Terms & Conditions

Booking & cancellation:

 

To secure your booking, we require a deposit of 25% of the full amount, along with a completed booking form. The remaining 75% of the balance, plus a refundable security deposit of €100 (per cottage) is due no less than 30 days before arrival. We reserve the right to cancel the booking, without refunding the 25% deposit, if full payment is not made on time. For longer term bookings, 28 days or more, the security deposit will be the cost of a four-week booking.

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We reserve the right to deduct charges from your security deposit for additional cleaning, damage to the property, contents, site facilities, equipment and unpaid fuel cost. The security deposit will be returned, less any necessary deductions, within 14 days of check out.

 

Heating costs – We ask that you respect the recent rise in electricity costs by keeping the heating low and turning it down/off when you leave the cottage. Logs will be supplied for cottages with log burners. For longer term stays i.e. 28 days or more, energy costs will be discussed during the booking process.

 

Linen and towels are provided. Please do not remove linen or towels from the cottages. Pool towels are available for the pool by request. For bookings over one week, spare linen will automatically be provided.

 

Cancellation – Direct booking. We strongly advise that you take out travel insurance with cancellation protection at the time of booking. If you choose not to, then you accept responsibility for any loss that you incur due to your cancellation. A full refund will be returned if cancellation is made up to 30 days prior to arrival, half refund at 14 days. For whole site group booking this would be 60 days and 30 days. No refund after this, unless we have been able to re-let the cottage/s. Any refund will not include service charges made by booking agencies. (Agency cancellation policy may differ – please check).

 

If, due to exceptional circumstances or for any reason the accommodation develops any maintenance issue which deems the property unsafe to use, we will advise you as soon as possible. We will attempt to transfer your booking/stay to another one of our available cottages or promptly repay all payments made if this is not possible.

 

Tourist Tax will either be taken by booking the agency or added to the invoice if the booking is made directly with us. The tariff for a 3* rating with Atout France is set at €0.60 per adult per night.

 

We reserve the right to terminate the booking and occupancy, without refund, in the case of a serious breach of our Policies, Terms & Conditions 09/02/2023. We reserve the right to refuse a booking without giving a reason

 

Data Protection:

 

We only obtain personal data as necessary for the purpose of booking and as required by law. In accordance with GDPR,  you have the right to access, rectify, modify and delete all data concerning you by contacting the manager of the establishment providing you accommodation. All data will be stored safely and kept for one year.

 

An information pack and arrival special request form will be sent once the final payment is received.

 

Accessibility:

 

Due to the nature and age of our cottages, access for people with restricted physical ability may be a challenge, but please do contact us if you would like to discuss your needs and/or how we may be able to adapt anything to accommodate you.

 

Check in/check out procedures:

 

For directions and transport links please see the website: www.gitesruffec.com/getting-here

 

Airport collection from Poitiers-Biard is available on request, please email us for further information and availability as soon as possible.

 

We will advise you about where you can park on arrival.

 

Check in procedures: Check in after 4.00pm

Check out procedures: Check out by 10.30am.

 

If we are not available when you check out, please leave your key in the post box outside the main gate and have a safe journey home.

 

It would be really helpful if you could strip beds and place all linen and towels in the shower/bath. Please treat our cottages with respect and leave them clean and tidy and as you found them. We would be grateful if you could wipe surfaces, empty bins and place last minute washing up in the dishwasher. A cleaning charge of €25-50 euros will be taken from the security deposit if the cottage is left in an unacceptable state.

 

Late check in/out request: Please let us know if you are likely to arrive after 7pm, so that we can ensure one of us is able to meet you. If we have no immediate forward bookings, you may be able to check out later by agreement or at the very least, store luggage and stay on site until such a time you need to leave.

 

It is a legal requirement for non-French persons to complete a ‘Fiche Individuelle De Police’/’Individual Police Form’. We will send this with your Welcome Pack, it would be helpful if you could complete this and hand it to us upon arrival.

 

Health & Safety:

 

We would like you to enjoy the grounds and house areas but please be mindful, with a natural woodland, stream, spring/well, old and ancient buildings, wildlife, pool and outside kitchen and BBQs, you will need to take responsibility for your personal safety. Please talk to young children and educate them about possible risks and benefits when playing in the woodland and near water.

 

Guests are responsible for the safety of their children at all times. Children must never be left unsupervised in our cottages or grounds.

 

Each cottage has a fire blanket available in the kitchen. There is also an extinguisher in the laundry communal area, outside the Sunflower cottage.

 

Assembly point –through the iron gate, into the walled garden area. In the event of a fire, please inform us and call 112 immediately.

 

No smoking in any of our buildings, woodland, or in the direct vicinity of the pool area. Please use ashtrays to extinguish cigarettes in external areas.

 

We are aware that small accidents and breakages will happen, and we will bear the cost of isolated breakages. All we ask is that you let us know of any breakages/damages so that we can attempt to repair, clean or replace without it needing to cost you money. Any damage caused by negligence will be taken from your deposit.

 

Please be aware of low-level windowsills in upstairs rooms. We would strongly advise not leaving windows open if children are using accommodation.

 

Pool Safety – the pool is only 70cm (2ft 4” deep), so do not attempt to jump or dive in. Although shallow, it is a lovely pool to have a splash and cool down during the hot summer months and stays reasonably warm. The pool is generally available from 11 am until dusk from May to September and is dependent on the weather. Unless you have a sole site booking, the pool is available to all our guests. The pool is alarmed, and we will explain how this works on arrival. No running in the pool area and please do not climb on walled areas. Children and non-swimmers to be accompanied by an adult. Sun cream can cause havoc to the pool water, please shower before using the pool or use waterproof sun cream. Plastic glasses have been provided in the outside kitchen, please do not take glass items to the pool area and leave the area tidy after use. The pool is not to be used by any person under the influence of excessive alcohol. The pool is generally checked daily by the hosts and on occasion we may have to close the pool for maintenance reasons.

 

Gardens/woodland/stream – please stay on pathways and be aware of uneven ground, overhanging branches and wildlife. We would advise wearing full covered footwear while walking through woodland. Please do not paddle in the stream. Whilst it appears very inviting, the riverbed is dangerous, the water is very cold, and we do not want the wildlife disturbed. If you are lucky, you will see Pierre, our resident Pike, our dabbling ducks, other fish and the river vipers!!!! (They don’t bite). Please advise children not to eat unidentified plants and berries. Children to be accompanied at all times.

 

Lavoir structure by the stream– beams are very low, so please mind your head.

 

Outside Kitchen & BBQ areas – please check with us in advance, if you wish to use the outside kitchen so that we can talk through health and safety precautions. Leave kitchen area clean and tidy and extinguish BBQs after use. Please ask to see Outside Kitchen Policy

 

Fire pits – please check with us in advance, if you wish to use the fire pit corner, so that we can risk assess conditions and only use logs provided (€5 euros).  Please extinguish the fire before leaving the area. Please ask to see Fire Pit Policy

 

Pool and Woodland areas will be closed at dusk and in inclement weather.

 

Hot water - Please be mindful that the water in some cottages does get very HOT. If you have any problems with the hot water supply, please let us know.

 

We retain the right, with your knowledge, to enter the property for maintenance and inspection purposes.

 

Please remember to lock doors and close windows when you leave the property unoccupied. We cannot accept liability for theft, loss or damage to personal possessions

 

Other: 

 

Respect others and our neighbours by keeping noise at a reasonable level. Whilst we do not want to spoil anyone’s fun, this would be particularly relevant to larger group bookings, and we would ask that group gatherings be mindful of keeping conversation and music levels down after 10.30pm.

 

Fosse/toilet: The house and cottages are serviced by ‘la fosse septique tank’. Please do not flush sanitary products or cleaning wipes down the toilet. The system can easily become blocked. Please use the bathroom bins provided. You may end up with at the very least a blocked system or a very large maintenance bill!

 

Television available via a Sky Box in Bumblebee and Garden View. Please ask if you need help with working these. Garden View, Sunflower and Lavender have SMART TVs .

 

Visitors or additional guests Policy - If you would like to invite additional guests during your stay you must seek permission. An additional guest booking form must be completed and there may be an additional charge.

 

Pet Policy - Unfortunately, due to being a shared complex we are unable to offer an open pet policy during high seasons. If you would like to enquire for out of season availability, then please contact us directly. There would be an additional cleaning charge to accommodate pets. Please ask for Pet Policy

 

Whole site booking Policy – the policy will be sent with booking confirmation

 

Being kind to our world:

 

Saving energy: Please try to conserve energy by switching off lights when not needed. Please check external lights when you lock up at night. Heating is available in the cottages during the colder months, and may, depending on the length of your stay, be billed separately, see booking terms. Please turn heating off or put it on low if you leave the cottage. Logs will be made available for fires during the colder months and guidance on how to manage burners will be offered.

 

Water: Please be mindful of water usage and avoid leaving taps running, use appropriate duo flush on toilets.

 

Rubbish, recycling and glass: Bin bags are provided, please use yellow bags & bins for recycling. See guidance about recycling on the information sheet available in gite and side of yellow bin bags. Please take full bin bags to the main bins on Rue des Fontaines, the road to the left outside the main gate. Glass bottles must be recycled. If possible, please take bottles to bottle banks across the street from McDonalds or next to the Bus Stop at the Intermarche, or if you do not have your own transport, deposit them in the small basket available on our Terrace.

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Last updated 09/02/2023