Terms and Conditions
Using Our Websites:
By using our website, you are accepting all the terms of this disclaimer notice. If you do not agree with anything in this notice, you should not use this website.
Warranties and Liability:
While every effort is made to ensure that the content of the website is accurate, the website is provided “as is” and neither Sierra Essence or British Ski Center make any representation or warranty in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information found on it. While the content of this site is provided in good faith, we do not warrant that the information will be kept up to date, be true and not misleading, or that this site will always (or ever) be available for use.
We do not warrant that the servers that make the website available will be error, virus or bug free and you accept that it is your responsibility to make adequate provision for protection against such threats. We recommend scanning any files before downloading.
Nothing on the website should be taken to constitute professional advice or a formal recommendation and we exclude all representations and warranties relating to the content and use of these sites.
In no event will Sierra Essence or British Ski Center be liable for any incidental, indirect, consequential or special damages of any kind, or any damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, those resulting from loss of profit, loss of contracts, goodwill, data, information, income, anticipated savings or business relationships, whether or not advised of the possibility of such damage, arising out of or in connection with the use of these websites or any linked websites.
Exceptions:
Nothing in this disclaimer notice excludes or limits any warranty implied by law for death, fraud, personal injury through negligence, or anything else which it would not be lawful for us to exclude.
Licence To Use These Websites:
By using this website you agree to the exclusions and limitations of liability stated above and accept them as reasonable. Do not use the website if you do not agree that they are reasonable.
If any of the points in this disclaimer notice are found to be unenforceable under applicable law, this will have no bearing on the enforceability of the rest of the disclaimer notice.
Material on the website, including text and images, is protected by copyright law and is copyright to Sierra Essence and British Ski Center unless credited otherwise. It may not be copied, reproduced, republished, downloaded, posted, broadcast or transmitted in any way except for your own personal, non-commercial use.
Prior written consent of the copyright holder must be obtained for any other use of material. Copyright of all images on this site remains with the artist or copyright owner at all times.
No part of this site may be distributed or copied for any commercial purpose or financial gain.
All intellectual property rights in relation to these websites are reserved and owned by Sierra Essence & British Ski Center.
Links to Other websites and Products:
Links to other websites are provided for the convenience of users. We are unable to provide any warranty regarding the accuracy or completeness of the content of such sites, or the reliability, quality or effectiveness of any products provided through external websites. A link to an external site does not imply an endorsement of the views, information or products provided or held by such websites.
British Ski Center Specific Booking Terms & Conditions in Relation to Ski/Snowboard Tuition:
(Last update: September 2024)
In the following booking conditions “we”, “BSC” and/or “us” means British Ski Center and “You” means all persons named on the booking form (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date). Any monies paid to us for any booking imply your full agreement and understanding of the following:
1. BOOKING DETAILS: You are responsible to ensure that all details printed on any booking confirmation email are correct. Any errors or doubts should be emailed immediately to info@britishskicenter.co.uk quoting your booking reference number. We accept no responsibility for any oversights or errors found later on your booking confirmation documentation.
2. BOOKING VERIFICATION: Please call (+34) 670 461330 or find us at our office base (see point number 8) the day before your first class to confirm everything.
3. Your reservation will be held until the morning of your first day’s class at 09.00*. After this time, if the balance payment or no contact has been made, the reservation may be cancelled, deposit with-held and cancellation fees applied according to our cancellation policies described under points 24 – 31.
*If you have lessons booked in at 9am on your first day, please ensure you reconfirm with us by 6pm the evening before.
4. Skiing / Snowboarding Abilities: Where more than 1 person takes part in any class (private or group), it is the responsibility of all taking part to ensure that their respective levels of skiing/snowboarding are similar. Where split levels arise during a class, the instructor is restricted to teaching to the lower standard which will subsequently reduce progression levels (and hence value for money) of those with a higher level of skiing or snowboarding. No refunds will be issued in these cases where insufficient/misleading information has been provided by you on each person taking part in the lesson(s).
5. Children & Adults: As a general rule we always teach children (especially young children) separately from adults due to significant issues arising in relation to teaching techniques and learning capacities. Young children in particular become distracted by having parents or other adult family members with them in a class which ultimately limits the amount of progression they make as well as reducing their overall enjoyment of the class. If young children are combined with older children or adults, this also slows the whole process down for everyone else in the class. Where bookings are made irrespective of this advice, we accept no responsibility for issues that may arise as a result.
6. “Tiny Tots”: For particularly young children (up to 5yrs) we generally recommend starting off on a one-to-one private tuition basis. As per point 5, we strongly recommend not combining a class for a tot with a parent or guardian.
7. a) English Instructors: We strive to ensure that all our contracted instructors are either native English speaking or at the very least hold high levels of English speaking and are accustomed to speaking English on a regular basis. Since Brexit, acquiring native English instructors has become particularly difficult as a result of work permit limitations. However, we are fortunate enough to have been blessed with some fantastic new European passport holders and dual-nationality instructors to compliment our team.
b) Busy periods: Where demand dictates (especially during, but not limited to, the Christmas/New Year, February half term weeks and Easter holiday periods), we may have to sub-contract instructors from other ski schools. Where this occurs, we ensure that only the best English speaking and professional instructors available are sourced based fundamentally on our personal acquaintances with them. We make no further guarantees relating to their actual language fluency beyond the fact that they all have experience teaching in English. Upon reservation, you will not be confirmed your actual instructor unless specifically requested by name and confirmed as available. However irrespective of this, we reserve the right to change any instructor requested and without prior notice to effectively cover demand requirements and/or in the event of illness or other such situations resulting in the instructor not being able to take the class.
Contact & Meeting Points:
8. Contact: We are based in the Intersport Rio Sport equipment hire shop located 30m from the Al-Andalus gondola entrance. Please be sure to ask for the British Ski Center so as to avoid confusion with the shop’s own Spanish ski school. During the ski season (November to end of April), our office contact number is: +34 670 461330. All of our contact numbers and email addresses are displayed on our website: www.britishskicenter.co.uk. In the event of an emergency or you require an out-of-season contact please dial: +34 646 178406.
9. Our meeting point: You can find us in the ski area of “Borreguiles” unless otherwise indicated either on your confirmation documentation or verbally by us when checking in on your arrival. We have an office here located around to the left of the building exit from the “Al-Andalus” Gondola along with various other ski school offices. Please note that if you take the “Borreguiles” Gondola instead, upon exit from the gondola itself, take the two escalators to exit the building onto the main terrace of the Borreguiles restaurant. Cross the terrace towards the neighbouring building where you will be faced with ours and other ski school offices.
Important: Both Gondolas take around 7-10 minutes, (not including queue times!). Please allow plenty of time to get to our meeting point in advance of your classes. We cannot guarantee to be able to recuperate time lost due to arriving late. Out of peak season, we recommend allowing 30 minutes for this. During peak season 60 minutes.
10. Our uniforms consist of predominantly blue ski jackets and pants printed with the “British Ski Center” logo and “Instructor” as well as the same logo on our right lapel and our ski pants. Our Office contact number is +34 670 461330.
Private Tuition:
11. Definition: A “one-on-one” class for up to 5 people (your own friend/family unit) with your own instructor. Each participant should be of similar abilities. By standard you will be taught on a “per 2-hour session” basis although bespoke packages can be arranged to vary on the number of hours you require. A private class means that only you and those you know will be in the class and no-one else.
12. Tuition Hours Taken: These depend on you but as a rule a 2-hour session is the best option to make notable progression in any single class as well as increasing value for money. For larger class sizes, 3 – 5 people, it could be perceived as more beneficial to take a 3 or 4 hour session depending on the general level of fitness within the class members. Our website provides full details on options available.
Group Tuition:
13. Definition: A class that requires a minimum number of people (usually 6 or 7) to run with one instructor. We do our best to make up the minimum numbers as and when group tuition is requested. People taking part in group tuition do not necessarily know the other group members. These commonly take place during the February half term weeks and occasionally at Easter.
14. Groups: These tend to occur around the February half term periods when there is more guarantee of meeting minimum numbers due to the increased level of demand. We will happily attempt to formulate groups during other periods of the season although we cannot make any guarantee on meeting the minimum numbers.
15. February half term groups: These consist of 5 days of tuition running strictly from Monday to Friday with 3 hours of tuition per day (typically between 11am-2pm). Minimum of 6 people required to run any group. Maximum group sizes are intended not to exceed 8 people in any one group. Under special circumstances and in the aim of keeping all groups as even as possible in terms of the level of skiing / snowboarding, we may deem it necessary to exceed this limit if other instructors are unavailable.
16. Groups during other periods: We can offer bespoke group tuition packages on a flexible basis during other periods of the ski season, also consisting of 3 hours tuition per day and also subject to meeting minimum numbers. Maximum group sizes are intended not to exceed 8-10 people in any one group. Under special circumstances and in the aim of keeping all groups as even as possible in terms of the level of skiing / snowboarding, we may deem it necessary to exceed this limit.
17. Minimum Numbers: If, as a result of cancellations, lack of interest or misleading information we receive from you or other clients relating to previous ski/snowboarding experience(s), the numbers are not met, we reserve the right to make such amendments as, for example, reducing the number of daily hours given in order to ensure that tuition is guaranteed to those who have booked whilst at the same time covering our costs.
18. Group Levels: All efforts are made to ensure that levels of skiing / snowboarding within any group are similar. As numbers increase within a group this is harder to guarantee. Our initial groupings are based entirely on information you provide us about your previous experience and that of any other person taking part under your booking. If this is misleading in any way it could disrupt the grouping procedure and hence everyone’s progression and enjoyment. For this reason, we provide a guide on our tuition options page on our website that we recommend you use in order to give us a more accurate idea. It is possible you feel you fall into more than one category for which we urge you to include each category.
Where spaces & instructors are available, we are able to move people between groups in further efforts to equalise the levels. At other times this is not possible due to either a lack of appropriate group or instructors available and we accept no liability for this.
In all cases you understand and accept that people progress at different speeds for many different reasons far beyond our control thereby potentially creating imbalances among a group. Our instructors are trained to work at maintaining as much balance possible within the group in attempts to avoid these situations.
Guiding:
19. Definition: A designated period for an instructor to “lead” people on a reconnaissance trip covering certain areas of the ski terrain according to the general abilities among the skier(s)/snowboarder(s) involved. The principal idea is to effectively give you a clearer insight into the layout of the ski terrain, it’s short-cuts to/from certain areas, where to avoid the crowds during peak periods, where to eat/snack, special viewpoints, hard/easy runs etc.. For Guiding we recommend a minimum of a 3 hour session in order to take advantage of visiting the principal areas and/or access points.
Paying for Your Tuition:
20. Booking Deposit: Typically, 50% of the total booking is required to confirm any tuition reservation. This is payable either by bank transfer into our company account or via payment card (Visa or Mastercard). Details will be provided upon confirmation. The balance is then payable at the latest by 09.15 on the morning of your first day of tuition.
For Bank Transfers: WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY CHARGES OR SHARED FEES. Our account is Euro-denominated. When making an international transfer it is essential that no fees are charged to us. Some clients’ banks charge 20€ or 30€ without explicitly stating so when a transfer is made. If you are in any doubt, we recommend you consult first with your bank or you pay by debit/credit card as we will require an additional payment from you if a transfer fee has been deducted from the total due. Please put your ‘booking name’ as a reference on the payment and email us the transfer receipt.
For Card Payments: Payment will be charged in Euros unless we are notified otherwise. We do not accept American Express.
Where last minute bookings are concerned (3 or fewer days prior to the first lesson) you will be required to make full payment in advance at the time of booking by credit/debit card.
21. Balance Payments: Balance payment will be made by no later than 09.15 on the day of the first class. Please call (+34) 670 461330 if you believe you will not make this time! If you are in resort the day before, our office is open until 6pm to make payment.
Cancellation, modification & refunds:
22a. Cancellations made up to 3 days (72 hours) prior to the first class date (9am) will be fully refundable or transferable to a future date.
Cancellations made between 48-25 hours prior to 9am of the first date for your tuition will result in your deposit being held on credit for use towards a future booking either during the current season or the following one.
Cancellations made within 24 hours of the morning of the first class date (9am) will result in the loss of the deposit paid unless we are subsequently able to fill in the respective timeslot(s) with other clients.
Refunds will be paid via the same method used for making the original payment* Where bank transfers are concerned this may be subject to charges applied in the process which are out of our control.
*NOTE: Where card payments are concerned and more than 3 months have passed by the time of requesting/authorising a refund, we will have to make payment by bank transfer or, if you preferred, we can hold this on credit for a future booking either during the current season or during the following one.
Modifications may be made at any time without penalty when simply rescheduling the existing booking. For example, altering the time slots or days but retaining the original number of hours booked.
Where the modification involves cancelling of hours, no charge will be made when no more than 50% of the original booking is cancelled. If more than 50% of the booking is cancelled, 25% of the total booking cost will be witheld and the remainder will be refunded to you. For either of these scenarios, we require you to notify us by telephone/email at least 36 hours hence of the first date for cancelling/modifying. For example, for a 4 day booking: to reduce this to 3 days by cancelling the last day, you must do this at least 36 hours prior to 9am of the day that you wish to cancel.
Modifications are subject to instructor availability.
22b. Cancellations for bookings made during the following peak periods: 27-31st December; 1st-5th January; 8th-28th/29th February must be made no later than 96 hours (4 days) before your first date for tuition. Cancellations made from 72 hours prior to your first lesson date, will result in the loss of the deposit paid.
23. Cancellations During Your Stay: Once confirmed and paid, you are obliged to take part in the classes or at least find a suitable replacement to fill your slot. The full amount will be withheld in either case.
24. Lift Closure/Poor Weather Conditions: In the event of adverse weather conditions resulting in the closure of the ski lifts, British Ski Center will endeavour to re-allocate your classes at a later time or on subsequent day(s) according to existing availability of instructors at the time. This may mean a change of instructor for some of the periods. Where February half term ski school group lessons are concerned, refunds will only be issued where 3 or more hours’ tuition are lost. This will be calculated on a pro-rata basis of the total hours contracted.
Where the ski lifts are operational in spite of poor weather conditions, all classes will continue as scheduled. The decision by the client to abstain from classes due to poor weather does not entitle them to a refund of any kind although, subject to circumstances and where available, classes may be postponed/re-scheduled to an alternative day/time.
25. Accidents / Sickness: In the event of an accident or sickness resulting in you having to cancel any of your classes, you are required to notify us immediately (and at least 2 hours before your next lesson) with a valid medical report. Refunds for cancellations made hence within 24 hours of your next private tuition will only be issued if we are able to fill in the time slot(s) cancelled. Refunds for Group tuition will only be issued subject to minimum numbers being retained for the remaining period of the group period.
26. Children: Younger children often require a break during a class due to the effects of the local climate and high altitude. If they have not eaten or drunk anything for a while prior to their lesson, these effects can be magnified significantly. We provide no refunds for any breaks having to be taken as this simply forms part of the welfare of your child thereby maximizing their progression and overall enjoyment of their lesson.
27. No Shows: Irrespective of the reason, not showing for a lesson will result in the loss of the full fee for the class.
28. Cash, Bank Transfer and Credit Card Refunds: For security reasons, we do not carry large sums of cash readily available to pay refunds during your stay. We reserve the right to pay any refunds by bank transfer to a bank account of your choosing. Refunds issued by bank transfer will exclude any commission fees beyond our control that may be applied. Where original payments have been made by credit card, your refund will be made via the same means subject to the date of the original payment unless more than 3 months has passed since the original payment. In this case, we can only refund you by bank transfer. All refunds will be made in EUROS in accordance to the original amount you have paid. If your bank is not a Euro account, the exchange rate will be determined by your bank. Credit card issuers may vary their exchange rate on credit card refunds. We do not cover any differences incurred by exchange rate variations.
Complaints:
29. In the event you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your tuition received, we urge you to let us know immediately, in person at either of our office bases in Borreguiles or at Intersport Rio Sport (located in the Plaza de Andalucia), so that we may look into the matter and offer a suitable resolution during your stay. Alternatively you may contact our office number on: +34 670 461330 between 9am and 6pm or email info@britishskicenter.co.uk.
30. We accept no liability, except purely as a source of feedback, for complaints received more than 48 hours after the tuition has been taken.
31. Where situations have no solution and British Ski Center is demonstrated to be clearly at fault, we will offer a full refund for any tuition lost.
Sierra Essence Ski & Mountain Center 2006 S.L.
CIF: B18803262
C/Pico del Goteron 7, 18160 Güejar Sierra, Spain
https://www.britishskicenter.co.uk
info@britishskicenter.co.uk
Sierra Essence Holiday Booking Terms & Conditions
(Last update: October 2025)
In the following booking conditions, “we”, “TSE” and/or “us” means Sierra Essence (“Turismo Sierra Essence S.L.” is our legally registered name); “You” means all persons named for any booking enquiry (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date); “Owner(s)” or “Service Provider” means the owners and/or manager(s)/agent(s)/supplier(s) offering their various services that we may feature on our website or email communications. “Arrangements” refer to anything that is not an accommodation related reservation that may include any or more of the following: lift pass pre-bookings, activities & transportation as advertised on our websites or via any other communication offered by Sierra Essence.
1. Sierra Essence’s liability to you is strictly limited to the reservation process of all services and products we offer as advertised on our websites. Our service providers are directly liable for the quality of the services received after the point of reservation. For all arrangements, your contract beyond the point of reservation will be with the Owner or Service Provider.
2. All terms and conditions of the Owner / Service Provider will apply to your booking.
3. MAKING A BOOKING: You should email sierraessence@skisierranevada.co.uk with full details of your accommodation preference(s) and/or any other arrangements, or by using our online Enquiry Form. In return we will send you the respective availabilities and/or costs. No confirmation of any service will be requested without your prior emailed request. Depending on the tariff condition provided it may be necessary to make the full payment upon your request for confirmation for which payment details will be provided by email. In all other cases, payment will be required by a specified date indicated on the booking confirmation that we will email you.
4. TERMS OF PAYMENT: In order to secure your accommodation booking, full payment is required by a specified date in accordance with the individual property supplier’s reservation policy. Where a “non-cancellable” tariff option has been requested, full payment will be required immediately and prior to Sierra Essence confirming your reservation.
For other arrangements (lift pass pre-bookings &/or transportation) full payment will be taken at the time of booking.
If we do not receive all payments due in full and on time, the Owner reserves the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you. In this case the cancellation charges set out in clause 6 below will be payable by you.
If you make payments to us that results in a charge to us (for example a UK bank to overseas bank transfer), you will be responsible for covering this charge. Credit/Debit card payments are accepted. American Express is NOT accepted.
All payments made to Sierra Essence are done so by the client under the understanding that they have read through and are in agreement with our Data Protection declaration and any other relevant points laid out in these terms & conditions.
REFUNDS: Any refund will be made by the same means as the original payment by the client. For bank transfers, we will require your account IBAN number and SWIFT details. Refunds paid back to non-euro accounts will be converted at the exchange rate provided by your own bank. We send the amount in Euros and your bank applies their conversion rate.
For credit card refunds, Sierra Essence will issue the corresponding EURO amount due for refund and plays no part in any exchange rate involvement applied by your card issuer that may arise in you being credited with a different final sterling amount. NOTE: Where the original payment made is 3 or more months prior to the date of refund, the credit issuer does not permit reimbursement to your card for which we will refund you to a bank account of your choice on provision of your IBAN and SWIFT details.
5. QUOTES & FEES:
a) All quoted prices in any email communication to you are in Euros unless expressly stipulated otherwise. Many service providers use “dynamic pricing” meaning the rates can alter from one day to another. Where prices alter between us sending you a quote and you confirming your desire to make the reservation, we will advise you of any such alterations before taking payment.
Any information and prices shown on our website are purely indicative and subject to change at any moment by the respective Owner. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the website and prices at the time of uploading such information, we cannot guarantee their complete accuracy. You must therefore ensure to check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price quoted by us in your confirmation email) at the time of booking.
b) Service fees: As an intermediary booking agent, our commissions on the services we provide are minimal for which we apply the following administration fees according to the circumstance & service provided:
Ski passes – 5.00€ per pass, non-refundable, charged at the time of confirmation. See Clause 16 for more details on lift pass bookings.
Accommodation – 30€ for cancellations only.
Transportation – 5% of the booking cost for cancellations only.
6. CANCELLATION BY THE CLIENT: If you wish to cancel your booking the party leader must notify us by email: sierraessence@skisierranevada.co.uk. Cancellation of accommodation and/or arrangements will only be effective from the date/time we receive the emailed cancellation advice. We also ask that you call us after sending your email cancellation request to ensure that we have received it and avoid any further inconveniences that may occur to you or us. As an intermediary agent, Sierra Essence cannot intervene in cancellation policies stipulated by the different Suppliers with whom we collaborate beyond a simple request. We will always honour the cancellation terms of the respective Owner/Supplier, e.g. if they permit a full refund for bookings cancelled up to 72 hours or more before arrival, we will do the same.
7. CANCELLATION BY THE OWNER: In the very unlikely event that the property and/or arrangement(s) you have booked cease to be available as reserved, and the Owner is unable to offer you acceptable alternative accommodation, the Owner will refund to you all the money you have paid (including the deposit).
In this very unlikely situation we shall endeavour to re-schedule any holidays and/or arrangements that may have to be cancelled as a result with the Owner concerned to your satisfaction. If this is not possible it is your responsibility to negotiate a reasonable agreement directly with the Owner. We will be happy to intermediate in any correspondence from you to the Owner and vice versa and assist where language barriers occur. However, Sierra Essence has no further responsibility in the matter and will not be liable for any costs you may have incurred or pay you any compensation if we are unable to re-schedule your holiday as set out above or you are unable to negotiate a reasonable agreement with the Owner.
8. ALTERATIONS BY THE CLIENT: If you wish to make any amendments to your booking such as, increasing or reducing numbers of people in your party, make a room change, name change etc., following the dispatch of the confirmation email, this will be carried out in accordance to the individual Owner/Supplier’s reservation policy which may include a supplementary fee.
9. INFORMATION: While we make reasonable efforts to ensure that descriptions supplied by Owners are accurately reproduced on our website, on our documentation and given by us verbally we do not accept responsibility for any descriptions which contain inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information or errors and which have been supplied by the Owner, nor can we accept any responsibility for any other inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information or errors appearing on our website except where this arises out of our negligence or that of any of our employees (providing they were at the time acting within the course of their employment.) Differences between photographs and text and actual property/arrangements may occur. If we have been informed of material changes after your booking has been confirmed we will advise you before departure.
We carry out periodic inspections of various properties for the purpose of ensuring suitable overall standards of the properties we advertise. However, it is not possible to inspect all options regularly given the sheer numbers and the intermediary alterations and reforms that take place from one season to another. For this, we rely on the respective Owner to inform us on any significant modifications to keep as updated as possible.
We strive to keep you as informed as possible in accordance to your preferences to offer you the best options suited to your needs given our existing knowledge (either personally speaking or through information provided by our Suppliers) at the time of booking.
10. SELF-CATERING APARTMENTS (SIERRA NEVADA): Unless otherwise confirmed in writing, self-catering accommodation is booked on the basis of the maximum sleeping capacity of the apartment as well as its approximate location (see point 11 for further details). For accommodation within the ski resort of Sierra Nevada, the location is split into three generic areas or “Zones”: Top Zone, Mid Zone & Central Zone.
Roughly speaking the zones are divided as follows although subtle variations occur between different managing agencies along the perceived “dividing lines” between the areas:
Top Zone: Everything located upwards from the “Telefonica” bend above the “Piornos” apartment block
Mid Zone: Everything above the “Monte Gorbea” building up to the “Los Piornos” apartment blocks
Central Zone: Everything located from the “Monte Gorbea” building down to the central squares.
Apartments in Sierra Nevada are generically categorised into Studios (bedsit style apartments) and 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom apartments of varying layouts.
Due to the multitude of apartment designs and layouts, these categorisations are provided as a generic guideline in terms of what to expect. Through our years of experience in Sierra Nevada we urge you to read the following carefully on points that may come as a surprise to visitors coming to the resort for the first time:
Quality of Apartments: It is in our opinion that Sierra Nevada rarely provides “luxury” self-catering accommodation and we always recommend hotel accommodation initially to anyone who is looking for something with more quality elements attached to their choice of accommodation. Having said that, we are in close contact with a number of agencies operating in resort which has allowed us to sift through and offer you the best options. Quality levels of apartments have improved greatly in recent years with lots of ongoing renovations and refurbishments creating a greater scope of comfortable options to offer you. If a proprietor makes any kind of refurbishment to their apartment, we are usually informed of this to then view it for ourselves before advertising it on our website.
As standard, all apartments come equipped with: either a full bath or shower room (a bathtub is not guaranteed), kitchenette (often open-plan with the living area), cutlery & crockery for basic catering requirements for the maximum occupancy of the unit, microwave, twin electric hob, fridge-freezer, TV (generally local channels only). Kettles are unlikely to be provided but are becoming more popular.
“Bedrooms”: In many apartment blocks there are areas separate from the main living space but not entirely “closed off”, in which a bunk (or single) bed has been placed and hence categorised as a “1 bedroom” apartment. This includes hallway’s which could be upon entry to the accommodation or an area created originally for access to another bedroom and/or bathroom. These areas may or may not have a closed-off division from the main living area but may nevertheless be categorised as a “bedroom”.
Beds: Sleeping arrangements vary greatly from one apartment to another and many consist of any combination of double beds, single beds, bunk beds, low-level beds, z-beds and sofa-beds. Requests may be made for specific sleeping requirements although we are given no guarantees by the Owner.
Note Regarding Bunk Beds: Due to the large variety of furnishings used by individual proprietors in self-catering units, we are unable to guarantee safety rails on the upper bunk beds.
Space: Where apartments are rented out to their full capacity, storage space may be limited. Many of the newer buildings often have significantly smaller apartments than the older blocks. As such, we may recommend a lower maximum capacity to our clients for certain units that we know about in order to provide a more comfortable outcome for you. The older blocks are generally more spacious but occasionally more deteriorated in their décor and furnishings.
Hot Water: Apartments are generally equipped with electric water heaters. Hot water capacity may be limited to feed several consecutive showers for all occupants and you should expect to have to wait after 2-3 consecutive showers for the water to heat up sufficiently. The hot water capacity does not cater for all occupants taking baths!
Parking: This is often available for apartment rentals and should be requested at the time of booking. Parking may be subject to additional charges.
Photographs of many properties shown on the website are provided purely as an idea of what may be expected and, unless otherwise specified, in no way reflect the exact apartment that you may finally be allocated. Differences occur with decoration, furnishings and general room distribution thereby making it impossible to show all options. No photos are available other than those shown on the website.
During High Season periods it is not uncommon to experience disturbances from other apartment occupants within the accommodation building. If the apartment in question has been let by the same agency, the occupants may be advised to keep the noise down in the future. In all other cases neither the rental agency nor Sierra Essence accepts responsibility. Most accommodation blocks do not have a night guard service unless indicated on the website.
11. PROPRIETOR / AGENCY AGREEMENTS FOR THE RENTAL OF SELF-CATERING APARTMENTS (Sierra Nevada Only): In order for our clients to better understand Sierra Nevada reservation policy in relation to self-catering apartments, the following standard agreements are made between the property proprietor and the managing agency (not Sierra Essence):
When a proprietor agrees to let their apartment via an agency, their contract agreement typically allows them a period of between 10-20 days (particularly during high season periods and this may vary between agencies) to make any private reservations of their own. During other periods of the season and within reason they may even be within their right to reserve their apartment for private use right up to the last minute. For this reason, managing agencies tend to reserve self-catering accommodation on the sole basis of the zone location and sleeping capacity as indicated in point 10 above as opposed to allocating specific apartments. By not allocating a specific apartment, the agencies are able to prevent Client disappointment which could arise through prior expectations of a particular apartment should they have to make last minute changes.
*SPECIFIC ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS*: Sierra Essence has a unique position through years of close working relationships with various managing agencies to selectively offer specific units as advertised on our website. In spite of this and in line with the previous statement, our confirmation of availability and final reservation is always provided on the Client’s full understanding that amendments may still be made by the Owner in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as maintenance issues, acts of God, sale of the property, individual proprietor amendments, damage caused by previous tenants etc. which may result in last minute re-allocations having to be made.
Where modifications are deemed necessary, Sierra Essence will make all efforts to ensure you are informed as soon as we are made aware of the situation by the respective Owner. Standard booking policy states that the Owner will make all efforts to source alternative accommodation according to the type and zone location initially requested. Neither the Owner nor Sierra Essence will be held responsible for any such amendments that may be deemed necessary for reasons mentioned in the above paragraph.
Where suitable alternative accommodation is unavailable at the time or an adequate solution is not found to a problem, Sierra Essence will assist clients on an intermediary basis with the Owner for a suitable solution. All authorised solutions are left entirely to the Owner unless Sierra Essence is found to be at fault with any of our intermediations in the booking process. Please see points 24 & 25 for further details.
12. APARTMENT KEY COLLECTION & DEPARTURE: By standard policy, key collection is made between 17.00 – 20.00hrs on the day of your arrival. Departures are requested to be made by 10am. Failure to vacate on time may result in a surcharge up to the value of 1 night’s rental according to current rates at the time of departure.
On arrival, you may be required to sign a contract with the respective agency, pass on details of a credit card and/or make cash payment as a deposit to be held and returned on your departure subject to satisfactory checks in the apartment(s) contracted. You are requested to ensure that all furniture is left in a similar state and position as found on arrival; all crockery and cutlery is washed and stored; rubbish is dropped into the containers found along nearby roadsides, all used linen and towels should be piled in a heap and left in the bathroom and the key is left according to instruction by the relevant agency office or reception staff.
13. HOTEL RESERVATIONS: ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE: Standard hotel check-in/check-out policy varies from one establishment to another. Typically check-in is made from 4pm (with some exceptions to this being from 2pm) and check-out by 12 noon. Failure to vacate on time may result in a surcharge being applied up to the value of 1 night’s accommodation according to current rates at the time of departure. This will be charged for directly by the respective establishment’s reception staff.
BEDS – The terms “Double” & “Twin” are usually inter-exchanged as the same category of room. They are generally furnished with two single beds set side by side. Double beds are rarely provided except in rooms allocated specifically as “Single” where even here it may not be a full sized double bed. Where third and fourth beds are required, these may vary in forms from sofa-bed, bunk beds and pull-out beds etc. Hotels do vary in their choice of sleeping arrangements.
FACILITIES – These vary greatly from one hotel to another and are not necessarily all included in the prices provided unless clearly stated in the quotation sent to you.
PARKING – Some hotels have private parking facilities which can only be booked on arrival subject to availability at the time.
14. LATE ARRIVALS & SUPPLEMENTS (Sierra Nevada Apartments Only): You are requested to advise us at least 24 hours in advance on your estimated time of arrival so as to advise the respective managing agency. Arrivals after 20.00hrs may be subject to supplementary fees payable directly to the respective managing agency. These payments are usually required to be paid upon arrival in cash directly to the person who meets you.
15. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES: Unless otherwise stated, a security deposit is often required for most self-catering accommodation to cover the cost of any damages and/or breakages and (where applicable) the cost of excess cleaning and other services incurred, and which are payable by you during your stay. Depending on the Owner, your credit card details or a cash deposit may be requested upon check-in. Cash deposits generally start from around 50€ or more per occupant and will be payable on arrival to the Owner directly.
If no damage and/or costs as stated above have been caused and/or incurred by you, or you have settled the cost of these directly with the Owner before your departure from the property, any security deposit paid will be returned in full in accordance to the Owners policy.
Only those persons named on the booking form may use and stay at the property(s) booked. If the maximum number allowed at the property is exceeded without the prior agreement of the Owner, the Owner reserves the right to terminate the booking of the party in question at their sole discretion and with no refund issued.
You must maintain the property in a similar condition to the time of your arrival, leaving it in a similar state of cleanliness, general order and repair in which you found it.
Should you encounter any defects in your chosen accommodation, it your responsibility to make this known immediately to the managing agency/receptionist for them to resolve as soon as possible. Our in-resort staff are also available (at Intersport Rio Sport) for support in these situations if you have any complications. Please do not wait until after your trip to make a complaint in regard to any defects etc. Allow us the opportunity to resolve things as they happen to ensure you have as enjoyable a time as possible!
Should you be responsible for any of the equipment or furnishings in the property becoming lost or damaged or the property itself being damaged, you will be required to make immediate settlement directly with the Owner.
16. LIFT PASSES: Sierra Essence contracts a local operator for the acquisition of lift passes. We require a minimum of 3 working days’ notice to process bookings. The earlier you book your passes, the more discount you get. Your lift pass booking is only confirmed once we have received full payment and you are in receipt of our Lift pass payment confirmation email.
Due to the “dynamic pricing” of the lift passes, if, once you have confirmed with us, the price should have altered from the initial price quoted and by up to 10% over the amount quoted, we will continue to take payment at the revised rate and subsequently advise you to avoid further increments. If you are not in agreement to this we ask you to notify us by email and we will authorise a full refund provided you are not within 72-hours of your first ski day. If the price has increased beyond 10% over the amount quoted, we will contact you first to ask for your authorisation.
TERMS OF USE
The lift pass company has a habit of changing the Terms of Use without notice and applying the changes to passes already booked. Once you have booked your passes with us, we will contact you with any updates to the Terms of Use. Sierra Essence cannot be held responsible for changes made by the lift pass company and applied retrospectively. The current Terms of Use (as of January 2024) are as follows:
Modification: If you need to modify your ski dates or the number of people skiing, we must cancel the entire booking and re-make it. If the lift passes have increased in price at the time of modification (due to the lift pass company’s policy of increasing prices closer to the first ski date) each pass will be charged at the new rate. You will be charged in full for the new booking. As soon as the lift pass company refunds us for the original booking, we will reimburse you accordingly.
Cancellation: It is not possible to cancel individual passes within a booking: the entire booking must be cancelled. Refunds are not immediate, we have to wait for the lift pass company to authorise and transfer the funds to us first.
Cancellation up to 3 days before: A full refund is available for cancellation up to 3 days before your first ski day. For example, a lift pass booking that starts on a Friday can be cancelled up to midday on Tuesday and be refunded in full without penalty.
Cancellation between 3 days before and midday the day before your first ski day: Passes are refundable minus two admin. charges: 1) 10€ per pass per day charged by the lift pass company and, 2) 10€ per pass per day charged by Sierra Essence.
For example, a booking that starts on a Friday can be cancelled up to midday (Spanish time) on the Thursday with a full refund minus the admin fees.
Applying for Refunds: Refunds are only available if you miss an entire* day’s skiing due to a) bad weather resulting in the closure of the lifts or b) injury** or illness.**
To apply for a refund, you must email us (liftpassrefunds@skisierranevada.co.uk) with clearly-scanned copies of the lift passes to be refunded. It is vital that the long identification number on each pass is legible. We must receive your email within a week of your last day*. On the email you should detail the number of passes included, how many adults/children etc. and the exact dates you are claiming for to avoid potential confusions. We will email you back with a confirmation of receipt. For any doubts, please contact us on the numbers indicated on your booking confirmation emails.
Failure to send your passes means we will be unable to process your refund. Refunds are calculated by the lift pass company and the final total will include the deduction of any relevant admin fees as described in these terms & conditions. All discounted passes, i.e. “benjamin”, “senior plus” and “disabled” passes are non-refundable.
*If your last day skiing is after the 20th April, we require you to email us immediately in order to request the refund from the lift pass company before the end of the ski season.
Whether you cancel your booking outright or require a refund for days not skied during your trip, the refund is not immediate and entirely dependent on the administration process carried out by the lift pass company, Cetursa S.A. who must first review and then authorise the motive and amount for reimbursement. Once they have established this, they then transfer the funds to TSE. On receipt of these funds, we are able to reimburse you. Please expect refunds to take several weeks and in some cases months to be issued.
refunds are only made for entire days missed. The use of any lift, even just once, means the lift pass company will not issue a refund. Please note that whilst the main ski lifts may be closed, the village access Parador chairlift may be operational. By using this lift in spite of there being no skiing, you relinquish your right to a refund.
when the lifts have been closed due to severe weather conditions but then reopen later in the day, no refund will be issued if you decide not to ski, unless the lift pass company specifically advertises to the contrary on its website.
refunds for entire days missed due to injury or illness can only be applied for with a doctor’s letter and are not guaranteed. A doctor’s note can be obtained from the Medical Centre in the resort (located on the piste at the base of the Al-Andalus gondola) and should be handed to us together with the pass/es for which you require a refund.
the service fee that TSE charges is non-refundable
TSE has no influence on the final amounts authorised for refund by the lift pass company, Cetursa S.A. Neither are we liable for any additional costs you may incur in the process.
17. ACTIVITIES & HIKES: Alternative activities are available via third party businesses in resort where TSE may be able to provide a core booking service for you. Such activities could include: Snow-shoes, ski touring, hiking, biking etc…
18. TRANSFERS: Sierra Essence uses registered chauffeured transport services & bus companies for transfers to/from the Client’s accommodation.
You will be met by the driver who will have a sign with the Booking Name written on it. Ensure you have your transfer confirmation document with you in the event it is requested by the driver.
Sierra Essence holds no liability regarding any issues that may arise during the transfer but will assist in passing on any correspondence to the transportation company involved.
Cancellation Policy: Full refunds will be authorised for any cancellations made up to 48 hours of your transfer date. Refunds for cancellations within this period are left to the discretion of the respective transport company. TSE will retain an administration fee of 5% of the booking cost.
19. CRECHE / SNOW GARDEN (Sierra Nevada): We do not provide a booking service for this, but we do offer contact information on our website on the child-care services available for you to make contact directly. Sierra Nevada has a Creche located in the Plaza de Andalucia at the base of the Al-Andalus gondola whilst, up in the central ski area of Borreguiles, there is the “Dreamland” snow garden facility. Both entities are independent businesses for which you will need to contact either or both individually depending on your requirements.
20. SKI / SNOWBOARD EQUIPMENT HIRE: Through years of working closely with Intersport Rio Sport, we offer special discounts on their ski/snowboard equipment when making a booking with us. Sierra Essence accepts no responsibility for any issues that may arise in relation to your equipment and/or services received by the shop although our staff will happily aid in any intermediation that may be deemed necessary. You are entirely responsible for your equipment once you have rented it until the moment you return it at the end of your stay. Any damage to or loss of equipment may be charged for at the discretion of the shop management. Sierra Essence recommends taking out ski insurance that would cover any loss/theft of equipment. Rio Sport also offers their own insurance option to cover this unlikely, although potential, eventuality.
All payments for equipment hire will be paid directly via the shops website and/or shop staff.
Where “Children” are concerned, equipment is provided on the basis of the size of the ski or snowboard required and their corresponding boot bindings rather than the actual age of the child. Typically speaking a child ski goes up to 140cms and a child snowboard, 120cms. The bindings on the child ski or snowboard will also only serve up to a maximum foot size. If your child has a larger foot and hence needs a larger boot, then they may need an adult ski or snowboard to suit. Helmets are highly recommended to rent especially for children!
21. AIR TRANSPORT: We do not sell or make available for sale or process the sale of flights. Any contract you have in respect of flights will be with the flight provider concerned.
22. CAR HIRE: We may refer you to car hire companies from time to time. These companies are entirely separate companies from us and your contract for car hire is strictly between you and them. Any complaints should be addressed directly to the car hire company. Please also see clause 1 above and our conditions of website use.
23. PERSONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE: You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance. We do not currently offer any form of travel insurance to you. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance you purchase is adequate and appropriate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details and take them on holiday with you. We cannot accept any responsibility in the event that you have failed to arrange travel insurance.
24. COMPLAINTS: As an Intermediary agent for all service enquiry & reservations arranged, TSE does not accept responsibility for the final quality of products and services provided by our service providers. Please see clause 1 above.
If you have a complaint regarding a property and/or arrangements you have booked you must first inform the responsible Owner immediately – do not wait until you return home to do this! If you are unable to contact the Owner whilst at the property or during a particular arrangement with your complaint, please contact our in-resort representative during their working hours whereupon we will endeavour to assist you with any issues. If, after that, you feel that the problem has not been resolved, you should write to us telling us about your complaint within 7 days of returning from your holiday.
We will forward your written complaint to the Owner and pass on any response from the Owner to you. It is your responsibility to take the complaint up with the Owner directly unless we are at fault in any of our intermediations in the actual booking process.
If you have any complaints regarding any other services we provide (as opposed to any provided by the Owner), you must inform us straight away in writing and in any event within 7 days of the end of any arrangements booked through us.
25. LIABILITY: As an Intermediary agent arranging services and products by our collaborating service providers we do not accept any liability for any act(s) or omission(s) of the Owner or anyone representing, or employed by, the Owner. Furthermore, we do not accept any liability for any shortcomings or defects with or in any property as all properties are within the sole control of their respective Owners.
We do not accept any liability if we are not so notified of any particular issue arising with your arrangements. Our maximum liability to you if we are found to be at fault in relation to any service we provide (as opposed to any service provided by a third party such as an Owner for whom we are not responsible) is limited to the commission we have earned or are due to earn in relation to the booking in question. We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury which arises as a result of our negligence or that of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment and as such will be dealt with in accordance to procedures established via our Public Liability insurance cover.
Turismo Sierra Essence S.L.
CIF: B19650746
C/Pico del Goteron 7, 18160 Güejar Sierra, Spain
https://www.skisierranevada.co.uk
sierraessence@skisierranevada.co.uk