General Information - Walking

INGHAMS WALKING HOLIDAYS GENERAL INFORMATION

ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION

At each of the properties featured in the brochure and on our website we have an allocation of rooms/apartments at contract rates and conditions. When this allocation is full, it may be possible for us to apply for additional rooms, if we are asked to do so, but these may not always be offered to us at ‘contract’ rates and therefore a supplement may apply. This may also occur if we are asked to obtain rooms of a type/standard not included in our normal allocation. Some partner hotels do offer a choice of smoking and non-smoking rooms. Requests for a preferred type should be made at time of booking but cannot be guaranteed.

Star ratings/country standards: Official star ratings, where available, are shown on the property description page on our website and in our brochure. They are primarily intended to give a guide to the range of facilities and services available in each property. As you would expect, 2 and 3 star properties generally have a more limited range of facilities and services than is available in 4 and 5 star properties. We also show our own Inghams rating of each property alongside the property name and above its description. These ratings are based on our own inspections of properties as well as on customer feedback as expressed in our questionnaires.

Our star rating is indicated by a coloured “star” ranging from 3 stars to 5 stars. In some cases we award an additional half star where we believe a hotel offers better facilities and services than its official rating would suggest. Conversely we may have downgraded a hotel to give a truer representation of the services and facilities offered. In general the overall standard of services and facilities varies significantly from country to country within star categories. For example, an officially rated 4 star property may only possess 3 star standards (and vice versa) despite having an extensive range of services and facilities. This is because of the many different criteria that are used from country to country to assess star ratings.

Please note these criteria can differ significantly to those used in the UK by motoring and other organisations and UK ratings cannot therefore be compared to those used overseas. For example, few tourist authorities include an assessment of culinary performance in their ratings.

Insurance: We cannot be held responsible for the damage to, loss or theft of personal belongings or equipment from any accommodation. If this occurs, it is your responsibility to report it first of all to the property management and, if necessary, to the local police, who should provide you with a copy of the police report. Please note that our staff are unable to report such incidents, or obtain copies of police reports, on your behalf.

Pets: Some of the properties that we feature may be pet-friendly. Whilst we do not routinely offer pet-friendly holidays, private guests or guests booked with other tour operators may have the right to bring their pets to the hotel. If you have a pet allergy, you should discuss this with whoever you book with at the time. If you wish to take a pet on holiday with you, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate pet passports, vaccinations and insurances in place, where applicable. Some hotels may also levy additional charges to have pets in their properties, payable locally. Please ask our Reservations Team at the time of booking for relevant charges for ferry travel and hotels.

Check–in/check-out times: Your room will normally be available from 4pm onwards but please bear with the accommodation if it takes longer. Check-out times may be before 10am or before your departure from resort.

Bedrooms: The size, decor, soundproofing, style and furnishing of bedrooms can differ markedly, even within the same property. There is also considerable variation in floor space, head clearance, clothes storage facilities (sometimes very limited), types of bed and bedding. In certain locations, particularly in Austria and Switzerland, a twin is commonly accepted as referring to two separate mattresses and duvets contained in one large frame – a ‘Continental Twin’ or ‘Austrian Twin’. These beds cannot always be separated.

Where an extra bed is added, this may limit the space available and may be smaller than conventional sized single beds. Rooms with extra beds are still bookable for two person occupancy, although in this case the hotelier may allocate a standard-sized twin bedded room without extra beds. Single rooms do not always match up either in size or facilities to twin bedded rooms, even when a supplement is paid. If you require a cot, we advise that you book a room that can take an extra bed, otherwise the room may feel cramped. Hotel charges for cots must be paid directly to the hotel.

Balconies/Terraces & views: Where a supplement has been paid for a balcony or a terrace, neither a specific view nor aspect is guaranteed. Typically a ‘side’ view will be a view available looking out and to the side from your balcony. It should not be assumed that a balcony will include seating or a panoramic view, whether seated or not. In some cases they may be ‘Juliette’ style balconies, with limited floor space. Unless stated, views from balconies, windows and terraces may be restricted by trees/foliage or other factors beyond our control and no express or implied representation is made regarding there being a ‘view’ of any kind. The balcony or terrace may be private or shared, and where a ground floor room is allocated, this may be a terrace rather than a balcony.

Seating areas: Seating areas may not typically consist of a full lounge or separate lounge area, but will normally include chair(s), a sofa or other forms of seating.

Mezzanine levels: Where mezzanine levels are described, they may be accessible by steep stairs and will typically be under the eaves in most units or hotels.

Annexes: When annexes are used, these may be directly owned and controlled by the accommodation provider or contracted in private homes. They may either be joined to the main building or be within walking distance of the accommodation.

Dimensions: Dimensions of rooms in hotels or apartments when quoted are approximate, and normally include the bathroom and the balcony area.

Air-conditioning: even though the property may feature air-conditioning in the rooms, certain countries have strict policies on when the air-conditioning is operational during the season and this is governed by local law. Some hotels may have centrally-controlled air-conditioning, rather than individual units in guest bedrooms, and these are controlled by the hotel management.

TV: Where a TV is advertised, no guarantee is implied as to how many English-speaking channels will be available, if any, including Satellite TV.

Wi-Fi/Internet Access: Where Wi-Fi or internet access is indicated in a property description, this belongs to the property and its availability is outside our control. In some more remote resorts signal strength may be limited throughout the whole resort and not just in our properties. No guarantee is given or implied that it will be operative during your holiday; you will not be advised in advance if this facility is removed, and no compensation or refund will be paid if it is not available for whatever reason. Charges may apply. We ask for your understanding and patience in remembering that the connections in the mountains are not as reliable or as strong as you may be used to in the UK. The connections will, in normal circumstances, be suitable for the checking of emails and basic web-browsing, but the downloading and streaming of films and other media may not be possible.

Cleaning: In apartments and self-catering apartments, it is generally accepted that a clean at the beginning of the week will occur. Your bedroom will be clean and tidy for your arrival. You will also be required to leave your apartment in a tidy state at the end of your stay and some apartments may provide an end of stay checklist to adhere to. If this is not done, the accommodation supplier may levy a cleaning fee. It may also be the case that hotel rooms and all other accommodation are not cleaned on a daily basis.

Leisure facilities: Swimming pools, hot-tubs, spa-baths and saunas are operated and maintained by the management or owners in accordance with local regulations or guidelines. Leisure facilities may be subject to limited opening hours, and there may be restrictions on their use by children. Should any leisure facility become unavailable for any reason, we cannot guarantee being able to repair or replace it during your holiday, and do not offer compensation for inconvenience or curtailed use in such an event.

Some hotels adopt a ‘no swimwear’ rule in respect of their sauna areas. Please note, each hotel has its own policy on this rule, which is subject to change without notice. In hotels with spas or wellness centres, massages/beauty treatments will normally be provided by the hotel’s own wellness area staff, but in some cases will be available to book through the hotel with a visiting provider of these services. Some hotels, especially in Italy require you to wear a “bathing” cap whilst using the pool facilities.

General hotel facilities may be open seasonally and their opening times may be subject to change.

Lifts: Please note that in some properties, lifts may not directly service all floors and access to and from these floors may be by stairway only. Not all properties have lifts.

Security: We cannot be held responsible for the damage to, loss or theft of personal belongings or equipment from any accommodation. Safe-keeping of your laptop computer/tablet/smartphone is your own responsibility, as is ensuring that it is properly insured for the circumstances above; no liability will be accepted for damage to or loss or theft of laptops from accommodation, including if your insurance company refuses to pay out for any reason. We also accept no liability for any loss of data or virus infection to your device whilst on holiday with us, however caused.

Free upgrade or ‘Added Value’ offers: Where a hotel offers ‘free’ upgrades on their rooms or other ‘Added Value’ offers, these are subject to availability and may only be applicable to holidays taken in certain months of the season. The hotel may amend or withdraw this offer at any time during the season, without notice.

Services provided by the accommodation: Where the accommodation provider offers a service such as childcare or kindergarten facilities, these services are offered and available for use by guests entirely at their own risk. There is no guarantee that the services offered will be equivalent to a UK standard and they may differ from the description of the facility published at the time.

Meal arrangements: If you book half board, the first meal you will receive will usually be dinner on the day of your arrival in the resort and the last meal will be breakfast on the morning of your departure from the resort. No drinks are included on a half board option (unless stipulated). Clients arriving late at a hotel will normally receive a cold plate. At peak times, some hotels may choose to seat clients together on larger tables. “All Inclusive” hotels include breakfast, a light lunch, evening meals and unlimited drinks in the basic holiday price (although set times and choices may apply at some hotels). Where packed lunches are provided as part of your accommodation stay, they will not be provided on the day of departure. Please note, some hotels can charge for tap water, or may only offer bottled water at an applicable charge.

New-build projects & refurbishments: Properties may be newly built, converted or refurbished before the season starts. We take every possible care to ensure any works are completed on schedule, however occasionally matters outside of our direct control (including but not limited to local authority delays or adverse weather) can cause delays and/or changes to the original plans upon which we have based our description. In the event that either eventuality happens, we will advise you as soon as any impact on your holiday is clear. For more information, please see clause 4(a) of our Booking Conditions.

ACCURACY OF INFORMATION

Our package holidays and other types of holiday arrangements may also be featured on websites owned and operated by travel agents and other organisations. We have absolutely no control over the content or maintenance of such sites and therefore we cannot accept any liability for information contained on them.

The pictures shown in the brochure and on the website are included for their style and general relevance and are shown for illustration purposes and unless stated are not necessarily taken at the resort described. Photographs of rooms are intended to give an indication of the typical appearance, but rooms will inevitably vary in size, furnishing and decorative style.

An average walking speed of 100 metres per minute has been assumed under normal resort conditions in standard footwear. Clearly, timings will vary according to footwear, age, personal fitness and surface conditions.

Where free minibus services are advertised, these may be subject to capacity restrictions, and/or be on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and could only run at set times, details of which are available in resort. We cannot be held responsible if you miss any, all or part of your other arrangements as a result of the late running or unavailability of these services.

Hotelplan Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any losses incurred as a result of industrial action in resort, e.g. strike action by lift operators, bus drivers, etc. Equally, where other factors such as weather impact on the availability of some resort facilities and services, including the operation of lifts, any refunds must be negotiated with the supplier.

ADDING EXTRAS

We’re delighted to be able to offer a whole host of extras to help you get the most out of your holiday with us, details of which can be found on our website and in our brochure. It’s advisable that you book any extras at the time of confirming your booking, as we cannot guarantee that they can be added later and prices can change at any time. If you add these extras after confirming your booking, you will be charged the price applicable at the time those extras are booked, not at the time the holiday itself was booked. We try wherever possible to obtain special offers and discounts from our chosen suppliers to pass on to our guests, though these are subject to availability and can be withdrawn at any time. Please ask our Reservations Team about any applicable offers when confirming your booking.

In-resort purchases

Payment for optional activities and events booked in resort must be made at the point of booking by debit or credit card. Card payments will be taken in Euros or in sterling, which will be converted from the local currency price at the applicable exchange rate at that time. Exchange rate fluctuations may mean that the sterling price paid may not be exactly the same as the cost in local currency in your resort. Where paying with a Euro or Swiss Franc currency card, the local currency price in addition to a handling charge will be debited from your account.

Any activities or excursions that you choose to book whilst you are on holiday are not part of the package holiday provided by us. Your contract will be with the provider of the activity or excursion and not with Hotelplan Ltd. If activities or excursions are withdrawn by the provider for any reason, any refunds must be negotiated directly with the provider and cannot be guaranteed by us as we act as an agent for the provider.

FLIGHTS

Most of our flights operate a ‘buy on board’ service, though aircraft capacity for catering suppliers is of course limited and items can run out. We always recommend purchasing snacks and drinks inside the airport (airside), particularly if travelling with children.

CARRIAGE OF BICYCLES AND SPORTING EQUIPMENT

Please enquire at time of booking as charges will usually apply.

SWISS FLY LUGGAGE

In the event of any delay, loss or damage to your luggage when taking advantage of the Swiss Fly Luggage system, any and all complaints and claims must be lodged with the supplier directly. Details can be found here: Help with luggage and luggage registration | SBB help & contact

GROUP DISCOUNTS AND CHILD DISCOUNTS

Group discounts

To qualify as a group, all guests must book at the same time, for the same departure date, resort and duration, and all communication and payment must be organised through one named individual as the group leader. Group members may however travel by different routes or methods, and/or occupy different price room/apartment types, in which case the free places are allocated to the cheapest method and room-type used.

The group size is calculated on the number of passengers paying the full adult brochure price. Any two children receiving a child discount of any level (except free places) or family choice reduction count together as one full-paying person.
Only one free child place is allowed per group.
FREE places and discounts are based on the adult basic price shown in the price panel, not including any applicable room, meal or flight supplements, or any other ancillary costs.
Group FREE places cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts advertised, and any online booking discount except cash-back and hotel early booking offers.
Later additions can be made to your group, subject to availability, but the original group discount will not be increased as a result of such additions. If your group size reduces after booking, the group discount will be reduced accordingly, and may be lost completely if all group conditions are no longer complied with, and re-costing may apply if room occupancy levels change.
We have specific allocations of rooms at special Inghams rates in most hotels, and if extra rooms are required to accommodate your group, these may not be available at the same preferential rate, in which case ‘extra to allocation’ supplements may apply. If we have obtained such extra rooms to accommodate your group, we reserve the right to re-cost the holiday if your group later reduces in size.
A £150 per person deposit is required from all group members, including those travelling on a FREE or reduced price place. The deposits taken against the FREE places will then be credited to the group’s final balance payment.
The names of all group members are required at the time of booking for all scheduled flights, and any subsequent change will incur an amendment fee, or with some scheduled airlines, cancellation and re-booking. For all charter flights, names are required within 14 days of booking, but we allow free name changes up to 28 days prior to departure, after which an administration fee for any further changes will apply. For scheduled services, charges will apply for any name change.
Only one invoice will normally be issued per group, to the group leader, and an administration charge is payable for any group member/s requiring a separate invoice.
The group leader is responsible for ensuring that every member of his/her group has appropriate travel insurance.
Full payment must be made at least 10 weeks prior to departure by debit card or credit card.
We reserve the right to restrict the total number of FREE places allowed across multiple groups in the same property on the same date at any time.
All group bookings are ‘subject to availability’ which includes respecting the right of hoteliers to decline single-sex groups or groups above a certain size.

Child discounts

Except where stated, child FREE and discounted places are based on the child/children sharing the room with at least two full-paying guests. A maximum of two discounted child places (including a FREE place if applicable) is permitted per room/suite/cabin/apartment.

FREE places are limited to one per booking. FREE places and child discount percentages are calculated off the basic adult brochure price shown in the relevant price panel, not including room or flight supplements, insurance or any other applicable costs.
Children on self-drive or accommodation-only holidays receive the same percentage discounts shown for European charter flights off the relevant adult basic self-drive or accommodation-only price.
Only one FREE child place is allowed per group claiming a Group Discount.
Infants under 2 years of age on the return travel date to the UK pay an Infant Administration Fee as shown below, provided that the infant travels on a parent’s lap, and no flight, coach or train seat is used:
£49 (when using charter flights) in European hotels and apartments, with direct payment to the accommodation owner of any cot-hire and linen charges, food and drink costs or other applicable charges (£99 on scheduled flights).
Please note that infants do not have their own luggage allowance, and must sit on a parent’s lap on the flight and on the transfers.
Child prices and FREE places cannot be combined with online discounts.
The child reductions shown in the brochure are correct at the time of going to press, but may be changed or withdrawn at any time. The correct price will be confirmed at time of booking.
If dual parent families abuse our single parent discounts, we reserve the right to either cancel such bookings without notice or to re-invoice the booking at the correct price.

As they are by definition not ‘full-paying guests’, children receiving a FREE place or child discount do not count towards the size of a Group for the purposes of calculating any Group Discount.

IN RESORT

We provide the services of a local Representative, who will either be based in the resort, provide a visiting service, or be available by telephone. If you require any assistance during your stay, please get in touch with your Representative, whose details will be available in your welcome pack and/or on arrival at your accommodation.

Parents are reminded that children must remain under their control at all times. Age limits or qualifications may apply to several activities and it may be that a basic or reasonable level of fitness is required to partake in a certain activity or a requirement of swimming to take part in water-based activities. On occasion, passport evidence may also be required. Our Reservations Team has full details and you should enquire before booking if any limitations to activities are of paramount importance to you.

No guarantee is given as to the specific length or time duration of each activity and some activities will require excess payments to be made for insurance purposes to partake in that activity. Each specific supplier will provide more details in resort.

Minimum numbers and/or suitable weather conditions are required for certain activities to take place. If the required numbers are not reached, or the weather prevents the activity taking place at all during your holiday, or the activity is withdrawn by the provider for any reason, any refunds must be negotiated directly with the provider and cannot be guaranteed by us as we act as an agent and are not responsible for the provision of the service or activity normally. Some excursions are subject to minimum numbers. It may also be the case that excursions do not start directly from the resort you are booked to stay in, and you may incur additional charges in travelling to the excursion departure point. Excursions can also be shared between resorts and the point of origin may not be from your resort.

No refunds or compensation will be paid by the service providers if you simply change your mind about taking part in an activity after booking it, or miss the transport provided, or fail to arrive at the designated meeting point on time, or, in your or the provider’s judgment, cannot physically cope with the activity. (If the latter is due to a physical injury, you should claim under your travel insurance policy.)

Any arrangements made by you independently of our company are entirely at your own risk and you should make sure you are appropriately insured.

GUIDED WALKS

Where guided walks are available through us in the resort, routes are subject to change. All walks are subject to availability of local guides, weather conditions and maximum numbers. Early booking is strongly recommended. Please ensure you are comfortable with the grade of walk, planned distance covered and terrain before booking. The decision of the guide on the suitability of the walk for you is final and no compensation will be paid where the guide believes, in their professional opinion, that it is not suitable. Walks are not recommended for guests under 12 years. Any guests under 18 years will need to be accompanied by an adult.

Full details of the walks with the meeting points and routes will be provided to you on arrival. Where we cannot confirm your preferred option in resort, we will endeavour to offer an alternative subject to the above conditions. You may need to travel on foot or by public transport to reach the start/finish point of the guided walk. These costs are not included in your package holiday cost and should be paid by you locally where applicable.

IN-RESORT PURCHASES

Payment for excursions, optional activities, etc. booked in resort must be made at the point of booking by debit card or credit card. Card payments will be taken in sterling converted from the local currency price at the applicable exchange rate at that time. Exchange rate fluctuations may mean that the sterling price paid may not be exactly the same as the cost in local currency in your resort. Where paying with a Euro or Swiss Franc currency card, the local currency price will be debited from your account.

LOST PROPERTY

A report of any lost item must be made immediately to your Resort Representative if the loss is noticed whilst you are on holiday, including on transfers to and from resort.

If the item is not found and returned to you prior to your departure, you must report the loss to your Resort Representative by text or phone, using the contact details you will be provided with during your holiday. Alternatively, you can contact us by email at lostpropertyCOUNTRY@inghams.co.uk, replacing ‘COUNTRY’ with the country that you travelled to.

Please do give us a full description of the item lost, including any branding/distinguishing features.

If found, you will need to arrange collection by courier at your expense. This is due to increased customs charges both in the UK and abroad. Our overseas team will package your item securely and assist with arranging for collection from an appropriate overseas address, for which a €15 admin fee will be payable. It may be possible for some smaller items to be returned to the UK by staff on overseas visits, though this is not guaranteed.

We cannot guarantee the return of any item of lost property and our staff’s involvement in tracing it shall not constitute acceptance of any liability for the item at any stage of the process, particularly if arrangements have not been made via our UK office as above. We regret that any items of lost property found and unclaimed 28 days after the holiday end date cannot be kept and will be disposed of.

SPECIAL REQUESTS

Any special requests you have such as vegetarian or other special dietary meals, special facilities, specific room allocations or any other requirements you consider important, should be made known to us at the time of booking and advised to us promptly, in writing. If you require the fulfilment of your request to be a condition of your package holiday contract with us, this can only be done if you advise us in writing and our providers agree they can meet your request and we confirm this back to you in writing, separately to the Confirmation Invoice. See also our Important Information with regard to dietary requirements.

Special medical requirements: If you have any special/medical requirements, it is essential that you bring these to our attention at the earliest opportunity and before confirming your holiday, as some accommodation and resorts may be found to be unsuitable. It is therefore important that you provide us promptly with written details of your requirements in order that we can help you find a suitable holiday. When booking excursions or events in resort, you should ensure that the excursion or event that you have chosen is suitable and that the provider is made aware of any special requirements that you may have, in order that they may take an informed decision as to the suitability of the excursion or event for you.

TRANSFERS

Please see the resort pages for transfer times. These are approximate and do not include refreshment/toilet stops. The times may also be affected by weather, road and traffic conditions. In particular, congestion during continental school holidays can cause delays, as may road closures due to roadworks, etc. It may be necessary to wait for guests arriving on other flights, but we try to keep waiting time to as short a time as possible in the circumstances. Some of our twin centre holidays involve a transfer via the airport. Please ask our Reservations Team if this is important to you.

Transfers can be by coach, shared mini-bus, train or car, though some resorts require private taxi transfers as standard. For resorts not requiring private transfers as standard, these can be arranged at a supplement – please speak to our Reservations Team for further information. “Short transfers” indicates a resort with driving times to/from the airport of 90 minutes or less in normal, undisrupted weather and traffic conditions. Transfers are not always accompanied by an Inghams Representative, though you will usually be met at your arrival airport. The transfer into resort may not stop directly outside your property and at times, a feeder may be provided (if applicable). If you require assistance to the door of your accommodation, please contact our Reservations team.

On arrival at your overseas airport, our coaches will be parked in the coach park as near as possible to the terminal buildings, though this can sometimes be a short walk away. While we do have Representatives at the airport, they are not able to assist guests with their luggage, so please do bear this in mind.

Although many coaches are equipped with toilets, they are not always available for use, for a variety of reasons. European coaches do not always have fitted seatbelts. Infants under the age of 2 years on the return date of travel must sit on a parent’s lap. It is not normally possible to show children’s videos on coach transfers. Some properties are not situated close to coach-accessible roads and walks from 50 to 400 metres, sometimes with gradients, are necessary on arrival and departure. Please see the property description and if this is important to you call our Reservations Team. Transfers will endeavour to drop you off directly outside your accommodation wherever possible, but there may be times where, due to adverse weather conditions or other circumstances beyond our control, this may not be possible. We will not accept liability for this and no compensation will be offered where you are required to walk some distance to your accommodation.

On occasions there may be waiting times for other flights to join your transfer to resort, and transfers may sometimes involve a change of vehicle en route. Your return transfer coach may also carry guests from more than one flight and this may affect your departure time from resort. In the event of a flight diversion to an outbound flight for whatever reason, Inghams will endeavour to arrange coaches and staff to be at the alternative airport to meet you, but this cannot be guaranteed at short notice and we ask for your patience and understanding. No liability will be accepted if a diversion causes a delay at the arrival airport and/or a longer than advertised transfer to resort. Restrictions on drivers’ working hours can occasionally affect coach availability and may result in delays.

Independent travel:

Very few properties have parking spaces for self-drive guests and others have extremely limited spaces or no space at all. Public parking in resort is always subject to availability and will normally incur a charge which you pay locally. If arranging your own flights, it will not be possible to join Inghams’ coach transfers, and you should be aware that it can be extremely expensive to arrange transfers by taxi from your arrival airport to the resort. There will not normally be any price reduction in the event that you choose not to use our flights.

High altitude resorts: You should be aware that some people experience difficulties in high altitude resorts and it may be advisable to seek advice from your doctor before travel if you have any medical conditions which this may exacerbate.

Driving abroad: From 8 June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photo card driving licence will not be valid and will no longer be issued by the DVLA. The counterpart was introduced to display driving licence details that could not be included on the photo card. These details include some vehicle categories you are entitled to drive and any endorsement/penalty points. For more information go to www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licence-changes

The outcome of Brexit may also have an impact on driving abroad, so we recommend that you check the Government website for the most up-to-date information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/driving-in-the-eu-after-brexit