Island Ambience - Useful Information

CONTACTING US
Our office is open from 9 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday. There is a 24 hour line open in both the UK and in Crete should a problem occur before or during your holiday. Details provided at the time of booking

GENERAL ENQUIRIES AND MAKING A BOOKING
General enquiries and bookings:
Telephone our office: 020 7553 6959/8
View our website: www.cretanambience.com  www.islandambience.com
Contact us by email: info@cretanambience.com or info@islandambience.com

PROVISIONAL BOOKINGS
Telephone options can be held for a period of 24 hours. If the booking has not been confirmed within this period the option will automatically expire.

FLIGHTS
As we hold an ATOL licence we can make flight bookings on your behalf. Availability and prices are very seasonal but we have excellent contacts with a variety of airlines and will do our utmost to secure the best possible deal on your behalf. We operate this policy so that our guests have the opportunity to fly from regional airports of their choice. There are now a wide range of flights to Crete from all of the UK and to some of the other islands we offer. Otherwise, of course, you are free to make your own enquiries.
An admin charge of £25 per party will apply if we book flights on your behalf.

PRICING POLICY
Prices for our self-catering accommodation are quoted per property (not per person) up to the number of people the property can occupy (unless otherwise specified). For all hotel accommodation prices are per person based on two people sharing a double/twin room.

PAYMENT
A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the booking price is required, plus the flight costs, if applicable, (and any relevant insurance premiums). All balance receipts are payable eight weeks prior to the date your holiday commences. Payment can be made by cheque payable to “Travel Editions Ltd” or by debit or credit card (Visa and MasterCard only). Please note credit card payments incur a surcharge of 1.5%.

ACCOMMODATION
Your booked accommodation will be available for occupancy from midday on the day of your arrival (unless otherwise specified) to midday on the day of your departure. Requests can be made for a later vacation time but cannot be guaranteed.

ROOM ALLOCATION
Rooms at hotels and apartments are allocated by the owner of the property upon arrival. If you have any particular requests concerning your accommodation, such as a twin or double bed, seaview etc., please inform us at the time of booking in order for us to do our best to meet your requirements.

SPECIAL REQUESTS
We can provide cots and car seats for infants, free of charge. Please inform us of your requirements at the time of booking. Any other special requests should also be registered at the time of booking or prior to departure. Although we cannot guarantee special requests we will do our utmost to provide these for you.

HOLIDAY REPRESENTATIVES
We are a company aimed at independent travellers and do not want to pass on costs of holiday representatives to our customers. We have every confidence in the holidays we offer but will contact you, by phone, at the beginning of your stay to ensure your holiday is meeting its expectations. You will also be given our local, 24 hour, telephone number, should you have any questions or problems during your stay.

WELCOME PACKS
For all villa accommodation a welcome pack will be supplied for your arrival, with our compliments. This will include items such as tea, milk, sugar, water, bread, butter, cheese, tomatoes, biscuits, juice and wine. For all other self-catering accommodation this is not included but can be supplied on request at a small charge.

MAID SERVICE
Bed linen and towels are provided in all of our properties but you should bring beach towels. Nearly all accommodation has maid service although the number of times it is provided per week varies at each property. We will be happy to provide detailed information for each property on request.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
We feel it is of the utmost importance that our clients have travel insurance. You are not obliged to take the travel insurance we offer but we do require that you provide us with details of your travel policy before you travel. This is for our records in case you encounter an emergency whilst on holiday and will enable to assist you if necessary. It is essential that all travellers carry the government produced EHIC card as this guarantees recipricol health care in public hospitals in EU countries.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS
It is recommended that you have at least six months validity on your passport from the date you travel. If your passport is about to expire you should allow at least three months prior to departure to apply for a new one. British Citizens do not currently need a visa to travel to Greece. If you are a non EU Citizen you should contact your Embassy for advice on any visa requirements. Please note it is your responsibility to have a valid passport and visa (where applicable) for your holiday. As of the 5/10/1998 family passports were taken out of existence. Children not on their parents' passport before this date have to have their own passport. Children who were included on their
parent's passport before the above date may continue to travel on the family passport until either the child reaches sixteen; the passport expires or is submitted for amendment.

VACCINATIONS
No compulsory vaccinations are required for travel in Greece.

HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS
It is important to remember that safety standards in Greece do not always match those set in the UK. We check that our properties meet local regulations, but please remember that it is local standards that apply to the services that make up your holiday.

GREEK PLUMBING
Plumbing levels, generally, are not of the same standard as other European countries. In many properties you are asked not to put toilet paper, or any other sanitary products, down the toilet, instead bins are provided for the disposal of these products. Toilets will block if this system is not adhered to.
Due to the excellent climate in Crete hot water is usually solar heated. Most properties have an electric back up system for the rare days when there is not enough sun to heat the water.

ELECTRICITY
Crete uses 220V and all sockets require a two pin plug.

HEALTH ADVICE
The sun, new foods and local wine may cause minor stomach upsets when abroad. You can prepare yourself for such events and bring some preventative medication with you. Pharmacies in Crete however, are well stocked and have knowledgeable staff, who
generally speak good English. For further advice we suggest you obtain the “Advice on health for travellers” leaflet available at most travel agents or your local department of health.

THE WEATHER
Crete is one of the sunniest islands in the Mediterranean, and enjoys one of the longest summers anywhere in Europe. Rain is rare in the
summer months although not unheard of. It is important to note that strong winds can occur on the south coast during the season, when ‘Meltemi’ winds may appear for a few days at a time - perfect for windsurfers!

OUR PROMISE TO YOU
At the time of going to press all information on this site was correct. The properties have all been hand-picked and most photographs taken by ourselves. We feel that this will give the most accurate picture of what you can expect. If you have any queries, we have first hand knowledge of the properties and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

CRETAN & ISLAND AMBIENCE AND TRAVEL EDITIONS
Cretan & Island Ambience are trading names of Travel Editions, who specialise in cultural, escorted tours throughout Europe. If you have a special interest group or would like more information about their range of holidays, please call 020 7251 0045 or visit their website at www.traveleditions.co.uk

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