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We trust that you will thoroughly enjoy your vacation and
sincerely hope that the experience will ensure that you will
book with us again. The basis of a good vacation is the
careful selection by you of your resort/hotel/ itinerary.
Space in our brochure is restricted, hence we strongly
recommend you seek supplementary and independent
information from the applicable tourist offices, libraries,
guide books and the internet, rather than rely solely upon
the necessarily limited presentation of brochure
information. We are happy to advise you generally, but the
ultimate choice of holiday destination is yours.
ACCOMMODATION
– Unless otherwise stated,
accommodation is in standard twin/double rooms,
although twin or double beds cannot be guaranteed.
Specific room requirements cannot be guaranteed as the
allocation of rooms is at the discretion of the hotel
proprietor. Rooms are generally available between noon
and 3pm, and are to be vacated between 10am and noon,
irrespective of your arrival or departure times. Dayrooms,
subject to availability and extra cost, may be available. A
triple room is usually a twin/double room, with an
additional bed of a folding, pull-out design, hence
conditions may be cramped. The standard and location of
single rooms is not always as good as twin/double rooms
(even if a twin/double room is booked for sole occupancy).
A supplement is usually payable whether the room
allocated is a single or a twin room. Superior and deluxe
rooms (or similar) may have the same facilities and be the
same size, it may only be the view or position of the room
that is different. In the tropics, be prepared to encounter
insects (e.g. cockroaches, mosquitoes, ants, etc.) in your
hotel room, especially at beach resorts where they are a
natural occurrence and do not reflect the standard of
hygiene and cleanliness. The term 'sea view' or similar
means the sea can be seen from your room but may be at
an angle or partially obscured due to foliage.
BROCHURE ACCURACY
– Every care has been taken to
ensure that the information in this brochure is accurate at
the time of printing. The facilities described at a hotel and
of tour itineraries are those that are typically available. It is
conceivable that hoteliers may, without notice, decide to
change facilities which may then be temporarily, or even
permanently, unavailable for e.g. maintenance purposes or
during periods of low occupancy. As a result of local
conditions e.g. weather, time of year etc., safaris, tours or
excursions may change from those advertised in our
brochure/advised in your itinerary. Occasionally it is also
necessary to change hotels/lodges/camps on tours. Such
changes are beyond our control but when we are advised
of any significant or long-term changes prior to your
departure, we will try to notify you if practicable and time
permitting.
BROCHURE PRICES
– All prices in this brochure are in US$
per person, based on two people sharing. The prices
detailed in this brochure should be used as a guideline only,
as it is possible that some of the prices contained within
the brochure may have changed since it was printed. You
will be informed of the actual price at the time of booking.
All prices are based on special contract rates with suppliers,
and we will not make any adjustments should similar
services be offered at a different price locally. Extra Night
Prices: All per night prices shown are based on the actual
dates that you occupy the accommodation. Number of
nights stated indicate the actual number of nights spent in
resort. Please see Booking Conditions (clause 3).
CHILD PRICES
– Children under 12, sharing a room with
two full paying adults, may receive a discount on their
holiday. Child prices are available on request. Children
must be under 12 on the return date of your holiday to
qualify for a child reduction.
CUSTOMERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
– Less developed
destinations may lack even the simplest facilities e.g. ramps
or lifts etc. and we cannot guarantee that the correct
apparatus and necessary modifications exist in any
accommodation outlined in our brochure. However, we do
wish to provide every possible assistance and request that
you provide full details in writing at the time of booking, so
that we may assist with the planning of your holiday.
COMPLAINTS WHILST ON HOLIDAY
– Please see
Booking Conditions (clause 7). If you have reason to lodge
a complaint whilst on holiday, it must be reported in
writing to the representative, or your driver if on safari, for
action to be taken in resort. Please retain a copy of the
report lodged with the representative. It is unreasonable to
take no action whilst on holiday and complain on return
when it is too late for us to rectify the situation.
CREDIT CARDS
– Payments made by credit cards overseas,
may be subject to a handling fee. Services paid for by credit
card will be subject to the applicable rate of exchange at
the time the voucher is presented to the credit card
company, and may differ from the rate prevailing on the
date that the service was provided. Certain local banks may
levy an additional charge.
CURRENCY & EXCHANGE
– Some countries have
restrictions on the importation and exportation of local
currency. Please check with the relevant Embassy or High
Commission. Never exchange money on the black market.
Please ensure you have sufficient monies to cover all
expenses whilst on holiday, as our local representatives are
unable to help in the eventuality of having insufficient
funds in resort.
ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLY
– At times, the
demands on the local supplies of electricity and water may
exceed the supply, with resultant power cuts, water
shortages and/or problems with plumbing and drainage.
Items usually affected include air-conditioning, running
water (hot and cold), lighting and mini bars. Please note
that occasionally these shortages may be for extended
periods and may be distributed unevenly throughout the
hotel/resort. Power and water rationing imposed by the
local authorities may also take place at various resorts.
Whilst electrical wiring standards do always meet local
safety standards, on occasion they may be lower than
those applicable in the USA. Tented accommodation on
safari may utilise gas lighting and have basic bathrooms.
EXCURSIONS
– Any excursions booked and paid for at
your resort are operated by the local handling company
and are subject to their booking conditions/cancellation
charges. Refunds cannot be claimed from ourselves once
you have returned to the USA as we are not party to the
provision of the services. Local prices may vary. We strongly
advise you to only book excursions from reputable and
licensed local tour operators. Others may not be able to
offer the same level of safety and security, and are often
not adequately insured, or licensed. It should also be noted
that some types of travel insurance do not cover claims
arising from excursions and tours purchased in resort (in
particular cancellation of such excursions and tours and
losses suffered as a result of partaking in hazardous
activities for which an additional premium was not paid).
HEALTH, SAFETY & SECURITY ABROAD
– Whilst we
only contract with reputable suppliers abroad, it is
important to note that some countries and/or suppliers do
not match USA health and safety standards. The applicable
safety standards and regulations which apply overseas are
those of the country concerned and as a result, general
standards of safety, hygiene, fire precautions etc. can be
different to those we take for granted in the USA. You are
therefore advised to take great care when first venturing
into unfamiliar buildings or surroundings. Upset stomachs
are a common occurrence whilst abroad and can often be
attributed to, for example, the change in climate or ice-
cold drinks. Local hygiene and food preparation standards
are not to blame as a mere change in diet and water can
upset the stomach. Sensible precautions need to be taken
especially with regard to raw food, drinking water and ice
in drinks. We take your safety very seriously. Should the
Foreign & Commonwealth Office advise that people should
not visit a particular country, we will act upon this advice as
appropriate. However, as media coverage indicates, many
countries we feature are subject to political and economic
instability. Crime against people and property are a fact of
life throughout the world and hence it is important to be
extra vigilant when visiting strange countries. You have the
same responsibility for your personal safety and
possessions abroad as you do at home. Avoid drawing
attention to yourself by wearing expensive jewellery,
carrying expensive camera equipment, publicly displaying
large amounts of money etc. Do not leave valuables
unattended and where possible store them in a safe.
Always respect local customs, standards and sensibilities
especially in areas of cultural and religious importance, as
failure to do so may offend local inhabitants.
HOLIDAY AND FLIGHT CHANGES IN RESORT
– Any
changes that you might wish to make to your flight details
or accommodation in resort are subject to availability and
must be paid for locally. Should you decide to change your
accommodation to another featured in our brochure, you
will be charged the local rate and not as shown in our
brochure. In addition, the original hotel may charge
cancellation charges if you leave. Flights usually cannot be
changed in resort except by buying new tickets (the cost
may be recoverable from your insurers if there is a medical
reason which necessitates the change).
Please read the Holiday Guide and Booking Conditions carefully as these, together with other information contained in our brochure, form the terms and conditions
of the contract between you and Somak Holidays ('Somak'). The Booking Conditions detail our responsibilities to you, and yours to us, and provide guidelines to cover
circumstances which may arise.
Holiday Guide
