Deposits, Payments, Cancellation and Re-Arrangement Policy
We have put together what we think is a fair approach to deposits, balance payments, cancellations and rearrangements – reflecting the fact that we have a relatively small number of rooms, and consequent vulnerability to the impact of cancellations. Please take time to study the details below before booking, and only book to come if you are firmly intending to come (i.e., not ‘reserving an option’ that you might abandon if ‘something better’ comes along!). If you are concerned about maybe having to cancel at some point then consider taking out travel insurance to cover yourself in such an event.
Here are the details (updated 31st January 2024):
- A 15% Deposit will secure your booking;
- the Balance of Payment must be paid by 30 days before your scheduled arrival (if it is not paid by then we reserve the right to cancel your booking for that date and you will be given the opportunity to arrange another date – see below);
- Deposit and Balance of Payments, once paid, are non-refundable (though see below about re-arranging a date in the event of having to cancel a booked date);
- If you are unable to come on a booked date and notify us prior to 14 days before you are due to arrive, we will offer you the opportunity to re-schedule your stay for a €20 (20 Euro) re-arrangement fee, with no further loss of payments, and come on an alternative date of your choice within 6 months of the original booking date – subject to room availability; a re-scheduled booking date will be offered only one time – if you are unable to attend on a re-scheduled date that has been agreed with us, no other opportunity will be offered to reschedule a booking and all payments will be forfeit; if you are unable or unwilling to reschedule a stay in the event of not being able to attend a booked date then all payments will be forfeit; if you notify us of being unable to attend a booked or rescheduled date within 14 days of scheduled arrival then all payments will be forfeit;
- all bookings are non-transferable;
- no refunds or partial-refunds will be available if you choose to cut short a booking/attendance
- if we have to cancel a retreat date due to extraordinary/unforeseen circumstances then anyone who has a booking for the affected dates will be eligible to receive a 100% refund, with the alternative option of re-scheduling the booking (dates available depending on the reason for our cancellation).
Once again: if you are concerned about the possibility of losing your deposit or full payment through not being able to attend then we encourage you to consider taking out holiday insurance that will cover your potential loss.
Room Rental not Exclusive Rental of House
Please note that we rent guest study/bedrooms at Casale di Clio, with use of facilities shared with other guests (e.g. bathroom, kitchen, dining room, garden) – we do not rent the whole house for exclusive use of particular guests. What this means in practice is that you will have to respect the presence of any other guests present, and that we (the hosts) are likely to pop up into the house during the day to check that all is ok (we live in a separate apartment in the same building) and to make up/light/keep running the living room wood-burner in colder months. We do not come in to use the kitchen/bathroom as we have these facilities elsewhere. If you are looking to rent a property where you will not expect to see the hosts during your stay, and perhaps would like to watch TV, party/play loud music through the night, then Casale di Clio is not for you – there are plenty other suitable accommodation options available for you elsewhere! We recognise that some guests, especially if they are the only guests staying at the time, would like some contact and socialising, and are happy to be available for this – while others like to be left alone to concentrate on their projects – we are happy to respect and take a lead from guests wishes in this.
Arrival and Departure
Your residence can be taken up between 2pm and 8pm on the first day of your booking, and you must depart Casale di Clio by 11am on the final day of your stay (rooms must be vacated by 9.30am on the day of departure). There may be some flexibility in these times, depending o our pattern of bookings – but only by prior agreement.
We are obliged to report the presence of guests staying here to the local comune and to the Questura (police), through official channels, within 24 hours of their arrival; we will therefore need to input details from your passport/ID Card onto these agencies’ websites at arrival; be warned: no passport/official ID card means no check-in (and risks loss of your booking payments).
‘Quiet Hours’
When we have writers, artists or other ‘creatives’ resident here – or those bringing studies/research – we encourage ‘quiet hours’ at the Casale on weekday mornings and afternoons (from 9am-12.30pm & 2pm-6pm) – this just means respecting other residents by not making undue noise/disturbance. There are headphones here for use with our Yamaha keyboard whatever time it is used – unless giving a performance! If you think you might want to listen to music or watch video on your own laptop/tablet/smartphone during your stay then please bring effective headphones/earbuds compatible with your device.
NB, this should be considered alongside Italian legislation that is designed to prevent noise nuisance to neighbours: by law, quiet is required between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. and again between 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (the latter presumably to allow for afternoon naps for the very young and the elderly – indeed, for everyone during the heat of High Summer). Tenants are asked to respect these laws during their stay.
Cleaning and Tidying
It should not need mentioning, but experience has taught us that it must!: all guests must clean up behind themselves – not leaving empty cups, plates etc. – or snack wrappers or other rubbish – scattered around the premises. In particular, the kitchen must always be left in a clean and tidy state; after cooking a meal, pans, plates, cooking utensils etc. must be cleaned and tidied away – if you are the sole resident it is acceptable to do the washing up and leave it to dry on the sink draining board/rack, tidying it away later. If other residents are present then the kitchen should be cleaned as soon as practicable after a meal, with pans, plates, utensils dried and put away ready to use by another resident. Kitchen surfaces (and tables throughout the property) should be kept clean, and any spillages cleaned up (cleaning cloths and materials are under the sink in the kitchen – if in doubt about what to use ask the hosts, rather than risk using the wrong materials that might damage a surface).
Kitchen Safety
Residents must not leave pots, pans etc unattended on the oven hobs while cooking – so as to avoid to damage to pots and pans, damage from pots boiling over, or in extreme cases a risk of fire.
Wood-burning Stoves in Living Room and Kitchen
The wood-burning stove in the living room is only to be operated by the hosts (except for adjusting the combustion speed control, which guests with experience of wood-stoves may do); we will clean out, make-up, light and attend to the stoves – with fuel that we supply. With the agreement of the hosts, guests with experience of wood-burning stoves will be allowed to top up the wood-stove to keep it running (with fuel that we supply).
The wood-burning oven in the kitchen is only to be lit and operated by the hosts.
Behaviour while resident at Casale di Clio
Behaviour that amounts to serious nuisance or intimidation of other tenants, the proprietors or neighbours (or is reasonably perceived as a cause of serious concern by them and us, the proprietors) will not be tolerated and will result in the antagonist being asked to leave Casale di Clio at the earliest opportunity – with no refund of money paid to stay.
Insurance and Liability
Tenants are responsible for deciding whether they wish to purchase insurance to cover their travel to Casale di Clio and their stay here. The proprietors will not be held liable in any way for the behaviour of tenants while staying at Casale di Clio, including tenants’ safeguarding of their (the tenants’) possessions.
Gift Vouchers
In addition to the usual Terms and Conditions, a number of particular conditions apply to Gift Vouchers for stays at Casale di Clio:
- A Voucher may be used as full– or part-payment for a stay at Casale di Clio during the 12 months following the date of presentation of the Voucher Certificate (during our open season, and at the usual advertised rates for rooms);
- The Voucher may be used on any available date at the time of booking; it may be used for general (unstructured) retreats or for ‘course weeks’;
- A supplement may be payable for a stay of enhanced cost beyond the value of the Voucher – e.g., for high season/room upgrades/course weeks/extended stay, as appropriate to the stay booked;
- The usual Terms & Conditions of Casale di Clio bookings apply, and must be agreed to by the guest at the time of booking;
- The Voucher is non-transferable (to another person) – except by agreement of Casale di Clio in extraordinary circumstances;
- The Voucher may not be exchanged for cash or for alternative goods of an equivalent value.
Other Terms and Conditions in Frequently Asked Questions
The answers to the following Frequently asked Questions set out on this website should be considered to be Terms and Conditions of Bookings for stays at Casale di Clio:
- Drawing & Painting Locations/Spaces (no painting in bedrooms);
- Smoking & Vaping (E-cigarettes);
- Alcohol, Drugs (and Behaviour) Policy;
- Double Occupancy;
- Room Security;
- Residence Notification;
- Booking Extensions;
- Availability of Specialist Care/Support/Supervision.