CAR HIRE
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It is not always essential to hire a car with our villas, but it is a great asset. We are able to offer special contract rates, which must be pre-booked in the U.K. To assist you in deciding if you need to rent a car on your holiday, we have categorised each villa as follows:
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Car not required -
This is where you are close to, or in a resort centre and can walk to a selection of restaurants, mini-markets, shops, bars, and usually the beach.
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Car useful -
This is where you can usually walk to some restaurants, a mini-market, and the beach within 20 minutes and where a car will enhance your resort experience.
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Car essential -
This is where the villa location is not close enough to restaurants/bars and where we believe your holiday will be severely restricted for you to walk to the beach.
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BOAT HIRE (CORFU ONLY)
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One of the unique selling points of Corfu is the ability for a client to rent a small boat for a day or week with an engine size up to 25hp without a licence whilst speedboats will require a current speedboat licence. You can 'potter' along the coastline and visit local restaurants. Full instructions will be given when hiring the boat. Price includes lifejackets, flares, third party liability and local taxes as at August 2007. Fuel used will be paid locally direct to the boat hire company. A contract with the local boat hire company will need to be completed. We will not accept responsibility for this service unless it was booked directly with us and thus forms part of our agreement.
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VILLA DESCRIPTION AND STANDARDS
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A particular villa may be more expensive than others because of its size or proximity to a beach or other reason and not because of the standard of its furnishings. Many villas are decorated and furnished in different styles according to owner's tastes and the furniture will sometimes vary from the brochure or website pictures. Photographs are factual unless they have a caption 'this is an artist's impression'. This could occur when a facility was being constructed at the time the photograph was taken and the pictures on our website may not depict pool / table tennis tables but the house will feature them, unless they are not mentioned on the website. Because many photographs are taken during the winter some 'natural' aspects surrounding the house may have been enhanced. We wish to make it clear that we do not rent five star or luxuriously furnished villas. Our villas are well equipped, primarily as a second home or for holiday rentals. We provide self-catering accommodation and not hotel style facilities or services. We try to be accurate at all times. It is impossible to give a full description of our villas within this brochure or website. All the villas featured have been visited by us and it is important that you not only read the individual descriptions but also speak to us to obtain a better understanding of each villa and the surrounding area. You can also visit our website, www.villaplus.com which shows extra information and pictures about our villas, the surrounding areas, local beaches and places of interest.
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VILLA AND MAID SERVICES
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Villas are regularly maintained by a team comprising of a maid, gardener, pool man and the villa manager who oversees the property. The maid will usually visit two to three times a week (depending on the destination), which includes your arrival/departure day, unless stated otherwise. Maids do not usually work on public holidays or weekends. The times of hours may vary, as may the number of hours worked. Their duties are to make the beds, clean the floors and bathrooms and to do a limited amount of light cleaning. Towels should be changed twice weekly and bed linen once per week. Linen is supplied.
It is important that the pool man, maid and gardener carry out their duties to look after the villas and, due to their work loads, the times of their visits cannot be fixed and may not always be convenient to everyone. We kindly ask for your co-operation when they visit.
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WASHING MACHINES
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Washing machines are for your benefit but may also be used by the maid for the villa laundry.
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DISHWASHERS
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Dishwashers are supplied in most of our villas. It is most important that you use the correct tablets. In your food starter pack there are a few tablets to get you started and if you use the machine regularly, please purchase more.
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FOOD PACKS
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A food starter pack can be purchased at the time of booking but we do not cater for particular demands / allergies. This pack is designed to allow light refreshments upon arrival should the shops be closed. A small number of dishwasher tablets will be provided and we ask that you purchase more should you use the dishwasher.
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INTERNET and TELEPHONE ACCESS
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Please note that our villas do not have telephones. Information as to the nearest public telephone, which could be a considerable distance away, will be found in the villa book available at the villa.
All our destinations have an Internet access point, where you can check e-mails etc, and the location will be given to you in the Villa Manual. Where possible this will be in your resort or a neighbouring one. Telephone services in Europe do not always have the constant quality of that in the UK and some resorts depend on local dial up. Continuous service cannot be guaranteed and Villa Plus accepts no responsibility for any connection downtime or any subsequent consequences thereof. and do not offer compensation if a telephone or Internet connection is not working due to circumstances beyond our control.
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AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING
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Many villas include air conditioning/heating in the bedrooms as standard. Please see the individual villa descriptions. Some units work on a timer or on a break switch that will turn the unit off if a window or door is opened. Please consult the villa manual for full details. Subject to our booking conditions, Villa Plus cannot be responsible for any non operational time which is out of our control. Units, where not fitted, may be hired and paid for locally.
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SMOKING
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Smoking is not permitted in any of our villas and we would request that you only smoke outside the villa. Please do not leave cigarette stubs in the garden.
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ELECTRICITY
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Electricity is 220 AC with continental twin plugs. Please remember to bring an adaptor when taking any electrical items with you. Your villa electricity supply is not always as constant as in the UK. You may find that the electricity will "trip off" if too many appliances are used at once. If this happens, simply turn off some appliances and reset the main fuse box (the location and full details will be in the villa manual). Please be careful, as it can get very dark - torches are usually provided, but if in doubt, please contact your Villa Representative.
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BREAKAGES/VILLA CONDITIONS
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(a) Accidental Damage Waiver
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Most villas have a non-refundable charge of £7 per person for Package Holidays and £14 per bedroom for Villa Only Single Component bookings. This charge, known as Accidental Damage Waiver (ADW) will be added to your confirmation invoice and is payable with your holiday balance. The ADW is used to cover accidental damage that can occur up to the value of £ 300 per bedroom. This waiver excludes negligence and vandalism. For accidental damage that exceeds the value of £ 300 per bedroom, we reserve the right to invoice you for immediate payment. (See also clause 12, Behaviour in our booking conditions)
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(b) Security Deposit
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Some villas have a Security Deposit of £250 to £650 or more (instead of ADW), which is used to protect villa owners or local suppliers against breakages, loss, damage, unpaid local charges, additional housekeeping and any other charges. The cost of the Security Deposit will be included on your confirmation invoice and payable with your holiday balance. This amount will be refunded to you within 4 weeks of your return date less any damage, losses, unpaid bills etc. In the event of substantial damage/abuse to a villa you will have to leave and find alternative accommodation at your own cost. Should the Security Deposit prove inadequate to fully cover any costs that arise, then we reserve the right to invoice you for immediate payment. (See also clause 12, Behaviour in our booking conditions)
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(c) Single Sex or Young Parties
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All single sex and/or young parties will be charged a Security Deposit, which will be included on your confirmation invoice and is payable with your holiday balance. Our owners require us to charge the following levels for single sex and/or young parties:-
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* Any all female groups between 18-25 years will pay £100 EACH or by the maximum number of beds, whichever is greater
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* Any all male groups between 18-25 years will pay £150 EACH or by the maximum number of beds, whichever is greater
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* Any all mixed groups between 18-25 years will pay £100 EACH or by the maximum number of beds, whichever is greater. This amount will normally be refunded to you within four weeks of your return date, less any deductions if applicable. Should the Security Deposit prove inadequate to fully cover any costs that arise, then we reserve the right to invoice you for immediate payment. (See also clause 12, Behaviour in our booking conditions)
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N.B. On behalf of our owners, we reserve the right to charge a Security Deposit for any booking or to increase the level of Security Deposit.
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CHECK-IN/CHECK OUT
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Villas are booked from 1pm on your arrival day until 10 am on your departure day. It can take considerable time to clean a villa on changeover days and the maid may still be tidying up should you arrive before 4pm. On your departure day the maid may arrive at your villa as early as 8 am.
The ground surface inside and outside the villa may be wet due to the maid cleaning them on your arrival, departure and any other day when maid service is carried out. Be aware of the ground condition at all times and be cautious by taking the necessary steps to ensure your safety and especially that of children and the elderly. At other times, ground areas open to the elements or subject to dousing in water from the swimming pool may be wet and caution is required at all times.
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LEFT LUGGAGE
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Flight arrivals and departures in our resorts are spread throughout the day and as you have to leave your villa by 10am there is often a long wait before your homeward flight. We have arranged left luggage facilities in most of our resorts. If you wish to use this facility you must pre book this with your Villa Representative. Although usually secure, we cannot be responsible for any luggage left in this manner. Where taxi transfers have been booked, it is normal practice for the taxi to collect clients at the left luggage facility and take them to the airport. It is the client's responsibility to get to that facility with the luggage. Our Villa Representatives will also be able to suggest showering facilities or hotel rooms where available, but these must be paid for by the client locally.
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EXTRA BEDS, COTS, HIGH CHAIRS AND STAIRGATES
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In most of our villas we can allow an extra bed, which is usually a fold up Z-bed and is for a child up to the age of 15 years old only. Where a villa is rented with an extra bed, for example 6 adults and 1 child, in a 3 bedroom villa, it does not necessarily mean that the amenities of the villa will allow for the extra child. Cots, high chairs and Z-beds are provided at no additional charge for all package holidays. If booking a villa only Single Component rental, there is a charge of £30 per week for an extra bed, £10 per week for a highchair and £20 per week for a cot. Most cots provided are of the 'travel' type. Linen is supplied.
Stair gates are available free of charge, where it is possible to fit these in individual villas. Please ask our reservations team if your chosen villa can have a stairgate fitted, at the time of booking.
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BARBECUES
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All our villas have barbecues and where possible they are brick built. It is not normal in southern Europe to clean barbecues and it is not the maid's responsibility to do so. Therefore, we kindly ask guests to leave them in a reasonable and useable condition. We have asked owners to supply cleaning implements.
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DRIVING
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With the exception of Cyprus, as in most continental countries you drive on the right-hand side and overtake on the left. Like the UK, in Cyprus you drive on the left hand side. You must take all parts of your UK driving licence with you. Minimum driving age is 21 years except Cyprus where drivers aged under 25 years old can only hire a car if they have three years experience. Whilst driving, you are required by law to have your driving licence, identification with photograph (for British Citizens please use a passport), spare spectacles (in Spain only), and the car rental documentation given by the car company.
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SWIMMING POOLS
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See also the Health & Safety section of this website for other important information about swimming pools.
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TOURIST BOARDS
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The Portuguese Tourist Office is located at 11 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PP. Tel: 020 7201 6666. Website: www.portugaloffice.org.uk
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The Spanish National Tourist Office is located at 79 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6XB. Tel: 020 7486 8077. Website: www.spain.info
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The Greek National Tourist Organisation is located at 4 Conduit Street, London, W1S 2DJ. Tel: 0207 495 9300. Website: www.gnto.co.uk
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Cyprus Tourism Organisation is located at 17 Hanover Street, London,W1S 1YP, UK Tel: 0207 569 8800. E-mail: visitcyprus@cto.org.cy Website: www.visitcyprus.org.cy
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SATELLITE TVs
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We have installed Digital Satellite Televisions in most of our villas. When conditions are perfect, you should be able to view BBC1/2/3/4, ITV 1/2/3/4, Sky News, CBeebies and a variety of other English speaking TV and BBC Radio channels. However, due to weather conditions and location of the villas, we cannot always guarantee access to all the channels all of the time.
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With a Sky de-coder card (not available locally) you may be able to view some extra non-premium channels such as UK Gold, Channel 4, Channel 5 etc. You will not be able to receive any premium channels such as Sky Sports or Sky Movies. To see what channels you might get, a good test in the UK has been to put your de-coder card in that of another UK household and see which channels you can then see.
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In Corfu, Cyprus and Lanzarote due to their southern location and weather conditions, not all villas are able to receive the full BBC / ITV package. Some villas may also receive terrestrial stations which feature local channels.
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In Kefalonia we have installed a freeview package that will receive some BBC channels, Sky News, many children's channels and BBC Radio.
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Additionally in the Costa Blanca some villas have cable TV and not satellite.
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At some times of the day or night, and depending on weather conditions and atmospherics, satellite signals may fail to operate for various reasons in all our resorts and some channels will be unavailable. When this occurs we will have no liability in these circumstances that are beyond our control.
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PLAYSTATION2/DVD
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A Playstation 2 console will be provided at all of our villas. It also plays most DVDs. We do not provide any Playstation games. You can bring UK purchased DVD's and Playstation 1 or 2 games, which will operate.
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POOL/BILLIARD TABLE
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A Pool/Billiard Table will be provided at most of our villas (see individual villa descriptions for full details) and their location will depend on the property layout. Where located outside, the cloth on the playing surface of the pool / billiard table may become faded by the sunshine.
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PASSPORTS AND VISAS
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British Citizens holding a full British Passport do not need a visa. If in doubt as to whether you need a visa, the telephone number of the Portuguese Consulate General is 020 7291 3770. The Spanish consulate visa information is on 09065 508970. The Greek consulate visa information is on 09065 508983 and the telephone number for consular section of Cyprus High Commission is 0207 629 5350. Visas can take up to 4 weeks or longer to issue. Unless already on a parent's passport, children/ infants need their own passport. Anyone 16 or over on their return date must have their own passport. Anyone aged under 18 must be travelling with an adult aged 18 or over and/or provide information as required by the local authorities. Villa Plus accepts no responsibility for clients refused entry to their destination due to incorrect documentation. (See also clause 14 of our booking conditions)
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MISSED FLIGHTS
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Villa Plus will not be held responsible for any liability should you miss your flight due to not checking in at the correct time. Should you miss your flight, Villa Plus will endeavour to make alternative arrangements to fly you to your destination. Any extra charges must first be paid to Villa Plus. There is no guarantee that we can arrange this.
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CURRENCY
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The local currency in Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus is the Euro.
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OUR HOLIDAY GUIDE
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The information contained therein does not form part of our contract with you.
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CREDIT / DEBIT CARD PAYMENTS
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We do not charge any extra if you wish to pay us with a credit or a debit card for the deposit. We do make a charge of 1.7% for balances paid with a credit card (Visa or MasterCard). We do pay more than this but have to make a charge due to the increase in balance payments by credit cards over the last few years. There is no charge for debit cards (Switch/Maestro or Visa Debit). We do not accept payments by 'charge cards' such as American Express or Diner's Club.
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WEATHER
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Our resorts enjoy many more sunny days than the UK but occasionally it does rain heavily. The villas are not naturally suited to poor weather conditions which may result in temporary water ingress into the villa, water marks appearing on ceilings or walls or dampness.
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FESTIVALS
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Local festivals are held throughout the year in our destinations and although they can be enjoyable, there may be extra noise late at night in certain areas. Shops, banks, bars, restaurants and other facilities may be closed.
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COASTLINE
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No coastline in Europe is private and it may be possible for the general public to access and walk along some coastlines including those that may be adjacent or close to our villas.
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PREGNANCY AND INFANTS
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Some airlines do not allow pregnant woman who are 28 or more weeks pregnant on the date of return to fly. Other airlines have variations on this rule between 28 and 32 weeks, allowing travel with a doctor's certificate. If you are showing signs of pregnancy, our advice is to take a doctor's certificate with you even if you are less than 28 weeks pregnant on your return date of travel.
Airline tour operators can substitute different airlines for a flight and it may be that each airline has a different rule regarding travel. Should you not be able to travel our normal cancellation charges will apply. Our advice is to be wary when travelling more than 28 weeks pregnant. Many airlines do not allow infants to travel under the age of two weeks old.
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BEING AWAY FROM HOME
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Please note, it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services which make up your holiday are provided which apply to those services and not those of the UK. As a general rule, these requirements and standards will not be the same as the UK and may sometimes be lower.
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Water and electrical supplies can be erratic, especially during the months of June, July, August and September and during thunderstorms. There are many more electrical items in each villa these days, and these can cause the trip switches to turn the supply off when used in conjunction with each other. Ensure that you know where the trip switches are when you arrive. Heavy rainfall and high humidity can, within a short spell, mar the appearance of some paintwork and cause flaking.
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Obtaining service engineers abroad is a little different to the UK. The response time is often better than at home, but on occasions they may not be able to attend to a problem on the same day that it is reported. We will always try our best to rectify any problems reported to us as soon as possible.
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Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus are no different to most southern European countries when it comes to occasional problems with unwanted bug intrusions, for example, ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches and other insects. You may also see local unwanted wildlife by your villa. Their presence does not reflect the condition of the villa, it is simply a reflection of holidaying in a warm country or in a villa close to or in the countryside. Taking care to cover and clear up food, especially dropped crumbs, can help the situation. We would ask you not to feed any stray animals, as they may become a nuisance and return to the villa even after you have returned to the U.K. Additionally dogs tend to sleep during the day and bark at night. Local attitudes to animals/pets differ to the UK. Also motorbikes being driven without silencers are not uncommon
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Sensible precautions should always be taken. Do not leave windows and doors open unnecessarily when you leave the villa or are by the pool. Please use the safe provided to store any valuables, including passports and air tickets. All our villas have safes, albeit some are small. If you do not use the safe provided you may invalidate any insurance claim that you may have. Most villas have an alarm and security lights. Use the alarm when you leave the villa. Your holiday villa may not have the same high level of security as you might have in your own home and we firmly recommend that you do not take any items of great value with you but if you do, ensure that these items are adequately insured. Most travel insurance policies have limitations placed on them with regard to money and valuables - please read your policy carefully. Do not take large amounts of cash with you. When changing traveller's cheques check out a couple of Banks and exchange bureaux as rates may vary. You can also use most credit or debit cards to obtain cash from cash point machines, using your card and pin number. We do not offer compensation resulting from activities of theft or accept any liability for such matters.
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Finally, please remember that should anything go wrong with your villa it must be reported to our local Villa Representatives as soon as possible. They are there to help you and to try to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible. You can contact one of our Villa Representatives on their mobile telephone via your mobile or from a pay-phone/restaurant.
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SPECIAL NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS
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Our villas may not be ideally suited for clients with disabilities although some are more suitable than others. If you have a disability and need specific answers to specific questions, then you must ensure that this has been put in writing to us and that we have included these details on your final confirmation/invoice. We are unable to take any responsibility for the lack of suitable facilities without knowing your requirements. To help us help you, please ask for a copy of our Checklist for Disabled or less Mobile clients. (See also clause 16 of our booking conditions)
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YOUR FINANCIAL PROTECTION
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The air holiday packages with flights booked through Villa Plus are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 2323.
When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package, with flights booked through Villa Plus, you will receive a confirmation invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser's Licence number 2323.
In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid us for an advance booking. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk
Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL Scheme. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.
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