These Booking Rules are designed to help ‘You’ (the Guest) have a great experience with both Curious Retreats and during your trip to Suffolk. These fair and reasonable points set expectations from the outset, in order to ensure that your stay runs smoothly with no hidden surprises.
These rules are written by ‘Us’ (Curious Retreats) with ‘You’ and the ‘Owner’ in-mind, to reflect the contract between ‘You’ and the ‘Owner’ (with Curious Retreats acting as the ‘Agent’).
We are aware that nobody likes rules, especially when it comes to a holiday – but we like to think you’ll find ours friendly, clear and concise (there are only 19 of them!), and hope that when you take a quick moment to read through, you’ll agree.
Please also take a moment to look at our privacy policy [link], which explains the way we process your personal data.
i. Who
The Agent – that’s ‘Us’
Ripco Holdings Limited trading as Curious Retreats
Company Number – 14573355
Registered Office – Broom Heath House, Broomheath, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4DL
01394 123456 / @curiousretreats.co.uk
The Guest – that’s ‘You’: having booked via www.curiousretreats.co.uk, over the telephone, email, via live chat (or any partner sites).
The Owner – this is the Property ‘Owner’: the legal owner or representative of the property being booked and occupied. Curious Retreats (‘Us’) act as the Agent for the Owner and make the contractual arrangements between You and the Owner on their behalf.
ii. The Contract
Once the required deposit or full payment has been received and a confirmation sent from Us to You, a legal contract is entered between the Owner and You.
The Contract gives the Guest the right to occupy the property for a holiday only (as per Schedule 1, paragraph 9 of the Housing Act 1998) and does not constitute a short-hold tenancy or give rise to a Landlord and Tenant relationship.
iii. Your Stay
We look forward to welcoming you from 4pm on the day of arrival and will be sad to see you go, no later than 10am on the day of departure. During this period, you have the right to occupy and experience the property.
Please note that the number of people occupying the property must not exceed the number stated in the current property description (excluding infants under 24 months). Should this number be exceeded, the booking will be terminated, all funds paid by the guest forfeited and the property vacated immediately.
iv. The Marketing
This is the fun part that we enjoy! We like to ensure accuracy however, we are human too… so we will make every effort to guarantee the description, photography, floor plans and reviews of the property are represented error-free. But we cannot be held responsible for changes, alterations or inaccuracies out of our reasonable control.
With state-of-the-art photography, room-by-room floor plans, detailed descriptions and the Owner’s commentary, we do our utmost to minimise disappointment.
v. The Booking
Provisional: The booking will be reserved for a maximum of 48 hours, to allow you time to pay the Deposit (and Balance, if your arrival date is 6 weeks or less from the booking date) plus Booking Fee.
Confirmed: Once the Deposit (and Balance, if your arrival date is 6 weeks or less from the booking date) plus Booking Fee has been received and a confirmation email has been sent to you, the booking is confirmed (see ii).
Deposit: This is 25% of the holiday cost paid at the time of booking and is non-refundable (except as per ix. below).
Balance: This is the outstanding 75% of the holiday cost and must be paid 6 weeks prior to arrival. If your arrival date is 6 weeks or less from the date of booking, then the full holiday cost (the Deposit and the Balance) must be paid at the time of booking.
Booking Fee: A non-refundable booking fee of £30 (£25+VAT) is payable at the time of booking.
Security Deposit: Security Deposits are taken on all bookings. The amount taken is property specific and shown on your invoice. The amount taken will be pre-authorised on your debit or credit card 14 days prior to your arrival. We will not be able to provide access to the property unless we have successfully pre-authorised your credit or debit card.
The Security Deposit pre-authorisation will be released 7 – 10 days after your departure assuming no damage, theft or additional cleaning is required. In the event of damages, theft or additional cleaning attributed to you or a member of your party during your stay we will notify you as quickly as reasonably possible together with any evidence provided. The cost of any remedial action shall be deducted from the Security Deposit and the balance refunded to you. If we are awaiting a quote for repair/replacement of items, an extension of this 10-day timescale may be necessary.
We want to return the Security Deposit to you, so please take every care to leave the property as you find it.
Guest Details: At the point of booking we will require the lead guest’s full name, address, email, telephone numbers, a breakdown of the guest group or family (adults, children, infants and dogs) as well as any special requests such as highchairs and cots. The person who completes the booking (via telephone, online or in writing) is deemed the legal signatory and certifies that he/she/they is older than 18 years of age, authorised to sign the booking form on behalf of all people named as guests at the time of booking, or added at a later date, and that he/she/they is fully aware of the Booking Rules.
Payment: We accept debit and credit cards (MasterCard and Visa only) and bank transfers. If you wish to make a provisional booking, please ensure you select “Bank Transfer” as the payment option on the booking form.
vi. Pricing
We have included VAT where applicable, and clearly state this in our pricing structure. Any changes to our pricing or VAT application that may impact ‘You’ the guest, we will notify you in writing.
vii. Insurance
We strongly recommend that you arrange insurance cover for the full cost of your stay in the event of a cancellation at your request. This may include illness, change of dates, weather or no longer requiring the booking. In order to make this easier for you, we have included an option to insure your holiday with Booking Protect on the booking form. Please note this an optional extra, but highly recommended. (Please see www.bookingprotect.com for more information).
viii. Changes
We understand and appreciate that sometimes plans will change. Where we can, and wherever possible, we will work with you to try and find a solution; on the basis that you understand the following points:
The Property: Our properties are privately and individually owned, so transferring between them is unlikely unless you are following the cancellation process, see ‘ix’.
Dates: Alternative dates at the same property may be possible with the Owner’s approval. Any price differential will need to be settled (as an amendment to the Deposit if the change is made more than 6 weeks before the arrival date, or the Balance if the change is made within 6 weeks of the arrival date). Please note, any price increase as a result of the change in dates will be at the Guest’s expense and an updated confirmation will not be sent until the additional Deposit or Balance is received. If, the change in dates results in a price decrease, this will be refunded to you and an amended confirmation sent. In both instances, the amended dates are not confirmed until the confirmation is sent. Unfortunately, if an Owner can’t accommodate alternative dates, and the answer is no, then it won’t be possible.
The Agent: Should You need to be relocated by requirement of the Owner or Agent, then (subject to availability) a similar, alternative property will be offered. If this is not accepted, then any (pro-rated) monies due to you, the Guest, will be reimbursed.
ix. Cancellation
A booking can only be cancelled prior to the actual start of the holiday and all cancellations must be received in writing.
24 hours: In the event of a cancellation within 24 hours of paying the Deposit and Booking Fee, you will be reimbursed in full (minus the Booking Fee).
Re-let: Upon cancellation, we will use all reasonable endeavours to relet your cancelled dates and if successful, you will be reimbursed for the amount paid (minus the Booking Fee).
Non-relet: Should we be unable to relet your cancelled dates then you will not be reimbursed for the amount paid. This is 25% up to 6 weeks before arrival and 100% less than 6 weeks to arrival including the Booking Fee.
Request to leave: In the unlikely event of a guest nuisance or unreasonable behaviour, you, the Guest, could be asked to vacate the property before the end of your stay. The contract will be terminated without any recompense.
x. Arrival and Check-In
Arrival at the property will be no earlier than 4pm, unless agreed by the Agent in advance, and via a key safe. The location and code for the key safe is provided in your Arrival Details.
Any issues, inaccuracies with the description and inventory, or problems with the property on arrival should be reported within the first 24hrs to Us, as the Agent.
Available parking is detailed in the property description, and if not provided is the Guest’s responsibility. Electric car charging (where required and available) will be at the Guest’s expense and agreed with the Agent or Owner in advance.
Internet provided is via a third party and will offer different speeds as a result – and can sometimes be affected by the location of the property. The Owner and Agent are not responsible for this service.
xi. Departure and Check-Out
Departure from the property is no later than 10am, unless agreed by the Agent in advance.
All windows to be securely closed and doors locked. Keys are to be returned to the key safe and locked as per the instructions provided. Should the keys fail to be returned, then you, the Guest, will incur a charge to change the locks and replace the keys.
Our expectation is for the property to be left as you found it – there should be no washing-up, rubbish to take-out, BBQs to clean, dogs to clear-up after or bottles to recycle.
Cars, luggage and personal belongings are not to be left at the property after 10am unless agreed with the Agent in advance.
If you do have any issues on departure, these should be communicated to the Agent at the time.
Please abide by and respect the specific property rules provided in electronic and/or printed formats regarding your departure.
xii. Guest Responsibilities
We kindly ask that you abide by and respect the specific property rules provided in electronic and/or printed formats regarding your stay. These are designed to ensure that you have a wonderful stay, while making sure that the property is well looked after.
Please take good care of the property and leave it in a clean and tidy state so that it can be enjoyed by future guests. If the property is left in an unsatisfactory state the Agent reserves the right to refuse future bookings from that Guest.
Smoking and vaping are not allowed inside, or from the windows, of any Curious Retreats properties. Charges for additional cleaning and/or relocating of future guests will be incurred if this rule is broken. If you do chose to smoke outside, please insure that all cigarette butts and associated mess is cleared before your departure.
The supervision of children, babies, adults requiring care, dogs and any third parties brought onto the property is the responsibility of the lead guest at all times during your stay.
Should access be required to the property during your stay, this would be expected with reasonable timeframes and communication between all parties. We will ensure that there is no, or very minimal, disruption to your stay if this happens.
Please be respectful of neighbours and do not cause excessive noise or annoyance.
Please place any rubbish in the correct bags and location for collection as per the individual property’s waste collection instructions. The Agent reserves the right to pass on any charges resulting from incorrect or excessive disposal of rubbish.
Under no circumstances are parties to be held at the property without the Owner’s consent.
xiii. Lost Property
Should you leave anything behind and request for it to be returned, this will be posted or couriered (the cost charged to the Security Deposit). Neither the Owner or Agent will be liable for items that cannot be found.
Any items found but not claimed, collected or couriered will be donated to charity after 3 months.
xiv. Dogs
Curious Retreats and the county of Suffolk are both very dog friendly – there is no extra charge for bringing your furry friend with you, provided the Owner of the property allows them. In order for dogs to enjoy their stay and the property to be respected, we’ve got some simple rules to make sure that happens:
Dog Friendly: Only properties that allow dogs will welcome them and the remaining rules in this section only apply where dogs are allowed at the Property. We ask ‘You’, the guest, to provide information about your dog and breed at the point of booking. Just to note – one dog does only mean one dog. Additional cleaning and/or alternative accommodation charges will be incurred if the property rules are breached. Please contact Curious Retreats directly regarding assistance dogs.
Supervision: At all times, dogs must be supervised and not left unattended at the property.
Clearing up: All external spaces are to be made good, and returned to their original state – in particular, clearing up any fouling and disposing of it appropriately.
Accessories: Crates, bedding, water bowl, poo bags, towels and all other necessary equipment are your responsibility as the guest.
Access: Dogs are not allowed upstairs, in bedrooms, on soft furnishings or anywhere else that could incur damage.
Health: Dogs must be free from parasites, ticks and fleas before being brought to the property.
Damage: Any damage causes by the dog must be reported to the Agent immediately
Insurance: We recommend that Guests are suitably insured for any damage their dog may cause to the property.
xv. Water Spaces
Where a swimming pool, hot tub or other water space is provided, it is the Owner’s commitment to provide a safe, clean and functional facility.
During occupation of the property, it is the lead guest’s responsibility for the health and safety of all guests and dogs whether the pool is enclosed or not.
Properties with these facilities have additional rules in place to adhere to, which are provided in your Arrival information.
xvi. Concierge Service
Another one of our favourite aspects at Curious Retreats! Our aim is to accept any concierge service request (within reason) to maximise your stay and experience in Suffolk. However, while we strive to fulfil every wish, not everything is going to be possible… Talk to us as early as possible if you are looking to include a concierge service request, and we’ll do whatever we can to make it happen. Just to note, that Curious Retreats cannot take responsibility for third party communication, service levels, cancellations or disappointment in general and all associated costs will be the responsibility of the Guest
xvii. Green
Curious Retreats has a green ethos and strategy to do everything in our power to protect this fantastic county. Should you see anything we are doing that could be improved, or ways that we can be more eco-conscious, we want to hear from you.
xviii. Complaints
Things do sometimes go wrong. We do everything we can to prevent this, but we are human, and errors can occur. Should you encounter a problem, issue or inconvenience please contact the Curious Retreats team within 24hrs.
All complaints follow a transparent procedure, and are investigated, resolved and communicated with our Guests in a timely, efficient and respectful way.
Unfortunately, we cannot consider complaints where notifications fall outside the timeframes stated above. Further, if a maintenance person or contractor cannot find an issue, the cost of the visit will need to be deducted from the Security Deposit.
xix. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
This agreement is subject to the English law and the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
