Under-occupancy
We ask you to contribute towards the costs if you reserve rooms for your exclusive use, but do not fill all the beds. The supplement per empty bed payable is 40% of the basic adult air-inclusive price shown in the price panel per empty bed space. We reserve the right to limit the number of beds left unoccupied and the number that we are able to offer at a 40% discount. Infants occupying cots do not count towards occupancy figures. In the Hotel Le Savoie and the Hotel Village Montana, no under-occupancy discount is available and empty beds will be charged at the full adult price. In apartments, prices are based on maximum occupancy and an under-occupancy supplement will apply if the apartment is not fully occupied (Village Montana Apartments, Chalet Skadi Apartments and Chalet Izia Apartments).
If separate bookings share our own-run chalets or hotels, we are not able to disclose any details appertaining to other guests.
Please note that some of our chalets are assigned to host our Child Care Supervised Lunch, which will be detailed in the resort and/or property description. This may affect guests’ access to the chalet’s communal areas during lunchtime, so if this is important to you, please book a chalet which does not host Child Care lunches.
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 such as childcare and ski-packs (if any) at the time of 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and discounts from our chosen suppliers to pass on to our guests, though these are subject to availability and can be withdrawn at any time and are not usually available in resort. Please ask our Reservations Team about any applicable offers when confirming your booking.
Carriage of skis/snowboards
If you have your own equipment then please do let us know when booking so that we can do our best to ensure that your skis and snowboard can be carried on your flight, as ski carriage can be limited. Some airlines require that passengers book and pay for their ski carriage directly with the airline once your holiday is confirmed with us. Our Reservations Team will be able to advise you of this.
Ski boots and snowboard boots are carried as part of your normal luggage allowance. Pre-booked skis/snowboard carriage is normally £40 return per snowboard or pair of skis, but can sometimes be up to £70 each way on scheduled flights (current price to be advised at time of booking). Please be aware that this is per set of equipment, and that ski/snowboard bags presented for carriage containing more than one pair of skis/snowboard where the appropriate charge per set of equipment has not been pre-paid will be charged for at check-in. Carriage of skis/snowboards presented for check-in at the airport without being shown as pre-booked on your Confirmation Invoice cannot be guaranteed and, if carried, will carry a charge payable at the airport in cash prior to check-in which can be considerably higher than the pre-booked price. Some aircraft have limited capacity for skis/snowboards, and space is allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. These flights do not operate a ‘pay at the airport’ alternative. Hotelplan Ltd accepts no liability if you do not pre-book carriage and the airline is unable to carry your equipment. There is no liability to be taken for airlines that may not offer to carry snowboards within their ski carriage policies.
Flights
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.
In-resort purchases
Payment in resort for ski-pack items, optional activities, childcare or other items booked in resort must be made at the point of booking by debit or credit card. Please note that charges from your bank may apply. Card payments can be taken in Euros or in sterling, which will be converted from the local currency price at the applicable company 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 currency card, the local currency price in addition to a handling charge will be debited from your account. Any activities, excursions or ski packs 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, excursion or ski pack and not with Hotelplan Ltd. If the provider for any reason withdraws activities or excursions, any refunds must be negotiated directly with the provider and cannot be guaranteed by us as we act as an agent for the provider.
Child/Infant Prices
We’re pleased to offer some great discounts to families and those travelling with children. Child reductions shown do not apply to room/airport supplements, insurance, childcare, ski-packs etc. which are payable in full. All the prices and reductions shown are valid at the time of printing but are subject to change at any time. The correct current price and child reductions if applicable will be advised at the time of booking and confirmed on your Confirmation invoice. Air Passenger Duty (APD) for children under 16 years was abolished in April 2016. This has been taken into account in the calculation of our child reductions.
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.
Some activities rely on satisfactory levels of snow and/or ice and should the levels be inappropriate, providers will do their best to offer alternative activities. Parents are reminded that children must remain under their control at all times.
Where excursions and activities are offered for sale locally, it is important to note that age limits or qualifications may apply, e.g. a full driving licence is often required and must be produced on request before driving snowmobiles, and passport evidence may be required. Our Resort Team will have the details and you should enquire before booking if any limitations to activities are of paramount importance to you. Strict drink-driving laws apply to snowmobile driving, as with any vehicle. 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. 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 if, in your or the provider’s judgement, you 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.
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.
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.
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@espritski.com, 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 overseas team 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.
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 liability for information contained on them.
The pictures shown on the Esprit 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 within our own-run chalets and hotels will inevitably vary in size, furnishing and decorative style, particularly where there has been partial refurbishment.
Where free minibus/ski-bus 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 ski lessons or other arrangements as a result of the late running or unavailability of these services.
Where a resort is described as being at high altitude or with “guaranteed snow”, this describes a resort with skiing over 2000 metres on its area lift pass and with a history of reliable skiing, but does not mean that skiable snow is guaranteed on all runs and all altitudes at all times or on the slopes of that individual resort.
Where accommodation is described as offering “doorstep skiing” this is obviously subject to individual skiers’ ability and snow conditions in resort. This is generally defined as being possible to ski to/from a point within 50m of that property, but may be obstructed by paths or foliage. We cannot be held liable if the local authorities and/or local property owners, including the owner of the chalet/hotel, makes changes to the property or surrounding area which affect the use of the intended ski in/ski out route.
Where distance is quoted in time taken to walk, we have used as a guideline that 100m takes an adult one minute to walk in standard footwear under snow and ice-clear conditions. Timings will vary according to footwear, age, personal fitness and surface conditions and of course if you have little ones in tow.
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, ski schools etc. Equally where other factors such as weather or other force majeure events affect the availability of some resort facilities and services.
Advertisements and descriptions of resort facilities in Hotel and chalet information folders are not intended to be recommendations.
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, particularly on Saturdays. Please ensure that you are prepared for your transfer with adequate snacks, water, etc. and that you have used the facilities before leaving the airport, as WCs on coaches are not always available for use. Congestion during continental school holidays can cause delays, as may road closures due to roadworks, avalanche risks, etc. We ask for your understanding accordingly if, faced with forecasts of heavy snow and/or heavy holiday traffic, we need to arrange your homeward transfer earlier than normal to allow extra time to reach the airport.
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.
On arrival at your overseas airport, our coaches will be parked in the coach park as near as possible to the terminal building, 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.
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.
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, Hotelplan Ltd 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. If you have provided us with a mobile contact telephone number that we can use in the event of delays and diversions to travel, we will do our best to keep you updated in this manner. 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. A member of Esprit Ski staff will not always escort our transfers.
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 Esprit Ski’s 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.
OUR OWN-RUN CHALETS AND HOTELS
We’re pleased to offer an excellent choice of accommodation across our portfolio of chalets, alongside two hotel options that we staff and run ourselves – the Hotel Ducs de Savoie and the Hotel Le Savoie, both in Val d’Isere. These properties are run by Esprit Ski, who employ carefully selected staff who receive comprehensive training from us. Please bear in mind that these ‘own-run hotels’ are not the same as traditional hotels, and they are run as larger scale chalets by Esprit Ski employees who are not necessarily trained hospitality professionals. Our third ‘Hotel’ is the Hotel De Champoluc in Champoluc, Italy. This is not run by Esprit Ski staff, but by the owner and his team, with whom we work very closely.
There is no official rating system for our own-run catered chalet and hotel accommodation, as many were not built for commercial purposes. Our prices reflect the standard of the property you choose, but prices can also be influenced by location in resort, staffing ratios, transfer costs and, in particular, regional differences in rentals.
Accommodation will comply with any appropriate local standards of the country in which the property is situated, which may differ from UK standards. Within our own-run chalets and hotels, rooms and facilities can vary greatly, and we often find that a degree of tolerance is needed when it comes to Alpine standards of plumbing, electrics and hot water supplies.
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 – please be aware though that there may not be sufficient soft seating for every guest. When two figures are given for the capacity of a chalet, the lower one is the normal occupancy figure, based on regular beds including sofa beds in some cases. The higher figure allows for increased occupancy, using put-u-up beds. Neither figure includes infants occupying cots. Put-u-ups and sofa-beds may limit the space available and cause inconvenience, so please do ask our Reservations Team for advice if bedroom space is important to you. Because of the ability to add additional beds, the brochure/website figures are not guaranteed as absolute, and are subject to change. Please therefore confirm the capacity when you make your telephone reservation. Our reservations staff describe cot or put-u-up space as ‘squashed’ or ‘very squashed’ where appropriate; please ask for advice if bedroom space is important to you. Where bunk beds are present in accommodation, they may not be comparable to standard full-size single beds.
Larger properties may occasionally have guests travelling under the ‘Inghams’ name, which is a sister company within Hotelplan Ltd. Equally, Esprit Ski may use Inghams properties during ‘peak’ weeks. All properties may have Esprit Ski staff and/or members of the chalet owner’s family living in, and may hold rooms hosting our Child Care programme (including Supervised Lunch) or be used by Hotelplan staff as a resort office, store room or similar. Please ask for written details if this matter is important to you.
Hotel Le Savoie in Val d’Isère: slightly different arrangements apply here and the property is shared with guests from our sister company Inghams. Please note that certain services you might expect in a ‘French 5-star’ hotel (e.g. a la carte dining, daily linen/towel change, lunch service, luggage porters etc.) are not provided.
Hotel De Champoluc: Run by the property owner and his team, the arrangements here will differ slightly in that the only Hotelplan employees on site are those of our Esprit childcare team. The property is shared with our sister brand, Inghams.
Exclusive Use: when one of our own-run chalets is booked for your exclusive use, this means that no other paying guests will be in residence, but does not exclude the possibility of members of staff and/or the owner’s family living in or using designated parts of the property as an office, store room or similar. Please note therefore that Esprit Ski staff and/or members of the chalet owner’s family may occupy parts of the building.
Please ask for written details if this matter is important to you.
a) Bedrooms
The size, decor, soundproofing 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 some chalets, bedrooms lead from communal rooms. Some rooms are listed as ‘under eaves’, which can at times limit head clearance by way of low beams and/or the slant of the roof. We make every effort to describe bedrooms as accurately as possible, and may refer to room types as either a SUITE (where there are distinctly separate sleeping areas, e.g. a bedroom and separate living room with sofa bed) or a ROOM (where all beds are in one area). We recommend that you stress special room requirements at the time of booking. Some bedrooms and suites have kitchenettes reflecting their occasional use for self-catering. They are not equipped for use and for safety reasons we disconnect most of the electrical and gas equipment. Beds may be sofa beds or chair-beds, particularly in family accommodation where part of the room is intended as either a sleeping area or a sitting area. Chalets and Hotels may provide an ‘Austrian twin’ or ‘Continental twin’ (i.e. a double bed frame with two single mattresses and two single duvets) in rooms described as doubles or twins. You must advise us in writing if this is not acceptable to anyone included on your booking.
Balconies and Views: Where a supplement has been paid for a balcony, neither a specific view nor aspect is guaranteed, and the balcony may be private or shared. It should not be assumed that a balcony will include seating. Views from balconies and windows 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 from a window or balcony, unless expressly described.
Bathroom Facilities: These will always include a bath, mini-bath, or shower, but do not necessarily include toilets - please see the individual property’s ‘Accommodation Summary’ for details of each room’s precise facilities. Bathrooms may not always have full size baths and showers may not always have a shower tray or curtain.
When bedrooms are described as having ‘private’ facilities which are not en suite, this means the facilities are not shared with other guests, though your Chalet Host may occasionally need to use the wc and hand-washing facilities.
Bed Linen, towels (one hand and one small bath towel per person) and soap are provided in all our own-run chalets and hotels.
b) Catering
Evening meals are provided for 6 nights on a 7-night holiday, and 12 nights on a 14-night holiday. Breakfast is run on a self-service basis, normally between 8 and 9am. There is of course unlimited tea and coffee. The milk supplied is likely to be UHT. With a full quota of guests present, breakfast can get busy so a degree of patience may be needed and our staff may ask that guests stagger their arrival times for breakfast, to facilitate a smoother service. For afternoon tea our staff provide a cake (and savoury treats in hotels) daily except on their day off, and guests should help themselves to tea and coffee. Children’s High Tea is served around 5pm and Adult dinner is served around 7.30pm. In all properties on the first evening, due to differing arrival times, the evening meal will be served at the convenience of the majority. For those on early departing transfers to the airport, only the continental breakfast may be provided.
We do not permit non-guests of our chalets and hotels to dine in our properties, except under exceptional circumstances and only if agreed in writing at time of booking. Please note that, unless you have exclusive use of your chalet, dinner is strictly an adults and secondary school age children’s occasion. Children 10 years old and under on the holiday start date are not allowed at the dinner table in our chalets, but instead are served Children’s High Tea at approximately 5pm (for further details, please see section (s) below on “Children’s High Tea”). In our hotel properties, children between 8 and 10 years old may eat with their parents. We cannot accept liability if we are not informed of the child’s age.
The consumption of duty-free and locally purchased alcohol is prohibited in the public areas of hotels, in accordance with local licensing laws.
Guests are not permitted to use chalet or hotel kitchens at any time. Further information will be provided by our resort staff. Kitchens of chalets and hotels are not to be used to prepare daily lunches and/or an evening meal on the staff night off. This includes using any of the electrical appliances such as microwaves, cookers and dishwashers, although this list is not exhaustive. Bottle warmers for infants can be provided on request locally. Guests are asked not to remove items from the breakfast buffet for later consumption.
Special Diets & Food Allergies
If you have a serious allergy that requires a special diet to be prepared separately from other guests’ food, your booking cannot be confirmed until we have been able to confirm we can supply such a diet, even if you receive a booking confirmation invoice in the interim (see extreme food allergies below).
Please note that our liability in respect of Special Diets & Food Allergies applies only to the chalet and hotel accommodation that we provide, and you are advised to check with your airline as to what procedures they have in place in this regard.
Vegetarian meals are offered as part of the menu choice in our hotels. In chalets we do need 14 days’ notice in writing of a request for vegetarian or vegan meals.
Other special diets (e.g. gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, low-fat/cholesterol, specific food allergies etc.) can normally be provided, but must be discussed with our Reservations Team before booking. All such dietary requests and/or food allergies must be confirmed to us in writing by email or registered post at least 14 days prior to departure. We unfortunately are unable to accept special dietary requests within 4 days prior to departure and will be unable to confirm that we can cater for your needs.
Food Allergy Policy: We have a well-developed Food Allergy Policy in place, with a view to avoiding any allergic reaction incidents, and shall exercise reasonable care to avoid specified food and drink ingredients if special diets are agreed at the time of booking and confirmed in writing as above. However, in choosing to travel with us, you accept the following facts:- that chalet and hotel staff involved in catering, including for children’s meals, are generally not qualified catering professionals; that no food allergy system can ever provide a 100% guarantee against any contact with a specified foodstuff; that items such as eggs, dairy products and nuts are constantly present in chalet kitchens and dining areas, so cross-contamination cannot be ruled out; that our staff cannot police what snacks third parties, including other guests’ children, may bring into contact with the allergic person; that staff may not be aware of precise food contents (where they do not speak the language in which the ingredients are labelled, for example); that our staff cannot police lunches provided by ski-schools. We therefore cannot and do not guarantee the avoidance of specified ingredients, and cannot accept liability in the event of any dissatisfaction with special dietary arrangements, including the occurrence of an allergic reaction.
Extreme Food Allergies: where a food allergy is so severe that the slightest exposure to the substance in question could cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction (for example where a reaction may be triggered other than by actually eating the foodstuff - such as by smell alone, or by minute trace elements on the hands of a staff member or another child), you must advise us in writing of the severe nature of the allergy at the time of booking. We then reserve the right to advise you that, in our considered view, the controls we are able to implement in the family ski chalet environment are insufficient to guarantee your, or your child’s safety, in which case, should you choose to proceed with the booking, you do so entirely at your own risk, and would be asked to confirm this in writing in order to confirm the booking. If you fail to advise us of a known extreme allergy at the point of booking, you will be in breach of contract, and we will therefore have no liability to you at all in the event of any incident.
c) Our Staff
In order to comply with local labour laws, our chalet and hotel staff have one well-earned day’s rest each week and will otherwise work on a rota basis. On their days off, our staff will leave out a simple continental breakfast and are then off work until the following day. During this time, no other catering is provided. On these evenings, you have the opportunity to sample dinner in one of the village restaurants. Some chalets and hotels have chalet or childcare staff and occasionally other resort staff living in, whilst in others there are no resident staff. If this is an important factor in choosing your chalet, please enquire about arrangements at the time of booking, although we cannot guarantee in any event that resort staff may not be present in the property.
d) Cleaning and hygiene
With the constant movement of people in and out, it is an uphill task to keep the accommodation, particularly floors, clean. Your bedroom will normally be clean and tidy for your arrival (subject to guests’ departure/arrival times) and en suite bathrooms will be cleaned once, mid-week, during your stay. Otherwise, its state is left to you. The chalet or hotel staff will normally empty your accessible waste bins each day and clean all communal rooms (except on their day off). We are particularly conscious of the need for catering hygiene and during their pre-season training course, all our catering staff will have been trained to the City & Guilds Level 2 in Food Safety. Our managers also carry out spot checks and full hygiene inspections regularly. If you are unhappy with any aspect of chalet hygiene or cleaning, please raise the matter immediately in resort so that the appropriate action can be taken. Our reservations staff can give details of laundry facilities in resorts as our chalets and Hotels do not have facilities for guests to use.
e) Slipper zones
We ask guests not to wear outdoor shoes or boots inside the chalets or hotels for reasons of hygiene and to preserve the fittings and furnishings, so please ensure that you take slippers or indoor shoes with you.
f) Security
Our properties do not have safes for securing guests’ valuables and it is unusual for chalets to be locked during the day or overnight, or for there to be locks on bedroom doors. Hotels normally have a night porter on duty. In many cases we offer keys, key cards or combination locks for which a deposit may be payable, but this cannot be guaranteed. In some chalets, parts of the building may be shared by other residents using the same communal entrance. Although we do not specify these points in each chalet description, if it is of concern please ask our reservations staff for details. We cannot accept liability for the damage to, loss or theft of personal belongings or ski equipment from any accommodation.
g) Telephones
Our properties do not have telephones. If a telephone facility is important to you we recommend you take a mobile phone.
h) TVs / DVDs
Some of the larger chalets have TVs and DVD-players which guests may use to play their own DVDs. Unfortunately, if TVs or DVD players become unserviceable, we cannot always get immediate replacements as the UK systems are not compatible with local versions and we may have to obtain spares from the UK. Where a TV is advertised, no guarantee is implied as to how many English-speaking channels will be available, if any, whilst some are advertised as “TV/DVD” which implies that no channels (satellite or otherwise) are available and that the TV is to be used for playing DVDs only.
i) Smoking
We operate a strict no-smoking policy in all our chalets and hotels, which includes the use of E-Cigarettes. A guest who breaches this policy will be liable to pay a fine of €100 to pay for additional deep cleaning required, and will be held liable for any other consequential damages sought against Hotelplan Ltd by its other guests and/or the property owners
j) Pets
Notwithstanding changes to UK legislation, we do not permit pets in our properties.
k) Chalet and hotel use for Esprit Ski Child Care Programme
Children’s activities are not confined to the childcare rooms. Between the hours of 08.30 and 17.00 children and staff will therefore be fed, entertained and use the toilets in our properties. In many cases this is indicated in the website text for the relevant property but we reserve the right to make changes for operational reasons and no compensation will be payable in such circumstances. The location of child care facilities (infant care, Snow Club and Cocoa Club) shown against each property indicates the child care venues used and we advise on the resort pages which chalets are used for Supervised Lunch in our chalet resorts – please note that Supervised Lunch will take place in the chalets as stated, regardless of whether the chalet has been booked for Exclusive Use. We may however use other facilities in resort to facilitate grouping children by age for their greater enjoyment.
l) New-Build Projects & Refurbishments
A number of chalets and hotels are newly built or substantially converted or refurbished for us each season, and we take every possible care with the owners to ensure that each such property is completed on schedule. Clearly, however, matters outside our direct control, such as local authorities or adverse weather at critical times for example, can occasionally cause delays, and/or there may be changes to the designer’s or architect’s 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, in accordance with clause 4(a) of the Booking Conditions.
m) Leisure facilities
We do not normally provide separate towels for leisure facilities, so we suggest you use your own towels for use of such leisure facilities. Leisure facilities may be subject to limited opening hours, i.e. 4pm-7pm, and are normally out of use for at least one day per week while they are cleaned.
Swimming pool, hot tub, spa-bath and sauna temperatures are determined by the owners in accordance with local regulations or guidelines, and may not always match guests’ expectations. We do not recommend that children or those suffering with heart conditions use hot tubs, saunas or steam rooms.
Please note that there are no Lifeguards on duty and we cannot guarantee staff will be available in or around the pool or hot tub area at all times. Please note that you use all such leisure facilities at your own risk, and are responsible in particular for your children’s safety in leisure facilities at all times. 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.
n) Floor Plans
We endeavour to include floor plans and floor-by-floor descriptions on our website. This includes an indication of the communal areas available to our guests. Some chalets may be accessed via entrances shared with other accommodations or businesses of the same owner, who may allow staff to reside on the premises. Please see individual property descriptions.
o) Check-in
Your room will normally be available from 4pm onwards but please bear with the accommodation if it takes longer. If you are leaving resort after 10am, we would ask that you please vacate your bedrooms before this time so that they can be made ready for arriving guests. In common with standard hotel industry practice, we reserve the right to take credit card imprints upon check-in at our Hotels and certain chalets to cover potential damage costs or breakages.
We reserve the right to apply a damage deposit of up to £1,000 per booking either in the UK prior to departure or on arrival in resort. This is payable either by debit or credit card. We appreciate that normal usage causes wear upon furniture, fixtures and fittings and this is always taken in to consideration, but actual damage caused by guests, either by accident or negligence, must be paid for by the person who caused it, or by the party leader of the group, or will be retained from the Damage Deposit (where taken).
p) Porterage
Porterage is not included in the cost of the holiday. If you allow our staff or coach drivers to assist with the transfer of your luggage from or to the main coach and/or feeder vehicles, you do so entirely at your own risk as we do not accept responsibility for your luggage at any time and you remain responsible at all times for ensuring your luggage is on the appropriate vehicle.
q) Season start-up
We work hard to train all our staff pre-season to the standard required to deliver our advertised services, but our holiday prices are kept low for the first week of the season, reflecting the need for a degree of tolerance from our guests for the fact that staff are settling in to new roles.
r) Child supervision in our own-run hotels
From 7.30pm onwards throughout adult-only dinner, all children aged under 8 years may be either in Cocoa Club, in their own bedroom (see Baby-Listening/Child Patrol information), or in the ’snug’ where available (under parental responsibility). Children under 8 years are not permitted in the lounge/bar or dining room during this adult/older-children-only period.
s) Wi-Fi in our own-run chalets & hotels
We have Wi-Fi installed and available in the public areas of all our chalets and hotels, but signal strength is likely to vary by property, depending on the location. However, in the event that technical or other issues prevent this, no refund or compensation will be paid and there is no guarantee that Wi-Fi is typically available in all bedrooms. 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 will not be possible. We also request that you limit usage to one device per person, to avoid over-loading the system and thereby restricting its availability to other guests. Safe-keeping of your laptop computer/tablet/smartphone is your own responsibility, as is ensuring that it is properly insured for the circumstances described in clause (g) 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. In some mountain resorts, signal strength is limited throughout the village, not just in our properties.
Hotels & Self-Catering Units
At each of the hotel and apartment properties featured on our website, we have an allocation of rooms/apartments at contract rates and conditions. Some partner hotels do offer a choice of smoking and non-smoking rooms, and some may be pet-friendly. Whilst we do not offer pet-friendly holidays, private guests or guests booking 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 whomever you book at the time.
a) Bedrooms: The size, décor, 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, a twin is commonly accepted as referring to two separate mattresses and duvets contained in one large frame (an ‘Austrian’ or ‘Continental’ twin). Apartments may describe the total number of rooms, including a lounge area with a sofa bed, as well as the number of twin/double bedrooms available.
b) Check-in/Check-out times: Your rooms will normally be available from 4pm onwards, but please bear with the accommodation if it takes longer. Checkout times may be before 10am or before your departure from resort.
c) 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; otherwise, its state is left to you. 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. It may also be the case that hotel rooms and other accommodations are not cleaned on a daily basis.
d) Seating Areas: May not typically consist of a full lounge or separate lounge area, but will normally include chair(s) and other forms of seating.
e) Insurance: We cannot be held responsible for the damage to, loss or theft of personal belongings or equipment from any accommodation.
f) TV: Where a TV is advertised, no guarantee is given as to how many English-speaking channels will be available, if any.
g) Leisure Facilities: Swimming pool, hot tub, spa-bath and sauna temperatures are determined by the management or owners in accordance with local regulations or guidelines, and may not always match guests’ expectations. 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 any 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.
h) 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.
i) 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. 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. In some mountain resorts, signal strength is limited throughout the village not just in individual properties.
j) Meal Arrangements: If you book half board, the first meal you 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). Guests arriving late at a hotel will normally receive a cold plate. At peak times, some hotels may choose to seat guests together on larger tables. Please note, some hotels can charge for tap water, or may only offer bottled water at an applicable charge.
k) 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.
Ski Packs
Most of our excursion and activity partners in resorts have been trusted Esprit Ski partners for many years, and all have been vetted and approved by our senior overseas managers. When you book any excursion or activity advertised in our brochures / on our websites, you can therefore rely on the supplier’s credentials, service levels and professionalism, and of course on the services of your Esprit Ski Representative or local agent to help with every detail of the arrangements for you. If however you, or your travel agent on your behalf, choose to book any excursion or activity directly with a third party supplier, please note that Esprit Ski accept no liability whatsoever for any aspect of its operation.
This includes:
a) that our Reps will not be able to provide our normal high levels of service to you in respect of such arrangements, or even basic details of pick-up times or locations, as these will not be provided to us by the companies concerned if the booking is not through ourselves, and b) that all applicable complaints, whether in resort or subsequently, and any claims for personal injury, refunds or compensation must be addressed to your chosen excursion/activity supplier directly, or to your travel agent as appropriate.
a) Non-Esprit Ski Lessons
If you know that you will require lessons, we advise you to pre-book regardless of the date of your holiday. Our grading system (for adults and children) is to help you and our resorts ensure that the correct classes are pre-booked prior to your arrival. Please ensure that you discuss your needs with our reservations or resort teams prior to booking, to ensure that the appropriate level is booked in advance as ski schools cannot always guarantee that movements between classes may be effected. Throughout the season, and in particular during the continental school holidays (our reservations staff have the dates), the length, timing and availability of the ski school lessons can change with little warning. Ski schools are also extremely busy and it is imperative that you book in advance to avoid disappointment. Occasionally resorts ask that a minimum number of guests book into a lesson in order for it to go ahead. In the unlikely event your lesson is cancelled due to low numbers, alternative arrangements will be offered if possible, usually to the same monetary value as the lessons originally booked, particularly if private or small group lessons are offered as an alternative, as these are often deemed far more beneficial. You will be responsible for any additional costs incurred over and above this. The ski school price quoted is that of the ski school’s standard group lessons. Private lessons can also be booked in advance, please discuss your requirements with our Reservations Team.
b) Equipment Hire
The equipment is priced according to the grade of ski you choose. If you require a ski boot larger than size 12, please advise us at the time of booking so that we can inform the resort in advance. We strongly recommend that you check that your personal insurance covers you for loss/damage to hired equipment. Ski-hire shops may offer insurance to you and we recommend that you accept this if your own travel insurance policy does not cover you.
c) Lift Passes
A passport size photo may be required for lift passes. Beginners do not always require a lift pass for the first days of skiing (see the ski pack panel for your chosen resort). Some resorts will ask you to pay a deposit in resort (generally refundable at the end of your holiday) for your electronic lift pass. Some resorts may offer discounted rates for senior persons and walkers intending not to ski. If not detailed in the ski pack panel for your chosen resort, please ask at the point of booking or with our staff in resort. At the beginning and end of season, or at any other time due to snow or other weather conditions, or other reasons arising from a force majeure situation, resorts may limit the number of lifts in operation. Esprit Ski accept no liability in such situations; you may however have the potential to claim under your travel insurance if the provider has made no refund in resort. The lift pass provider will normally only consider a refund where the lift pass has not been activated. We recommend that you make a note of your lift pass number/s (taking a photo is ideal), in case of loss.
d) Children’s Free Lift Passes/Equipment & Family Lift Passes
Each resort has different criteria for the ages of children eligible for free or reduced prices. In many resorts, children’s free passes will require the purchase of the same type and duration lift pass as purchased by the parents. In some resorts, Family Lift Passes are available but with certain stipulations relating to the composition of the family grouping. Please ask our reservations or resort staff when booking.
e) Snow
Whilst we obviously cannot guarantee snow, all our resorts are chosen for their reliable snow records. Many of our resorts also have the advantage of glaciers, which ensure snow almost all year round. Snow conditions can change dramatically overnight, and will not be accepted as a valid reason for you to cancel your holiday. If there is such poor snow that the lift company and ski-school in your booked resort decide that you are unable to ski, we will endeavour to transport you daily to another ski area.
f) Flight Delays
If your flight is delayed and you “lose” a day’s equipment or lift pass, we regret that we are not able to make any refund in respect of pre-booked equipment or lift passes. A pro-rata refund should be claimed from your travel insurance.
LOCAL EXCURSIONS/LOCAL SKI PACKS/LOCAL ACTIVITIES
For any excursion, ski pack, or activity booked whilst you are on holiday, your contract will be with the provider of the excursion, ski pack, or activity and not with Hotelplan Ltd.
Where you have booked an excursion, ski pack, or activity we act as agent only for the provider of the service. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion, ski pack or activity or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the provider. Please note this also includes all sporting activities and excursions.
For the use of most motorised vehicles, for example snowmobiles and skidoos, most travel insurance policies will offer cover for personal injury and medical expenses but will not cover damage to the vehicle itself. Therefore, the provider will take and retain for the duration of the activity an insurance deposit, often in the region of €800.
High Altitude Resorts: You should be aware that some people experience difficulties in high altitude resorts and it might be advisable to seek advice from your doctor before travel if you have any medical conditions that this may exacerbate.
Driving abroad: As of 8th June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photo card driving licence is no longer valid and will not 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
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
SAFETY IN THE MOUNTAINS
For your own safety and that of other mountain users, please refer to the Mountain Safety information included in your Information Pack provided on your arrival in resort.
CHILDREN & CHILDCARE
a) Child and Infant Ages
Ages are taken as at the age on return date of travel to the UK. Therefore, if a child celebrates his/her second birthday during the holiday, the airline requires that he/she should be treated and charged as a 2 year old. If a child younger than 17 weeks is booked into Esprit infant care in contravention of our minimum age policy, Esprit Ski reserves the right to cancel the infant care place, and no refund will be payable, as you will have blocked a valuable place from use by another family.
Please note that we are also unable to provide our Baby-Listening/Child-Patrol Service for children younger than 17 weeks, so it is advised that alternative arrangements are made, such as bringing baby monitors (where feasible to be used). Our Reservations Team will be able to assist with any queries in this regard.
b) All Child Care
Our Esprit Ski lessons and childcare sessions are exclusive to guests of Hotelplan, which may include children travelling with our sister brand, Inghams. Childcare sessions are usually run regardless of the numbers of children, age profile and balance of sexes, which is not within our control. Please note that no refunds are available should you not use any of the facilities booked, for all or part of the period booked, whether booked in the UK or in resort. If your child suffers from any illness, allergy, disability, special needs, or needs any medication, you must provide us with written details at the time of booking. Prescribed medication can be administered by our qualified childcare staff to the children in our care as long as the parents have given consent and have filled out the Administration of Medication form. For children with allergies and breathing difficulties, in emergencies, we can administer such items as e.g. ‘Epipens’ and inhalers supplied by parents.
We reserve the right to refuse to accept any child or to withdraw any child from our care if, due to illness or other reasons it is not possible for us to provide suitable care, or if they pose a potential risk to other children or our staff. In line with UK nurseries and childcare environments, we operate a 48-hour quarantine procedure in the event that children or staff become ill with a contagious illness/disease. This means that children will be excluded from our childcare sessions for 48 hours following cessation of the relevant symptoms, for which no refund will be made and you should claim from your travel insurance.
If a child has any medication indicated on their Consent Form or lifesaving medication as stated on their Emergency Medication and Allergy Agreement Form, the child cannot be accepted into our care without that medication. If any of our childcare staff are taken ill or are unavailable, we may have to withdraw these facilities until we are able to provide suitably qualified staff.
Prices charged in resort for ad hoc childcare will normally be higher than the pre-booked prices shown in this brochure and on our website.
c) Infant Care Staff/Nannies
Our infant care is run by professionally qualified infant care staff or nannies who are assisted by staff with childcare skills or experience. There will always be a qualified member of staff on duty in every infant hub, and with the children on outings but other Esprit Ski staff may escort children to and from the appropriate location.
d) Infant Hubs & Infant Care
The number of children in our infant care is strictly controlled. We do not allow ad hoc supervision in our Esprit Infant Hubs by parents, relatives, family nannies etc., as this can significantly affect the way the infant hub is run and lead to problems relating to responsibility and liability. Our policy on a minimum age of 17 weeks is rigidly applied for the sake of all the children. For safety reasons, nannies are not permitted to take children under 8 months in backpacks. In resorts with more than one infant hub, we will endeavour to group babies and toddlers of a similar age together. Parents will be informed on arrival in resort of the designated infant hub for their child (which may be different to the location specified in the accommodation description), and are asked to deliver and collect their child at the relevant times. Where we provide minibus transport for children, one parent must accompany their child in our minibus for drop-off and collection.
e) Children’s skiing/clubs
Children are usually taken to our Sprite and Spritelets lessons by our staff, but we cannot do this for children booked into other non-Esprit ski classes (except where provided for with our Ski Chaperone Service). Cozy Club takes place in some of our resorts but not in all our properties. Esprit Ski staff are unable to offer a take-to or pick-up service for children so if this club is important to your holiday we strongly advise that you stay in the chalet or hotel where the Cozy Club is based. On some occasions we may alter the location of our childcare for the greater enjoyment of the children booked into our care, for example when numbers in one location are high or low. Parents will be informed on arrival in resort and are asked to deliver and collect their child at the relevant times.
Location and timing of lessons may vary from the website description, dependent on snow/weather conditions and ski school advice. Whilst Esprit Ski shall seek to overcome any difficulties, we reserve the right to withdraw children from ski school, Snow and/or Cocoa Clubs where the child’s capability/attitude/behaviour is reasonably considered by Esprit Ski (or the ski school) to be seriously detrimental to the safety, well-being or enjoyment of that child or of other participants. If it is necessary for us to withdraw your child, we will refund the proportionate cost of unused lessons in the case of lack of capability only. Childcare places and ski classes are non-transferable. Occasionally it may be necessary to cancel a particular class due to lack of numbers. In such a case, we will give you as much notice as possible and provide a choice of alternative options. Our liability in such instances shall be limited to a refund of the cost of the class booked or the provision of the agreed alternative. The ski school’s decision regarding which class is in a child’s best interests is final, and no refund or compensation will be paid as a result of any such decision. The progress of each class will of course depend on the demonstrated ability of the participating children, and will normally be at the rate of the least able skier accepted into that class. If a child is booked for additional lessons, for example, Sprite Guided Ski Fun, and they are moved down a group to a level that is below the minimum standard required for their additional lessons, they will not be able to participate in said additional lessons. We will endeavour to offer Snow Club in its place.
If, for whatever reason, a child misses one or more of their booked group lessons, it may be necessary for them to be moved to a more appropriate level lesson.
Ski helmets for children are the subject of mixed views, though we urge parents to ensure that if they do hire or purchase them, the helmets are correctly fitted. Some ski schools have a compulsory helmet policy for children joining our Sprite and Spritelets classes; in all resorts we include free helmet-hire for all children under 13 years pre-booking skis through us.
f) Buggies
Passengers travelling by air with infants will be pleased to note that you can keep collapsible buggies with you until you board the aircraft. In some resorts the terrain limits their usefulness; you may wish to consult our reservations staff on this.
g) Meals
High tea, the main meal of the day for children under 11 years old, is usually at 5pm, however this can vary by property and details will be given on arrival. Dinner in our chalets is strictly for adults and teenagers only, and children under 11 years of age are not allowed at the dinner table unless a chalet has been booked exclusively by one group. In our own-run hotels, children from 8 years can join adult dinner and have the adult meal. Christmas dinner and sometimes meals on arrival nights are the only other exceptions. In our partner hotels, there are no age restrictions on meals.
h) Cots and Highchairs
A cot and highchair are automatically provided for all infants free of charge in our own-run chalets and hotels. There may be a local charge payable in partner hotels. Our cots and accompanying mattresses are normally of the folding ‘travel cot’ type. If you prefer to harness your child into a highchair, please bring a harness with you. For children aged 2 years or over who require a cot and/or highchair, the request must be made at the time of booking and confirmed to us in writing.
i) Baby alarms
These items can be very useful in chalets and hotels and we recommend that concerned parents bring their own alarms and adaptor plugs.
j) Childproofing and Children’s supervision
Our staff are trained to take reasonable precautions in making our own-run chalets and hotels reasonably safe for children but it must be noted that our properties were not designed with children in mind. It is not possible for us to childproof our chalets and hotels and you will therefore need to be more vigilant than in your own home.
Except whilst signed into our infant care, Sprite and Spritelet classes, Snow Club, Supervised Lunch and Cocoa Club, children, their behaviour and their safety, remain the sole responsibility of their parents at all times.
Baby-Listening/Child-Patrol Service – please note that this service does not constitute children having been handed into Esprit Ski’s care except on the staff’s night off, which is the only evening that both parents are permitted to leave the building together, leaving the child/ren in our care. The safety, welfare and behaviour of children remains the responsibility of parents at all times during this service. We must emphasise that this is a listening service only, whereby staff will call upon the parent/s or guardian/s of an unsettled child.
Children using communal areas or leisure facilities in our properties, including the children’s ’snugs’, remain their parents’ responsibility at all times and we are unable to childproof all aspects of guest bedrooms.
Stairs, ladders and bunks: Several of our chalets and hotels contain beds on mezzanine platforms that are accessible by steep stairs or ladders. We do not recommend that children under 8 years old use them. Where children use bunk beds, we recommend 6 years old as the minimum age for occupying the high-level bed, which may not have a guardrail.
Stair-gates: We do not provide stair gates in any of our properties. If you choose to bring a stair-gate with you, or hire one locally, it is your responsibility to ensure its proper installation and operation at all times, including by other adult and child guests in the property.
Resort Child Care: In the event that you make private arrangements for resort child care of any kind, whether or not undertaken by our off duty staff, Esprit Ski does not accept liability for any loss directly or indirectly connected with such arrangements, however caused. For insurance reasons, private nannies are not permitted in our chalets or hotels unless booked as a resident member of your party.
k) Special Needs Care
We will always try to provide one-to-one care for children with special needs if requested. This is subject to an additional charge and to the availability of a suitable staff member and must be requested at the time of booking the holiday.
l) Children’s Clothing
In booking children into Esprit infant care or Snow Club, you accept that activities such as arts & crafts, face-painting, outdoor play and others incur an unavoidable risk that children may get paint, glue or other soiling or damage to their clothes. We source our play materials from reputable suppliers and use paints etc. advertised as ‘washable’, but cannot guarantee that all marks can always be removed, and therefore do not accept liability for such instances.
