Terms & Conditions
These are the terms that govern a booking with Snowdonia Breaks. We've written them to actually be read, not to generate eye-strain. They're fair, they're honest, and there shouldn't be anything in here that surprises you. If something isn't clear, just ask before you book.
About us
Snowdonia Breaks Limited operates three self-catering holiday cottages — Siabod Cottage, Bwthyn, and Eryri Cottage — in Capel Curig, Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, North Wales, LL24 0EF. "We", "us", and "I" throughout these terms refer to Snowdonia Breaks Limited and its owner. "You" means the lead guest making the booking.
Booking requests and confirmation
Completing the booking form on our website is a request, not a confirmed booking. Your booking is only confirmed when you receive a written confirmation from us by email. Until that point, no contract exists between us and the dates are not held for you.
We'll confirm bookings as quickly as we can, but please allow up to 24 hours, particularly at weekends. If you haven't heard from us, check your spam folder before panicking.
You must be at least 18 years of age to make a booking. By submitting a booking request, you confirm that you are.
Payment
Payment is by bank transfer. We don't take card payments or deposits. Once your booking is confirmed, we'll send you our bank details and ask that payment is made in full no later than 7 days before your arrival date. For bookings made within 7 days of arrival, payment is due immediately on confirmation.
If payment isn't received by the due date, we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and relet the cottage without notice. We'd rather not do that, so if you're running into difficulty, let us know before the deadline and we'll talk.
Cancellation by you
We get it — things happen. Holidays get cancelled. We don't want that to be your experience, but if it is, here's how we handle it.
Please give us as much notice as you possibly can. The earlier you let us know, the better chance we have of filling the dates.
Refund policy: We don't offer a standard refund. But we do try our best to relet your dates — and if we manage it, we'll pass on what we receive from the replacement booking.
For example: you book five nights for £500 and cancel with a week to go. We manage to fill those five nights with two shorter bookings totalling £400. We'll refund you £400 — not £500. If we can only fill some of the nights, you'll receive whatever those nights brought in. If we can't fill any of your dates, there's no refund.
We appreciate this isn't a conventional cancellation policy, but we think it's an honest one. It means we're both in the same boat — we'd both rather the dates get filled.
Travel insurance: We strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance that covers cancellation. It's inexpensive and gives you a safety net that we genuinely cannot provide. If you cancel and we can't relet your dates, your only recourse is your insurer — not us.
Cancellation by us
We have never had to cancel a booking and intend to keep it that way. But in the highly unlikely event that we have to cancel yours — for example, due to a serious property issue outside our control — we will refund every penny you have paid, in full, without delay. We'll also do our best to give you as much notice as possible and, where we can, help you find alternative accommodation in the area.
Check-in and check-out
Check-in is from 4:00pm on your arrival date. Check-out is by 11:00am on your departure date. If you'd like to arrange a different time, please contact us in advance — we'll always try to accommodate where we can, but it depends on what's happening around your stay.
Please don't arrive early and let yourself in. The cottage may still be being prepared for your stay.
Number of guests
Each cottage accommodates a maximum of 4 guests. This is a hard limit, not a guideline. If you're hoping to squeeze in a fifth, please don't — it's a condition of our insurance and our licence. If you book for four and show up with more, we reserve the right to refuse entry without a refund.
The minimum stay is 2 nights.
Pets
We love that you want to bring your dog (or other well-behaved pet). Up to two pets are welcome at the cottage. If you're hoping to bring more, please message us first and we'll have a conversation about it.
Pets are welcome everywhere in the cottage except upstairs. We know this might be a hard rule to enforce at 2am, but it's one we ask you to stick to.
Fair wear and tear from pets — muddy paws, the occasional hair situation — is all part of it and we won't hold that against you. Genuine damage is a different matter. If your pet causes damage beyond normal wear and tear, we'll let you know after your stay and may ask you to contribute to the cost of repair or replacement.
The hot tub
The hot tub is one of the things guests love most about the cottage, so we want to be honest with you about how it works.
It's a handmade cedar hot tub, heated by an air source heat pump to a constant 38°C. There are no jets or bubbles — this is intentional. Jets make hot tubs significantly less energy-efficient and cool the water faster, which isn't great for the environment or for you. The temperature is set by us and cannot be adjusted by guests.
The hot tub is available year-round and is never deliberately switched off. The only times it's out of use are:
- Routine cleaning and water changes — necessary maintenance which can occasionally fall during a guest stay. This typically takes up to 24 hours for the water to return to temperature. We'll always try to time cleaning between stays, but this isn't always possible.
- Unforeseen mechanical breakdown — rare, but not impossible. Parts and deliveries can take a little longer to reach us here than they might in a city.
If the hot tub is unavailable for reasons other than routine cleaning (i.e. a breakdown), we'll do everything we can to get it back up and running for you. If we can't restore it within 24 hours, we'll refund £20 for each complete day of your stay that it remains out of action. This is our full liability in relation to hot tub unavailability.
We understand the hot tub is a significant draw, and we do everything we can to make sure it's ready and waiting for you.
Garden safety
Please read this before you arrive, particularly if you're travelling with young children.
There is an unfenced drop of approximately 7 feet from the cottage garden to the parking area of the neighbouring property. This is a genuine hazard and one that's not immediately obvious. Children should not be allowed to play in the garden unsupervised. We take no responsibility for accidents arising from failure to observe this warning.
Smoking
The cottages are strictly non-smoking indoors. This applies to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, and anything else you'd care to light. If you want to smoke, please do so outside, away from open windows and doors. Evidence of indoor smoking may result in additional cleaning charges.
Looking after the cottage
We ask that you leave the cottage in a reasonable condition at the end of your stay. That doesn't mean an immaculate show home — it's a holiday, not a hotel inspection. But please do the basics: wash up, take your food, put rubbish in the bins provided. We'll take care of the rest.
If something gets broken or damaged during your stay, please just tell us. We're reasonable people. Accidents happen. What we really want is to know about it so we can sort it before the next guests arrive, and honesty goes a long way.
Deliberate or negligent damage beyond fair wear and tear may be charged to you. We'll always discuss this with you first and provide evidence.
Our liability
Snowdonia Breaks Limited's liability to you is limited to the total amount you have paid for your stay. We are not responsible for loss, theft, or damage to your personal belongings during your stay. Guests are responsible for their own safety and the safety of their party, including children and pets.
Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from your booking will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
Questions
If anything in these terms isn't clear, or if your situation doesn't quite fit the boxes above, please just get in touch. We'd rather talk it through before you book than have a problem after.