Booking information for The Farmhouse
Booking terrms for this chalet
The following Booking Terms and Conditions (“Booking Conditions”), together with our Privacy Policy and where your single service is booked via our website, our Website Terms of Use, together with any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking, form the basis of your contract with Vita Brevis Limited trading as VIP SKI, company number 13037396 and registered address at 57 Putney Bridge Road, London, SW18 1NP. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations.
These Booking Conditions only apply to accommodation arrangements and/ or ancillary sales which you book with us which we agree to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of our contract with you. All references in these Booking Conditions to ‘booking’, ‘contract’, or ‘arrangements’ mean such accommodation arrangements and/ or ancillary sales. In these Booking Conditions, ‘you’ and ‘your’ means all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date); and ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ means VIP SKI.
By making a booking, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that:
he/she has read these Booking Conditions and has the authority to and does agree to be bound by them;
he/she consents to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and is authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements);
he/she is over 18 years of age and where placing an order for services with age restrictions declares that he/she and all members of the party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services; and
he/she accepts financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking.
PLEASE NOTE: We are not a package organiser under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, as amended. Instead, we offer accommodation with complimentary minor airport transfer services, and childcare as principal. We also offer the ability to book independent transport arrangements, ski/board lessons, lift passes and ski/board equipment hire with us, as agent.
Our obligations to you differ depending upon whether you book single service accommodation with minor airport transfer services and childcare where we act as principal or where we act as a booking agent to help you arrange independent transport arrangements, ski/board lessons, lift passes and ski/board equipment hire sold by a third party tour operator/supplier (the “Supplier/Principal”). Our differing obligations are set out below, in the following separate sections:
(A) Section A contains the conditions that will apply where you make a single service booking for accommodation possibly with minor airport transfer services and childcare where we act as principal; and
(B) Section B contains the conditions which apply where we act as a booking agent to help you arrange independent transport arrangements, ski/board lessons, lift passes and ski/board equipment hire sold by a Supplier/Principal.
SECTION A – APPLICABLE TO ACCOMMODATION INCLUDING AIRPORT TRANSFER AND CHILDCARE BOOKINGS
1. Booking & Paying For Your Accommodation Arrangements Including Airport Transfer Bookings and Childcare
A booking is made with us when you pay us a deposit (or full payment if you are booking within eight (8) weeks of the confirmed arrival date) and we issue you with a booking confirmation. We reserve the right to return your deposit and decline to issue a booking confirmation at our absolute discretion. A binding contract will come into existence between you and us as soon as we have issued you with a booking confirmation that will confirm the details of your booking and will be sent to you or, where you book through a travel agent, your travel agent.
The balance of the cost of your accommodation arrangements including complimentary airport transfer (including any applicable surcharge) and any childcare booked is due not less than eight (8) weeks prior to scheduled confirmed arrival. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case we shall retain your deposit.
Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on your Confirmation Invoice or any other document are wrong you must advise us immediately as changes cannot be made later and it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within ten days of our sending it out.
2. Minor Transfer Arrangements
You will receive a complimentary transfer arrangement to your accommodation booking, departing from Geneva Airport and arriving at your chosen accommodation. Such minor transfer is intrinsically part of your arrangements. All minor transfers are subject to availability.
Where your incoming flight, train or other transport is delayed, we will make every effort possible to hold the minor transfer from Geneva Airport, but there is no guarantee. In these circumstances, we or the minor transfer supplier may continue without you and you will lose your minor transfer slot. We accept no responsibility for any delays or losses suffered in relation to minor transfers, as a result of Events Beyond Our Control (see condition 14).
3. Insurance
Adequate travel insurance is a condition of your contract with us. You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident of illness including, without limitation, COVID-19. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.
Where necessary, your insurance policy must include provisions, covering you for (but not limited to) the following situations: a. You should take out medical /health cover due to the uncertainty of Brexit and the possibility that your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will become invalid; b. Where you have been diagnosed with Covid-19 before confirmed arrival and are no longer able to travel; c. Where you have been in contact with someone that has been diagnosed with Covid-19 and need to self-isolate; d. Where you have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace (or your national or local test and trace systems) and you are required to self-isolate; e. You have been diagnosed during your trip or have otherwise come in contract with someone who has been diagnosed with Covid-19 and you are now required to self-isolate. Your insurance policy should cover you for repatriation where necessary, emergency medical expenses abroad and additional costs of accommodation and/or transport if you need to self-isolate whilst abroad; and f. You live in a place that has imposed lockdown restrictions.
4. Security Deposit
The accommodation that we offer may require a refundable Security Deposit that is payable by you as a deposit towards any damage that may be caused to the accommodation (or its facilities) due to the conduct of you, any member of your party or any other person authorised to enter the accommodation by you / a member of your party. You acknowledge and agree that you are required to provide the Security Deposit as part of the check-in process.
Deductions for unacceptable state: If you leave the accommodation in an unreasonable state, which requires additional cleaning services over and above what is generally required at the conclusion of a stay at the accommodation, we reserve the right to make a deduction from the Security Deposit equal to the additional cleaning costs we incur.
Deductions for damage: We will undertake a thorough check of the accommodation after your confirmed arrival and prior to our next guests checking-in. If you or any member of your party cause damage to the accommodation or anything within the accommodation, we will advise you as soon as possible of any damage discovered and we reserve the right to make a deduction from the Security Deposit equal to the total costs of repair that we incur.
We understand that accidents happen and we will not make any claims for damage or breakages we consider to be minor. 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 giving you reasonable time to respond, in the event of a dispute we will retain your card details until a resolution is reached.
Returning the Security Deposit: After your departure from the accommodation we will let you know of any deductions we propose to make from your Security Deposit in a confirmation letter. We will refund the remaining Security Deposit to the card used to made payment.
5. Cost of your Accommodation Arrangements and/ or Ancillary Sales
We reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before your accommodation arrangements and/ or ancillary sales are confirmed. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware and of the then applicable price at the time of booking. We reserve the right to increase or decrease the price of unsold accommodation arrangements and/ or ancillary sales at any time.
6. Special Requests
Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking e.g. dietary requests, food intolerances or food allergies. You should then confirm your requests in writing [by email to admin@vip-chalets.com]. Your special request will only be effective when it is received by us. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try and arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled. The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part. We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.
7. Disabilities and Medical Problems
We are not a specialist disabled travel company, but we will do our utmost to cater for any special requirements you may have. If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your booking, please provide us with full details before you make your booking so that we can try to advise you as to the suitability of your chosen accommodation arrangements. We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate. Acting reasonably, if we are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will cancel it and impose the cancellation charges set out in condition 11 when we become aware of these details.
8. Your Behaviour
All our customers are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. If in our opinion or in the opinion of any hotel manager or any other person in authority, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any other customers or any third party, or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, we reserve the right to terminate your booking with us immediately. In the event of such termination our liability to you and/or your party will cease and you and/or your party will be required to leave your accommodation immediately. We will have no further obligations to you and/or your party. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination. You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the hotel manager or other supplier prior to confirmed arrival. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you. We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.
Note: We will monitor and implement any additional Covid-19 guidance or laws issued by local or national government in relation to the safe and effective delivery of services. We reserve the right to remove you from the accommodation should you not adhere to such guidance.
9. Cutting your Booking Short
If you are forced to return home early, we cannot refund the cost of any accommodation arrangements you have not used. If you cut short your trip and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we are unable to offer you any refund for that part of your trip not completed, or be liable for any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.
10. Changes by You
If you wish to change any part of your booking after our booking confirmation has been issued, the party leader must immediately advise us in writing [by email to admin@vip-chalets.com]. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requested change. Where we can meet a request, all changes will be subject to an administration fee of £30 per person per change, as well as any costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers in making this change. You should be aware that costs could increase the closer to the confirmed arrival date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Where we are unable to assist you and you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you. Note: certain accommodation arrangements may not be changeable after confirmation and any alteration may result in a cancellation charge of 100%.
11. Cancellation by You
Should you or any member of your party need to cancel your accommodation arrangements once they have been confirmed, the party leader must immediately advise us in writing [by email to admin@vip-chalets.com] . Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when it is received by us. As we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, the following cancellation charges will be payable. Where the cancellation charge is shown as a percentage, this is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling. If cancellation is received by us:
Period Prior to Confirmed Arrival Cancellation Charge
More than 8 weeks Deposit
Within 8 weeks 40%
Within 6 weeks 60%
Within 4 weeks 80%
Within 2 weeks 100%
Cancellation charges are per person cancelling and depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned. If a member of your party wishes to cancel, this may increase the price per person and you will be liable to pay this increase.
12. Transfer of a Booking
If any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person may transfer their place, to someone else (introduced by you) providing we are notified not less than 14 days before confirmed arrival and provided the transferee meets all the requirements of these Booking Conditions for the accommodation arrangements concerned. You must pay any outstanding balance payment, an amendment fee of £30 per person transferring, as well as any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer. You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, the cancellation charges set out in condition 11 will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.
13. Cancellation by Us
We may in exceptional circumstance be required to cancel your booking in which case a full refund of all monies paid will be made to you. We regret we cannot meet any expenses or losses that you may incur as a result of a change or cancellation by us.
14. Events Beyond Our Control
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by Events Beyond Our Control. For the purpose of these Booking Conditions, this means any event beyond our or our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination, global epidemics or pandemics (including, but not limited to the ongoing effects of Covid-19 or any new strain of the coronavirus), or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including any port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport, traffic congestion/restrictions and all similar events out of our or the supplier(s) concerned’s control.
15. Complaints
In the unlikely event that you should have cause to complain, please inform your Resort Manager immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please contact guest.services@vip-chalets.com. If the problem cannot be resolved and you wish to complain further, you must send formal written notice of your complaint to us at our office ideally within 28 days of the end of your stay, giving your booking reference and all relevant information. Failure to follow this procedure may affect our's and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and will affect your rights under your contract.
16. Our Responsibility
Subject to the remainder of this condition 16, we have a duty to provide the accommodation arrangements and/ or ancillary sales you have booked with reasonable skill and care. We have no liability to you except in cases where it is proven that we have breached that duty and damage to you has been caused.
(1) We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from:
(a) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected; or
(b) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
(c) unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond ours or our supplier(s) control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised; or
(d) an event which either ourselves or suppliers could not, even with all due care, have foreseen or forestalled.
(2) We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this condition:
(a) loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money,
The maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are required to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind.
(b) claims not falling under (a) above and which don’t involve injury, illness or deathThe maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is twice the price paid by you in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your booking.
It is a condition of our acceptance of liability that you notify any claim to ourselves and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these Booking Conditions. Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to ourselves or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require.
Note: we cannot accept liability for any damage, loss of expense or other sum of any description: (a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you: (b) relate to any business: or (c) indirect or consequential loss such as loss of anticipated savings and loss of profits. We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not form part of our agreement. For example, any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you. Nothing in this condition 16 or these Booking Conditions limits any liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law including liability for fraud or misrepresentation or for any death or personal injury suffered by our, our employees or our suppliers’ negligence.
17. Passports, Visas and Entry Requirements
It is your responsibility to check and fulfil the passport, visa, health and immigration, entry and any quarantine requirements applicable to your itinerary and destination. We can only provide general information about this. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before confirmed arrival. It is the party leader’s responsibility to ensure that all members of the party are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before confirmed arrival. All costs incurred in obtaining such documentation must be paid by you. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you or any member of your party are refused entry onto any transport or into the country due to failure on your part to carry correct documentation. 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 to which you are intending to travel. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results to fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.
18. Travel and Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office Advice
You are responsible for making yourself aware of FCDO advice in regards to the safety of the countries and areas in which you will be travelling and to make your decision accordingly.
19. Severance
If any provision or part-provision of these Booking Conditions is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be deemed deleted but that shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the rest of these Booking Conditions.
20. Law and Jurisdiction
We both agree that English Law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us. We both also agree that any dispute, claim or other matter of any description (and whether or not involving any personal injury) which arises between us must be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only unless, in the case of Court proceedings, you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In this case, proceedings must either be brought in the Courts of your home country or those of England and Wales. If proceedings are brought in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may choose to have your contract and any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us governed by the law of Scotland/Northern Ireland as applicable (but if you do not so choose, English law will apply).
SECTION B: INDEPENDENT TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS, SKI/BOARD LESSONS, LIFT PASSES AND SKI/BOARD EQUIPMENT HIRE BOOKINGS
This section together with the following conditions of Section A of these Booking Conditions: 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 14, 17 – 20 (inclusive) applies to bookings for independent transport arrangements, ski/board lessons, lift passes and ski/board equipment hire we make for you when acting as an agent.
21. Your Contract with the Supplier/Principal
Where we act as agent, we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the applicable Supplier/Principal (e.g. transport provider, ski hire / ski lesson provider) of your chosen arrangements, as specified in your confirmation invoice.
As an agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the supplier or for the services provided by the supplier. The Supplier/Principal’s Terms and Conditions will apply to your booking and we advise you to read these carefully as they do contain important information about your booking. Please ask us for copies of these if you do not have them.
22. Payment
You must pay the full balance by the balance due date notified to you. If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will notify the Supplier/Principal who may cancel your booking and charge the cancellation fees set out in their Terms and Conditions.
Except where otherwise stated in the Terms and Conditions of the Supplier/Principal concerned, all monies you pay to us for arrangements will be held on behalf of the Supplier/Principal and forwarded on to the Supplier/Principal in accordance with our agreement with them.
23. Changes and Cancellations by You
Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us in writing [by email to admin@vip-chalets.com] and will take effect at the time we receive it. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your booking prior to travel. Whilst we will try to assist, we cannot guarantee that the Supplier/Principal will meet such requests. Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the Supplier/Principal of your chosen arrangements.
The Supplier/Principal may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of confirmed arrival). [In addition, you must pay us an administration fee of £30 per booking for any amendments to bookings and an administration fee of £30 for cancellations. We will notify you of the exact charges at the time of amendment or cancellation].
24. Changes and Cancellations by the Supplier/Principal
We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Supplier/Principal needs to make a change to your confirmed arrangements or to cancel them. If the Supplier/Principal offers alternative arrangements or a refund, you will need to let us know your choice within the stipulated time frame. If you fail to do so the Supplier/Principal is entitled to assume you wish to receive a full refund. We will also liaise between you and the Supplier/Principal in relation to any alternative arrangements offered by the Supplier/Principal but we accept no liability for any changes or cancellations made to your arrangements by the Supplier/Principal under your contract with them.
25. Our Responsibility for your Booking
Your contract is with the Supplier/Principal and its Terms and Conditions apply. As agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the ancillary sales you have booked. Our responsibilities are limited to making the booking in accordance with your instructions. We accept no responsibility for any information about the arrangements that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of the commission we earn on your booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.
26. Complaints
Because the contract for your arrangements is between you and the Supplier/Principal, any queries or concerns about your ancillary sales should be addressed to them. If you have a problem with your ancillary sales whilst using them, this must be reported to the Supplier/Principal immediately. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Supplier/Principal to investigate and rectify your complaint. The amount of compensation you may be entitled to may therefore be reduced or extinguished as a result. If you wish to complain when you return home, write to the Supplier/Principal. You will see their name and contact details in any confirmation documents we send you.
If you wish to complain about any service we have provided to you (i.e. our booking service) then please contact us directly.
SECTION C: 2021/22 COVID-19 GUARANTEE
If/ in the event of:
You are a minor or fully vaccinated adult and we are required to cancel your booking due to travel restrictions within France, or;
We are required to cancel your booking due the closure by the French authorities of your chosen resort, or;
The closure of the ski lifts by the authorities in your chosen resort, or;
France imposes a compulsory quarantine on minors and/or fully vaccinated adults from the UK, or;
The UK national governments require minors and/or fully vaccinated adults to isolate in a hotel on your return irrespective of whether you have Covid-19, or;
You are a minor or fully vaccinated adult and any of the UK national governments impose a national lockdown and/or regional travel ban preventing you from travelling.
In each case occurring prior to your scheduled date of arrival at your accommodation, then in each case provided (where applicable) you follow certain steps, we will cancel your accommodation with complimentary minor airport transfer services booking and offer a full refund of any money paid up for your accommodation and complimentary minor airport transfer until the day that you travel.
These steps are:
You have paid all amounts due, as at the date of cancellation; and
In the circumstances described at [(iii) and] (iv) you have notified us in writing [by email to admin@vip-chalets.com] that you wish to cancel your booking.
In all other circumstances our Booking Conditions apply and cancellation charges may be payable and please note that we will not be liable or pay you compensation or meet any expenses or losses that you may incur as a result of such circumstances as these are Events Beyond Our Control. For bookings for independent transport arrangements, ski/board lessons, lift passes and ski/board equipment hire which you make through us as agent, please see the Supplier/ Principal’s own Terms and Conditions/Covid Promise.
LAST UPDATED 18.08.21
