Hillview Cottage Guest House Policies

Hillview Cottage Policies

(the small print!)

Cancellation	Bookings from March to October normally require two full weeks notice of cancellation. This is our busy season, and you can be sure that we have had to refuse other guests requests to secure your booking....why else do 95% of my guests book in advance. In high season, and for large bookings at any time, we may ask for a non returnable deposit. If we are able to re-let your rooms for the charged period, we are happy to refund the charge less an administration fee of 25%. Any other arrangement is at our discretion. Out of season bookings require one full weeks notice of cancellation. If we are able to re-let your rooms for the cancelled period, we are happy to refund the charge. Any other arrangement is at our discretion. Any changes to the above conditions will only be notified in writing or by email, not by telephone or verbal exchange. On arrival, please make sure you are clear about the conditions of service. If you use the room, you are deemed to have accepted these and I will charge you the full amount for your stay. We strongly recommend that you consult your travel agent and purchase appropriate travel and cancellation insurance. This is not expensive, and will cover financial loss in most eventualities. Whilst we sympathise with misfortune and tragedy (we have had our own occasionally) we cannot be expected to suffer financial loss on your behalf. If you turned up on a busy summers evening looking for your room, and I told you to shove off because a relation had died, you would rightly be aggrieved.
Corporate	Due to the often advantageous rates, and higher level of service required for corporate bookings, full payment for all bookings is required in advance of the arrival of the clients. There are no exceptions to this. As with all bookings, should the client cancel, and the room is subsequently re-let, the charge for that/those night(s) will be re credited to the clients account less a 25% service charge.
Bookings	All bookings will be secured with valid credit card details. Any change to this policy will be at our discretion. A booking that has been completed (Signified by giving valid credit card bookings) will be party to the conditions listed on the site and in the exchange of emails. Any changes to these will only be notified in writing or by email, not by telephone or verbal exchange. A booking is a legal contract, and we will charge for bookings that do not follow our bookings policies.
Children	Children are people under the age of 12. Darlings, babies, sweeties and treasures can be any age, but children are below 12 years of age. If you tell me you have a child and it is 19 for example, I reserve the right to charge more than the agreed price. There is however one exception from this rule, and that is where your offspring breaks something. Whilst you are paying for the damage it can then be your child. Many people ask about discounts for children. Children require a bed, a place at the table, breakfast and attention. They make more noise, cause more damage, are often are more messy and eat more than most adults. Many B&Bs now refuse children, tactfully saying things like "Not suitable for people under 16 years old". I still accept children in the hope that their parents will respect my home and other guests.
Payment	Payment should be made in negotiable currency, valid credit card or cash. In order to confirm your booking we would likewill ask for your name, address, telephone number, credit card number, expiry date and security number. We will check your card details, but only use them in the case of a no show or cancellation without due notice. My prices are very competitive and I would therefore ask that you make arrangements to pay your bill in cash Sterling. I reserve the right to surcharge your bill by 5% when it is paid with cards or foreign currency. In line with most businesses, we no longer accept any form of cheques as payment. In exceptional circumstances we will consider these forms of payment, but will charge an administration charge of 15%. (for those who just squeaked, I have to make a trip to the bank, queue up and pay these in in a town 20 minutes drive from here. The funds are unavailable for up to 10 working days, and the whole transaction is charged for by the bank)
Damage	We understand accidents, however we cannot be expected as a company to pay for damage done to our, or others guest's property. We reserve the right to charge guests for damage they or their children or their pets do to our property or our guest's property. We will charge your credit card and provide evidence of our costs where possible. We are happy if guests prefer to make reparation themselves or to arrange and pay for reparation themselves. Occasionally guests ask why I don't use my insurance for damage done by guests. Well its actually my insurance, and you should have your own travel insurance. I have an excess of £100, and my premium goes up when I make a claim. If you are happy to cover all that, I will be happy to make a claim. Smoking in the rooms is strictly forbidden and is now against the law. There are no exceptions. Other folks have to use the room the next day, and it is not acceptable for them to have to spend their night in their room breathing and smelling your smoke. Anyone who chooses to smoke in the bedrooms WILL be charged, and I reserve the right to charge up to the room rate for their abuse.
Overbooking	We are very careful with our bookings, and take every precaution to ensure we can provide the accommodation we have offered and confirmed. There are however odd occasions when overbookings occur. We guarantee that we will find suitable alternative accommodation in these circumstances. In very busy periods, it may be necessary for the booking to be changed to standard accommodation rather than ensuite, but these situations will be very rare.
Standards	Guests should expect to have a serviced room with a clean bath towel per person, a hand towel and soap. The rooms at Hillview Cottage are serviced every day. There will be a glass and mug and adequate teas, coffees, sugars etc to make a refreshment. The linen will be freshly laundered. We never reuse sheets. The beds will all be high quality orthopaedic beds, to hopefully give you a good nights sleep. You should expect to be treated with courtesy and respect, and made to feel at home. This will be your home for the time you are here, and you will be given a key for the front door to come and go as you please.
Privacy	May we point out that as well as offering accommodation and respite, Hillview Cottage is a private family house and certain limited areas are not open to the public. While we will are delighted to share our home with guests, we also live here with our three bright and well behaved children. Areas with a private sign on the door or gate are off limits for customers, and we ask you to respect this. Thank you. We would also ask you to understand that unless your inquiry is very important during the evening, please wait till the morning. I have had people wake me at 5.30am demanding more milk to make a cup of coffee!!
Arrival	Normal arrival time for B&Bs is between 5pm and 6pm. We will endeavor to be there during those hours. This is however a family home, and things don't always work out. If you wish to arrive outwith these hours, please let me know in advance, and we will try and work with you.. We reserve the right to charge for arrival before 2pm. Rooms have to be made up, the house cleaned and shopping and general family duties carried out. If you have an early arrival, book the room for the night before and you can arrive after 7 am. The low price and high standard of B&B accommodation reflects the lack of extra staff. We need time to prepare for your arrival. Unlike hotels, we do not have 24/7 reception staff, and our prices reflect this. Unannounced arrival after 12pm and any arrival after 1am will be charged £40.00.
Access	You will be given a key for your room if available, and a key to the house. Once checked in, you will have free access at all times. We ask you to show respect for us and our other guests if you come and go at unsociable hours. Rooms still occupied after 11am (should you be staying on) will not be serviced. Check-out is 10.00am. Keys cost money, and without them we have to give our only other key (pass key) to the clients who follow your stay. If you take the keys away, we reserve the right to charge for their replacement, currently £10.00 per set.
Finally	All bookings are made on the clear understanding that the above constitute the terms and conditions of the booking, and that they are accepted as such. Discussions will not be entered into regarding these terms and conditions at the time of your stay
PS	One guest commented that my T&C seemed to favour me rather than the guest. Well actually, thats what terms and conditions are all about.....have you read those that come with your credit card, or when you book a flight?....they are horrendous. At least mine are easy to read and understand. If you look carefully, I actually make commitments, and offer service guarantees and this is more than most accommodation providers. The development of this page is completly a reactive one.......every point has been put in as a direct result of an incident or a misunderstanding on belhalf of a guest.