Terms & conditions

Terms & conditions

10 July 2023 2023-10-02 13:59

These are the terms and conditions for SARL Northstar Chalets. Northstar Chalets SARL – Siret number 83284656200011 is registered in France at the address : 37 Taille de mas Verjus, Morzine, 74110, France – in process of moving business address to 61 Route des Udrezants, Morzine, France

The terms and conditions of this document, together with your holiday booking confirmation, received by email, comprise your agreement between SARL Northstar Chalets and yourself . No contract exists until payment of deposit is received and processed.

In these Terms and Conditions:

The Client means all persons named on the Booking Form, including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date (referred to as the Client or you or your).

Northstar Chalets means SARL Northstar Chalets (referred to as Northstar Chalets, we, us and our).

These Terms and Conditions have been designed to provide Clients with all the relevant information required to facilitate the booking process. We are always happy to go through any questions you may have on the telephone on +33 6 16464253 or in writing by email addressed to [email protected]

1. Quotation

1.1. All prices published or quoted are in Euros (EUR). Any quote given in Pound Sterling (GBP) will be based on the daily exchange rate offered by your bank at the time of payment. All written quotations are valid for a period of fourteen days from the date of issue. Quoting errors are extremely rare but, should there be an obvious error in a quote, we will issue a new quotation and we will not be bound by the incorrect amount quoted.

1.2. Although every effort is taken to ensure prices are accurate at the time of publication, price fluctuations due to circumstances outside of our control can occur and, due to the unique nature of our services, prices may change prior to contracting

2. Contract & Deposit

2.1. You must read these terms and conditions carefully before booking your holiday with Northstar Chalets. The person who makes the booking on behalf of the Client (the Party Leader) accepts the terms and conditions on behalf of all persons within the Client party. Please note that a contract for young persons cannot be made unless at least one member of the party is 18 years old or over and is the Party Leader.

2.2. When booking with Northstar Chalets the Party Leader guarantees that he/she has the authority to accept, and accepts on behalf of the party, the terms and conditions; confirms that the booking conditions have been brought to the attention of each member of the party; agrees to bring the booking conditions to the attention of anyone who is added or substituted at a later date; and guarantees to pay the full costs of the holidays of all those persons mentioned in the booking and of anyone who is added or substituted at a later date.

2.3. No contract will exist between Northstar Chalets and the Client until Northstar Chalets has received a non-refundable deposit payment or full payment of the total holiday cost (as applicable).

2.4. When you receive your booking confirmation email, please check all the details carefully to ensure that they are correct as the booking confirmation email, booking form and these terms and conditions form the contract between us. If there are any discrepancies in the booking confirmation, please bring these to our attention prior to booking otherwise we will assume that the details shown are correct and amendment charges may be levied where changes are subsequently necessary.

3. Confirmation and Payment

3.1. A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total holiday cost is required at the time of booking. A booking will not be confirmed unless the non-refundable deposit has been received. The balance, along with any additional agreed extras, will be invoiced ten weeks prior to your arrival date (Balance Payment Date). If you are booking with Northstar Chalets within ten weeks of your arrival date, payment in full will be required at the time of booking.

3.2. The Party Leader will be liable for full payment for all persons in the Client party and for any other persons added or substituted at a later date. If payment has not been received by Northstar Chalets by the Balance Payment Date, we will have the right to cancel the booking, retain the deposit paid and levy cancellation charges (see clause 7 below). In these circumstances, Northstar Chalets reserve the right to re-sell the holiday without notice.

3.3. Failure to pay any amount due to Northstar Chalets upon request will constitute a breach of contract and will entitle Northstar Chalets to cancel your holiday. In such circumstances, the relevant cancellation charges set out in clause 7 will apply.

4. Booking System

It is a requirement of Northstar Chalets that you complete the details of your booking using our booking form and submit the details of all members in your party. It is important that the booking form is completed in full and returned to us by email to confirm your booking. The booking form can be found here – https://northstarchalets.com/booking-form/

5. Amendments to the booking by you

5.1. You may request alterations to your booking and proposed itinerary at any time prior to your departure. Please submit all requests to Northstar Chalets in writing and we will do our utmost to accommodate your requests. However, such requests shall not be taken to form part of the contract between you and Northstar Chalets until acceptance of the alteration has been confirmed in writing by Northstar Chalets and any difference in price has been paid by you.

5.2. It should be noted that all requests are subject to availability at all times and may also be subject to a fee, which, if applicable, will be confirmed by Northstar Chalets in writing. Subject to availability, Northstar Chalets will not charge for date changes requested for the same winter or summer season where these are requested, and can be accommodated, more than ten weeks prior to departure. Where the price of the holiday on the new date is higher than the original price, the Client will need to pay the price difference before the booking alteration can be confirmed by Northstar Chalets.

5.3. A change of dates to a future winter season or within ten weeks of departure will be deemed a full cancellation and the cancellation charges outlined in clause 7 will apply.

6. Amendments to the booking by Northstar Chalets

6.1. If we are obliged to make a significant change to your holiday, or if we cancel your booking within ten weeks of the original departure date you may choose to either:

  • Accept the new holiday arrangement offered by us, or
  • Purchase a replacement holiday from us at the current selling price, or
  • Cancel your holiday and receive a full refund.

6.2 You must notify us of your choice within seven days of our offer of alternative holiday arrangements. If you do not, we will assume your acceptance of the new holiday arrangement.

7 Cancellation of the booking

7.1 Client Cancellation:

  • The Party Leader must confirm any cancellation by the Client in writing. The date on which written notification is received by Northstar Chalets will determine the level of cancellation charges applicable. The cancellation charges are expressed as a percentage of the total holiday cost.
  • Please note many travel insurance policies cover the eventuality of having to cancel a holiday in certain circumstances so please check your own travel insurance policy when booking for details and check with your insurance provider that their terms are sufficient to cover your booking.
  • The cancellation charges are as follows:
  • More than 12 weeks – 25% of total
  • Less than 12 weeks – 85% of total
  • Less than 8 weeks – 100% of total

Refunds (following deduction of the cancellation charges) will be made to the Client where the full balance has been paid, otherwise Northstar Chalets is entitled to recover the outstanding balance from you.

7.1.1 If the final balance is not received within 10 weeks of your arrival date, Northstar Chalets reserves the rights to cancel the booking and any deposits paid will be forfeited. We will make every effort to contact you within this period but if payment is not made, Northstar Chalets reserves the right to re-book the chalet without further notice. In the event of a dishonoured payment, the party leader will be contacted and asked to make payment by other means; failure to do this will result in the booking being cancelled.

7.2 Cancellation by Northstar Chalets

7.2.1 In the unlikely event that Northstar Chalets is obliged to cancel your booking for any reason (other than in the circumstances outlined in clause 7.2.2) we will endeavour to make alternative arrangements or offer a full and prompt refund. For the avoidance of doubt, in the case of Northstar Chalets cancelling a booking, Northstar Chalets will only be liable to refund monies already paid to Northstar Chalets by you.

7.2.2 Northstar Chalets will not be in breach of contract or liable for a refund where any failure to perform any of its obligations under these booking conditions results from events, circumstances or causes beyond its reasonable control including but not limited to acts of God, war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, acts of government, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire, closure of ports, airports and/or international boarders or similar events. NB: Covid-19 is now a known problem and therefore, under French law, any cancellations related to Covid-19 cannot be classed as Force Majeure. Please see Appendix 1 for further details

8 The Chalets

8.1 On booking rooms or a whole property (the reserved space) with Northstar Chalets, the reserved space cannot be shared, assigned or sublet and only the named persons shown on the booking system are permitted to stay in the property during the period stated in the booking confirmation. Under no circumstances may the total occupancy exceed the capacity advertised.

8.2 Children (16 or under as per French law) must be supervised whilst using chalet facilities.

9 Use of hot tubs and any other spa facilities

9.1 Client use of hot tubs and any other spa facilities (available in some Northstar properties) is at your own risk and Northstar Chalets accepts no responsibility for accidents or injuries sustained while using these facilities. We will carry out regular safety checks and cleans.

9.2 Please observe notices/rules in the chalets regarding permitted use and take care to comply with any rules and safety recommendations made.

9.3 It is the sole responsibility of the Client to follow any instructions provided regarding use of such facilities and children must be supervised by an adult in the Client party at all times.

9.4 Clients are advised to take extra care when exiting or entering outdoor spa facilities in sub-zero temperatures.

9.5 Please note that hot tubs are normally out of use for at least one day per week while they are cleaned. Should any leisure facility at our chalets become unavailable for any reason during your stay, we cannot guarantee being able to repair or replace it during your holiday and we do not offer compensation for inconvenience or curtailed use in such an event.

10 Security Deposit

10.1 Northstar Chalets may require payment of a security deposit to cover any additional costs incurred in resort or damage caused to property. Where this is requested, a payment of up to €1,500 maybe requested via a bank transfer ten weeks prior to your arrival in resort and will be returned, at the latest, two weeks after your stay with us (minus any costs incurred).

10.2 Cancellation of your credit card authorisation may be delayed if the costs of any repair have to be determined.

10.3 You will be liable for any breakages or damage to the property or adjacent properties during your stay caused by any member of the Client party, your employees or visitors to the property. These costs will be deducted from the security deposit. If the damage is greater than the amount of the security deposit, or if no security deposit has been arranged, you must immediately pay the costs to Northstar Chalets, the amount of which will be advised to you.

11 Winter sports equipment hire, snow sports lessons and guiding, lift passes, transfers and taxis

11.1 While we make every effort to only recommend suppliers with a proven track record for service, we cannot be held responsible for the services provided. You take full responsibility for satisfying yourself in advance as to the quality of the service and the provider’s ability to execute the services.

11.2 Where we make or take a booking from you for winter sports equipment, snow sports lessons, guiding or lift passes we do so as agent for the winter sports equipment provider, snow sports lesson provider or guide or ski lift company. We have no control over the provision of the goods and services provided and we cannot accept any liability for the goods and services provided or for the acts or omissions of the companies or any of their employees or other personnel.

11.3 Where we take a booking from you for taxis or transfers (for example between the resort and the airport) in vehicles which are not leased by us or driven by our drivers, we do so as agent for the taxi or transfer company (as applicable). We have no control over the provision of these trips or transfers or the taxi or transfer company and we cannot accept any liability for such trips or transfers or for the acts or omissions of the taxi or transfer company or any of their employees or other personnel.

11.4 Your contract for winter sports equipment hire, snow sports lessons and guiding, lift passes and transfers will be with the relevant supplier and our acceptance of liability in clause 12 below does not apply to these services which shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the supplier concerned.

11.5 Where you have any grievance regarding the standard of service provided by a third party, you must address any grievance to them – approaching the respective provider(s) directly.

12 Northstar Chalets’ Liability to you

12.1 Northstar Chalets endeavours to make sure that the holiday you book with us is supplied and the services performed or provided by us are performed or provided using reasonable skill and care. If any part of your holiday is not provided as promised, it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. We accept responsibility for the acts/omissions of our employees or agents, suppliers and subcontractors where they were, at the time, acting in the course of their employment or carrying out work that we had asked them to do under a contract of agency or supply with Northstar Chalets. In all cases (except where personal injury, death, loss and/or damage to luggage or personal possessions results) our liability is limited to the relevant holiday price of the person(s) affected. It is a condition of this acceptance of liability that you notify us of any claim in writing within 28 days of your return from your holiday.

12.2 Northstar Chalets will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from:

  • the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected;
  • the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services covered by these terms and conditions which were unforeseeable or unavoidable;
  • unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our or our supplier(s) control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised;
  • an event which either Northstar Chalets or our supplier(s) could not, even with all due care, have foreseen or forestalled.

12.3 Clients must act with care at all times since the temperature and weather conditions do not always guarantee that ice and snow can instantly be removed from all areas around the chalets – we accept no liability for accidents/injuries occurring under such circumstances.

12.4 The risk of skiing holidays being adversely affected by weather conditions has to be accepted. Northstar Chalets shall not be liable for any loss, delay or costs connected with, or arising out of, adverse weather conditions, including blocked roads, missed flights and airline delays. If, as a result of force majeure, you miss your return departure and extra accommodation or alternative travel arrangements are required, we will not be responsible for this cost.

12.5 Clients are responsible at all times for their own personal documents, for their baggage, belongings and ski equipment whether hired or not. Northstar Chalets will not be liable for any loss or damage and Clients must take out adequate insurance.

12.6 We will try to meet any special requests but cannot guarantee to do so. Please note that special requests do not form part of our contractual agreement and we will have no liability if they were not met.

13 Client responsibilities

13.1 The Party Leader agrees to guarantee payment for any chargeable services requested by any member of the party, both before and during the holiday.

13.2 It is the condition of every booking that each member of your party is covered by personal holiday insurance and that the policy covers you adequately for winter sports, third party risks and costs incurred from damage to property or adjacent properties during your stay caused by you or any member of your party, your employees or your visitors to the property.

13.3 Northstar Chalets shall be entitled to recover from you the cost of any damage caused by you or a member of your party.

13.4 We would like to remind our guests that all of our chalets are exclusively non-smoking, both for guest comfort and in line with the French law.

13.5 It is imperative that the Party Leader advises Northstar Chalets before arrival of any allergies suffered by any members of the booking party in accordance with clause 14 below.

14 Food Allergies

14.1 We shall exercise reasonable care to avoid specified food and drink ingredients if any allergic reaction concerns or special diets are notified to us, agreed at the time of booking and confirmed in writing at least 14 days prior to the scheduled arrival date at an Northstar Chalets chalet.

14.2 Unfortunately no food allergy system can ever provide a 100% guarantee against contact with a specified food stuff and items such as eggs, dairy products and nuts are constantly present in our kitchens and dining areas and may be brought into our chalets by third parties, leading to contact with an allergic person.

14.3 Extreme Food Allergies: if someone in your party suffers from a food allergy that 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) you must advise us in writing of the severe nature of the allergy at the time of booking so that we can discuss the risks with you and confirm whether you wish to proceed with your booking. If you fail to advise us of an extreme food allergy at the point of booking or if you proceed with your booking in circumstances where we have explained to you the risks that might be present, we will have no liability to you in the event of an incident.

14.4 We reserve the right to charge an additional €75 per person for dietary requests. This allows us to cover the cost of extra staff time and produce needed. 

15 Resolving Problems

15.1 We want your holiday to be as enjoyable as possible but occasionally even the best-laid plans can go wrong. In the unlikely event of there being something not to your liking whilst on holiday, we will aim to resolve it as quickly and amicably as possible. You must report it immediately, thereby giving us the opportunity to remedy the problem.

15.2 In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with any aspect of your holiday, you must address your complaint immediately to your chalet host. If, for any reason, the problem cannot be resolved locally whilst you are in resort and you remain dissatisfied, you must inform Northstar Chalets in writing of your complaint within 28 days of return so that the complaint may be investigated fully.

15.3 No action can be taken, or liability accepted, for any complaints received outside the 28-day period.

16 Travel

16.1 Please inform Northstar Chalets of the flight arrangements for your party at least four weeks prior to departure, requesting any transfers you might need.

16.2 Northstar Chalets cannot accept responsibility for guests missing flights for any reason and no credit or refund will be given if you fail to take up a component of your holiday as a result.

16.3 Northstar Chalets is not responsible for any flight delays but wherever possible will endeavour to provide any previously booked resort transfers.

17 Arrival and Departure

17.1 Your booking starts from 15:00 on your arrival day. If you are arriving prior to this, we will endeavour to accommodate you – but this is at our discretion and needs to be arranged in advance

17.2 Your booking finishes at 10.00 on your departure day. If you are planning to depart later than this, we will do our best to accommodate you – but this is at our discretion and needs to be arranged in advance

18 General Information

18.1 We are happy to cater for any special diets or vegetarian meals where possible, although the availability of specialist ingredients and foods locally may prevent us. Please ensure any such requests are made on your booking form.

18.2 We cannot guarantee continuous and uninterrupted internet connection or electrical supply in our chalets due to technical circumstances which may be beyond our control.

18.3 We have a limited number of cots and highchairs and these must be booked in advance. Please check these requests have been recorded in our booking system.

18.4 Staff have two days off every week in our catered chalets.

18.5 ‘Taxe de Sejour’ (tourism tax) is levied by all French resorts and is set by the local Mairie. (This varies on the accommodation and is charged per night). ‘Taxe de Sejour’ will be calculated by us and added to your final invoice price.

18.6 We are a family friendly company, so please be aware that your stay with us may be accompanied by families in the same chalet

19 End of Week Payments

19.1 Upon request, Northstar Chalets will make purchases on your behalf both before and during your holiday. To enable Northstar Chalets to do so, a credit card shall be requested as a guarantee and any such purchases shall be paid in full prior to departure from your holiday property.

20. What is included and what is not included?

20.1 Included for all accommodation:

  • Chalet accommodation
  • TV with streaming services or satellite channels. (These vary across the properties)
  • WiFi internet access.
  • Ski rooms and/or storage.

20.2 Included for fully-catered accommodation (five days):

  • Breakfast, including a cooked option. Cooked option will be provided on the 5 catered days. Self service continental breakfast will be available on the two staff days off.
  • Afternoon tea, coffee & cake. Either; a cake, traybake, cookies ect will be provided on 5 days. Bread will be delivered on the two staff days off.
  • Champagne/prosecco and canapé reception on the first night.
  • Four-course evening meals including entrée, main course, dessert and cheese, accompanied by a selection of wine and followed by tea or coffee – on the 5 catered days.

Please note that for arrivals / check-in after 9pm we will provide a simple meal and not a 3 course meal. For checkouts/departures before 7:30 a simple continental breakfast will be offered.

20.3 Not Included:

  • Travel or transfers to the resort.
  • Taxe de Sejour.
  • Ski lift passes.
  • Ski and snowboard equipment hire.
  • Ski school, guides or lessons.
  • Lunch in or out of the chalets, on any day.
  • Evening meal on the chalet staff day off.
  • Lunch in the chalet over the whole stay.
  • Wine upgrades.
  • Extra activities such as snow shoes, husky rides, hang-gliding, helicopter experiences etc.

20.4 Although the items in 20.3 are not included, our dedicated staff are available in order to reply to any requests you have and will be happy to assist you with organising the above, either before or during your stay.

21 Lessons & Equipment

21.1 Payments for winter sports equipment, lessons and other additional services are payable locally, direct to suppliers. Suppliers cannot refund in case of bad weather. Supplier’s conditions apply.

21.2 Please note that during peak dates such as Christmas, New Year, half term and Easter, ski schools and ski hire shops become very busy. We therefore strongly advise that you book your lessons and any equipment hire well in advance of these dates. We will be happy to provide you with the necessary details.

22 Insurance

22.1 It is a condition of booking with Northstar Chalets that all clients have personal insurance, as Northstar Chalets does not provide any winter sports or other travel insurance to its Clients. It is your responsibility to ensure that you and your entire party have relevant and adequate insurance covering: accident, illness or any other mishap during the entire period of your holiday (including travel to and from resort). We also recommend that you take out adequate insurance to cover your personal possessions.

22.2 Covid-19 cover is now issued by most insurance companies. As a condition of booking with Northstar Chalets is that all clients have the correct personal insurance, we highly recommend adding this option on to your package, as we will not accept Covid-19 related issues as a valid reason to claim a refund from Northstar chalets.

22.3 So that we can assist you in the case of an emergency, it is useful for us to have details of your travel insurance policy so please provide details at the time of booking.

23 Website Accuracy

23.1 All reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the descriptions, facts or opinions on our website or in our promotional material are correct to the best of our knowledge.

23.2 Opinions expressed are personal to the authors and photographs only relate to a specific destination when specifically captioned. You should bear in mind that in relation to the information given about the resorts and certain facilities available within resort, we cannot guarantee accuracy at all times or that any particular activity will take place, as these services are not under our control.

23.3 Facilities such as lifts, shuttle bus services, ice rinks and swimming pools may not be operational at the beginning or the end of the season. This may be due to factors such as weather or the number of tourists in resort. These decisions are often made on a day-by-day basis by their operators and we are not always informed. Where we are informed, we will do our utmost to let you know.

23.4 All information we supply regarding third party suppliers has been supplied to us by them in good faith and we cannot warrant that such information is complete or up to date.

24 Booking, Travel Agents and Packages

24.1 SARL Northstar Chalets will provide your holiday.

24.2 If you book your holiday through another booking or travel agent, the booking or travel agent will pass information to Northstar Chalets and we will pass information to the booking or travel agent. The booking or travel agent may also receive payment from you for the holiday. Any information or advice given to you by the booking or travel agent, which is not based on information or advice given to them by Northstar Chalets, is their responsibility and we do not accept liability if incorrect information is given to you by your travel agent. In such circumstances any requests for compensation or redress should be addressed to your travel agent and not to Northstar Chalets.

24.3 Your booking with Northstar Chalets does not constitute a package holiday for the purposes of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations (which exists if you book a pre-arranged combination of at least two of the following components when sold or offered for sale at an inclusive price, and when the service covers a period of more than twenty four hours or includes overnight accommodation: (a) transport; (b) accommodation; (c) other tourist services, not ancillary to transport or accommodation and accounting for a significant proportion of the package).

25 Data Protection

We are committed to protecting your privacy.

26 Governing Law and jurisdiction

These booking conditions and any matters arising from them are subject to and governed by French Law and are subject to the jurisdiction of the French Courts. ALL correspondence must be sent to [email protected]

26.1 If any provision of these terms and conditions is held to be invalid or unenforceable by any judicial or other competent authority, all other provisions of this agreement will remain in full force and effect and will not in any way be impaired.

Force Majeure – Covid-19 is now a known problem and therefore, under French law, any cancellations related to Covid-19 cannot be classed as Force Majeure. 

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