Terms and Conditions
Booking Deposit
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking to secure the rental of the apartment. This must be made within 10 days of reserving the apartment. The deposit can be made either by telegraphic transfer in £ Sterling or in Euros (details will be notified at time of booking) or by UK Sterling cheque. Should it be necessary for your holiday to be cancelled, the non-refundable deposit should be covered by your holiday insurance
Balance
The balance of the rental monies is payable 8 weeks prior to arrival and should be made either by telegraphic transfer or by UK Sterling cheque
Booking Form
A booking form should be completed and returned with the deposit in order to secure a booking
Persons Occupying the Apartment
Only those persons named on the booking form are allowed to occupy the property except with the express prior consent of the owners
Late Bookings
Late bookings made within 8 weeks of arrival must be paid for in full at the time of booking
Changeover Day
Changeover day is Saturday—during off season period this may be varied on request
Arrival Times
Arrivals are requested between 4pm and 7pm on the first day of the holiday to allow for the preparation of the apartment—please take this into consideration when booking flights (other times by prior arrangement). We request you kindly notify us of your estimated time of arrival and to contact us if you have been delayed and will be late
Departure Times
Please vacate the apartment by 10am on the final day of your holiday. Anyone with a late flight and wishing to leave their luggage somewhere for the day are requested to liaise with the owners
Suitability of Accommodation
The accommodation is located on the first floor and is, therefore, those with mobility difficulties should take this into consideration
Safety
Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are provided at the property for guests' safety
Baby's Cot
A baby's cot may also be provided but only on prior request and must be requested at the time of booking
Car Hire
Although car hire is not essential, it is recommended to make the most of your holiday and also to reach the apartment. Although Gattaiola is on a city bus route, the nearest bus stop is a long hilly walk away. It is advisable for guests to have a car at their disposal as the nearest supermarket and grocers, etc are at least a 5 minute drive away. Lucca those is a city of cyclists and hiring bikes is easy in the city and Gattaiola is only 7 minutes' cycling distance from the city walls
Broadband Internet
At present we are unable to offer Internet connection and use of a PC in the apartment but hope to be able to do so in the future.
In the meantime, there is Broadband Internet in the owners’ accommodation and may be used upon request for picking up emails, etc. Unfortunately, we do have to limit use and there is a charge of €5 per 30 minutes of use. Use of a PC may be used for accessing the Internet but there is no other provision for use of a PC at present
Telephones
As with the Internet, there is a telephone in the owners’ accommodation and may be used upon request. Unfortunately, we do have to limit use and a charge for use will be made
Mobile telephone reception is very good at La Gattaiola
Fax
There is a fax in the owners’ accommodation and may be used upon request and a charge of €2 per fax is charged
Payment of Additional Items
Any additional items should be paid prior to departure
Storms
Electrical storms are a part of the hot summers in Tuscany but can also appear out of nowhere in winter. We ask guests that if a storm is brewing and if there is any thunder or lightning in the area, to unplug the TV and other ‘high risk’ electrical items but also to unplug the TV and digital box after use
Wind
Please close windows or shutters and doors if not in the house –especially if you go out for the day-as lunchtime breezes in this area can frequently become strong gusts of wind and can cause broken windows and shattered glass. Please also use the hooks to secure the windows when open
Please note that should any damage be caused by guests leaving doors and windows open, guests will be liable for any damages or breakages as a result
Use of Candles
As the summers are incredibly dry in Tuscany and the risk of fire high due to dry vegetation, we ask our guests not to the use of candles outdoors. Should guests use candles indoors, we would ask them to use extreme care
Smoking
The apartment is a no-smoking property
Holiday Insurance
Every guest is required to take out full holiday insurance and by booking with us accepts this requirement
Welcome Pack
A welcome pack can be provided for guests for their arrival by prior request at the cost of €35 payable on arrival. Typical contents include the basics and staples such as: water, bread, milk, jam, coffee, butter, cheese, etc. A gourmet pack to include local produce can be provided ranging from €50-100 and may be varied according to request, number of party and the cost adjusted accordingly. Guests are reminded that food shops are closed in Italy on Sundays and many on Monday mornings
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Should one or more of your group be celebrating a birthday or anniversary during their stay, bottles of champagne, boxes of handmade chocolates and fresh flowers can be arranged by prior request
Barbecues
Barbecuing is only allowed in the garden and a barbecue for guests’ use is provided. Guests are required to provide their own charcoal, etc
Linen
All linen and towels are provided, except beach and pool towels. Guests staying more than one week will have a change of linen and towels on Saturdays
Cleaning
The apartment will be cleaned once a week on Saturdays (changeover day) and the price includes final cleaning. We ask our guests to leave the apartment in a reasonable state
Utilities
Water, gas and electricity is extremely expensive in Italy and are sometimes limited—2 months’ gas or electricity in Italy is around the same annual cost in the UK! We would ask guests please to conserve as much as possible - please see below
What the Price Includes
The rental price for the apartment includes gas, electricity, hot and cold water, final cleaning and the provision of bedlinen and towels (excluding beach towels) during peak season. Central heating will be charged by consumption for the property to cover the extremely high costs of heating in Italy and this cost should be factored into the cost of rental
Security Deposit
A security deposit of £500 is required (refunded on departure) to cover the eventuality of breakages, unpaid extras such as telephone, internet usage, etc
Creepy Crawlies
We have plenty of a ‘most infinite variety’! During the summer months, mosquitoes are a particular nuisance along with wasps, bees and other insects. Please bring plenty of mosquito and insect repellent with you
Third Party Liability
The owners are not liable for any damage to persons or their property at the property unless caused by their own criminal neglect
Disclaimer
The owners are not responsible for the accuracy of any information contained on this website. Driving times, distances and prices are approximate and should not be regarded as definitive. Information regarding events should be checked by guests themselves before starting any journey. These Terms and Conditions may be altered by the owners at their discretion and without notice
©2006