Affordable Corfu.com" Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions set out in this section comprise your agreement between "Affordable Corfu.com" and all those travelling under the same booking as the 'party leader' is acting.

It is important that you check all the details shown on the confirmation email from "Affordable Corfu.com" carefully to ensure that they are correct as this forms the basis of the contract.

Any discrepancies should be brought to our attention within 7 days of issue otherwise the details shown on the confirmation email will be presumed to be correct.

Assuming we are able to confirm your booking we will email your confirmation as soon as possible after receiving your request.

Booking Procedure

You may place a 5 day option to reserve the accommodation until you find your flights and reach a decision.

To confirm the booking, please email Lynn@affordable-corfu.com with your booking reference number with all requirements including the accommodation name, and flight numbers. (arrival dates and times and departure details if known)

A non-refundable deposit of 20% is required by credit card on the "Affordable Corfu.com" secure server page, giving all card details.

Special requests should also be made at this stage, i.e. Car Hire, Boat Hire, Private Taxi Transfers, Cots and Highchairs etc, again with All details of dates and engine capacity etc.

Bank charges of 2% are made on every credit card transaction.

The balance of your holiday is due to "Affordable Corfu.com" 8 weeks before your scheduled departure date, or if your booking is made within this period you will have to pay the full amount immediately.

If you do not pay in full by the 'balance due date', we reserve the right to cancel your booking if we so wish which will make you liable for cancellation charges.

If you are prevented from travelling, for this purpose we define 'prevented' to be death, accident, illness, jury service or witness summons, or redundancy of yourself, travelling companion or close relative etc, you need to email "Affordable Corfu.com" as soon as possible and may incur any charges depending on the time factor of the incident and the arrival date of your holiday.  

If you cancel your holiday after the deposit has been paid, then no refund is given.

If you cancel your holiday on the day of departure due to circumstances beyond your control, compensation or refunds will not be payable by ourselves and any such claims should be forwarded to your insurers.

Please note refunds will not be made where changes are caused by situations under the heading force majeure, such as war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural disasters, fire, epidemics, health risk, technical problems to transport, closure or congestion of airports, stations or ports, cancellations or changes of schedules by carriers ceasing to operate due to adverse weather conditions or other reasons and similar events outside our control or where we cancel because you have failed to pay the balance of your holiday cost.

If you wish to make any changes to the booked arrangements whilst on holiday, for example, upgrading your accommodation, changing resort or extending or reducing your holiday duration, all such requests will be subject to availability and any extra costs must be met by you and paid locally to "Affordable Corfu.com".

You are responsible for any damage caused to your holiday accommodation, during your stay and any charges levied by the owner in this respect must be met by you and paid locally.

Please remember you are a guest at your holiday accommodation and the owner may remove anyone whose behaviour is disruptive or affects the enjoyment of other guests.

"Affordable Corfu.com" act as agents for car hire, and any damage caused to the hired vehicles will be payable by the guest directly to the car hire company. "Affordable Corfu.com" does not accept responsibility for any damaged car hire by the guests.

We make every effort to ensure that you have a trouble free holiday. In the event of a complaint concerning the holiday you must immediately inform Lynn or the office staff, and the supplier of the service in question giving all relevant details. Until we know about a problem or complaint, we cannot begin to resolve it. It is therefore a condition of this contract that you communicate any problem to the supplier of the service in question AND to Lynn whilst in the resort. We will naturally do our best to resolve the matter on the spot.

Travel Arrangements

When you travel by air, land or on water, the relevant carriers 'Conditions of Carriage' will apply to your journey.

Pregnant women are usually eligible to fly up to 28 weeks of pregnancy on the date of return travel but as this may vary please check beforehand with your Doctor and the relevant airline.

Operational decisions may be taken by carriers and/or airports, port authorities and other competent authorities, resulting in delays, diversions or re scheduling.   When such situations occur, this is not within our control and we "Affordable Corfu.com" cannot accept liability for them.

Passport, Visas and Health requirements

For the holidays featured with "Affordable Corfu.com", British citizens need a full 10 year British passport valid for the duration of their holiday but no visa.   Please note; children under the age of 16 who are already not on their parent's passport will require their own passport (this includes infants). We suggest that the passports validity extends for six months longer than your planned return date. If you or any member of your party is not a British citizen or holds a non-British passport, you must check passport and visa requirements with the Greek embassy or consulate.

Always check with your doctor as to which inoculations and health requirements are advisable or necessary for your holiday well before you travel. Information on health is contained in the Department of Health leaflet "The Travellers Guide to Health" available from most Post Offices (E111).

24 Hour Emergency Contact

We offer 24 Hour contact for emergency purposes whilst you are on holiday with us. We will advise you of the contact telephone number upon arrival and it will also be in the villa book in each apartment.

ESSENTIAL READING

Your Corfiot resort – some guidelines!

Animals and wildlife

Indigenous animals are an essential part of the way of life in all rural communities and the braying of a donkey, barking of a dog, crowing of a cockerel or the sight of an occasional snake is not a complaint that the locals will sympathise with! Various animals including rodents, birds and insects such as wasps, mosquitoes, ants and horse flies are present in the countryside around the houses and in the more prevalent months of July and August, these stinging insects must be expected.
Very occasionally bees or wasps may build their nests in the grounds of your chosen accommodation, however, a large number of these animals does not necessarily mean that there is a nest on the property – they are attracted to water, such as swimming pools, and can sense it from up to 6 miles away! Nearby water such as streams and pools may also attract frogs, toads and snakes which, whilst unpleasant, are regrettably unavoidable.
A house in the country area inevitably attracts inquisitive and hungry rodents who seek the tempting food that tourists bring into the kitchens or dispose of as refuse. The best way of deterring insects such as ants and wasps, or indeed rodents such as mice, is to ensure that no food is left accessible, and crumbs etc are always swept up from terraces after an el fresco meal.
Some properties, in very rural areas, with unfenced land may have visiting goats and sheep as part of the holiday scene.
Cats and dogs are often resident where an owner or manager lives on the property. They are normally docile and enjoy making friends. Their domain is generally restricted to the public areas of the property and gardens. However, stray cats and dogs may attach themselves to a property, particularly if previous clients have been feeding them, and these situations are particularly difficult to resolve immediately! If you are allergic to cats and/or dogs please ensure that you check the suitability of your chosen accommodation with us prior to confirming your booking.

Drought

Water is a precious commodity so please use this resource thoughtfully. In periods of prolonged drought there may be occasional interruptions to the water supply and in some areas the local authorities cut the main supply. In peak season, and particularly in the smaller villages, there may be times of day when the water supply is turned off and even though all our properties have reserve tanks, there may be occasions when they are temporarily without water. Also in the summer months, the water pressure may drop due to excessive demand causing disruption to water heaters.
Please note: Some of the properties are very old and have old style plumbing. This means the pipes used are narrower than normal and it may be prohibited to flush paper etc down the WC.

Noise

Regrettably, we must all accept traffic, music and other sounds are part of everyday life and whilst seasoned travellers accept this, it is obviously in out interests to help clients in their choice of holiday accommodation by assisting them with any information we may be aware of at the time. However, clients will have their own idea of what they consider ‘noise’, with some more attuned to sounds associated with life in the country, whilst others accept everyday sounds associated with town living – and vice versa. Clients used to town life should remember that most of our houses are in the countryside, where work starts early. Agriculture and farming is a way of life in country areas and tractors, for instance, are a common sight, especially during harvest periods and grape and olive picking times. It should also be remembered that during very busy high season months, even quiet seaside resorts can become impossibly busy and noisy, not only with holiday visitors, but with its ‘locals’ who all leave the towns to come to the sea, especially on a Sunday on Corfu as it is ‘the family day’. Building or roadworks may occur without any warning and this is, understandably, out of our control. Music can sometimes be a problem even though there are strict laws regarding hours of operation. Whenever possible, we will endeavour to inform our clients of any events or situations, but it should be appreciated that, if we have not been notified, we cannot guarantee to do so.

Noise outside property boundaries

One of the most aggravating disturbances must be that of noise due to circumstances beyond the control of proprietors or indeed ourselves. Whilst owners and agents endeavour to inform us of any private or community work that may affect the property, this is the exception rather than the rule. As at home, if the next door neighbour or the local community decides to put up a new building which involves excavating using machinery, digging a hole for a swimming pool, chopping down a tree with a chain-saw, there is little that can be done, bearing in mind that planning consent and regulations taken for granted at home, are viewed very differently abroad and are often ignored. Whilst we and our owners understand only too well how precious a holiday is, it is of no interest to those responsible and whilst we will always make every reasonable effort to assist, clients should understand that these are circumstances we have no control over and we are not liable for these.

Festivals

Lively and animated celebrations can take place throughout the year and are often accompanied with firework displays, church bells and greek music. Villages are decorated with banners and lights, food stalls line the streets and in some cases shops and banks etc, may close. These festivals or ‘panayieries’ as they are called in Greece, celebrate the saints name of that village church and are organised by the local greek priest and the villagers. You will be most welcome to join in the fun, food and dancing. Some festivals run for 2 days at a time. You are also welcomed to visit the inside of the church and accept the special bread given to you by the priest.

The Weather

Our accommodation on Corfu are located where the weather is generally good throughout the summer, with low average rain fall. Buildings are designed/furnished to be comfortable in hot temperatures, and may not be as well suited to wet and/or cold periods as north European houses. Humidity can be a particular problem in countries where temperatures are usually high. In very wet periods, some accommodation may give the appearance of being damp. However, as soon as the weather reverts to normal, and houses can be aired, any sign of dampness will quickly disappear.
We cannot be held responsible for the weather on your holiday.

The Best time to go

Summers on Corfu are reliably long and dry with brilliant sunshine and generally calm seas. May is the quietest month, when nature is at its greenest and best and there is an abundance of spring flowers: the coves and beaches are not crowded but do bear in mind that the weather is more unpredictable at this time of year, so pack accordingly. June, September and October are generally hot enough to enjoy swimming in warm seas. July and August are naturally the hottest months, more suited to the dedicated sun worshipper than the keen explorer.

Self-catering accommodation

Arrival/departure time

You can occupy your holiday accommodation with ‘Affordable-corfu.com’ after 16:00hrs (4pm). Any variation to this will be shown clearly on your final email itinerary after your holiday balance has been made and received. All properties must be vacated by 11:00hrs to ensure that the property is cleaned correctly and prepared for the next clients. When making your travel arrangements, please advise us of your time of arrival (and flight number etc if appropriate) so we can make all the necessary arrangements.

Occupancy of your accommodation

Our contractual arrangements with property owners are to the maximum occupancy stated on each web page of the website: www.affordable-corfu.com and under no circumstances can this be exceeded. Only those persons included in the total figure of the confirmed emailed booking reservation may occupy the accommodation booked.

Extra beds are available only if within the maximum occupancy of the accommodation, or by agreement with the owner, and an additional charge will be made. They may consist of a sofa which converts into a divan, or a simple Z-bed type, more suitable for a young person. Please remember – no shelf/hanging space will be available!

Electricity in the accommodation

Voltage in Greece is 220 volts AC. Please bring a 2 pin adaptor plug for all your appliances with you. These can be bought at all duty free shops in airports.

Security deposits

For all our self-catering accommodation we may require a deposit to set against any breakages, damage or extra cleaning. The deposit charge varies by accommodation: you will be advised at your time of booking. The simplest method by which to lodge your deposit is to give your credit card details when booking. Please note that no monies will be deducted from your card unless justified for reimbursements for damage, loss or cleaning. If you do not have a credit card you will be asked to produce the set amount of money in Euros (cash) on your arrival at Corfu airport to Lynn who will meet you off your flight and give you your key to the property. No security deposit – no key to the property. Should any damage or breakage caused by you or a member of your group occur, it is your responsibility to report this to Lynn as soon as possible where she will advise you of the cost of the repair or replacement. Euro deposits will be returned to you at the end of your holiday once the accommodation has been checked over by either Lynn, the maid or the owner of the property. Receipts will be given for all replaced items bought.

Swimming pools

Swimming pools may be fresh or seawater and are generally unheated. Very few pools have covers, fencing or life guards, so children MUST be supervised at all times.
Certain pools on Corfu are infinity pools. An infinity pool has an exposed side, which sits on the edge of an unprotected drop – this maximizes the view and is an attractive feature of the pool. We recommend that children are supervised at all times, as the exposed edge may have a significant drop which is unprotected. Pools are maintained by owner’s staff or contractors who will endeavour to clean and maintain the pools unobtrusively.
Opening/Closing times – Weather permitting, pools are generally available for use after 1st May to mid/end of October depending on the pool/property/owner in question. If you are interested in a beginning/end of season booking and require a pool, please check with us as to which property pools will still be open for your use!

Pool/beach towels

Unless otherwise stated, most of the properties (including hotels) do not supply beach/pool towels. With this in mind we ask you to bring/provide your own for the duration on your stay.

Air-conditioning

Where this facility is available it comes included in the accommodation price per day (unless otherwise stated on the web page) and can usually blow hot and cold air.

Mobile Phones

Please note that many of our private houses and villas do not have telephones so if you do have your own mobile phone with international access you may find this useful but coverage at the properties can be variable. Most hotels have phones in their bedrooms or in the hotel reception.

Internet access

Only a few of the accommodation has internet access. Please ask for more details or for the nearest internet café to your accommodation.

Television

Television, if provided, will show local channels, some of which may or may not feature English speaking programmes. Satellite and/or cable television, where advertised, does not include access to subscription channels such as Sky Movies or entertainment channels and Sky Sports unless indicated. Limited English speaking news channels and Eurosport are usually provided, but as satellite and cable television providers may alter transmission and reception facilities, we can not guarantee the provision of any specific satellite channels.

Maids

The number of hours and days that maids work includes the rental termination day of your property. Minimum duties include cleaning the kitchen, bathrooms and communal rooms, including the making of your bed! The maid usually starts work from 10am and onwards. If you are still in bed, the maid will most likely start outside the property and enter the property (having their own key!) later. The maid most probably has other houses to clean so she will not stop and chat to you as time is of the essence.

Laundry & Linen

Accommodation with washing machines are detailed in the facility box above the pricing structure on each property web page. Unless stated, a washing machine, an iron and ironing board are NOT available. Linen and bathroom towels are included in your holiday accommodation prices, with a change once or twice weekly.

Pets

We regret that pets are not accepted, unless by special arrangement.

Barbecues

Barbecues may be gas or charcoal. Due to fire safety reasons, barbecue bans may be imposed at anytime. Because of their rural location, some accommodation does not have main drainage. Therefore, when using a barbecue, please take extra care and, if it is a portable model, please keep it well away from any plants or shrubs.

Infants

An infant is defined as being under 2 years of age on the day of return travel.
Travel cots, highchairs and stairgates can be supplied for a small daily charge, however due to a limited supply we strongly suggest that you ‘reserve’ them on your initial enquiry/reservation status email. We ask you to supply and bring your own cot linen. The type of cot provided by the property owner may vary in size, age and may not conform to British Safety Standards.

Beds

Continental beds can be quite short so if someone in your party is particularly tall, please let us know when you book, so that we can suggest an appropriate accommodation.

Solar Power

Some properties rely on solar power to heat water. If there is insufficient sunlight, shortages of hot water may occur.

Accommodation maintenance.

Please bear in mind that your holiday accommodation is not the same as your own home and it is not always possible to arrange for someone to immediately repair or replace broken/damaged equipment and items, although we do of course do our utmost to ensure that the necessary work is carried out as quickly as possible to cause you minimum inconvenience.
Access to your accommodation
Access roads and pavements around all types of accommodation can vary considerably. Some may be well-maintained while others, even in residential areas, may be rough, bumpy and sometimes steep. You may also find that taxi’s refuse to go to ‘out of the way’ properties.

Hairdriers

Hairdriers are not normally provided in the self catering accommodation. Hotels of 4 star and above often have wall-mounted, low-power hairdryers. If in any doubt we recommend you take your own along with an adaptor!

General information

Credit cards

Credit cards are becoming more widely accepted in rural regions of Greece. Major cards are usually accepted in shops and restaurants in the larger centres but few are accepted in small towns and villages. Credit cards may be accepted for petrol in some stations, but not all! Banks usually have cash machines.
A mixture of traveller’s cheques, sterling cash, some local currency and credit card will give you the most flexibility when it comes to paying locally. ATM’s are limited and only in larger resorts on Corfu.

Disabled Passengers

We will be happy to give advice on suitability of resort and accommodation to any passenger with a disability. However, because of the nature of some of our accommodations, there may be limited access for wheelchairs. Please ensure that if you are taking a wheelchair that you advise us of all your requirements before hand and then we can answer any questions you may have about that specific property.

Special Requests

We will always pass on any special requests and try to meet them but do not guarantee to do so, as they do not form part of your holiday accommodation contract. Any special requests or requirements which you may have, such as wheelchairs, special facilities for certain medical conditions, specific room allocations or any other requirements which is important to you, should be made in writing (email) to us before you book.

Choosing the right accommodation to suit you

Renting a holiday accommodation can be likened to buying your own home – it is a very personal choice. Therefore, no one description will suit each individual. What is considered extremely comfortable or luxurious to you might not be to others. With this in mind, we therefore endeavour to meet the challenge of trying to identify our clients’ requirements and to recommend properties without clients actually seeing them.
It must be remembered that whilst we try to be as honest as possible in our web description of each individual property, these are only our opinions. Equally, no sales consultant dealing with clients at the end of a telephone can truly gauge the individual tastes and lifestyles of our clients. Clients may have expectations we are realistically unable to meet. We will do our best to steer our clients into the right accommodation we think is suitable, but allowances must be made for the fact that it is a very personal choice, and one persons favourite accommodation might not be someone else’s!
If you have travelled with ‘Affordable-Corfu’ before it is always useful to let us know. By identifying the type of accommodation and location of your previous stay, this may assist us with your holiday choice. No amount of text and photographs could ever cover every corner of each property or its grounds and surrounding area. Parents will have different requirements from those who do not have children. Equally, age is irrelevant: a young person might have mobility problems with steps and steep sloping areas etc, which may present no problem to an elder person. Please help us make sure that your holiday is a happy one by giving us the fullest possible information prior to booking your holiday accommodation on Corfu.

Ambience and style

On the whole, the majority of our Greek accommodation belong either to local Corfiot’s or to foreigners who love Corfu and have realized the dream of owning a house here. More and more these days, Greek owners are using the most up-to-date materials and furnishings in their accommodations. Older houses are passing into the control of younger members of the family, who are modernizing them gradually. On the other hand, it is often the foreign-owned accommodations that display the traditional Greek touches that give a house its unique atmosphere, combined with the kind of comfort we are used to finding in, say, an English country house.
It must be pointed out that facilities are sometimes not quite what we expect or are used to. Guests should respect owners’ wishes to keep their property very much in their style and tradition. Owners usually leave most of their personal possessions for the enjoyment of their guests, but locked cupboards containing private items should be respected.

Mixed Groups

For organizers of groups of friends or family, please ensure that everybody’s individual requirements have been taken into account. Has every one seen the website www.affordable-corfu.com ? and the chosen accommodation web page? If costs are being shared equally, is everybody expecting the same size bedroom? Who is going to occupy the master bedroom? If asking friends, how well do they know each other if they are to share a bathroom? When you, as the group leader, send the email or call the office it is your responsibility to keep all your party members up to date and informed. The person delegated to book the holiday, should also ensure their ‘other half’, family or friends are kept closely involved. All too often a local problem is not of our making, but one which could easily have been avoided if more involvement had been made by the party leader with all members of their party at the time of booking.

Multi-centre Holidays

Many of our guests choose a two centre holiday to gain the utmost from the many diverse cultures and regions which can be enjoyed. This can involve combining stays in villas, apartments, studios or houses and indeed hotels within Corfu.

Children

Whether travelling with infants or teenagers we will be pleased to make suggestions as to the general suitability of each accommodation. However, it is impossible for us to make absolute recommendations as the needs of every family are different. Unsupervised children are always at risk, whether at home or abroad and holiday relaxation cannot truly be enjoyed with excited and curious children constantly on the move. Most properties contain some form of hazard, hazards which may be taken for granted at home, but often seem to take on a different significance whilst on holiday. Properties rarely live up to the ideal of a single storey house, located within a flat, fenced and lawned garden with a fenced off swimming pool. We will always endeavour to give the fullest possible information at the time of booking, but parents need to make it clear to us if they have any specific requirements.