Avanti Travel Essential Information

Air Conditioning & Heating

When a villa is equipped with air-conditioning, this will be detailed accordingly. A charge will be payable locally when stated. Please note that the majority of our properties are not equipped with any form of heating facilities. However, if you require any further information regarding this matter please do not hesitate to contact our travel consultants.

Building Work

Building work and noise are unavoidable as the demand for new accommodation increases. It is the case that some resort areas featured on the website are still being developed and therefore there is a possibility of building work or construction work, which may be carried out by local authorities or private developers. Many of our villas are also situated in residential areas and work may begin on a neighbouring property over which we have no control, nor are we given prior notice. However in any event we will always do our best to inform you of the facts in advance but if this is not possible, please accept our apologies.

Car Hire

Generally, cars are collected at the airport on arrival and returned at the end of your holiday. The car hire prices quoted are for one week’s rental and generally include unlimited mileage, C.D.W and all local taxes. Some car rental companies may offer additional insurance cover which is optional and payable locally. You will be required to provide a credit card to cover any petrol supplied and to cover any excess on the car insurance. All car rentals are based on a 24-hour period from the time that you collect your car. Any late return will be charged locally. Please check carefully that your rental period coincides with your requirements and flight times. Please note that a charge may also be incurred for late night collections depending on the car hire company’s office hours. For your own safety and convenience we recommend you book a larger car rather than a smaller car for your holiday to allow for luggage space. Roof-racks can be requested for certain car types, and are payable locally, however, you are responsible for providing bungee straps. Please note, when taking surfing equipment, roof-racks must be requested at the time of booking, as surfboards cannot be carried within the car itself. All clients intending to drive will need to produce a full British driving licence which has been held for at least one year, however certain locations/ car types require a minimum two years. Some car hire companies may also impose a local charge for additional/young drivers (under 25 years old). Baby seats can be fitted to the majority of hire cars that we offer and must be requested at the time of booking (please indicate the age of your child at this time), and are payable locally. All car categories are subject to availability. In the event of a specific car type not being provided by the car hire company an alternative vehicle of the same category or higher may be provided. If you specifically require a particular make/model of car, this can be requested at the time of booking but cannot be guaranteed.

Children's Safety

As we know, children are naturally curious, especially when on holiday where there are lots of areas and things to be explored. Please ensure that children are not left unsupervised at any time during your holiday and be extra careful with balconies and swimming pools etc. Parents are responsible for the actions of their children at all times.

Disabled Travellers

Avanti Travel is not a specialist provider of holidays for the disabled. Many villas are not equipped to cater for the needs of disabled guests and may cause problems for wheelchair users. It is therefore most important that our travel consultants are informed of your special needs when enquiring about a holiday. By informing us, you help us to ensure that each individual is provided with the most suitable property for his or her needs.

Early Season Holidays

We would like to advise our customers that certain resorts may have limited facilities available in March and April. Consequently we recommend car hire during these times. Please contact our travel consultants for more information.

Heated Pools

Heated pools are only available when stated in the relevant villa description and heating is only in operation during the winter months, ie 1 November until 30 April. Most heated pools are electrically heated but some are solar-heated and the temperature of the pool will therefore depend on the weather conditions. In certain cases a charge will be incurred for this facility which may be payable locally or on your booking invoice. With regard to our villas in Florida, if you require a home with a private pool that can be heated (subject to availability) please inform us at the time of booking.

Highchairs & Cots

If you require a cot or highchair please request it at the time of booking in order that we can ensure it is at the villa on your arrival. A supplementary charge will be added to your invoice. Cots are provided locally and will differ from those you may use at home, and in some resorts a travel cot will be supplied. Please note that for hygiene reasons they are supplied without cot linen, which you should take with you.

Insects & Animals

Ants, cockroaches and other insects are endemic in warmer climates, particularly in the country areas. Ant powders are a good repellent but it also helps to keep crumbs to a minimum. Many of our villas are surrounded by gardens and countryside and field mice and other rodents are therefore common, along with local farm animals. Local dogs and cats sometimes roam around unattended and may cause a disturbance. All these types of aggravations, together with late night noise are unfortunately unavoidable. We therefore ask for your patience and understanding should they occur.

Kitchens

Kitchens include hob, fridge/freezer, basic cooking utensils, iron, ironing board, cutlery and crockery. Some villas have additional facilities such as washing machines, dishwashers or microwave ovens. These will be indicated in the villa description where available. Please note cleaning products or materials are not generally provided.

Maid Service

Maid service will vary at each individual villa and can consist of preparation only with linen and towels, to five days per week with daily towel change and weekly linen change. Please note that beach/pool towels are not supplied and these should be taken with you. We kindly ask all guests not to use the towels supplied at the villa for the beach or around the pool. If you require more information on a particular property please call our travel consultants.

Occupying & Vacating your Property

In general the majority of our villas can be occupied from 1600 hours onwards. In order that our properties are adequately prepared for new arrivals, we must ask you to vacate the villa by 1000 hours on the day of your departure. When making your travel arrangements, our travel consultants will be able to advise you of suitable flight timings in order to avoid any unnecessary hours either waiting to enter your villa or after leaving your villa. We highly recommend that those visitors arriving at night take a torch.

Passports

It is your responsibility to ensure you have a valid passport and visa (if applicable). The information given here is a guide only for British citizens whose passports were issued within the UK. Clients should check with the passport office if in any doubt. Anyone who is not a British citizen (this includes citizens of British overseas territories, citizens who hold their citizenship by virtue of a connection with Gibraltar, British subjects who have a right of abode and EC and other nationals) should consult the embassy of the country of destination and the Home Office immigration department to check whether they require any special documentation for the countries they are visiting or for return to the UK. Passport reminder: only full ten-year passports with a recommended six months validity on your return travel date are valid for travel overseas and children now require their own passports. If you need to obtain a new passport, this will normally take two weeks by post. Should you require further information please contact the passport office on 0870 5210410 or visit their website at www.ukpa.gov.uk

Personal Health & Safety

If you or any member of your party is an expectant mother or suffers from any serious medical condition, you must check with your doctor about the advisability of travelling abroad and inform Avanti Travel prior to booking. We reserve the right to refuse a booking in these circumstances. We take the safety of our customers very seriously. Unfortunately crimes against people and property are a fact of life throughout the world and you have the same responsibility for your personal safety as you do at home. We therefore advise all clients to be extra vigilant and ensure that great care is taken of your property. In the event that you should lose any items of value while on holiday through theft or otherwise, you must report the facts immediately to the local police or other competent authority and obtain a written report. If a report is not obtained it will be difficult for you to pursue any claim through your holiday insurance.

Pools, Gardens & General Maintenance

All our properties are maintained by the villa owner or staff who have access to the villas. Gardens have to be maintained on a regular basis and it is simply not possible for this to be carried out on ‘change-over’ days. With regard to pool maintenance, pools are normally checked and cleaned twice a week and this is normally carried out very early in the morning to avoid disruption to our clients. However, neither pool nor garden personnel have fixed hours, so it is not possible for us to advise you of the exact date or time of their visit. We ask for your cooperation when our staff visit, as it is imperative to keep the properties well maintained for our clients’ enjoyment throughout the year. It is also not uncommon for the maintenance staff/maid/owner to live within a villa’s boundary. If you require further information please contact our travel consultants.

Printing Errors

Whilst we have endeavoured to give accurate descriptions and prices, errors can occur and prices may alter due to circumstances beyond our control.

Safety Deposit Boxes

Please note that safes are not provided in all villas and should you require a property with this facility please ask our travel consultants at the time of booking.

Satellite TV & Video

If the written description for a villa indicates satellite television you can expect to receive at least one free to air channel. Subscription channels are not available unless indicated in the villa description. A number of our villas are equipped with standard television which will only receive local channels, and villas that have video facilities may only supply a small selection of UK videos. If you require information about a specific villa please contact our travel consultants.

Telephones

Unless otherwise stated, telephones are not provided in our villas. Therefore we recommend that, if possible, clients take mobile phones in case of an emergency.

Transfers

Please note, transfers are not included in the cost of our holidays. However certain destinations can provide this service at an additional cost. Transfers are either by taxi or minibus.

Travel Advice

We work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to help British travellers stay safe overseas. Check http://www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo.(the FCO website) for advice and the latest information about specific countries or call the FCO Travel Advice Unit on 0870 606 0290.

Travel Documentation

On making a reservation with us, a confirmation invoice will be sent out within seven days and your full travel documentation, which includes flight tickets and villa information, will be sent approximately ten days prior to your departure.

Villas

The vast majority of our villas are privately owned and are furnished to the owner’s taste, so the standards and styles of villas will inevitably differ. We endeavour to give an accurate description of each villa with interior and exterior photographs. Please note that in some villas it is not always possible for the furnishings within the lounge/dining area to accommodate all occupants at any one time. The villas featured operate to their own country’s standards. However, the safety standards and regulations overseas may not be of the same level that we enjoy in the UK.

Villa Services

Water, electricity and gas consumption are included within the villa rental cost. Unfortunately it is the case that many resorts covered on our website can suffer from water or electricity shortages and supplies can be cut off with no notice for varying periods of time. We ask for your patience and co-operation in such instances, as you will appreciate these situations are out of our control.

Website

We make every effort to ensure that the information and photography contained on our website is accurate. However, many individuals are responsible for the provision of your holiday arrangements and they may alter or temporarily withdraw some of the advertised facilities or services without prior notice to us. The distances to amenities and pool measurements we’ve provided are approximate while floor plans are displayed as a guide and are not to scale.