(THESE RATINGS ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE NOT A GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND BY OctopusTravel)
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Majority will be small, independently owned properties. There is likely to be a limited range of meals and facilities. |
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Varying from small to medium sized properties offering more extensive facilities. Reception and staff will aim for a more professional presentation than at one star level and a wider range of services, including food and drink, is likely to be found. Some rooms may be provided with en-suite facilities but this is not guaranteed. |
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Hotel properties will usually be of a size to support higher staffing levels and with a greater quality and range of facilities. Reception and public areas will be more spacious. All bedrooms should come with en-suite facilities and room service may be available. |
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At this level there should be a noticeable difference in the degree of quality in the furnishings, décor and equipment. Bedrooms are usually more spacious than those found in lower starred properties. Services such as porterage, 24-hour room service, laundry and dry cleaning may be available. |
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These properties should provide spacious and luxurious accommodation throughout the hotel. Flawless attention to the guest's requirements should be provided. |
The room types used by OctopusTravel are as follows:
| Twin Room: | Contains two single beds in the same room. Suitable for two people. |
Double room: |
Contains one double bed. Suitable for two people. |
Single room: |
Contains one single bed. Suitable for one person. |
Triple room: |
Contains twin or double bed/s + extra bed, or two double beds. Most hotels do not have one full size bed for each guest in their triple rooms. |
Twin room for sole use: |
Contains two single beds or one double bed in the same room, to be occupied by one person. |
Quad room: |
Contains two double beds or four beds in a room suitable for accommodating four adults. |
Twin/Double + child: |
Twin or Double room with an extra bed suitable for a child aged between 2-18 years. |
Cot/ cradle or crib: |
Suitable for a child under the age of 2 years. |
There are certain types of room that are unique in selected destinations as stated here. This list is not necessarily exhaustive.
German Twin rooms (sometimes also known as German Double rooms) will consist of two separate single beds attached side by side and are more similar to a Double room. Some hotels, especially in Scandinavia, may provide Twin rooms consisting of one Single bed and one Sofa bed, or Triple rooms with two single beds or double beds with one sofa bed. In North America Double or Twin rooms may contain one bed. Customers may request separate beds when reserving however separate beds are not guaranteed. Triple and Quad rooms usually contain two double beds. For hotels in Australia, North America and Asia the child will normally use existing bedding. Rollaway beds may be available for an additional charge.
Breakfast is not included for a child under 2 years of age when staying free of charge.
You must make payment for extras (such as incidental charges, meals, meal supplements, mini-bar, dry cleaning and laundry) prior to your departure from the hotel. Hotels in California may levy a daily supplement to be paid prior to departure due to an increase in the State power charges.
Services included in the rates are detailed on the web site and on the booking confirmation. Personal expenses such as porter services, drinks from the mini bar, meals at restaurants, tips, dry cleaning, laundry, telephone calls are not included in the prices and shall be paid directly to hotels or suppliers by the customers.
A deposit may be payable, which will normally be applied on a credit card in order to cover any personal expenses and supplementary charges incurred.
THE GRADINGS ARE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE NOT A GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND BY OctopusTravel.
| Grade 1 : | acceptable overall level of quality. Adequate provision of furniture, furnishings and fittings. |
Grade 2 : |
good overall level of quality. Good overall standard of furnishings, service and guest care. |
Grade 3 : |
good to very good level of quality. Good standard of maintenance and decoration. Ample space and good quality furniture. |
Grade 4 : |
excellent overall level of quality. Very good care and attention to detail will be obvious throughout. |
Grade 5 : |
exceptional overall level of quality. High levels of décor, fixtures and fittings, together with excellent standards of management efficiency and guest services. Excellent range of accessories and personal touches. |
You should note the following points about apartment/villa accommodation:
- You and the other members of your party are responsible for any damage caused by your party.
- You and your party must comply with any rules and regulations set by the accommodation provider
- The total number of people (including infants and children) using the accommodation must not exceed the maximum occupancy shown on the website or on our voucher confirmation, otherwise you may be refused access to the accommodation or charged an additional amount.
- You and the other members of your party are responsible for payment of any charges made, in applicable properties, for use of facilities, such as electricity, gas, water, telephone, linen and security, and for any other fees levied by the accommodation provider for the use of amenities.
- You are likely to be asked to pay a deposit when you arrive at the accommodation, which will normally be applied on a credit card, in order to cover any supplementary charges that may be incurred by you during your stay.
- The website may contain a plan of the layout of the accommodation. If so, this is based on specifications provided to us by the accommodation providers. The plan will only be a general representation of the accommodation. Actual unit size, design, fixtures, furnishings and facilities may vary from those shown on the plan.
Bookings will be accepted on the web site until 72 hours prior to the date of arrival unless the arrangements requested are shown as‘Available’ immediately. There are special conditions for bookings made for times when trade fairs, exhibitions, major conferences or other major events are being held at the relevant locations. These are referred to as‘Special Events’ in these terms. Payment in full is required at the time of booking through OctopusTravel’s web site by credit/charge card.
For items shown as "Available" on the web site you will usually receive an email confirming the booking immediately, to the email address that you provided to us.
For items showing as “On Request” we will contact the suppliers on your behalf and endeavour to respond to you within 48 hours advising if the items have been confirmed or not. In the event that you have entered credit/charge card details at the time of placing the booking no payment will be processed until the items have been confirmed.
In the event that we are unable to confirm the initial accommodation requested, an alternative may be offered and an email will be sent to inform you of the details and what action to take if you wish to accept the alternative suggestion. No payment will be processed unless you accept the alternative. The reservation will be held for 48 hours in order for you to signify acceptance by making payment in full. Failure to make payment within 48 hours of the booking confirmation for accommodations not available for immediate confirmation will result in automatic cancellation of the booking.
When the items have been confirmed and payment has been received, you will be able to print the accommodation or other vouchers. These vouchers must be presented to accommodation reception at the time of check in, or to the service provider as evidence that the services have been booked and paid in advance. Failure to present the voucher may result in your being charged again at the full service providers published rates or the service not being provided.
Special Events Bookings
Bookings made for Special Event periods may incur special booking conditions. You will be notified if these conditions apply, at the time of booking: “Special Conditions” will be advised when you view the applicable items in your basket, and clicking on this link will detail the event and specific conditions that apply including that 100% cancellation charges apply and that no refunds are available for those specific dates.
Cancellations and amendments to confirmed bookings are subject to the following conditions:
Cancellations notified directly to the accommodation or service provider will not be effective. Requests for cancellations and amendments must be made on the OctopusTravel’s web site.
Charges for cancellations or amendments are calculated based on the date of check-in, at 12 noon GMT (British time), or start time of service (GMT), in relation to the notice period given by you to cancel or amend the booking.
All Reference to‘days’ means normal working days (Mon-Fri) excluding weekends and national holidays whether in the country of origin or destination.
Accommodation:
a. Hotels:
A cooling off period of 24 hours will apply to those bookings made more than 5 days in advance of the arrival date at the accommodation.
This will allow cancellation or amendment of an item within the 24-hour period after the first confirmation of that item without any charges being applied.
No cooling-off period applies for bookings of hotels during Special Event periods within their full cancellation fee period (see section 9 above for the meaning of “Special Events”).
The 24-hour cooling-off period is not valid for bookings made during fair and exhibition periods.
b. For Bookings of hotels during (normal period) non Special Event Periods.
Cancellation charges will be applied in relation to the notice period between notification of cancellation and the date of stay at each place of accommodation within a booking.
Amendments and changes where EITHER the number of rooms (irrespective of room type) OR the number of nights decreases will be charged as below:
Cancellations
Notice Period |
Charges |
More than 21 days |
No charge |
21 days to 4 days |
The charge for the first night accommodation |
3 days to 0 day |
Full charges |
Amendments
Notice Period |
Charges |
More than 21 days |
No charge |
21 days to 4 days |
The charge for the first night accommodation |
3 days to 0 day |
Full charges |
Guest name changes, where accepted by the accommodation provider and reductions in child ages will incur no charges. All amendments are subject to availability.
If you do not arrive at the accommodation on the date on which you are booked to arrive or you leave the accommodation earlier than the date on which you are booked to leave, full cancellation charges will apply.
Cancellations notified directly to the hotel or other accommodation will not be effective. Requests for cancellations and amendments must be made on your original booking website.
c. For accommodation (other than apartment) during Special Event Periods
#CUSTOMERS WILL BE NOTIFIED AT THE TIME OF BOOKING IF SPECIAL CONDITIONS WILL APPLY#
A cooling off period of 24 hours will not apply to all accommodation dates falling over the period during Special Events Periods.
100% cancellation charges will apply to dates of stay falling within a Special Event period. For dates of stay within the same booking, not falling within the Special Event period, our standard non-Special Event period cancellation and amendment conditions will apply.
Any changes or modifications for dates of stay falling within a Special Event period will be treated as cancellations and will incur charges as above. The only exceptions to this will be where additional rooms/beds/cots/nights are added to existing confirmed rooms or nights.
Name changes during these periods are not permitted.
For Apartments and Villas
Cancellations and Amendment
Notice Period Charges
| Notice Period | Charges |
More than 11 days |
No Charges |
10 days to 0 days |
Full Charges |
Where additional rooms/beds/cots/nights are added to existing confirmed rooms or nights, no amendment charges will apply. Any other changes or modifications to apartment bookings will be treated as cancellations and only incur amendment charges between 0-10 days prior to arrival.
d. Sightseeing Tours
Special conditions
Where special conditions are attached to any Tours you will be informed at the time of booking of the relevant cancellation conditions, which will apply.
For Tours without special conditions cancellation charges will be applied in relation to the notice period between notification of cancellation and the date the service is due to commence.
Cancellations and amendments:
| Notice Period | Charges |
More than 4 days |
No Charges |
3 days to 0 day |
Full Charges |
Important information for Sightseeing Tours
- Tips are not included. These are at your discretion.
- Children travelling free may not be entitled to meals and must be carried on the lap of accompanying adults if no seats are available.
- Suppliers of sightseeing tours reserve the right to ask any person to withdraw from any tour if they deem their acts or conduct offensive or a nuisance to other passengers and there shall be no further liability.
- Suppliers of sightseeing tours decline any responsibility for articles forgotten or lost in their vehicles.
- Pick up services from hotels or other accommodations within the city limit are provided on some tours however customers are asked to reconfirm these services 24 hours before the service date directly with the supplier.
- Pick up times from hotels or other accommodations within the city limit and duration of all tours are approximate and may be subject to traffic conditions.
- Where hotel pick-up is offered, suppliers will pick up from the majority of major hotels in the city, but not necessarily from all hotels.
- If the supplier is unable to pick up from the requested hotel or accommodation an alternative pick-up point will be suggested.
- Suppliers of sightseeing tours reserve the right to alter itineraries or to cancel the tours at short or no notice for any reason.
- Where it is necessary for the supplier/OctopusTravel to cancel the tour, customers will be offered one of the following options:
- To join the requested tour at an alternative time or at an alternative date
- To join an alternative tour.
- To receive a full refund from OctopusTravel for the cancelled tour
e. Private Transfers and Tailor-Made Sightseeing Tours
Special conditions
Where Special conditions are attached to any Tours you will be informed at the time of booking of the relevant cancellation conditions, which will apply.
For Tours without Special conditions cancellation charges will be applied in relation to the notice period between notification of cancellation and the date the service is due to commence
Cancellations and Amendments:
| Notice period | Charges |
More than 5days |
No charges |
4days - 0day |
100% charges |
Important information for Private Transfers and Tailor-Made Sightseeing Tours
- Porterage is not included.
- Tips are not included.
- For services where you have luggage with you, it is your responsibility to ensure that a large enough vehicle is booked to accommodate all luggages. If you bring extra luggage that cannot fit in the vehicle, you will need to cover any additional costs incurred in transferring your luggage.
- For services beginning at airports, stations or ports, it is your responsibility to ensure that you wait for your Driver or Representative at the appointed meeting point as detailed on your voucher.
- Should you not be able to locate your Driver or Representative at the start of a service, it is your responsibility to call the relevant telephone number as shown on your confirmation contact number (Extra Information sheet) before making alternative arrangements.
- For services beginning from accommodation, please ensure that you are waiting at the appointed meeting point, as shown on your voucher, at least 10minutes prior to your confirmed pick up time.
- Tailor-made sightseeing with a Driver and a Local Guide does not include any entrance fees. Local Guides enter many attractions free of charge, but where you require your Guide to accompany you into an attraction, you may be asked to cover the Guide's entrance fee as well as your own.
- Where available, tailor-made sightseeing may be conducted with a Driver providing the commentary whilst driving. You should note that although drivers are able to give commentary while driving, they may not be able to park the vehicle and accompany you inside specific attractions and they may not be permitted to conduct tours on foot, due to guiding regulations. This option is therefore best suited to visitors looking for a panoramic city tour.
- Tailor-made sightseeing should be conducted within the city limits.
- For Tailor-made sightseeing services you can expect your local guide to have a good overall knowledge of the city sights but if you require exceptionally in-depth commentary on a particular attraction, this may not be possible.
- For Transfer services where a Local Representative is included in the service, they will assist with check-in as necessary at your accommodation, airport, port or station.
- For transfers that include the services of a Driver who speaks either the local or a foreign language, the driver will not assist with check-in at your accommodation or at the airport, port or station unless stated in the extended description for that particular service.
- For transfer services where a Local Representative is available at the airport only, they will escort you to your waiting driver who will carry out the rest of the service in your booked vehicle.
- When advising details for the service you wish to book, it is your responsibility to ensure that all details sent to us are correct.
- The durations of all transfers are representative of the driving time in average driving conditions. We take no responsibility for a flight; train or other connection being missed should the duration of the service exceed that which we display.
- For transfer services and tailor-made sightseeing services, there are some cities where you may be asked to pay parking fee in addition to the service fee.
- It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your travel arrangements, but occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes will be minor and we will advise you of them at the earliest possible date. We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your travel arrangements. However, we will not cancel your travel arrangements less than 2 weeks before your departure date, except for reasons beyond our reasonable control or because you have failed to pay the final balance. If we are unable to provide the booked travel arrangements, you can either have a refund of all monies paid or accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us, if available. If it is necessary to cancel your travel arrangements, we will pay to you compensation as set out in this clause.
If we make a major change to your holiday, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure.
- You will have the choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of alternative travel arrangements from us if available or cancelling your booking and receiving a full refund of all monies paid. In all cases, except where the major change arises due to reasons beyond our reasonable control, we will pay compensation as detailed below:
Period before departure within which notice of cancellation or major change is received by user notified to you If we make a major change to your holiday If we cancel your holiday If you cancel your holiday
Amount you will receive from us as Cancellation Fee up to maximum of USD 60 and Full refund of your total booking value
More than 90 days Full refund
More than 07 days
Full refund of your total booking value on the booking site +10% or USD 20 (whichever is less)
More than 03 days
Full refund of your total booking value on the booking site +20% or USD 40 (whichever is less)
03 days or less
Full refund of your total booking value on the booking site +30% or USD 60 (whichever is less)
Refunds
Refunds will be made for bookings made through this website, provided that they have been paid for in full and that bookings are eligible for refund in accordance with the cancellation and amendments rules specified in clause 10. Please refer to‘Contact us’ for any queries.
For those bookings originally paid for by credit/charge card via this web site, any refund will automatically process to the original credit/charges card account that paid for the booking and no other methods of refund payment will be possible. Refunds will take between 3-7 working days to be credited to the credit/charges card
Any complaint regarding the supply of a service should be brought to the attention of the accommodation or service provider as early as possible during your stay in order for the complaint to be dealt with quickly. However if not resolved to your satisfaction it should be notified in writing by email within 1 month of the date of supply of the service to your travel agent. Any complaint received after 1 month of the date of supply of the service will not be investigated. Please refer to‘Contact us’ for email details.