ALL ONLINE BOOKINGS ARE SUBJECT TO A 24 HOUR CONFIRMATION

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We will confirm via email or phone and seek to secure alternate accommodation should the property you choose

not be available for booking.

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Any booking made with Otway Retreats (regardless of booking method) is conditional to the client having fully read and understood the following Terms & Conditions.

 

All bookings must be confirmed with a minimum of 50% deposit upon booking.

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                                                   D E F I N I T I O N S 

a.   'Otway Retreats' refers to Otway Retreats the Trustee for the Henricus & McCann Family Trust, ABN: 82969654623 ACN: 623 426 291 
b.   'Full House' rate means a rate applied that includes use of all bedrooms at the property regardless of how many bedrooms are actually required, this is set as a default for all bookings.
c.   'Weekend' means Thursday & Friday (when consecutive), Friday & Saturday, or Saturday & Sunday (when consecutive)
d.   'Midweek' means Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday unless when in conjunction with a 'weekend' night.
e.  'Public Holiday' means any Victorian gazetted public holiday
f.    'Special Period' or "long weekend rate" means any period of time denoted as a 'special period' by Otway Retreats and can include (but is not limited to) School Holidays, Public Holidays and days surrounding public holidays.
g.   'Availability Calendar' means the calendar shown online that indicates availability for each property.
h.   'Extras or Add-On' means any additional item purchased via Otway Retreats website including (but not limited to) dinners, massage and other spa services, flowers, chocolates, wine, arrival hampers, tours, car hire, linen, etc. 
i.     'Credit Voucher' means credit which may be applied to future accommodation booking with Otway Retreats
j.    'Pre-Authorisation' means a credit card swipe which will hold a predetermined amount of funds on the swiped credit card for a period of 7-14 days. During this period, these funds cannot be accessed. If no charges are brought against the pre-authorisation in this time, the funds will be released back to the swiped credit card after 7-14 days, depending on the card issuer.
k.   'Code Red-Fire Danger Day' means a day declared by the CFA as a Code Red Fire Danger Day as per the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au.

l.  ‘Government Issued Travel Restrictions’ means enforceable Australian Federal, or State Government issued orders which prevent travel either from the guest’s usual place of residence or to the location of the property booked.

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B O O K I N G S

1.1.    The name of the person on the original booking made online or via the booking form remains the sole contact and is responsible for the property booked and all communications with Otway Retreats.
1.2.    Properties are individually owned so your deposit/payments cannot be transferred from one property to another.
1.3.    Online bookings made directly to Otway Retreats less than 24 hours prior to arrival must be confirmed by emailing our office at hello@otwayretreats.com.au (this does not apply to instant bookings made via airbnb)

1.4.    A non-refundable booking fee may be included in the total rate.
1.5.    If, due to a system error that has caused incorrect rates to be calculated, Otway Retreats has to amend the rate of a property after it has been booked and/or paid online, Otway Retreats gives the guest the first opportunity to cancel the booking at no penalty.
1.6.    Weekend bookings attract a two night minimum rate, weekend nights are Thursday & Friday, Friday & Saturday or Saturday & Sunday.
1.7.     Midweek nights are Sunday - Thursday unless including a weekend night.
1.8.   Public holidays and nominated special periods will attract minimum stays and full house rates.
1.9.   Otway Retreats reserves the right to refuse any booking.

1.10.   By making a booking under your name and paying for the booking you agree that you are over 24 years of age and that you accept full responsibility for all payments due and for the consequences of any actions of all persons who will use the property during your holiday. If payment is made by credit / card by telephone, you will have deemed to have read all the Booking Terms & Conditions and agreed to be bound by them prior to making any payments to Otway Retreats.

1.11.   Otway Retreats does not accept groups of guests that are all under 24 year of age. The main guest responsible for the property is required to be over the age of 24 in order for the booking to be approved.

 E X T R A S

2.1.   Add-ons such as restaurant reservations, massage and spa services or activities, should be booked at least 7 days in advance to secure your preferred choice and date.
2.2.   No refunds will be given on 'extras and add-ons' if cancelled or changed within 7 days. Cancellations or changes that are made more than 7 days prior to your arrival will incur a minimum administration fee of $50 regardless of the service provider’s terms and conditions.
2.3.   Extras such as flowers, wine, chocolates, hampers etc. will be provided for you at the property upon check in unless alternate arrangements have been made.

P A Y M E N T   T E R M S

3.1.  Payments may be made by Visa Card, Mastercard, Amex or Bank Transfer
3.2.   A deposit of 100% of the total rate is debited from your nominated card within 48 hours of booking. Accommodation will not be held without a payment. If paying the initial deposit by bank transfer, the bank transfer must be completed within 24 hours to prevent the booking being cancelled.

3.3   If you wish to pay a 50% deposit only, you will need to make a special request for approval, this can only be facilitated if your booking is 45+ days in advance. The balance will fall due and will be automatically debited 30 days prior to arrival from your nominated card.
3.4.   Failure to comply with these payment terms may result in your booking being cancelled by Otway Retreats with no refund of any deposit paid.
3.5.   Payments may be made with a maximum of two transactions, either by credit card or direct deposit.

 

P R O C E S S I N G   F E E S 

4.1.   Our processing fee is intended to cover the cost of credit card fees applied by the bank. If you are booking via our website, the total shown already includes a processing fee. We encourage you to review detailed information about our processing fees which are as follows:  
- Visa or Mastercard attracts a 3.3% surcharge.
- American Express attracts a 4.4% surcharge.
- Bank Transfers - no processing fees apply to Bank Transfers.

- NB if you cancel a booking your refund (total booking amount paid) will be processed less the fees outlined above.

C R E D I T   V O U C H E R S

5.1.   Credit vouchers are issued with 12 months validity.
5.2.   Credit vouchers should be treated as cash and cannot be replaced in the event of being lost or stolen.
5.3.   Credit vouchers must be redeemed in full on a single booking. No refunds or reimbursements will be provided for unused portions of vouchers.

5.4.   Any bookings made with a credit voucher that are subsequently cancelled will not be refunded or reissued.

5.5.    Credit vouchers are not redeemable for cash.
5.6.   Bookings made with credit vouchers must include an accommodation component. Any remaining funds can be redeemed to purchase extras in conjunction with your stay.

 

C A N C E L L A T I O N S

6.1.   All requests for cancellations and amendments to bookings must be submitted in writing to hello@otwayretreats.com.au. Please include booking name, property name & reason for cancelling.
6.2.   If the cancelled property is able to be re-booked for the same dates, a credit voucher for the total deposit paid less a minimum $75 administration fee will be issued.
6.3.   If the cancelled property is not able to be re-booked for the same dates, the following cancellation fees apply:

Cancellation Fees
- Cancellation notified 180 days or more prior to arrival - 10% of the total rate
- Cancellation notified 30-179 days prior to your arrival - 50% of the total rate
-  Cancellation notified 14 days or less prior to arrival - 100% of the total rate

6.5.   A minimum $75 administration fee applies to all cancelled bookings.
6.6.   Booking Fees and processing fees are non-refundable.
6.7.   Any funds remaining after the deduction of cancellation, administration and booking fees can be distributed in the form of a credit voucher with 6 months validity or refunded to a nominated account.
6.8.    Travel insurance is recommended for medical and cancellation coverage.
6.9.   In addition to our cancellation policy, any transfer in booking names to friends/family will incur a minimum administration fee of $50.

6.10.   Otway Retreats reserves the right to cancel the booking any time in the event of circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Otway Retreats eg: property sold, owner directive, etc or if in the reasonable opinion of Otway Retreats it is necessary to undertake essential works at the Property. In these unlikely circumstances Otway Retreats will endeavor to offer a suitable alternative Otway Retreats property. If no such alternative holiday property is agreed between us then Otway Retreats will refund in full all money received by us for the booking. Otway Retreats will not otherwise be liable for any loss incurred by you as a result of the cancellation.

6.11 Bookings made by third party agents including (but not limited to) stayz, homeaway, airbnb will be subject to the policy made on that platform at the time of booking. Otway Retreats reserves the right to enforce the non refunable cancellation fees.

 

B O N D   /   P R E - A U T H O R I S A T I O N

7.1.   A credit card pre-authorisation of the total bond amount stipulated for the property is required on or prior to check in. This will be held on the card for a period of 7-14 days. During this period, these funds cannot be accessed. If no charges are brought against the pre-authorisation in this time, the funds will be released back to the swiped credit card after 7-14 days, depending on the card issuer.
7.2.   If a credit card is unavailable for pre-authorisation an EFT security bond will be required at least 48 hours prior to the booking commencement instead.
EFT Security bonds will be returned by bank transfer or cheque refund 7-14 days after vacating the property.
7.3.   Otway Retreats reserves the right to debit the credit card provided as pre-authorisation, or withhold funds from the cash security bond, for any fees incurred during your stay including, but not limited to, additional cleaning, excess rubbish removal, extended stays, late check outs, smoking in a property, lost keys & any additional locksmith fees, unnecessary maintenance attendance, repairs or damage to property.

7.4    Our current bond amount is $150. This charge does not apply to airbnb bookings as they have their own policy.

H O U S E   R U L E S

8.1.   Check-in time is 3:00pm on the day of arrival and check out is 10:00am unless specified and agreed otherwise.
8.2.   A guest registration and ID verification must be completed pre check in by the person who made the booking. As part of this registration, guests are agreeing to allow Otway Retreats the right to debit the credit card supplied as pre-authorisation or withhold funds from the security bond for the cost of any breaches of the terms and conditions outlined in this document.  If you have booked via our website, booking.com, homeaway.com, or airbnb.com you acknowledge having been provided with a link to these terms and conditions in email communications from us.
8.3.   Key collection procedures will be confirmed at least 6 hours prior to arrival via email, you will either be met by a representative of Otway Retreats at an agreed time at the property, or a keysafe code can be provided to you to access the property. It is the responsibility of the guest to make arrangements with our office for access or key collection and advice in advance of preferred check in times if guests require an in person check in by a member of our team.
8.4.   Keys should be returned to the key safe location or to a representative of Otway Retreats no later than the agreed checkout time on the day of departure. The guest should confirm with Otway Retreats when they have checked out by SMS or email.
8.5.   Early Check-ins and Late checkouts are subject to availability and incur additional fees of $50.00 - $100.00 per hour.
8.6.    Guests are responsible for their choice of accommodation. Otway Retreats is not responsible if the style of property does not live up to guests expectations, therefore guests should view property listings online carefully before selecting and booking their preferred property.  Please call our office if you require clarification on any aspect of a property prior to booking. Our properties have accurate photos showing the property inclusions and the layout of the properties.
8.7.   Due to unforeseen circumstances Otway Retreats may need to relocate your booking into alternative accommodation of similar value & style.
8.8.   Please respect the privacy of our local community and neighbors. If a guest's behavior or noise level is unreasonable, a warning will be given and ignoring this will result in the cancellation of the booking without refund.
8.9.     Requests for assistance or maintenance may result in a minimum $150 call out fee where the guest is at fault and/or the call out is not deemed to be of an emergency nature. This fee will be payable at the time of the call out and must be paid to the agent attending the callout as appointed by Otway Retreats.
8.10.     All properties are non-smoking, failure to comply will result in a minimum $200 fine. Guests may also be liable for the loss of owner's income from any future bookings affected by their actions.
8.11.   Excess Rubbish Removal fees of a minimum of $90 may apply if the amount of rubbish left at the property is deemed over and above what should be reasonably expected for the length of stay and number of guests. 
8.12.     Properties listed as pet friendly incur a fee to cover general cleaning. An additional fee will be applied if excess cleaning is required after departure. Should pets be found in accommodation not classified as pet friendly, guests may be requested to vacate their property immediately with no refund and will be liable for additional cleaning fees.
8.13. Rates apply for any additional guests staying at the property that were not included as part of the original booking. Please advise Otway Retreats and make necessary payment for additional guests. Should additional unpaid guests be found, the booking may be cancelled and you will be asked to vacate. No refund will be given.
8.14.   Otway Retreats properties are offered on the basis of private, residential usage only. Events, functions, parties and gatherings are not permitted at any Otway Retreats property under any circumstances. Should this occur you will be requested to vacate the property immediately and your booking will be cancelled without refund. (this excludes properties that have been booked via our event management service where full details of the event have been planned, discussed and disclosed.
8.15.   Guests are expected to leave the property in a neat and tidy manner on departure. This includes washing and putting away dishes, returning all items to their original position, all food items removed from fridges, barbecues cleaned, ovens and microwaves wiped out and rubbish placed in appropriate bins. Additional cleaning fees (minimum $90) may apply if the property is not left in a presentable condition.
8.16.   Guests are required to turn off lights, appliances and lock doors and windows upon departure.
8.17.   A minimum key replacement fee of $150 will apply if property keys are not returned on departure. Additional locksmith fees may also apply if locks require replacement due to the loss of keys.

8.18.    All properties are let with linen, some beds have beds made, and some expect guests to make beds on arrival and this is clearly stated in the marketing. If guests wish to have beds made on arrival where a property doesnt have this as standard, they are expected to book this in with our office and make the appropriate payment for concierge provisioning.

8.19.   Otway Retreats will not be held responsible for failure of utilities, essential services or appliances such as electricity and water should they cease to function based on issues with the supplier that are beyond the control of Otway Retreats.  However, should it be made known to Otway Retreats during your stay, we will make every attempt to contact the appropriate authorities or people responsible in an effort to rectify the problem. We will not give you a discount on the rental if we cannot arrange a repair during your stay.

8.20. Most properties rely on tank water. We ask that you be mindful of your water usage when showering and suggest you take your own drinking water with you. There are also many properties operating with septic systems so please do not flush any products such as sanitary items down the toilet. Any costs to unblock toilets for failing to adhere to this will be passed on to guests.

8.21.  Otway Retreats suggest that if you are booking a home with a fireplace that you supply your own firelighters and kindling. Most homes will provide the use of firewood only and this will be outlined within the booking confirmation details.

8.22. Wifi where available) is provided complimentary for guest use. Guests should note that internet connection speeds vary widely according to local area availability and connection type and in many cases, data may be limited. Whilst every endeavour will be made to ensure Wi-Fi is working as intended, we cannot guarantee an available or consistent connection due to network, data or speed issues beyond our control. Outages do occur and whilst we will always try to have the connection restored, this will not always be possible. Compensation will not be considered in these circumstances as Wi-Fi is provided on a complimentary basis.

 

C O D E   R E D   F I R E   D A Y S

9.1.   In the event of a Code Red - Fire Danger day being declared for our region, the following procedure will apply:
9.2.   Guests currently in-house will be given the option to vacate the property prior to 5pm the evening before the code red day if contact is made with our office and the request made to leave.
9.3.   Guests due to check-in on the code red day will be allowed to cancel before arrival by submitting a request in writing to hello@otwayretreats.com.au
9.4.   All guests that leave their accommodation or choose to cancel will be issued with a credit voucher for a future stay equal in value to the balance of their stay.

9.5.   We suggest that all guests download the "Fire Ready" app on their phone if you are staying in fire danger periods.

9.6.   Guests that choose to stay despite the code red fire warning do so at their own risk and will not hold Otway Retreats or the property owner liable for any risk, damages or compensation.

 

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C O M P L A I N T S 

 

10.1.   Should you have a need to raise a complaint please make contact with our office at the first available opportunity.  We will then attempt to rectify or resolve the matter so that you can continue to enjoy your stay.  Housekeepers take a certain level of care with the property however should you feel that something may have been overlooked please bring this to our attention so that we can assist. It is our aim to ensure that guests enjoy their stay.  Any complaint during checkout or after your departure will be noted and acted on where appropriate, however we will not consider compensation if we were not given the opportunity to fix or rectify matters at the time the issue occurred.
 

L O S S  &  D A M A G E 

11.1.   Whilst you are in residence, you are fully responsible for all breakages and damage caused to the property, its furniture and fittings.  Any breakages, damage or loss must be reported to Otway Retreats immediately.
11.2.   Otway Retreats reserves the right to request payment in full and/or charge repair/replacement costs to the guest credit card provided as pre-authorisation, or by withholding the cash security bond, in the event of property  damage or theft either accidentally, maliciously or through negligence on the guests behalf.

11.3.    We ask that any damage that a guest is aware of or should reasonably expected to be aware of to be reported to Otway Retreats upon termination of your booking. If it is found that a guest has withheld any knowledge of damages or breakages then an additional fine of $50 on top of the cost to rectify damages will be charged from the pre-authorisation amount.
11.4.   All properties are privately owned, Otway Retreats cannot be responsible for the failure of utilities, services, equipment or appliances however every attempt will be made (within reason) to rectify the issue. If issues cannot be resolved, we may relocate guests to an alternative property of similar value & style.
11.5.   Otway Retreats are not responsible for the security of your belongings and encourage you to ensure your accommodation is secure when not occupied.
11.6.   Any belongings left in the property that are unclaimed within 7 days from date of departure will be donated to local charity organisations. Any items claimed need to be collected within 30 days or can be returned via post by agreement, the cost of postage will be borne by the guest and incurs an administration fee of $44 to attend the post office and arrange postage on your behalf.

A D D I T I O N A L    C O S T S 

12.1.   Otway Retreats reserves the right to debit the credit card provided as pre-authorisation, or withhold funds from the security bond, or request payment in full of any outstanding charges that apply to your booking. This includes, but is not limited to, extra cleaning, rubbish removal, additional guests, extended stays, extra bedrooms occupied, smoking penalties, lost keys, callouts, repairs or damage to property.
12.2.   All fees listed in this document are subject to change without notice.
 

D I S C L A I M E R 

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Otway Retreats does not accept any liability:

13.1.    For any loss, damage or injury to the person or belongings of the guest or any third party however caused, whilst leased by the guest before, during or after the period of the booking

13.2.    For any error or omission in the holiday accommodation website. All Printed or written or verbal description of the premises by the booking agent or employees is made in good faith but no responsibility shall be accepted for any misrepresentation

13.3.    Otway Retreats is not responsible for the safety of the property.

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P H O N E   C O V E R A G E 

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14.1.   Mobile coverage in the area is limited. Telstra provides the best coverage, particularly in the Hordern Vale/Lavers Hill as well as Wye River/Separation Creek and Johanna areas and beyond.

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By making any part or full payments relating to a booking, you the guest have agreed to be bound by the terms and conditions set out above.

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OFFICE LOCATION / CONTACT DETAILS

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Our office is located at 1i Moore Street, Apollo Bay

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Business Hours:

Mon-Fri 9.00am - 4.30pm

Sat - 9.00am - 4.30pm

Sun - Closed

Closed on public holidays

* We have an after hours emergency service operating outside of business hours ph: 03 5292 3631

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