Booking Terms & Conditions
The following conditions form the basis of the contract between you and Bespoke France and will be subject to English Law and jurisdiction.
By signing our booking form, you are confirming that you have understood and accepted all the information about the holiday you have selected that Bespoke France has supplied to you.
Your signature of the booking form also means that you are accepting that our terms & conditions form the basis of the contract between you, the customer, and Bespoke France and will be subject to English Law and jurisdiction.
The person signing the booking form, to who we will refer to as the “lead traveller” must be over 18 and must confirm s/he has the authority to make the booking on behalf of all the persons included in the selected holiday.
It is also the lead traveller responsibility to ensure all payments to Bespoke France, for all the members of the travelling party are made as and when required.
We will address all documents and other information about your holiday from Bespoke France to the lead traveller on behalf of the travelling party.
Please note that written consent from parent / legal guardian is required for any traveller under the age of 18 who are travelling without their parents / legal guardians.
Arranging a booking
After a first contact, we will make a provisional booking by phone, fax or e-mail which we will hold for an agreed period.
You will then be asked to complete a booking form and send it back to us with your booking deposit.
Confirmation and deposit payment
We require a 30% deposit of the total cost of the holiday at the time of booking in order to confirm your chosen holiday. If your booking is made within 10 weeks of the departure date, full payment for the total cost of the holiday will be requested at the time of booking.
The holiday will only be confirmed by Bespoke France on receipt of your booking details and non-refundable deposit payment.
You will then receive a booking confirmation invoice which you should check carefully to ensure all details are correct. You must notify us of any discrepancies immediately.
The date by which the balance payment for your holiday must be made will be stipulated on the confirmation invoice document.
Final payment
The payment of the balance for your holiday is due 8 weeks prior to the departure date.
Cheques should be made payable to Bespoke France Ltd.
A handling fee of 2.5% will be charged on any payments made by credit or debit card.
If we do not receive your final payment by the due date mentioned on your booking confirmation invoice, Bespoke France does reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled and will apply cancellation charges as detailed below.
On receipt of your final payment, insurance information and any details required, we will send you a receipt for the total amount paid to us.
Booking amendments
We reserve the right to make any necessary changes prior to your booking being confirmed.
Once our confirmation invoice has been issued and your holiday confirmed, we will do our best to amend your booking as requested but please note a £25.00 administration fee per traveller will apply for any alterations made 8 weeks prior to departure and you will also be charged for any further costs arising from the change.
A change of name or any other changes to your booking within 2 months of the departure date will be treated as a cancellation.
Cancellation charges as detailed below will apply.
Cancellation of your holiday
If YOU cancel your holiday…
We must be notified in writing, by the lead traveller who signed the booking form, of your wish to cancel your holiday. The date of cancellation is the date it is received in this office. Please mark the envelope "URGENT-CANCELLATION" and retain a copy of your written request to cancel as proof for your own records.
| CANCELLATION CHARGES | |
|---|---|
| If you notify us… | You will lose… |
| More than 70 days (at least 10 weeks) before departure | Your deposit (15%) |
| 69 to 42 days (at least 6 weeks) before departure | 40% of the total holiday cost |
| 41 to 21 days (at least 3 weeks) before departure | 70% of the total holiday cost |
| 20 to 15 days before departure | 90% of the total holiday cost |
| 14 days or less before departure | 100% of your holiday cost |
Cancellation of group bookings of 10 people or more for some of our self-catering properties will be charged as follows:
| If you notify us… | You will loose… |
|---|---|
| 70 to 56 days (at least 8 weeks) before departure | 90% of the total holiday cost |
| 55 days or less before departure | 100% of your holiday cost |
If you cancel for a reason which is covered by your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges.
When the price of your holiday is based on the number of people booked and a cancellation alters that number, then we will recalculate the invoice based on the number of people actually travelling.
No refund will be given on any unused portion of the booking and no booking is transferable.
Please also note that where you are booked on a scheduled flight, higher cancellation charges may apply as some airlines do not permit any changes once a booking has been made.
Your responsibilities
- You must ensure that you and the rest of your party have valid passports and appropriate visas. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements.
- Airline regulations state that women 28 weeks or more into pregnancy at the time of return travel must have a doctor’s certification that they are fit to travel. Normally, permission to travel is refused after 32 weeks. We can only accept your booking upon the clear understanding that we cannot be liable if any airline refuses to accept you or any member of your party as a passenger for this reason.
- You must be responsible for the behaviour of yourself and your party.
- You must tell us if you have an existing medical problem or disability that may require assistance before you book your holiday.
If WE change / cancel your holiday
We do reserve the right to cancel your booking. However, in no case will this be cancelled within 4 weeks of departure except for reasons of “force majeure” and / or Act of God. In this event we will refund any monies paid less our reasonable expenses.
Because we plan and organise travel arrangements months in advance prior to departure, we do also reserve the right to make changes at any time if necessary, although this is very unlikely.
Most of the changes that might occur are minor such as the withdrawal of a facility; the need to change your hotel to another of the same official category; the late opening or closure of an advertised swimming pool; the alteration to the departure time of your transport of less than 12 hours or less than 6 hours if your booking is for 4 nights or less; a change of routing/carrier or a change to/cancellation of an event (such as an excursion) at your destination.
You will be notified of any changes by us, as soon as possible but we do not pay compensation for minor changes. Please note that flight times, carriers, aircraft types advertised on our website and in our holiday brochure are subject to change as a result of Airline procedures.
Should we have to alter:
- the departure or return airport, port or station (this does not apply to airports located in the same city)
- the departure time and / or return time by more than 12 hours or by more than 6 hours if your booking is for 4 nights or less,
- the destination resort
- the accommodation you have selected, meaning a change of accommodation to a lower category
within 10 weeks of departure, we will notify you immediately and offer you a refund of all monies paid or alternative travel and holiday arrangements as appropriate.
If a major change occurs within 10 weeks of departure but not for reasons of force majeure and / or Act of God, we will pay you compensation, according to the table below:
COMPENSATION RATES in the event of a MAJOR CHANGE IN YOUR HOLIDAY |
|
|---|---|
| If we notify you… | We will pay you… |
| More than 56 days before your holiday | Nil |
| 29 to 56 days before your holidays | GBP 25.00 per adult |
| 15 to 28 days before your holidays | GBP 35.00 per adult |
| 14 to 1 day before your holidays or notice after your arrival in resort | GBP 45.00 per adult |
However, please note that no compensation will be paid if you have not paid the full amount for your holiday 10 weeks before departure, as stipulated in your confirmation invoice.
Also note that compensation payments do not apply to circumstances beyond our control (force majeure, Act of God), such as:
- war, threat of war
- riots, civil strife or terrorist activity
- industrial disputes
- natural of nuclear disasters
- fire
- epidemic
- unavoidable technical problems with transport
- go slow
- airport, port or station closures
- bad weather conditions
- the hotel being closed
- and similar events beyond our control
In the unlikely event of Bespoke France having to change your holiday arrangements after you have arrived to your holiday destination, we will do our best to find accommodation of the same or higher standard for your travelling party, in the same or a similar resort. We will pay you compensation according to our compensation rates as shown in the table above.
Please note you have no right to cancel your holiday booking once you have left the UK for your holiday destination if we offer you a suitable alternative.
Holiday prices
All prices are correct at the time of going to press and on-line but are subject to change. Indeed, any significant variation in costs, including exchange rates, the cost of aviation fuel, airport charges of increase in Government charges or levies will affect the prices displayed on our website and brochure and we reserve the right to levy any additional charges.
However, we guarantee not to increase prices less than 2 weeks prior to travel.
Our responsibilities
All descriptions of properties and services are made in good faith and every care is taken to ensure their accuracy. However, in view of the detail contained and the fact that descriptions are prepared some time in advance of holidays, advertised facilities, amenities, entertainments and schedules may on occasion be changed or cancelled. We shall endeavour to notify you of changes of which we become aware prior to your departure. We make every effort to inspect accommodation and service providers to ensure it is suitable for use by a person with disability or reduced mobility. However, disabilities vary considerably and it is your responsibility to inform Bespoke France of all special requirements you have so that we can arrange the most suitable holiday.
Please note that special diets in your resort can be requested but not always guaranteed.
Holiday accommodation
If your holiday includes self-catering accommodation, we will require a cheque for £300.00 which will not be cashed, as security.
You must report any breakages or damage to Bespoke France immediately and you will be charged for the appropriate payment or replacement on return to the UK. If there has been a breakage or damage at the accommodation, a claim may be made against you for the full cost of any replacement items or repairs. We reserve the right to charge for any breakage or damage which is discovered after you have vacated the property and which has not been reported. Your cheque for £300.00 will be returned to you on final inspection of the property and as soon as the proprietor is satisfied with the condition you left the property in on departure.
If your holiday includes hotel accommodation, you will also have to report any breakages or damage to the reception of the hotel immediately and the appropriate payment or replacement will have to be made locally before departure. We also reserve the right to charge for any breakage or damage which is discovered after you have checked out and which has not been reported.
Exchange rates will apply.
Flight arrangements and other supplies by third parties
Scheduled flights and some other services are subject to the terms and conditions of the carriers, some of which may limit liability. Please advise us of any special flight requirements such as special diets (please note that special diets in-flight can be requested but not all diets are catered for) and necessary assistance at the airport for wheelchair users at the time of booking. The service available to passengers with disabilities varies from airport to airport, as does the means of transferring wheelchair users into and out of the aircraft. This may involve manual lifting onto airport buses, aircraft steps and aircraft seats. At most airports, this is a well-practiced procedure. Should you be advised of any changes to flight schedules by the airline, you must inform us immediately in order that appropriate arrangements can be made for your arrival at the resort.
If you are prevented from travelling because in the opinion of any person in authority you appear to be unfit to travel or likely to cause discomfort or disturbance to other passengers, our responsibility for your holiday will immediately cease. We will not be responsible for any costs you may incur or make any refunds to you.
Please also note that valuable items are at all times at the customers’ own risk and should be covered by insurance.
Claims & liability
Any claim under this agreement shall be subject to English Law and all proceedings shall be within the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts. As part of our undertaking to provide your required holiday arrangements, it is necessary for Bespoke France to select and make arrangements with various independent contractors, including hoteliers, property owners, activity organisers and transport operators. Bespoke France is not responsible for the negligence or other acts or omissions of those independent carriers, the hoteliers or other contractors or their employees or agents. Except for personal injury, illness or death, the maximum amount we will pay for claims is the full price of the holiday.
Special requirements
You must include full details of special requirements (and where appropriate of your disability / medical condition) on the Personal requirements form. It may be helpful is you give information as to the nature of your disability. We will do our best to arrange for any necessary assistance and equipment required to be available to you in your holiday resort. If any of the facilities and / or equipment mentioned on our website and in our holiday brochure are vital to you, then please mention this on the Personal requirements form.
Data protection
In order to process your booking it is necessary for us to collect personal data from you and the members of your party. For us to arrange your holiday, we may also have to pass some of that information on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. The information may also be provided to credit checking companies and public authorities such as customs and immigration, if required by them or by law. We may contact you or members of your holiday party in the future to inform you about our services and offers. If you do not wish to be contacted in the future, please let us know in writing. By signing the booking form you confirm your consent to the use of your data and that of your party members for these purposes.
Complaint procedure
If you have a complaint, this must be reported to Bespoke France immediately on the emergency telephone number provided, to allow us to try and resolve the matter as soon as possible. If you fail to do this, we cannot accept responsibility as we may have lost the opportunity to investigate and rectify the problem. Any further complaint should be in writing, providing full details, and must be received within 28 days of your return to the UK. We regret we cannot consider complaints outside this period.
Locally hired equipment
On request, Bespoke France will endeavour to arrange on your behalf the hiring of equipment from local suppliers at your destination resort. Any loss or damage caused by the equipment which you hire will be the responsibility of the local supplier and Bespoke France accept no responsibility for the selection or fitness for purpose of the equipment supplied or for any loss or damage caused by its use.
Any loss or damage of equipment should be immediately reported to Bespoke France and the appropriate payment or replacement will have to be made locally before departure.
We also reserve the right to charge for any loss or damage which is discovered after you have returned the equipment and which has not been reported.
Exchange rates will apply.
Lost property
If you leave any personal property in your holiday resort and would like us to assist you in retrieving it, we do reserve the right to charge a £20.00 handling fee.
Your financial protection
When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from Bespoke France, you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 10274.
In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk
ATOL Protection applies to any of the holidays which include flights, advertised on our website and in our brochure.
For all other holiday packages we offer (including camping and self-catering holidays) which do not include flights, where you have decided to travel by sea or rail, we also guarantee full financial protection via our Failsafe Cover.
Professional membership
Bespoke France is also a member of ABTOF, the Association of British Tour Organisers to France, dedicated to promoting France as a tourist destination.
We guarantee an excellent level of service and will always do our very best to source YOUR ideal holiday package to France.
Website and advertising material accuracy
On rare occasions, errors may occur when inputting prices into our reservations system, when printing our brochure or editing our website. We regret that any contract entered into on the basis of an erroneous price will be void. Accordingly, you cannot seek to rely on an erroneous price when booking a holiday.
EHIC card & Travel insurance
If you are visiting France (or any EEC country), we strongly recommend that you acquire the EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card). Please visit www.ehiconline.org to apply.
It is essential that all persons on medication or under medical treatment obtain permission to travel from their doctor. Some airlines may require a certificate confirming "fitness to fly".
It is also a condition of booking that you have adequate insurance cover. Make sure you read the insurance policy documents carefully. It will give you full details of what is and what is not covered and the conditions of cover. Ensure all your details are correct or this may invalidate your policy.