Escapes and will assume responsibility for the whole party and the
compliance with these rules and the Property rules, of all party members.

2.5 We are not the supplier of the Property. We are acting as an agent for the Property Owner.

2.6 Our role is limited to arranging for You to enter into a contract with the Property
Owner, as per these terms and conditions, which will apply to Your Booking.

2.7 When We arrange a Booking for Accommodation, (either from details provided
by You over our website, email or over the telephone), We use the details You have provided to Us, therefore it is important that all the names, addresses and dates of travel that You have provided to Us are correct.

2.8 We shall forward to You a Booking Confirmation with full details of Your Booking.
Please check this through thoroughly upon receipt to ensure that these details are
correct. Making changes to the particulars of a confirmed Booking following 24hrs
of receipt of Your Booking Confirmation may incur charges, therefore it is important that You ensure that information provided to Us is correct to avoid any charges.

2.9 Your Booking is for the Accommodation set out in Your Booking Confirmation.
Your Booking does not include any other travel extras unless otherwise stated in
Your Booking Confirmation.

3
Maximum Occupancy

3.1 Your travelling party must not exceed the Maximum Occupancy unless We agree
otherwise.

3.2 In the event that We discover that Your travelling party exceeds the Maximum
Occupancy We reserve the right to charge You twenty percent (20%) of the Booking Value for Your Booking for each additional guest. You consent to Us charging Your credit card in this regard.

3.3 You must not add to the party size of the original booking without prior consent of Sand & Stone Escapes Ltd.

3.4 A cot may only be occupied by a child aged 24 months or less.

4
Principle Suppliers

Accommodation

4.1 Accommodation at the Property specified in Your Booking Confirmation is
provided by the Property Owner and is subject to these terms & conditions.

4.2 You acknowledge that We have brought these terms & conditions to Your
attention prior to You making Your Booking and You agree to be bound by them.

4.3 You acknowledge that pursuant to these Terms:

4.4 The Property will be available to You from 4pm on Your Arrival Date until 10am
on Your Departure Date unless otherwise stated or arranged.

4.5 We will send You the check in details for the property before Your arrival, upon
receipt of the final balance of the stay.

5
Payments

5.1 All Bookings are subject to Your payment of the Deposit which is due at the time of booking. The Deposit is non-refundable other than in circumstances where We cancel Your Booking or make a significant amendment to Your Booking which You do not approve or where You do not accept an alternative property offered by Us.

5.2 We will invoice you for Your booking on behalf of the Property Owner. All payments are to be made to Us. The Balance of the cost of your accommodation is due by the Balance Due Date which is 2 weeks before Your arrival date. This payment will be taken from the card you paid your deposit with approx. 14 days before travel unless already settled.

5.3 We accept the following methods of payment: Visa or Mastercard Debit/Credit cards and electronic Bank transfer. International payments made by You that incur banking fees are Your liability.

5.4 If You fail to notify us that you would like to use a different payment method
prior to the payment due date You acknowledge that we may take the full remaining balance for the stay, from the card that is kept on our secure encrypted server for the security deposit.

6
Vouchers

6.1 Vouchers must be used within 18 months from date of purchase.

6.2 Vouchers must be paid in full at the time of booking.

6.3 Vouchers can be used for any Sand & Stone Escapes property for any available date.

6.4 Vouchers are non-refundable.

6.5 Once claimed the vouchers are not transferable.

6.6 Once claimed the booking must adhere to Sand & Stone Escapes’ terms and conditions.

6.7 Vouchers may not be exchanged for cash.

6.8 Proof of the voucher must be provided at the time of booking with Sand & Stone Escapes.

7
Security Deposit

You acknowledge and agree that You are required to provide the Security Deposit as part of the check-in process. The Security Deposit will be taken by Sand & Stone Escapes as a pre-authorisation.

8
Deduction for An Unacceptable State

A final clean is included in the price of Your Booking, however the property should be left in a clean and tidy state upon departure – clean countertops and rubbish disposed of, dirty dishes and glasses should also be loaded in the dishwasher and the dishwasher switched on. If however You leave the Property in an unreasonable state which requires additional cleaning services over and above what is generally required at the conclusion of a stay at the Property, We reserve the right to make a deduction from the Security Deposit equal to the additional cleaning costs We incur.

9
Deduction For Damage

9.1 Our service providers will undertake a thorough check of the Property after Your
departure and prior to Our next guests checking-in. We will advise You as soon as
possible of any damage discovered and We will provide photographs where possible.

9.2

We understand that accidents happen, and We will not make any claims for minor damage or breakages not exceeding GBP £50, provided we are informed of these breakages at the time they happen. We will also consider and disclaim possible maintenance, cumulative wear and tear and any other pre-existing factors that may have contributed to the damage. We will always be reasonable in determining whether to make a deduction to the Security Deposit and We will not make a deduction prior to You having a reasonable time to respond.  If We are not informed of the breakage or items go missing without explanation We reserve the right to charge the full replacement value even if it’s less than £50.

9.2.1 If We determine it necessary to make a deduction to the Security Deposit, then We will charge Your card with the amount required to replace or rectify the damage (on a like-for-like basis), and notwithstanding. We will never add a markup.

10
Check-In & Check-Out

The Property will be available for You from 4pm on Your Arrival Date. (Unless
otherwise stated or confirmed by Us.). You must vacate the Property by 10am
(Unless otherwise stated or confirmed by Us) on Your Departure Date. It is important that You depart on time so that Our cleaners can prepare the Property for the next guests. If You fail to vacate the Property on time, then We reserve the right charge You GBP £50 per hour for the extra time spent in the property from Your Security Deposit. There will be a minimum of 1hr charged for a late check out.

11
Amendments & Cancellations By You

11.1 If You wish to amend or cancel Your Booking then You are required to notify Us
by email as soon as possible at stay@sandandstoneescapes.com. At our discretion We may permit You to make a date amendment to Your Booking, subject to payment of any reasonable amendment charges notified to You. However, We are not obliged to accept any amendments.

11.2 In addition to any amendment fees payable, We reserve the right to charge an
administration fee of £75 to process any amendment, which You agree to pay from the card details we hold on file.

11.3 You agree not to sell or transfer the booking to another party without Our agreement.

11.4 If You cancel Your Booking, Your Deposit is not refundable under any circumstances, and We will refund any Balance paid at the time of cancellation as follows:

11.4.1 For cancellations received prior to the 14-day Balance Due Date: The 50%
deposit is non-refundable, the remaining balance if any has been paid will be
refunded; and

11.4.2 For cancellations received following the 14-day Balance Due Date: 100% of the booking cost is non-refundable. If the remaining holiday balance has not been paid by the balance due date, We are able to take this remaining balance using your credit or debit card that is kept on our secure server.

12
Amendments & Cancellations By Us

12.1 You acknowledge that circumstances may arise whereby We are required to cancel or make a significant amendment to Your Booking. This includes but is not limited to serious unforeseen circumstances beyond our control such as fire, flood, major building damage and serious health and safety concerns or risks to Your travelling party.

12.2 In the event that We need to cancel or make a significant amendment to Your
Booking, We will notify You as soon as possible. You will have the following options:

12.2.1 Request a refund of all monies paid at the time at which You are notified of the cancellation or significant amendment, which will be paid within 10 working days;

12.2.2 Request that We arrange an alternative property of a similar standard and quality and in the same area to the Property. If We are able to arrange an alternative property at a lower rental value, We will refund the difference to You within 10 working days of You accepting the alternative property.

12.3 Our liability to You in the event of Us cancelling or significantly amending Your Booking shall in no circumstances exceed the price paid by You to Us at the time that We notify You of the cancellation or significant amendment.

12.4 Sand & Stone Escapes Ltd reserves the right to amend prices due to errors or omissions but such changes shall be notified to You as soon as possible and You shall be able to cancel the booking with a refund if the amended price is significantly higher than the original price quoted.

13
Complaints

If You have a problem during Your holiday, You must contact Your Property Manager (or in the absence of a Property Manager the Sand & Stone Escapes office) who will endeavour to put things right and to improve your stay. Please do not wait until after your stay to notify us of anything that is wrong. Your right to any compensation is dependent on whether we could have corrected the issues during your stay. Any compensation is subject to the relevant Accommodation Terms and Conditions and Our liability is limited to passing on any compensation We receive from the Property Owner on account of Your complaint.

14
Conduct, Termination & Indemnity

14.1 You acknowledge that You are responsible for the proper conduct of all members
of Your party during Your holiday, and pursuant to these Terms and Conditions;

14.2 We or the Property Owner reserve the right at any time to terminate the holiday
of any party member(s) whose behaviour is such, in the reasonable opinion of US
or the Property Owner, to cause or to be likely to cause danger, upset, harassment or distress to anyone else or damage to other persons or to property;

14.3 You will generally not be entitled to any refund in the event of You, or any member or Your party, being requested to cease Your holiday in such circumstances;

14.4 We shall be under no obligation whatsoever to pay compensation to You or any
member of Your party, or to meet any costs or expenses (including but not limited to alternative Accommodation) You, or any member of Your party, may incur as a result of Your stay being terminated; and

14.5 You must also indemnify Us for the full amount of any claim (including all legal
costs) made against Us by the relevant Property Owner as a result of damage
caused by You or a member of Your travelling party.

15
Usage, Noise & Animals

15.1 You must not use the Property for any illegal purpose. You must not act in such a
way that has the effect of disturbing residents in neighbouring properties.

15.2 Unless otherwise agreed with Us and the Property Owner, animals are not permitted in the Property or on the Property grounds. If a member of Your travelling party requires a guide or assistance dog, please advise Us and We will endeavour to accommodate this.

15.3 You may not carry out any form of trade or business from the property, nor may
You sub-let any part of the buildings.

15.4 The properties are entirely non-smoking, and You agree not to smoke in any part of them.

16
Property Access During Your Stay & Housekeeping

16.1 You acknowledge that Sand & Stone Escapes Ltd, the Property Owners, Property
Managers, maintenance personnel or house-keeping staff may access the
Property during Your stay to carry out scheduled housekeeping, cleaning,
gardening, or to carry out any essential maintenance work.

16.2 We will endeavour to keep any inconvenience associated with this access to a
minimum.

16.3 A mid-week clean and towel change is included in Your Booking for stays of at
least seven (7) nights. No other house-keeping services are provided unless You
agree them with Us or We indicate them in marketing material or in Your Booking
Confirmation.

17
Force Majeure

17.1 For the purposes of this condition, “Force Majeure” includes, but is not limited to
an act of God or public enemy; war; hostilities; acts of terrorism; risk; fire; flood; storm; civil disturbance; explosion; abnormal or adverse weather conditions; power failure or reduction of power supplies; epidemic or pandemic, acts, orders or regulations of any governmental or regulatory authority, agency, department or association; lack or shortage of materials or inability to procure equipment, labour, fuel, power or
materials from suppliers.

17.2 In the event that We are prevented from performing Our obligations for an event
of Force Majeure, then We shall be entitled to terminate Your Booking and subject
to Us refunding to You any Deposit and Balance payments made We shall have no
further liability to You.

17.3 Subject clause 16.1 of this contract, You acknowledge that You shall not be entitled to any refund if You are not able to make use of Your Booking due to an event of Force Majeure, but where we remain willing and able to accommodate Your Booking.

18
Our Liability

18.1 These Booking Conditions shall not limit or exclude Our liability for death or
personal injury caused by Our negligence.

18.2 Subject to clause 16.1 and to the fullest extent permitted by law:

18.2.1 We shall not have any liability to You (or to any members of Your travelling party or any guests invited to the Property) for any loss, theft, destruction or damage to personal possessions, or any personal injury or death; and

18.2.2 Our maximum liability for all any claims arising out of or in connection with Your Booking at the Property shall be limited to the Booking Value actually paid.

18.2.3 Sand & Stone Escapes Ltd will not be liable for any act, neglect or default on the part of the Property Owner or any other person

18.3 We strongly encourage You and Your travelling party to take out a comprehensive
travel insurance policy to insure against cancellations, public liability, personal
injury, theft, death and damage or destruction to personal belongings.

19
Visa & Health

19.1 Specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are
Your responsibility and You should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. Any information supplied by Us on these or related matters (such as climate, when to travel, clothing, baggage, personal items etc.) is given as general guidance and in good faith but We do not accept liability for any decisions made on the basis of the information supplied.

19.2 The passport, visa and health requirements at the time of Booking can be viewed
on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (fco.gov.uk). It is Your responsibility to ensure that You and all members of Your party are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents, and in compliance with any other immigration requirements, before You travel. If You or any member of Your party is not a British Citizen or holds a non-British Passport, You must check passport and visa requirements with the embassy or consulate of the country(ies) You are travelling to or through. Neither We, nor the supplier(s) of travel services, accept any responsibility if You cannot travel because You have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements.

20
Website & Advertisements

20.1 We aim to ensure that the information and descriptions of the Property are
accurately conveyed on the official website (www.sandandstoneescapes.com) and
in any authorized third-party websites or advertisements.

20.1.1 There may be small differences between the actual Accommodation provided and the description in any promotional material supplied by Sand & Stone Escapes, including the website Should any facilities or services become unavailable we will tell You as soon as possible after we have been made aware of the situation.

20.1.2 We cannot accept responsibility for any changes or closures to local area
amenities or attractions mentioned on the website or advertised elsewhere.

20.1.3 There are many unauthorised websites listing holiday cottages. We cannot accept responsibility for the descriptions on these sites.

21
General & Definitions

21.1 (Entire Agreement) These Booking Conditions constitute the entire agreement
and understanding between Us and You regarding Your Booking and supersede
any and all previous agreements, written or oral, express or implied between Us
and You with respect to Your Booking and they may not be modified except by
Our and Your written agreement.

21.2 (Severability) If any provision of these Booking Conditions is found by any court
or other authority of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal,
the other provisions shall remain in force.

21.3 (Governing Law) These Booking Conditions are governed by the laws of England
and Wales and the jurisdiction of the English courts.

22
Definitions

In these Booking Conditions, the following terms shall have the meanings set opposite
them: Accommodation means Your Accommodation at the Property subject to the
Accommodation Terms; Accommodation Terms means these terms and conditions upon
which the Property Owner contracts with You for the provision of the Property; Arrival Date means the means the date on which Your Booking for the Property commences as specified in Your Booking Confirmation; Booking means Your Booking for the Property upon these Terms and Conditions, and as particularised in Your Booking Confirmation;

Booking Confirmation means the booking confirmation for Your Booking issued by Us and which sets out the particulars relating to Your Booking for the Property; Departure Date means the date on which Your Booking for the Property ends as specified in Your Booking Confirmation; Deposit means the deposit(s) payable by You on acceptance of Your Booking as specified in the Booking Confirmation; Lead Booker means the person who booked the Accommodation, and to whom all correspondence is sent; Property means the property specified in the Booking Confirmation; Property Owner means the person(s) or entity specified in the Booking Confirmation as the owner of the Property; and Property Manager means the person(s) who is looking after the property in the location of the property itself, who takes care of all issues whilst You are at the destination Security Deposit means the amount(s) as specified in the Booking Confirmation, which You authorise Us (as agents for the Property Owner) to charge to Your credit card on the Property Owner’s instructions pursuant to these Accommodation Terms/Working Days means a day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday or any day that is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in the part of the UK where the company is registered. Maximum Occupancy is the maximum number of people allowed to stay in the house, as stated on the property website page and as information given to you by Sand & Stone Escapes Ltd.

23
Travel Insurance

Sand & Stone Escapes neither offers nor insists that You purchase holiday insurance, We do however think that it is prudent to do so. A good travel insurance policy is likely to cover cancellation of Your booking due to most reasons genuinely beyond Your control; some insurances even cover cancellation due to adverse travel and road conditions. This is an attractive feature as neither Sand & Stone Escapes nor the Owner will be liable for events outside Our control that prevent You accessing the property. We also strongly recommend that Your insurance policy covers You for personal liability claims just in case accidental damage is caused during Your stay.