Chalet Information

• Change over day is Sunday.  Your accommodation will be available from 3pm on the Sunday that you arrive until 10am on the day that you leave.  If you do wish to arrive earlier than this, please let us know and we will try to accommodate you.  However, to be fair to all of our guests, we do try to avoid any overlap between incoming and outgoing groups. 
  
  
• We take one day off each week.  On that day we will lay out breakfast for you.  If you would like us to make a restaurant reservation for your evening meal, please let us know.
  
  
• Please make sure that you bring indoor shoes/slippers with you to wear in the chalet.  This helps us to keep the floors clean and dry for everyone.
  
  
• Chalet Espen is a non-smoking chalet.  This is a requirement of our insurance and it is essential for the safety of our guests.  There is an ashtray outside the entrance to the chalet for guests who wish to smoke.
   
• Bed linen and towels are of course provided but please bring your own toiletries. 
  
  
• We know that many parents with children like to visit when there are other families staying with us, while some people prefer an “adults only” environment for their chalet holiday.  Please tell us if you have any preferences of this kind and we will try to let you know which weeks would be best for you.
  
  
• All of the six double bedrooms in the newer part of the chalet are en-suite and hair-dryers are available in each of the bathrooms.  There are double beds in all of the rooms and single beds can be added to two of the rooms, making them suitable for use as twins. If you have a preference, please let us know at the time of booking. There is also a single bedroom in the newer part of the chalet which can be self contained or connected to the adjoining double bedroom to make one very large family room. 
  
  
• There is a further double bedroom and a single bedroom (with sink) in the original part of the chalet and also a bathroom.  The double bedroom has two bunk beds and two smaller single beds making it perfect for children.  The older part of the chalet is full of character, but like so many historic houses, it has quite low ceilings upstairs. 
  
  
• We do have children's beds and cots which can be added to four of the double bedrooms in the new part of the Chalet.
  
  
• We have some children’s books, DVDs, and games but your children are welcome to bring their own favourites.  We also have a few high chairs, baby listening devices and changing mats available.
  
  
• For younger children we offer high tea at 6pm.  Evening dinner for adult guests and older children is usually served at about 8pm.  If you or your children have any special dietary requirements or food allergies, please let us know at the time of booking and we will do our best to accommodate them.

Other Things To Remember

The prices quoted on our Prices & Booking page do not include the following:-

• Flights and other travel costs (including car hire)
• Ski passes, lessons and equipment hire
• Insurance (including winter sports cover)
• Your evening meal on one day of the week

Booking Conditions

Making a booking
The first step in booking your visit to Chalet Espen is to telephone or e-mail us, or complete the enquiry form on our Contact Us page, giving details of your group and when you would like to visit. We can then tell you about availability. If you wish to make a reservation, the next step is for you to print, complete and return a Booking Form to us by fax or e-mail. 

The Booking Form must be signed by one member of your party (referred to below as the “group leader”) and returned to us with a single payment of deposits for every member of your group.  Please note that by signing the Booking Form, your group leader confirms that they are at least 18 years of age and have authority to make the booking on behalf of your group.

Deposits and Payment
A deposit of £100 for each member of your group must accompany your Booking Form. This should be made in a single payment. 

The easiest method of payment, and our preferred option, is by UK bank transfer. The details for this are shown on the Booking Form. If you wish to make payment by credit or debit card, you will need to provide your card details on the Booking Form. Alternatively, you can call us with your details and we will do the rest. Please note that we must charge a fee of 2.5% of the total amount for payment by credit card. This is to cover bank charges. There is no charge for payment by debit card. If you wish to pay by cheque, please make your cheque payable to Simon Bennett and send it to us at Chalet Espen. Our address is shown on the Booking Form. Please note that it will take time for your cheque to reach us by post and up to ten days for it to clear. We cannot confirm your booking until the cheque has cleared.

On receipt of your group’s Booking Form and payment of deposit, and subject to availability, we will email your group leader to confirm the details of your booking.  At this point, and not before, a contract shall exist between us and you group leader, which will be governed by English law. 

Please make sure that your group leader checks the details of your booking.  He or she should contact us immediately if any of the details in our email are incorrect.  We will not be responsible for any inaccuracies unless they are notified to us within 10 days of our sending the email confirming your booking.  

Payment of the balance is due 8 weeks prior to the date of your group’s proposed arrival and must be made in a single transaction.  If we have not received full payment by this date, the booking may be treated as cancelled by your group leader.  If you are booking within 8 weeks of the date of your proposed arrival, full payment is required at the time of booking.  

Arrival and departure
Your accommodation at Chalet Espen will be available from 3pm on the date of your proposed arrival and must be vacated by 10am on the date that you are due to leave.  If you wish to arrive earlier or depart later than this, we will try to assist you, but in the interests of all of our guests, we do try to avoid any overlap between incoming and outgoing groups.

Changes and cancellations
If you wish to change your booking your group leader should let us know as soon as possible.  We will try to accommodate your wishes, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.  

If you wish to cancel your holiday, your group leader should notify us by fax or email immediately.  If you cancel more than 8 weeks before the date of your proposed arrival you will only lose your deposit.  If you cancel between 8 and 5 weeks before the date of your proposed arrival the cancellation charge will be 50% of the total cost, and if you cancel 3 to 5 weeks before arrival, the cancellation charge will be 70% of the total cost.  If you cancel within 3 weeks of arrival, the cancellation charge will be the full cost of your visit.

If for any reason we have to change your booking prior to your arrival we will notify your group leader as soon as we can.  If in our view the change is significant, such as a change to the date of your booking, and is not acceptable to you, the booking may be cancelled and we will refund all funds you have paid.  If for any reason we have to cancel the booking prior to your arrival, a full refund of all amounts paid will be given.  We cannot pay expenses, costs or any losses incurred by you as a result of a change or cancellation in your booking, whether made before or after the date of your arrival.

We regret to say that we cannot accept any liability or pay any compensation for any injury or illness suffered during your stay at Chalet Espen or for matters beyond our control, including but not limited to war or threat of war, terrorist activity, riot or civil disturbance, acts of Government, strikes or industrial action, natural disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events.

Website accuracy
We have taken great care to try to ensure that the information contained in this website is as accurate as possible at the time of its creation.  However, information does change from time to time.  Insofar as it is possible, we would therefore recommend that you check the information yourself.  For our part, we will try to make sure that we inform you of any significant changes to the resort or Chalet Espen.

Insurance
It is your responsibility to have adequate insurance cover for your holiday.  We would advise you to make sure that this covers winter sports and changes to or cancellation of your holiday.

Behaviour
When you book with us you accept full responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your group during your stay, including any damage to fixtures, fittings and equipment in Chalet Espen.  Proper payment for any damage or loss must be made to us before the date of your departure.  If you fail to do so you agree to indemnify us against any claims (including legal costs) we may make or which may be made against us as a result of your actions and authorise us to recover sums in respect of any such loss or damage directly from you. You also promise to behave in an acceptable manner and with consideration towards other people, including Chalet Espen’s other guests.

Accommodation at Chalet Espen is provided at our sole discretion. Furthermore, if in our opinion you or any member of your group behaves in such a way as to seriously impair the enjoyment of our other guests, or is likely to cause danger, annoyance or distress to any guest or third party, or damage to Chalet Espen, we are entitled, without prior notice, to require the person(s) concerned to leave their accommodation.  All contractual obligations to such person(s) will cease and we will have no further responsibility towards them, including for any return travel arrangements or any other costs they may incur.  

Smoking and alcohol
For insurance and safety reasons Chalet Espen (including all balconies) is a non-smoking chalet and we must insist that you respect this.  We are also not licensed to permit the consumption of duty-free or alcohol brought in by guests in Chalet Espen.