Destination Crete

Booking Terms and Conditions

1. DEFINITIONS
In the context of a contract between DESTINATION CRETE and their customers and of wording of advertisements and invoices, etc. the following terms have the meanings stated below:

1.1 DESTINATION CRETE
is the registered trading name of Terence and Paula Bullent and various members of their immediate family. It signifies the business of letting holiday villa accommodation owned by our family and situated in Crete.

1.2 Your holiday; your booking
your purchase of holiday accommodation that we advertise and supply and for which you will pay or have paid us in full. Also things that you may book or purchase that we advertise for third party recommended suppliers and third party suppliers as defined below.

1.3 Villa
a self contained dwelling fully equipped with furniture, furnishings, white goods, etc. of good quality and in quantities sufficient for the number of people booked for your holiday together with use of a shared or private swimming pool.

1.4 Your party
the group of people each named on your booking form that will occupy a particular villa for the period of time specified on your accommodation voucher.

1.5 Basic booking price and long stay discounts
is the price advertised on our website for renting the holiday accommodation there described. It includes use of the accommodation for the period specified, one thorough cleaning per week and one complete set of clean linen per week. The basic booking prices shown on this website are for a stay of one week. A discount of 10% is applied to second and third weeks booked. A discount of 15% is applied for a 4th or more weeks.

1.6 Total booking price
Is the basic booking price plus any extras you order, plus full cost of goods or services you order from third party recommended suppliers. It does not include the price of goods or services ordered from third party general suppliers.

1.7 Booking deposit
a sum of money (normally 20% of your total booking price) you deposit with us to reserve your holiday accommodation as detailed on an interim invoice which we send you after receiving your completed booking form. Once paid a contract will exist between you and DESTINATION CRETE the obligations and conditions of which are described below. Your booked accommodation is not guaranteed until the deposit is paid and cleared. The booking deposit is non-returnable except in the highly unlikely event of our having to cancel your holiday.

1.8 Holiday one week standard period
runs from arrival on a Tuesday to 10.00 AM the following Tuesday in line with the charter flight operators who fly from the UK into Chania only on each Tuesday. We can accept bookings starting on other days of the week only in the very early and late stages of the season (February, March, October and November). Bookings of 4 or more consecutive weeks – 10% discount

1.9 Double bedroom
a bedroom with a double bed (at least 140cm wide) and other furniture sufficient to cater for a couple.

1.10 Twin bedroom
a bedroom with two single beds (at least 70cm wide) and other furniture sufficient to cater for two people or a couple. In most cases the beds are designed so that pushed together and with a double mattress pad put on top, they become a comfortable double bed.

1.11 Open plan kitchen
A fully fitted kitchen located in the living space or adjoining it, consisting of large free-standing fridge/freezer, a full-sized oven and hob, stainless steel sink with mixer tap, a clothes washing machine, a range of cupboards giving plenty of storage space and adequate counter top food preparation areas. Cooking utensils sufficient to prepare food for the number of persons in your party are provided and on the counter top you will find an electric kettle and a toaster.

1.12 House cleaning
included in your basic booking price is done for you once a week, the first of which is that done for your arrival. If you wish you can order an additional midweek clean (see “Extras” on prices pages). If you are staying one week your inclusive single house clean is that done before your arrival on a Tuesday. If you are staying more than a week your further weekly clean/s (included in the basic holiday price) will be done on a Monday or Wednesday as discussed upon your arrival. If you purchase extra mid-week cleanings, they will be done on a Friday or Saturday by arrangement. A house clean includes stripping the beds and making them up with clean linen and providing clean towels.

1.13 Clean linen set for one week
consists of one pair of sheets for each bed plus two pillowcases per person. One bath towel and one face towel per person. Two tea towels in the kitchen. If you are staying more than a week, a complete new set will be brought by the cleaners on a Monday or Wednesday as discussed upon your arrival.
** NOTE the towels we supply are for use in our villas only; you should not take and use them anywhere else, especially the beach.

1.14 Air conditioner
a heat exchanger for cooling or warming the interior of a house or villa up to the point regarded as comfortable.

1.15 Full air conditioning
that a house/villa is equipped with air conditioners sufficient to warm or cool it to a reasonable degree. It does not necessarily mean there is an air conditioner in every room.

1.16 Damage deposit
a sum of 250 euros cash you lodge with us at the start of your holiday. Provided there is no charge to be made, cash is refundable in full at the end of your holiday, within three weeks following your departure. A charge will become due for replacing, renewing or cleaning anything in, on or around your accommodation that your group has damaged, spoiled or lost.

1.18 Shared swimming pool
a pool that is used by specific neighbouring holidaymakers as well as yourselves.

1.19 Private swimming pool
a pool that is exclusively for the use of your own party and anyone you may wish to invite. The pool will be walled in such a way that provides a reasonable level of privacy but it may not be completely secluded.

1.20 Third party recommended suppliers
people, firms or organisations that supply goods or services that are offered on the DESTINATION CRETE website and for which you may pay a booking deposit through us but may pay the balance through us or directly to the supplier.

1.21 Third party general suppliers
people, firms or organisations that supply goods or services that are mentioned on the DESTINATION CRETE website and for which you may pay a booking deposit and/or a final balance direct to the supplier.

1.22 Welcome drinks basket supplied
complimentary drinks normally including mineral water, beer, wine and fruit juice. **Note: contents listed are indicative of a typical basket but may vary according to availability, stated preferences or seasonal factors.

1.23 Airport onward travel and return transport
is not offered. Taxis are plentiful at the airports and are not expensive. **NOTE: If you hire a car through us, it can be collected and returned at the airport or ferry port at no extra cost – thus you will not require any additional transport.

2. DESCRIPTIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

2.1 Veracity

We try to be accurate and truthful in our descriptions and depictions of your holiday accommodation and surroundings. However, we cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies, changes of a minor nature or for differences of opinion as to the veracity of descriptions and depictions.

We try to ensure that third party suppliers and recommended suppliers featured on our website are similarly accurate and truthful and provide good quality services and products. We will, if you are not satisfied with them, intervene on your behalf but we cannot be held ultimately responsible for the veracity of their descriptions, depictions or pronouncements, nor for their quality of goods or services provided.

2.2 Events beyond our control

If a major change or event occurs making your holiday accommodation less desirable (for example – a major building program starts very close by) or unusable (for example - a major fire) we will inform you as soon as we learn about it. If you then, assuming the accommodation remains viable, choose to go ahead with the holiday you booked, we will pay you reasonable compensation.

If the circumstances are such that there is no alternative but to cancel your booked holiday altogether, we will first offer you suitable alternative equivalents. If you accept an offered equivalent but it is advertised at a greater price than your original choice, we will waive any extra payment due. If it is lower in price, we will refund the difference plus reasonable compensation.
(compensation, as distinct from a refund, will not, in any circumstances, exceed 15% of the basic advertised cost of your holiday accommodation)

If, in these circumstances, you choose not to accept an offered equivalent but insist on canceling your holiday we will refund your booking deposit money or your full payment whichever is appropriate but we will not pay compensation.

3. BOOKING

Booking a DESTINATION CRETE holiday follows the general pattern below:

3.1 e-booking

Choose from our website the property you wish to book;

Telephone or email to check availability for the dates you want;

If your first choice of villa is not available we will do our best to offer you equivalent or similar accommodation;

Assuming you make an ultimate choice, we will then hold that accommodation in reserve for you for 72 hours in which to book flights or other transportation to Crete;

Telephone or email us to confirm the booking

Submit a fully completed On-line Booking Form from which we will raise and send to you an itemised invoice. If you are satisfied with the invoice, pay a 20% booking deposit (if your holiday is 9 weeks or less to departure, the whole payment will be due);

At approximately 10 weeks from your departure, we will send you a request for the balance of your payment which is due 9 weeks prior to the start of your holiday;

If the balance due from you remains unpaid at 8 weeks from your scheduled arrival date, we will send you a final reminder. If you do not respond to that within 72 hours, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled and offer to others the property for the dates you had booked.

Upon receiving your full and final payment, we will send you a receipt covering the time you have booked in the villa of your choice. Just before your holiday we will send you our holiday-makers helpsheets of directions and travelers advice.

3.2 Paper based booking

Choose from the www.destiinationcrete.co.uk website the property you wish to book;

Telephone or fax to check on availability for the dates you want;

If your first choice of villa is not available we will do our best to offer you equivalent or similar accommodation;

Assuming you then make an ultimate choice, we will then hold that accommodation, if available, in reserve for you for 72 hours;

You have those 72 hours to book flights or other transportation to Crete;

Telephone or fax to confirm the booking and to discuss any extras you may wish to include;

Submit by post a fully completed Booking Form from which we will raise and send to you an itemised invoice. If you are satisfied with the invoice, pay a 20% booking deposit (if your holiday is 9 weeks or less to your arrival date, the whole payment will be due);

At approximately 10 weeks from your arrival date, DESTINATION CRETE will send you a request for the balance of your payment then due;

If the balance due from you remains unpaid at 8 weeks from your scheduled arrival date, we will send you a final reminder. If you do not respond to that within 72 hours, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled and offer the time you had reserved to others.

Upon receiving your full and final payment, we will send you a voucher covering the time you have booked in the villa of your choice. This will come with our holiday-makers pack of directions and travellers advice.

*NOTE: It is up to you the client to book your travel to Crete and back. There is a page on our website giving information and advice as to how to do this. You are very strongly advised to book your travel before paying the deposit or full price for your accommodation.
We also very strongly advise you to take out travel insurance as soon as you have placed a booking with us.

3.3 Cancellation of your booking

If Destination Crete has for some reason to cancel your booking, the procedure and conditions of our making you a refund or paying you monetary compensation are written in the section above titled Changes beyond our control

If you choose, for reasons of your own, to cancel your holiday the following conditions will apply:
Cancellation at any time after your payment of the 20% booking deposit but prior to your paying the balance of the full price – no refund will be paid.

Cancellation in the period between paying the balance of the full price and 6 weeks from the scheduled start of your holiday – a refund of 60% of the full price of your holiday will be made.
Cancellation in the period between 4 and 6 weeks from the scheduled start of your holiday – a refund of 40% of the full price of your holiday will be made.

Cancellation in the period between 2 and 4 weeks from the scheduled start of your holiday – a refund of 20% of the full price of your holiday will be made.

Cancellation in the period between the scheduled start of your holiday and 2 weeks from the start of your holiday – no refund will be made.

4. OBLIGATIONS

Upon your sending in a booking form and paying a 20% booking deposit or the full price, a contractual agreement then exists between DESTINATION CRETE and your party. Laid out below are the obligations and conditions to be observed by each of the parties to the agreement.

5. OUR OBLIGATIONS

5.1 GENERAL

Privacy

DESTINATION CRETE will respect your privacy and leave you to enjoy your holiday without undue interference. On the other hand we will turn up punctually on scheduled visits (for example to clean your villa) and as quickly as possible if you call us for help;

Notwithstanding the above, DESTINATION CRETE reserves the right to enter the property without prior notice if an emergency or other occurrence affecting the health and safety of tenants or members of the general public makes it imperative.

Emergencies

Vital telephone numbers are included in your travelers advice pack to call if you need help. Also to be found in your villa’s manual and posted in various places about your villa.

If the difficulty cannot be resolved by a telephone conversation, it is our aim to respond to any call for help by arriving at your villa, or where you happen to be (reasonably locally) within 90 minutes.

Return of damage deposit

We will endeavour to inspect the property and run through the inventory with you at the end of your holiday on your day of departure. If you have paid a cash deposit, we will return to you in cash the whole or whatever portion of the damage deposit is due. If you have deposited a signed credit or debit card slip, we will return it to you or fill in the appropriate figure for damage done and process the payment. However, as Tuesday is always a very busy day for us, it may not always be possible to carry out this procedure and we reserve the right to send you the balance of your damage deposit, together with a clearly itemised list of deductions, if any, within three weeks of your departure.

5.2 BOOKING

In respect of the booking procedure described above

carry out our part of the procedure efficiently and in good time;

if your chosen accommodation proves to be unsuitable or is unavailable, we will try to offer you reasonable alternatives;

Changing your booking details

if you wish to make a significant material change in your booking (for example to change or add a named person or to change the villa booked) we will do our best to accommodate you. However we cannot promise to make such changes and we reserve the right to charge you an administration fee of up to ₤20 per change we do make.

5.3 UPON YOUR ARRIVAL IN CRETE

If you have hired a car it will be waiting at your arrival point for you to collect. You will be required to show your driving license and passport and pay the hire charge. The DESTINATION CRETE representative or the car hire representative will make sure you have and understand the directions sheet (sent to you in your travelers pack) and explain how to find your accommodation. There will be a telephone number on the directions sheet to call if you get lost.

If you have not hired a car through us, you may have hired a car independently and must follow the instructions that shall have been issued by the car hire firm. If you have not hired a car at all, you will find a taxi rank facing you as you exit the airport terminal building. Show the taxi driver the section of your helpsheet that explains in Greek how they find your villa.

If your plane or ferry arrives more than 30 minutes late

In the great majority of cases we shall have found out your actual time of arrival and the procedure will be just as above. If, unusually, for any reason the expected representative is not there to meet you, there is a telephone number, listed in your traveler’s advice pack, for you to call in an emergency at any time.

You should call that number and your DESTINATION CRETE representative will then come as soon as possible (normally within 30 minutes) to help you travel safely to your accommodation.
If you have ordered it, your welcome food pack will be in your refrigerator (see “Extras” page for details)

Preparation and maintenance of your villa

Prior to your arrival your villa will have been cleaned and organised for occupation according to the number of people in your party.

The beds will be made and there will be a tankfull of hot water.

The swimming pool will have been cleaned, tested for purity and necessary additives put in.

There will be a manual advising you how to run the house and its systems, particularly in the event of water or electricity cuts.

Initial visit

A DESTINATION CRETE representative will pay a welcome visit early in your stay (usually the day after your arrival). This is to ensure that you are happy with your accommodation, to deal with any difficulties or complaints, to show you how to work the various installed equipment and to tell you about the West Crete area - walks, beaches and bays, good tavernas, etc. as well as the events and places that reflect local culture. Any errors, omissions or other inaccuracies found in the inventory covering your villa can also be dealt with.

6. YOUR OBLIGATIONS

6.1 Booking

To fill in and send to us a completed booking form by email or return of post when requested to do so.

Upon receipt of our booking invoice, to check that all the details are correct and if so pay the 20% booking deposit by the method agreed.

At 9 weeks to the start of your holiday, to pay the whole balance remaining due, whether or not you receive a reminder

6.2 Upon Arrival

To lodge with us a damage deposit of 250 euros in cash from which we will charge the cost of replacing, renewing or cleaning anything in, on or around your accommodation that your group has damaged, spoiled or lost.

To examine the inventory and to point out, at the earliest opportunity, to your DESTINATIONS CRETE representative, any omissions or errors found.

To read the villa manual and familiarise yourself with the systems that are installed and how to operate them. It is particularly important that you know what to do in the event of cuts in the water and electricity supplies.

6.3 During your stay

To conduct yourselves in a reasonable manner so as not to cause offence, danger, threat or annoyance to others.

To treat the property in which you stay with reasonable care so as not to cause willful damage to the buildings, equipment and furnishings.

To read and adhere to the villa manual notes or posted notices that warn of the possibility of danger to your health, person or belongings.

To read and adhere to the villa manual notes or posted notices that advise you of how to operate the villa equipment, services, locks, fastenings, etc.

Not to sublet the property in which you stay or bring persons over and above those named on your booking form or subsequently requested change of named persons to stay in the property.

Not to bring any pets to stay in the property.

Not to bring or use in the property any substances of a narcotic character or any that are banned by Greek law to be used or possessed by individuals.

To report to DESTINATION CRETE any damage that occurs to the property or its contents, broken or malfunctioning equipment, etc. whether caused by a member of your party or not.

To report to DESTINATION CRETE any infestation of the property by insects, birds or vermin.

6.4 Upon Departure

To vacate the villa by 10.00 AM on the day of your departure.

To leave the villa in good repair and in a reasonably clean condition as far as possible as you found it at the beginning of your holiday;

To report to DESTINATION CRETE anything in, on or around your accommodation that your group has damaged, spoiled or lost and to agree a sum that covers the cost of replacing, renewing or cleaning appropriately;

To also report anything that has, through no fault of your own or of any person in your party, been damaged, ceased to function or is working badly. This particularly applies to the electric, water, heating/cooling or drainage systems.

7. TERMS & CONDITIONS

All transactions, agreements and day to day business arising from or consequential to this document are subject to the following:

Each adult member of your party will be held severally and fully responsible for the obligations and conditions agreed to in this document;

Your party remains responsible also for the actions of any guest or visitor that you bring into the villa;

This document and all consequences of it are governed by relevant English law and, where applicable, also by Greek law and statutes

Only the persons named on your booking form and/or our final invoice and/or your accommodation voucher (your party) may occupy the stated property. You may make agreed changes to the composition of your party prior to your holiday so long as you pay any additional fees, taxes or costs that then become due. Contraventions of this condition, when discovered, are grounds for immediate eviction of people not named on your booking form from the occupied property and they may be pursued, on the grounds of trespass, by DESTINATION CRETE by all legal means for lost revenues or inconvenience.

**Please note that any person staying in the property but not named as a member of your party will invalidate their holiday travel insurance – also they will not be able to claim any compensation or redress for illness, personal injury or any other harm, distress, loss or inconvenience that can be said to be the fault of DESTINATION CRETE.

DESTINATION CRETE accepts no responsibility for mistakes or omissions on the part of other persons, firms, local authorities, utilities providers or any other supplier either of goods or services or for the quality of their goods and services, notwithstanding that we may have advertised those suppliers and given them a specific or implied recommendation.

DESTINATION CRETE cannot be held responsible for unforeseeable events that spoil your holiday, cause you to interrupt or to abandon your holiday. If an event of this nature is known by us to have occurred before your holiday or if it is foreseeable by us, we will inform you as quickly as we can and seek to agree on an appropriate action.

DESTINATION CRETE has sought, by a variety of means, to alleviate the problems caused by electricity and water cuts. However, interruptions in these services are a regular occurrence in high summer. Advice as to how to prevent these from spoiling your holiday is to be found in your villa manual. We consider these occurrences as events beyond our control and accordingly we cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising.

The names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of the adults in your party will be kept on a computer database unless we receive clear instructions that you wish us to delete your details. We will not divulge or give the information we posses about you to any other person or organisation. We will use it to communicate with you between your booking your holiday and your arrival at your villa. After your holiday we may need to get in touch to discuss any issue arising from your stay with us. We also of course want to invite you back to Crete and to publicise our accommodation and any future developments. All data held will be in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Swimming pool safety

DESTINATION CRETE seeks to make you aware of the dangers inherent in using a swimming pool. These are reduced to a negligible level if the pool is suitably arranged and equipped and if the users of the pool act in ways sensitive to the dangers. Please ensure that you have read the relevant sections of your villa manual and any notices posted around the property. We will not be held responsible for any accident or injury to any member of your party who does not follow the rules and advice given or allows any person unable to read and understand them to go on to the poolside or in the pool unaccompanied. Children and adult non-swimmers must be supervised at all times when on the poolside or in the pool.

Very young children must be prevented from going on to the poolside unsupervised. A gate with a bolt is provided for this purpose and must be used appropriately
Where your accommodation includes a shared swimming pool, DESTINATION CRETE will ensure there are enough sunloungers and other outdoor furniture for the numbers booked. You are expected to use the pool and surrounding patio areas in a fashion that does not spoil the enjoyment of other legitimate users. Neighbours must seek permission of one another to invite outsiders to use the pool.

There are rules and warnings of various kinds on notices placed strategically around villas and villa sites. They are also published in your villa manual. Destination Crete accepts no responsibility for any accident or injury that results from actions that contravene the rules or take no heed of the warnings.

Force majeure

DESTINATION CRETE will not be liable for any delay or other failure to perform any service by reason of any cause whatsoever beyond its reasonable control.
Assignment and Sub-contracting

Assignment and Sub-contracting

This contract is personal to the client/s and is not assignable by them unless agreed in writing by DESTINATION CRETE. If we agree to an assignment we will make an administration charge of ₤80. We, however, reserve the right to assign the contract and all rights under it and/or to sub-contract to others all or any of our obligations if circumstances make it necessary but we would do so only if we were unable to conduct the business for reasons beyond our control.

Severability

If any provision of this contract is held by any court or other competent authority to be void or unenforceable in whole or in part, the other provisions of the contract and any remainder of the affected provision or provisions shall continue to be valid.

Variations

No variation of these provisions shall be valid or binding unless agreed in writing between the company and the client.