FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
How do I find a hotel?
How do I view information on a property?
Are there last-minute deals available?
How do I book a hotel through Chic Retreats?
Wouldn’t I would pay less if I contacted the hotel directly?
How soon will I receive a reply to my enquiry?
Can I contact you if there is a problem with my booking?
Will I receive written confirmation of my reservation?
Can you arrange flights, transfers, car hire, insurance, etc. for me?
Can I book if I live outside the UK?
Is chicretreats.com exclusively for members?
Why do I have to give my address and contact details?
What forms of payment are accepted?
Who has access to my credit card details?
Are the quoted prices per person or per room and are they inclusive of taxes and surcharges?
If I need to cancel my booking, do I have to pay a cancellation fee/forfeit my deposit?
Do any of your hotels have kids clubs?
Can chicretreats.com help with anniversaries, weddings, special events, honeymoons etc ?
Can any of your hotels be taken over exclusively?
HELP ME FIND A PLACE TO STAY!
How do I find a hotel?
We have created chicretreats.com in such a way that you can choose the search option that works best for you:
Firstly, if you know where you want to go, you can search by destination through the top navigation which offers searches by continents. Or you can use the search boxes to further define your search by country and then region.
Secondly, if you know what type of holiday you'd like (eg. Golfing, spa, family etc) but don’t know which country, you can search by category. For each interest you will see our editor's choice as well as more specific subcategories by which you can further refine your search (eg. a range of outdoor pursuits are given under the theme of Active).
Thirdly, by using our themed search you can search by ‘beach chic’, country chic, city chic, hide & chic (off the beaten track) and simple & chic (low budget but still full of charm and style).
Fourthly, there is (or soon will be) a free text search, so you can type in any hotel name you like to see if it is featured on our site.
Back to top
How do I view information on a property?
Once you have selected a country a list of hotel options appear. You will see two photos for each hotel, a short overview and a starting rate. To learn more about the hotel and see a good selection of colour photographs, click on the hotel you are looking for – this then takes you through to the hotel page which gives you a selection of photos and full description.
Back to top
Are there last-minute deals available?
Yes, but this is not a 'last-minute' site. We publish a selection of special offers on an ongoing basis most of which are valid for a few months. The offers are updated on a regular basis. You should also bear in mind that we do not sell flights or packages.
Back to top
Do any of your hotels have kids clubs?
No. Our hotels are too small to have kids clubs (all less than 30 rooms). Many of the hotels warmly welcome children of all ages. Others only accept children over 12 and some do not accept children. Those that do accept children can be found under family friendly.
Back to top
Can chicretreats.com help with anniversaries, weddings, special events, honeymoons etc ?
Of course. As all of our hotels have less than 30 rooms, many of them are perfect for these types of celebrations, though due to their size early booking is always recommended for special occasions. We can advise on which hotel would be most suitable.
Back to top
Can any of your hotels be taken over exclusively?
Absolutely. Some of our properties are already exclusive villa rentals (eg. Villa Daphne, Burggraaf, Voltaire, Chateau Gageante,. Some of our boutique hotels prefer exclusive rental and others would be delighted to accommodate requests (eg. Chateau de la Couronne, Chateau St Paterne, Palazzo Terranova). As all of our hotels have less than 30 rooms, many of them are perfect for rental, though due to their size early booking is always recommended.
Back to top
How do I book a hotel through Chic Retreats?
Once you have chosen your hotel and your dates, you will need to go through and click on the ‘check availability’ button which will take you through the booking process.
Some requests will be sent straight to the hotel and they will respond directly to you. (If this is the case you will receive an email confirming this. Others are online bookable and some of them due to their size (very small) will be dealt by our reservations department who aim to respond to you within 3 hours on receipt of your request unless the hotel is in a vastly different time zone.
To confirm a reservation, more often than not a deposit will be required and you will be asked to provide your credit card details to secure the reservation. Your reservation is considered confirmed when the hotel or Chic Retreats acknowledges receipt of your reservation deposit.
Our reservations team is on hand to help make any suggestions and reservations for you on +44 207 307 2797
Back to top
Surely I would pay less if I contacted the hotel directly?
No. The hotels and villas, who are contractually obliged to quote the same price as if you contacted them directly. For £20.00 you can buy our
book which also gives you complimentary annual membership to Chic Retreats. Once you have your Chic Retreats membership card you will have access to many preferential rates and benefits offered to all Chic Retreats members (on presentation of your card at the hotel).
We try offer value for money but small and special hotels rarely have a problem filling their rooms which is why early booking is recommended. We are not a tour operator and therefore do not do package deals. Chic Retreats has found that with small hotels and villas, it can often be substantially cheaper to book flights and accommodation separately. As an example even BA’s lowest costs can be found on their website www.BA.com than through an agent.
Back to top
How soon will I receive a reply to my enquiry?
If your enquiry has been sent direct to the hotel, you should receive a reply well within 24 hours. If you have made a call to reservations we aim for you to receive a reply within 3 hours. However as many of our properties are in different time zones, there may not be an immediate reply to your enquiry.
Back to top
Can I contact you if there is a problem with my booking?
Of course you can. Our number is +44 207 307 2797
Back to top
Will I receive written confirmation of my reservation?
Yes. Once the hotel or reservations have confirmed receipt of your deposit, you will be provided with a summary of your booking details along with a unique booking reference number, as well as contact details for the accommodation. You should print this page and take it with you on holiday.
Back to top
Can you arrange flights, transfers, car hire, insurance, etc. for me?
We do not arrange or reserve any travel (air, land or sea) to any destination or particular accommodation. However we work very closely with World Options who can help with flights, trains and hire car if departing from the UK. The team is headed up by Sonny Tanna who has been in the business for 20 years. They can be reached on 020 7204 6637.
Back to top
Can I book if I live outside the UK?
Anyone can use and book accommodation through our website as long as you have a valid, recognisable credit card with which to guarantee the booking and make any deposit if required.
Back to top
Is chicretreats.com exclusively for members?
No, anyone can use our website. However if you are a member you will have access to many preferential rates and benefits at all of our hotels. Yearly membership also includes our book and costs £19.95. You can join on www.chicretreats.com/Membership.aspx.
Back to top
Why do I have to give my address and contact details?
When making a reservation, the hotel or member of the reservations team may need to contact you directly to make any final arrangements. Your personal information is stored for your convenience so you won’t have to re-enter that information each time you make a reservation. We will not pass this information on to any other third parties. (see our terms and conditions)
Back to top
What forms of payment are accepted?
This depends mainly on the hotel you are booking. Many hotels require a deposit to be paid, which is usually charged to your credit card. Some smaller hotels and most rental properties require a deposit to be paid by bank transfer or cheque within 3 days of making a reservation. In Morocco credit card payments incur a very high charge and so many hotels prefer a bank transfer. In such cases they will inform you of the payment details. In all cases your credit card details are needed to initially guarantee your reservation.
Back to top
Who has access to my credit card details?
Your credit card details are sent to the hotel to confirm the reservation. For bookings where Chic Retreats takes a deposit payment on behalf of the hotel your credit card details will also be viewed by Chic Retreats.
Back to top
Are the quoted prices per person or per room and are they inclusive of taxes and surcharges?
Most of the rates displayed on the website are per room per night unless otherwise specified. The rates will state if taxes, service and breakfast are included. Boutique hotels in France tend to charge an additional amount for breakfast anywhere between 10 and 20 Euro.
Back to top
If I need to cancel my booking, do I have to pay a cancellation fee/forfeit my deposit?
If you decide to cancel your reservation, you should notify the hotel or reservations team as soon as possible. If cancellation is made within the hotels cancellation period then most of the time no charge is made, however the cancellation policies vary from hotel to hotel so please take care to read them at the time of booking.
The amount of any cancellation charge/refund depends on the cancellation policy of the individual hotel or villa, which is stated clearly at the time of making your booking.
The more notice you give, the less you will be charged. We strongly advise that you take out personal travel insurance at the time of booking, as depending on the reason for your cancellation, you may be covered by your insurance policy.