FAQs
This section covers both COVID-19 related frequently asked questions in addition to a General section further down. If the question you have is not included in the information below, please don't hesitate to get in touch to ask.
COVID-19 FAQ's
REFUNDS
Q: Can I cancel my booking at any time and expect a refund of my deposit or balance?
No. Whilst you can cancel your booking at any time, this would be subject to our normal cancellation policy. You would lose your 30% deposit or within 8 weeks of your arrival the full amount.
We do, however, have a special exception to that rule which applies where:
a) The Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office or the government of your country of origin advise against travel to your destination; or
b) Your accommodation or the resort in which your accommodation is based has been forced to close due to restrictions imposed by French Government or the local authority.
For further details please refer to clause 22 of our Terms and Conditions https://www.mountainrooms.com/about/terms.
Q: At what point can I cancel my booking and obtain a full refund under your Covid-19 policy?
You must wait until 7 days before your arrival date. Given that restrictions can be lifted at any time we consider it reasonable that the booking stays in place until that time.
For example, if you are due to arrive on Saturday 12th December you will be entitled to cancel with a full refund from Saturday 5th December at 4pm (if there are travel restrictions in place, or the accommodation or resort is closed at the time of cancellation).
Q: What exactly does ‘resort closure’ mean?
For the purpose of our covid-19 policy, we will consider the resort to be closed if either:
- a) If the ski lifts for either Val D’Isere or Tignes are closed; or
b) There are restrictions on the hospitality sector in Val D’Isere such that restaurants and cafes are not permitted to open.
Q: If the government authorities in my country advise against travel to France, can I still travel to the resort in France?
Yes. Government advice is exactly that, advisory only. You should, however, make sure that there is no legislation in place that would make it illegal for you to travel to the resort in France for any reason.
Q: Can I defer my booking to another date?
This will depend on the circumstances; however we are happy to discuss this on a case by case basis to try and defer bookings to a later date as an alternative to issuing refunds. Alternatively, we may be able to offer a ‘credit note’ until such time as you are able to choose dates to confirm a new booking.
Q: Can I get a refund if I need to self-isolate?
No. If you need or choose to self-isolate for any reason and as a result you are:
a) Unable to leave the UK; or
b) Unable to travel to France; or
c) Unable to leave your accommodation in France for part or all of your stay.
...you will not be entitled to a refund. This is because we are able to provide the services in full. You should, however, check if you can claim on any travel insurance policy you may have.
Q: Can I get a refund if the French government impose quarantine requirements on arrivals?
No. You can, however, stay in the accommodation for the full duration of your booking (unless any laws are introduced that prevent you from doing so).
Q. What if I have to quarantine in France for longer than my accommodation is booked for?
You have the option to either:
a) Extend your stay at the accommodation (if available) or at any other alternative accommodation available. You will, however, be liable for any additional accommodation charges; or
b) Return home.
As of 04/10/20 we are not aware of any restrictions under French law to prevent you from choosing one of the above options. However, it important to check the current regulations that are in place at the time of travel.
Q: How safe is my money? How long will I have to wait for a refund should one be necessary?
Your money is safe. Rest assured we have carefully planned for this eventuality. Your money is held in a separate account.
For bookings of 7 nights or less, your monies will be held in a separate account until you have left the accommodation.
For bookings of 7 nights or more, we will review the position on a weekly basis every Saturday. At this point we will extract funds equivalent to each night that you have stayed at the accommodation during the previous 7 day period.
Where refunds are due, they will be issued at the end of each calendar month, so the longest you may have to wait from the date of cancellation is 4 weeks.
Q: I am in resort. The lifts are shut and it is unclear when they will re-open. What are my options?
You can either:
a) Stay at the accommodation for the remainder of your booking, but if you do so you will not be entitled to a refund; or
b) You can leave the accommodation. If you do so, you will be entitled to a refund for the duration of the period that the ski lifts are closed. The refund will be calculated based on the daily cost of the accommodation for that period.
Please note that you will only be entitled to a refund if you notify us in writing by e-mail to sales@mrooms.co.uk that you have left the property. Furthermore, you will not be entitled to any further refunds for any period that the ski-lifts re-open during the period of your booking.
IMPORTANT: Please note that before leaving the resort you must return your keys and parking fobs to our resort office in Val D’Isere. Under no circumstances should you leave the resort with the property keys or parking fob
Q: I am in resort. The restaurants and cafes in Val D’Isere are shut and it is unclear when they will re-open. What are my options?
The position is exactly the same as if the ski lifts were to close. Please see the previous question & answer above.
Q: I am in resort. The bars & nightclubs are shut. Do I get a refund?
No. Bars and nightclubs are not included in our definition of resort closure. We will, however, treat the resort as being closed if restaurants and cafes are not permitted to open.
Q: I have a booking from December to February, but I am not planning to arrive until January. What happens if the government issue advice against travel to France on say January 1st?
You will not be entitled to a refund for the period from the start of your booking until 1st January as you were able to use the property, but you chose not to do so. However, you will be entitled to cancel the booking on a ‘rolling weekly basis’ thereafter for as long as the government advice remains in place.
Please note that you will only be entitled to a refund if you notify us in writing by e-mail to sales@mrooms.co.uk that you do not intend to travel to France due to the government advice. Furthermore, you will not be entitled to any further refunds for any period for which the government advice is lifted during the period of your booking.
Q. I have booking for over 7 weeks and I plan to return to my home in the UK temporarily during that time. What happens if the UK authorities issue an advice against travel, or the ski resort closes in France, before I return back to the resort?
You have two options in this situation. You can either:
a) Stay in the UK
b) Travel back to the resort, the choice on whether to travel is entirely yours where the authorities only advise against travel (rather than prohibit travel).
If you choose to stay in the UK, you are entitled to cancel your booking a ‘rolling weekly basis’ thereafter and receive a refund for so long as the advice against travel remains in place.
Please note that you will only be entitled to a refund if you notify us in writing by e-mail to sales@mrooms.co.uk that you do not intend to travel to France due to the government advice. Furthermore, you will not be entitled to any further refunds for any period for which the government advice is lifted during the period of your booking.
IMPORTANT: Please note that before leaving the resort you must return your keys and parking fobs to our office in Val D’Isere. Under no circumstances should you leave the resort with the property keys or parking fob.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Q: What happens if one of our party contracts COVID-19 whilst in resort and in a Mountain Rooms & Chalets property?
We would ask that you inform us immediately either by telephone or, if we are not contactable, in writing by e-mail to operations@mrooms.co.uk. We will then confirm any recommended next steps in light of current guidance at the time. In the meantime we would ask that:
- All guests to adhere to strict COVID-19 hygiene guidelines whilst in any of our properties to avoid the spread of the virus;
- Any guest that tests positive to isolate in a room
Where possible and so long as it is permitted by law at the time, all guests will be entitled to continue their stay at the property, or return home. However, there will be no entitlement to a refund in either scenario.
Q: What happens if one or more of our party have to stay at the property for longer than our booking due to quarantine obligations?
You are not entitled to stay at the accommodation for longer than the booking period. However, we will do our best to:
a) Facilitate an extended stay at your property if it is available; or
b) Source alternative accommodation for you.
In either case, you will be liable for any additional accommodation costs (at the advertised rates).
Q: What measures are you taking against COVID-19 in resort.
The health & safety of our guests is very important to us and we are therefore taking the following measures:
- Properties will be subject to strict COVID-19 cleaning guidelines as advised by both UK and French governments.
- Staff will follow strict protocol including the use of masks, aprons, gloves and personal hygiene. Temperatures will be tested at the beginning and end of each shift and monitored closely;
- We will collect all necessary contact details for Track & Trace purposes and share these with any relevant authorities where required to do so;
- A Risk Assessment has been conducted to ensure that the accommodation is operated in compliance with any applicable covid-19 guidelines or regulations. This includes an assessment of: our offices in resort, staff accommodation, linen store, maintenance store, vehicles used to transport clients and luggage etc and all customer accommodation.
Q: Can I get tested for covid-19 in Val d’Isere? How much does it cost?
As of 4/10/20, the pharmacy on the main street is offering a test facility that costs around 30€. No appointment is required. There are also a number of doctors’ surgeries in the town that offer the service by appointment. However, please check the current position at the time of travel if this is a concern to you.
FINANCIAL PROTECTION & PACKAGE TRAVEL REGULATIONS
Q: Are you ATOL or ABTA bonded?
No. We are not obliged to offer this protection because we do not provide ‘package holidays’. We do, however, offer a similar level of protection in that we keep all customer monies in a separate bank account and we do not extract these monies until you have left the accommodation.
Q: Are you providing a ‘package holiday’ under the Package Travel Regulations?
No. We do not provide ‘package holidays’. We do, however, offer similar levels of protection in that we are offering our customers 100% refunds in certain covid-19 related scenarios.
Q: Can I get insurance cover that will pay out for flights, accommodation, ski hire, ski lessons and any medical costs in covid-19 related scenarios?
Unfortunately very few insurers are selling policies to cover payment of flights, accommodation, ski hire and ski lessons.
We have used MPI for many years. As of 4/10/20 we understand that they are only offering cover in relation to covid-19 scenarios for medical costs.
General FAQs
Below is a list with answers to our most frequently asked questions. If we have missed something, please don't hesitate to ask.
Q: What is 'scatered'?
Our version of a catered holiday, providing 6 breakfasts, 6 cleans of your property (staff day off is Wednesday) and 3 evening meals instead of 6.
Q: Is the 'scatered' price for children the same as adults?
Yes, the price is per person and with childrern we can offer a separate tea / dinner sitting to the adults.
Q: Do we cater for special diets?
Yes, we do our best to cater for everyone's needs so just let us know how we can help and we will do our best to deliver it. A supplement may apply where applicable.
Q: What is the best airport to fly to?
Main airports are Geneva, Switzerland, Lyon, France and the 2 smaller airports of Chambery and Grenoble, France.
Q: What is the transfer time from.....?
Transfer times depend very much on the time of year. Busy weeks take longer. Saturdays take longer than a week day too. The average time on a normal day =
Geneva : 2.45 - 3hrs transfer time
Lyon : 2.5 - 2.45 Hours
Chambery : 2 - 2.5hrs
Grenoble : 2.45 - 3hrs
Q: Can we arrive late in resort?
Yes. Our office closes at 8pm but we have a key drop box where we can issue the code and you can pick up your arrival envelope with keys, directions and an emergency number after hours.
Q: Are you ATOL/ABTA bonded?
No. We are not obliged to offer this protection because we do not provide ‘package holidays’. We do, however, offer a similar level of protection in that we keep all customer monies in a separate bank account and we do not extract these monies until you have left the accommodation.
Q: Can we bring an extra person and can they sleep on the floor?
No, we could lose a contract with our homeowners so we do not allow overloading of properties. We rent properties with a maximum occupancy that must be adhered to.
Q: Does the price include flights?
No, the price of our properties is accommodation only plus either B&B or "scatered" board added to that basic self catered price.
Q: Are you pet friendly?
We love pets and any excuse to dog sit in the office but this is dependent on the property and the owner allowing pets. When applicable, we contact the owner and make a request for the client.
Q: Will I need snow chains?
This is dependent on current conditions. The roads are kept relatively clear but in heavy snow conditions, chains are obligatory. Feel free to ask us prior to departure.
Q: Do you provide childcare?
We recommend companies that can provide childcare so pleasse ask at the time of booking.
Q: Is the bus service free in Val d'Isere?
Yes, and the service runs every few minutes from early morning to late at night.
Q: Do all properties have parking included?
Not all. The majority of our properties have parking spaces but not all so pleasse check the list of attributes for each property before booking, or ask. There is no additional cost for using the parking space/s provided with our rental properties. This is included in the rental price paid for your holiday.
Q: Do I have to take my skis off on the bus?
Yes!