Birdsong

Booking Terms

Canopy & Stars low price promise
 
Book with us in confidence knowing you won’t find that place cheaper elsewhere. All of the prices we display are set and matched by our Owners. (In this world of foreign currency, we do have to say 'subject to exchange rates' for some of our European places.)

What does ‘from price’ mean?
 
Our ‘from price’ is based on a four night stay in low season and designed to help you to compare different prices across our collection. Some of our Owners vary their nightly rates and check in days throughout the year, so it may differ from the rate quoted below the calendar. It is quite common (although by no means universal) for places to charge a little more in peak season or for shorter stays, to cover changeover costs. Consider booking longer stays during the cooler months if you’re looking for the lowest nightly rates.

Agency Terms & Conditions

Except where otherwise specified, we Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd (Company No 09088366) of Merchants House, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RW act only as an Agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. As an Agent we act as an intermediary between you and the owner (‘’Owner’’) of the holiday accommodation (‘’Property’’) you will be staying in. We help to arrange reservations and bookings between you and the Owner and take payments from you on behalf of the Owner.

We are only arranging a contract between you and the Owner for hire of the Property and for any other services or arrangement you purchase from the Owner (the “Booking”). This means the legal contract for the Booking is between you and the Owner despite the fact that a payment for the Booking has been made to the Agent. Your contract for the Booking is not with Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd (Canopy & Stars).

Canopy & Stars is part of the Sawday’s Group of Companies, a majority employee owned business and a B Corp. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into in relation to Bookings or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any Booking.

When making your Booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the Owner, as detailed in clause 1.2 below. Your Booking is subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other specific booking conditions of the relevant Owner(s) you contract with. The Owner’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Owner’s liability to you.

You may decide to make more than one Booking at the same time. The price charged in total for more than one Booking will always equal the prices charged separately for each individual Booking. All Bookings are available to be purchased separately at the same price as they are when more than one Booking is made. This means that any multiple Bookings do not constitute a package as defined in the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.

By making a booking, you agree that: 

• You have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
• The lead name on the Booking will be the person responsible for the Booking and shall be responsible for paying the deposit and the full price, for making any amendment and cancellation requests and for the payment of any additional charges. The lead name accepts these Terms & Conditions on behalf of all persons in the Booking; 
• You consent to our use of your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy; 

and 

• You are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age 

The Canopy & Stars online booking system enables Guests to make Bookings 24 hours a day. To confirm your booking, you must pay a 25% deposit (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of your check in date) and the entire Booking will be subject to the cancellation policy as outlined in clause 2.4.2 below. The Canopy & Stars telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. When using the online enquiry form, for those Properties without online booking, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the Booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm). Online or email enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment. Therefore, if possible, we do recommend that you book on the Canopy & Stars website using the online booking system.

1. Booking and payments

1.1 In order to confirm your chosen Booking, you must pay a non-refundable deposit as required by the Owner of the Booking in question (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of the date of your check-in). The deposit is non-refundable as it covers costs incurred and services provided to enable your Booking. These include, but are not limited to, marketing and PR, property inspection fees, Owner management, booking management, credit card fees and customer service.

1.2 Your Booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Owner will exist when we receive payment of the deposit and send you a booking confirmation on the Owner’s behalf. This Booking confirmation will normally be sent out within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post and will contain the details of your Booking and of payments made and due. If you have not received your Booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk). Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. As we act only as booking Agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.

1.3 Once a deposit has been paid, the full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in. A reminder to pay your balance will be sent to you one week prior to this 10 week date, where applicable, by email. We automatically take the balance payment using the same card as used to make the deposit payment. It is your responsibility to advise us if we should use a different card and to contact us by telephone (0117 204 7830) to arrange for alternative payment method. If the automated balance payment does not successfully go through as there is a problem with your card, such as it expiring, then we will contact you to try and take alternative payment. If you do not make any payment due to Canopy & Stars by the due date for payment and at the latest within 5 days of this date, then with regret, we will notify the Owner who may cancel your Booking and terminate their contract with you. In these circumstances, your rights to a refund are set out in clause 2.4.2. Please note that if you have paid in a currency that is different to the original pricing, we will not be able to guarantee the same conversion rate that was used to convert the deposit payment.

1.4 Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Owner concerned, all monies you pay to us for a Booking will be held on behalf of the Owner(s) concerned.

1.5 Credit Card payments are processed via Elavon who provide merchants services facilities to Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd.

2. Cancellation and Amendment by You

2.1 If you have to, or want to, cancel or amend your Booking this request must be sent to us by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk) and will be considered and responded to within one working day of receipt. You are also advised to confirm all changes to our Guest Experience Team by calling 0117 204 7830. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your Booking prior to travel. Whilst we will always try to help, we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met.

2.2 Any amendments to your Booking or cancellations made by you, at any time, may incur a £50 administration fee in addition to us retaining the non-refundable deposit as per clause 2.4.2. This represents the administration costs incurred by us on behalf of the Owner to deal with such requests.

2.3 Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the booking conditions of the Owner of your Booking. The Owner may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Booking and will normally increase closer to the date of departure). The Owner may charge cancellation or amendment charges in accordance with its own booking conditions, however for the sake of convenience only, we have outlined the Owner’s charges at clause 2.4 and 2.5 below. Please note that these are the Owner’s own cancellation and amendments charges, not Canopy & Stars’, and therefore the Owner may vary their charges as they wish, without notice to us. The correct charges will be notified to you at the time of your cancellation or amendments. In the event of a cancellation your right to a refund is as per clause 2.4.2 below.

2.4 Owner’s General Cancellation Charges:

2.4.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable. Where a Booking has been taken with a deposit which is less than our standard deposit (25% of the total Booking Fee), the Guest will, upon cancellation, be liable to pay the difference between the reduced deposit and our standard deposit.

2.4.2 In the event of cancellation within 10 weeks of check in the total cost of the accommodation including the deposit is non-refundable. In some circumstances it may be possible to swap the stay to another date as per clause 2.5.5 below. Cancellation should always be in writing to info@canopyandstars.co.uk. The deposit is always non-refundable as it covers costs incurred and services provided to enable your Booking. These include, but are not limited to, marketing and PR, property inspection fees, Owner management, booking management, credit card fees and customer service.

2.4.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you. Refunds will be processed in the currency of the booking. Where this is different to the currency of the payment card, this will be converted at the current exchange rate on the day of the refund.

2.4.4 If extreme weather prevents you from reaching your holiday, taking or finishing your holiday, you are still subject to these cancellation terms as outlined in clause 2.4.2 above. We strongly recommend that you take out a travel insurance policy which covers this eventuality. In the event of the property becoming unavailable (such as due to fire or flooding), Canopy & Stars will endeavour to provide the Guest with suitable alternative accommodation, starting with any other accommodation that may be available with the same Owner of your Booking, or will refund all monies paid, or a proportion in the case of curtailment. The Agency cannot, however, pay any compensation or expenses as a consequence of such an event.

2.4.5 Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way. You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party for your holiday including holidays in the UK. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover is adequate for your needs, including cancellation and curtailment. 2.4.6 If you fail to check-in on your date of arrival your Booking will be cancelled and no refund will be due.

2.5 Owner’s General Amendment Charges:

2.5.1 Amendments to your Booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time amendments may be treated as cancellation and our refund policy as detailed in clause 2.4.2 above may apply. All amendments are subject to availability and may incur a fee which is at the Owner’s discretion (and is in addition to the Agency amendment fee as detailed in clause 2.2). Generally Owners will charge cancellation and amendment charges, the exact charges will be notified to you by the Owner at the time of cancellation and/or can be found in the Owner’s own booking conditions which are available from the Owner on request.

2.5.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from amendments to your Bookings will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.

2.5.3 In the event that a refund is issued it will be in the same form and ratio as the original payment was made. Therefore, if a Gift Voucher was used to purchase the original stay, the refund will be back onto a new Gift Voucher at the same amount as originally used.

2.5.4 In the event that a date swap is offered, this will normally be agreed with a set timeframe to rebook and sometimes a credit against a future stay will be offered via a Gift Voucher. Unless agreed otherwise, this Gift Voucher will only be redeemable with the same Owner as per the original Booking and Agency Booking Terms and Conditions would apply.

2.5.5 If a date swap is offered then normal Agency Booking Terms and Conditions would apply on the new date and Booking.

3. Changes and Cancellations by the Owner

We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Owner needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Booking or to cancel your Booking. We will also liaise between you and the Owner to try and organise an alternative Booking offered by the Owner, or a refund but we will have no further liability to you.

4. Cancellations due to events outside of Owner’s control

An Owner may have to cancel a booking due to events outside of their reasonable control (see clause 20). In such circumstances, we will liaise between you and the Owner to try and organise an any alternative Booking offered by the Owner, or a refund but we will have no further liability to you.

5. Complaints

Because the contract for your Booking is between you and the Owner, any queries or concerns should be addressed to them. We always aim to provide the best possible holiday experience, however, in the event that you have any complaint or problems during your stay, please immediately notify the Owner as during the stay itself, so that the Owner has the opportunity to resolve the given problem at the time. Please also let us know of the problem as soon as possible by emailing info@canopyandstars.co.uk so we are aware too and can support you and the Owner with resolving anything. If you do not follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Owner to investigate and resolve your complaint and so make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Delays may also mean that amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced or negated. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback. It is important to us and the Owner to know that you’ve enjoyed your stay or if anything could have been improved.

6. Pricing

6.1 Canopy & Stars reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time on behalf of the Owner. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.

6.2 Rates are set per place in the currency specified by the Owner. Where this has been converted into the currency of your preference, until the payment stage this will be an estimation only, based on a recent exchange rate. The original rate will be displayed before you confirm your payment and you will be given the option of paying in your own currency at our guaranteed rate, or paying in your own currency and leaving the conversion and any associated fees to your card provider.

7. Information & Accuracy

The information and prices shown on this website are varied from time to time and may change between the time you first view a property and make a Booking. You should check that all the details are as you expect prior to making a Booking. It is always possible that, despite our best efforts, some of the properties (including the features and extras available) may be incorrectly described and/or priced. If we discover this is the case after you have made a Booking, we reserve the right to contact you with details of the correct information and/or pricing and will give you the option to:

(1) proceed with the Booking based on the correct information and/or pricing, which may require the payment of an additional amount by you;

OR

(2) subject to availability, change your booking dates to dates when the pricing can be honoured and so no additional charge to you. In the event that a lower price can be offered for alternative dates then the difference would be refunded;

OR

(3) cancel the Booking. If we do not receive your instructions within 5 days of contacting you, we reserve the right to cancel your Booking without liability to you.

8. Our Responsibility for your Booking

Your contract is with the Owner and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Booking. Our responsibilities are limited to making the Booking in accordance with your instructions and acting properly in accordance with our legal duties as an Agent. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Booking that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your Booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the Booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.

9. Pets

9.1 Not all properties accept pets. If you wish to take your pet on holiday, please advise us before booking and we can check whether pets are accepted at the property. You must obtain the prior consent of the Owner before taking any pets to the property. If you take a pet to a place that doesn’t allow pets, or you exceed the number of pets allowed at a place, the Owner has the right to refuse you to stay at the Property, and/or they may ask you to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period. Please note that this would be without the right to any refund.

9.2 A nightly charge may be made by the Owner for each pet and additional terms may apply, you will be notified of this at point of Booking. Please check these terms carefully before booking and arriving.

9.3 Please do not leave your pets alone or unsupervised in the property at any time during your stay. For the safety and comfort of your pet we request that Owners exercise due diligence at all times, especially where the property is located near a road/livestock. Canopy & Stars nor the Owner can accept responsibility for the safety of your pet.

9.4 If any guest has an allergy to pets, please be aware that Owners (and we) cannot guarantee that a pet has not stayed in a particular Property. We and Owners cannot accept responsibility for any suffering which may occur as a result of such animals having been present in a Property.

9.5. We ask that all owners of pets keep their pet under control at all times and to be responsible for ensuring that they do not damage the Property during the stay. You will be liable for any damage caused by your pet. Any damage is to be reported to the Owner immediately. Any additional cleaning required, that may incur an additional charge, will be at the Owner's discretion.

10. VAT

Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable, the tax is included in the advertised holiday rental price. If the rate of VAT changes between the date of the Booking and the date of the stay, Canopy & Stars will adjust the rate of VAT that you pay, unless you have already paid for the Booking in full before the change in the rate of VAT takes effect.

11. Visa, passport and health requirements

Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume that all members of your party are British citizens who hold or will hold full British passports valid for the entire duration of the Booking you chose to purchase. Information on visa, passport and health requirements, where given and applicable, is so given on this basis. Requirements may change and you are therefore strongly recommended to check the up to date position with the Owner of the Booking, Passport Office, appropriate embassy or consulate or your doctor as applicable in good time before the commencement of your holiday. Prior to international travel it is your responsibility to check whether it is safe to travel by visiting the FCO website www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

12. Insurance

You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party for your holiday, including holidays in the UK. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover is adequate for your needs, including cancellation and curtailment. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday.

13. Special requests

If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, allergy, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Owner, but unfortunately, we can't guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.

14. Group Bookings

Not all Owners accept Bookings for a single sex group (for example, a stag or hen party). Guests wanting to make such a Booking should check with us beforehand to enable us to check whether the Owner is prepared to accept the Booking. We will then advise you accordingly. In event that an Owner does not accept this type of Booking then it is with regret, that the Booking may be cancelled, and cancellation fees may apply. It is the Guest’s responsibility to enquire with Canopy & Stars and/or check on our website beforehand to make sure that this type of Booking is permitted.

15. Maximum Numbers

Please note that except by prior arrangement confirmed in writing, only the number of persons specified on a booking confirmation may occupy a property. Most owners reserve the right to refuse admittance or revoke a Booking if this condition is not observed and you are unlikely to receive any refund.

16. Your Responsibilities

16.1 Please note that you have a contract with the Owner of the property. As such you are under a responsibility to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner whilst staying at the property with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their Property.

16.2 During the period of Covid-19 or any other pandemic it is also your responsibility to ensure that you are healthy and safe to travel and that you respect the safety of the Owner and any other guests by conforming to social distancing and other government guidelines relating to your stay.

16.3 You are responsible for informing the Owner of any losses or damage to the property as soon as possible. Please note that you will be liable to pay the Owner for any losses or damage to the property caused by you or a member of your party (except reasonable wear and tear). Some Owners will also require damage deposits.

16.4 You must also leave the property by the check-out time specified on your Booking. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period and/or refuse any future bookings from you. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner.

16.5 The Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property. As Agent, we will have no liability to you in these circumstances.

16.6 The Owner only supplies the Property for domestic and private use. You agree not to use the Property for any commercial, business or re-sale purpose, and the Owner has no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption, or loss of business opportunity. If you do wish to use the Property for a commercial purpose, please contact Canopy & Stars.

17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These terms and conditions have been drafted in accordance with and are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any and all disputes arising out of these Agency Terms & Conditions.

18. Discrepancies

In case of a discrepancy between these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Agency Terms & Conditions shall prevail.

19. Validity clause

In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Agency Terms & Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Agency Terms & Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.

20. Events beyond an Owner or Agency’s control

If an Owner or Canopy & Stars is prevented or delayed from complying with any of their respective obligations under these Agency Terms & Conditions or a contract for a Booking due to events or circumstances beyond their reasonable control, the inability or delay in performing those obligations will not be treated as a breach of these Agency Terms & Conditions or a contract for a Booking. Examples of such events or circumstances include fire, flood and other acts of God, strikes, trade disputes, lock outs, restrictions of imports or exports, riot, accident, disruption to energy supplies, civil commotion, acts of terrorism or war, pandemic (including Covid-19), any national/local/regional government restrictions.