Terms and conditions
Thank you for choosing to book a stay with us.
Our aim at The Lodge is to make your stay a truly magical experience; one that we hope you will treasure and want to repeat time and again. We enter into an agreement of trust with our guests that they will take care of our property and themselves whilst visiting.
We ask that all guests adhere to these Terms and Conditions in order to protect both us as The Lodge and you as our guests. Failure to adhere to these Terms & Conditions could result in guests being asked to leave without notice, or reimbursement. This enables us to maintain our standards whilst ensuring your safety and establishing a clear, legal contract for damage, cancellation and exceptional circumstances.
The Lodge reserves the right to change the website www.thelodgeessex.co.uk, including Terms & Conditions, without notice.
It is important that you read all the detailed instructions that are sent to you prior to your arrival and that you follow the instructions in the welcome pack.
In these Terms & Conditions the following terms have the following meanings:
‘The Lodge’ means the owners of The Lodge Essex Ltd.
‘Agreement’ means the agreement between The Lodge Essex Ltd and the guest for the holiday rental.
‘Guest’ means the person/s named on the booking/invoice.
Prices
The Lodge reserves the right to adjust prices at any time. However, price stated on a booking confirmation will be honoured.
The booking price includes a welcome hamper, all logs for the wood burner, 1 box of logs for the fire pit and 1 bin of logs for the woodfired bath (shepherd’s hut only), eco-friendly bathroom and kitchen products, bed linen, pillows, towels and robes.
Arrival & Departure
The cabin will be available from 4pm on the day of arrival, unless otherwise arranged.
Please ensure that guests advise The Lodge of their expected arrival time.
Please note that the cabin is a short walk from the parking area on uneven terrain. The Lodge can help with guest luggage wherever necessary, but there will also be a wheelbarrow available.
Departure is no later than 11am on the day of departure, unless otherwise arranged. The cabin must be left clean and tidy. All rubbish/recycling is to be out in the appropriate bins and any breakages must be reported to The Lodge.
Booking & Cancellation
A 50% deposit is required at the time of booking.
The remaining balance is due 30 days before check in date.
Any bookings made which are subsequently cancelled are subject to our standard booking terms and conditions as stated here.
A full refund less your deposit is offered on cancellations made within 6 weeks of guest arrival date. After this date, guests will only be able to transfer dates, subject to availability, with no refund being offered.
In the event of a no show or booking reduction after your arrival date, the full cost of the booking is incurred.
If a booking is cancelled less than 30 days before arrival, then a charge equal to the full booking amount will be made.
The Lodge reserves the right to cancel a guest booking in light of extreme conditions of weather, war or terrorism. In the very unlikely circumstance of this happening, guests will be refunded their booking payment in full.
The Lodge reserves the right to cancel a holiday at short notice if for unforeseeable circumstances we are unable to provide safe accommodation due to ill health, fire, extreme conditions or any other extenuating circumstance. In the very unlikely circumstance of this happening, guests will be refunded their booking payment in full, or a mutually agreeable alternative date provided.
The Lodge cannot accept responsibility or liability for any loss, including consequential loss caused by cancellation.
The Lodge advises guests to take out full holiday insurance.
Breakages and Damage
Please take the very best care of our cabins. They have been lovingly built from scratch by hand by us.
Guests are requested NOT to wear shoes inside the cabin but to bring slippers or cosy socks. Shoes should be left outside the cabin.
Whilst The Lodge accept a degree of wear and tear, should any significant damage or breakage occur during your stay you may be held responsible.
We reserve the right to charge for excessive cleaning where the cabin has been left in an unacceptable condition, be that through rubbish, litter, movement of furniture items and/or contents or interference in the structure.
Guests will be held responsible for any fire, damage or alteration to the structure caused by negligence.
Accident and/or Injury
The Lodge accepts no responsibility for accident, injury, damage or loss of property injury incurred on site, including vehicles and their contents.
The Lodge advises guests to take out full holiday insurance.
The Lodge is a natural environment and we work hard at maintaining and preserving the wonderful biodiversity on site. There are some natural hazards which guests should be aware of. These include, but are not limited to: an unfenced deep pond, poisonous and stinging plants, tree roots plus extremely limited lighting after dark.
Guests should be mindful that The Lodge is not a manicured site with paved paths and that in places the terrain is rough and uneven. In wet weather conditions the ground can become slippery and muddy, so appropriate footwear should be worn. This is glamping and guests should come prepared.
Guests enter the pond at their own risk. The pond is very deep and only suitable for confident swimmers. The Lodge are not liable for any injury or illness caused by entering the pond. No swimming/ paddle boarding is permitted after dark. No children should enter the pond.
Guests enter the sauna at their own risk. The Lodge are not liable for any injury or illness caused by entering the sauna. No children should enter the sauna.
Services
The cost of a stay with us includes all charges for water and power.
Guests shall operate all equipment in line with the information provided in the welcome pack.
Guests must comply with the instructions found in the welcome pack with regards to the woodburning stove and outdoor fire pit.
Guests must adhere to the ethos of The Lodge regarding recycling & rubbish as detailed in the welcome pack.
Bedlinen, towels, tea towels, robes, toilet paper, bathroom products and washing-up liquid are all provided.
Guests must not put any bathroom or kitchen product which isn’t environmentally friendly into the sinks or showers. All grey water is released into a natural filtering system and as such we have a responsibility to ensure that all water released from the cabin is environmentally friendly. The Lodge will provide guests with suitable products to use.
The composting toilet must be used in accordance with the instructions provided in the welcome pack. All guests must sit down when using the toilet at all times and all toilet roll should be disposed of down the back section. Failure to do so will result in the toilet not working correctly. Guests will be liable for any damage caused to the toilet by incorrect use.
Fire Policy
Campfires are only permitted in the designated fire pits. There is one outside each cabin.
All fires, including the wood burning stove, must be attended at all times and kept under control.
Do not hang anything on or near the wood burning stove.
Always wear the gloves provided when tending the wood burning stove.
Candles/tea lights must not be used. We provide battery operated candles for the outdoor lanterns.
The cabin is fitted with a smoke alarm, cabin monoxide detector, fire extinguisher spray and fire blanket. However, if used correctly, the wood burning stove is very safe.
Peace and Tranquility
The Lodge is a rural setting and our intention is to maintain the peace and tranquility at all times. Any guest causing a nuisance or disturbing the peace will be asked to leave immediately without a refund.
Loud music is not permitted at any time.
The Lodge hope that our guests will be sitting around your fire pit and enjoying a glass of something, but do ask that the noise levels are kept down later in the evenings.
Noise must be kept to a minimum after 10.00pm.
The use of foul language, threatening behaviour, trespassing or vandalism will not be tolerated at any time. Any offence of this nature will result in all guests being asked to leave immediately without a refund.
The cabin is for 1 or 2 guests only at any time (unless otherwise agreed).
The Lodge are unable to control the occasional farm or shooting noise, or indeed the birdsong and wild animals!
Smoking & Vaping
Smoking and vaping is strictly prohibited in the cabin. Guests who do not adhere to this will be asked to leave immediately without a full refund.
Guests who smoke outside of the cabin must dispose of cigarette butts in the outdoor ash bucket and must not litter the surroundings.
Dogs
1 small to medium well behaved dog is allowed upon prior agreement (at a charge of £20 per stay for additional cleaning). We ask that dogs are kept on lead at all times and can provide a long lead if necessary. We have free roaming chickens which is why we ask that dogs are kept on lead. Guests can make use of the public bridleway which can be accessed from our entrance but please stick to the concrete path as all surrounding land is privately owned.
Children
Due to the cosy nature of the cabins we do not normally allow children unless prior arrangements are made.
Complaints
In the very unlikely event of a guest having a complaint, please notify The Lodge as soon as possible and they will endeavour to resolve the issue wherever reasonably possible.