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STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS
Ahoy there! There are a few important things you need to know before you come to the island, including our standard terms and conditions. There is also additional information in the FAQ section of our website.
If you still have questions please email us at: welcome@eileansionnach.com and we will respond to your enquiry, normally within 1-2 business days.
ARRANGING YOUR STAY
DEPOSIT & PAYMENT
At the time of booking we’ll ask for payment of your first night’s stay to secure your dates. Automatic email confirmation of your booking will be sent to you on receipt of funds (via our online booking system – no humans are involved in that process).
If you don’t receive the automated confirmation (and have checked your spam folder), please email welcome@eileansionnach.com – we will be more than happy to help you.
The balance is due no later than six weeks before your stay. If you make your booking less than six weeks before the arrival date you’ll be asked to pay in full at the time of booking. When you’ve made the final payment, an automated confirmation email will be sent to you.
If we haven’t received final payment four weeks before your stay you risk forfeiting any funds already paid and the booking being cancelled. We don’t want that to happen – we want you to enjoy your magical island adventure! So before cancelling, we’ll try to get in touch with you, but if we still don’t hear from you, sadly we’ll cancel your booking and you will lose your deposit. Please contact us if you are going to have an issue with your booking!
Once final payment has been received, Angel the owner or one of the crew will send you the island welcome pack which contains useful and important information to help you plan your journey and your stay. This email will come from welcome@eileansionnach.com (please add us to your contacts to ensure it doesn’t disappear in to your deep inbox or spam).
Payment Methods – Please pay by electronic bank transfer. Bank details are supplied at the time of booking and we’re able to accept both debit and credit card transactions via our online payment system (but not over the phone).
CHANGES & CANCELLATIONS
Changes to booking dates can be made up to six weeks before arrival, provided that your alternative dates are available on our calendar. We don’t charge a fee if you change your booking dates, though please note that we periodically update our pricing to reflect inflation and changes in our business costs which could increase the cost of your booking.
Cancellations after a booking has been accepted can lead to the loss of your deposit. However we understand that even the best laid plans can change, and we really want you to experience this beautiful island, so we’ll normally offer to hold your deposit against a future booking.
We’ll send you a request for payment of your final balance six weeks before your stay. If you choose to pay in full at an earlier stage you can still have the balance returned if you need to cancel as long as your request is submitted more than six weeks before your stay.
Sadly because we are a small business trying to stay afloat, we’re not able to provide refunds for cancellations made less than six weeks before your stay. The only exception to this is if your cancellation is due to a change in government restrictions. However we’ll always try to make sure alternative dates are available to you instead.
It’s therefore strongly suggested that you take out appropriate cancellation insurance at the time of booking – just in case something happens in your life that you hadn’t planned for.
COVID-19 TERMS & CONDITIONS
If government restrictions in the UK or other country of origin prevent your stay you’ll qualify for a full refund of any payments you have made, even if it’s less than six weeks before your stay. If you prefer, we can hold your funds against a future date of your choosing, subject to availability (we’d love to welcome you when it’s safe to do so).
We hope you’re able to understand that as a small business we’re unable to provide refunds or discounts if your party size is reduced or if anyone in your party is self-isolating or otherwise unable to travel. This is one reason we recommend taking out travel insurance to protect you against these and other similar unplanned for circumstances (best make sure your policy covers you for all sorts of faff).
We also reserve the right not to accept your booking, for example if we think that the ever changing restrictions in the UK or your country are likely to prevent you staying on your chosen dates. We keep up-to-date with policy in the UK Government and abroad, and as soon as we become aware of any regulation changes, we’ll let you know if they are likely to impact on your stay. As above, we’ll of course offer you alternative dates wherever possible, even if that means more than 12 months in the future.
DURING YOUR STAY
ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE
Detailed instructions for access will be emailed to you around the time of final payment. The cottage will be available from 3.00 p.m. on the day of arrival and should be vacated by 10.00 a.m. on the day of departure (though the crew may arrive a bit earlier). This is to allow time for cleaning and preparation to make the house as warm and welcoming as possible for all our guests.
TRAVELLING ON THE BOAT
The crossing takes around 10 minutes in our skippered Pioneer Multi. You’ll meet Gus the Skipper (or one of his relief crew) at the pier (or in the hotel bar if it’s raining) and be issued with all the necessary safety instructions and equipment in preparation for boarding the craft.
Travelling on our Pioneer Multi is a unique experience and it does require a certain amount of physical ability. You’ll have to get into the boat via some fairly steep and slippery wooden steps at the pier in Isleornsay. On arrival at the island, you may have to clamber off the boat, either into shallow water (wellies a must!) or onto slippery rocks. The boat has a ramp that lowers to make this transition as easy as possible, but there is an element of balance and firm-footedness required.
Unfortunately, if you or a member of your party is unable to board or disembark the boat, you will not be able to travel to the island and may need to make alternative arrangements at your own expense. If you are unsure please do feel free to ask questions about the boat and the journey in advance of booking.
TELEPHONE & Wi-Fi
Please only use the red house telephone for emergency and UK calls. Vodafone, O2 and T-Mobile all have mobile (cellular) coverage inside the cottage, or close by. We provide superfast broadband access in the cottage. Please note that things tend to go wrong with telecommunications more often on a small tidal island than you might be used to. The line to the house is buried in the sea bed. Wild storms can cause disconnections and it can take some time to fix communication problems when they occur, so please be aware that although we try our best, we can never guarantee access to these facilities.
PETS
Dogs are absolutely most welcome, it’s their holiday as much as yours. Please be aware that sheep sometimes cross to the island and you are responsible for keeping your pets under control around livestock. Birds also nest on or near the island – so if your pooch is a bit of a birder then please keep them away from the wildlife, and if your pet is something other than a dog please drop us an email to discuss.
SMOKING
Sorry, absolutely no smoking inside the cottage. Feel free to smoke elsewhere on the island but please pick up your cigarette ends – keep our island beautiful.
USE OF BBQ AND FIRE PIT
Please do make use of both the barbeque and the fire pit as part of your island experience – there’s nothing quite like toasting marshmallows by the fire as you watch the sun set. However, please note that you do so at your own risk. Please ensure that fires are fully extinguished before leaving unattended, and be aware that embers and hot metal can cause injury or damage. Please also note that wet grass can cause wet bums, so if you plan to take a seat on top of ‘Mount Doglet’ to soak up the view do make use of one of our waterproof picnic blankets!
ISLAND HAZARDS
The island is a wild and natural environment. There are many potential risks to be found, especially if clambering on the rocks or entering the sea. Broken & unused items can accumulate as rubbish, flotsam or jetsam, and as some are hard to remove from the island, these have been collected in the walled garden over the years. The walled garden itself is awaiting much needed repair and therefore represents a hazard. Please ensure that all members of your party are aware of the dangers around them and please keep young children and pets under close supervision at all times for their own safety.
DAMAGE & BREAKAGES
Our lovely guests usually look after the cottage and the island as well as we do. However we appreciate that even with the best intentions things can happen! If you accidentally break or damage something please do let us know. We will not charge you for accidental damage, but it can take time to replace or repair broken items on an island so the more notice we have, the better.
That’s about it – now you’re ready for an adventure!
