Shivanni
Scottish Borders, United Kingdom
Roulotte Retreat
- Our low price promise from £133 p/n
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Roulotte
Sleeps 2
- One double bed
Overview
Made in France using traditional methods, adorned with hand-carved designs and painted in blue and gold, Shivanni is the newest of seven roulottes - traditional French gypsy wagons - to arrive in the wildflower meadow. She has a Himalayan spirit, so should feel at home in the hilly Scottish Borders! She is decorated with carvings of ancient India, and as well as the small kitchen and bathroom has a beautiful salon, complete with Indian daybed and wood burning stove. The double is wide and comfy (possibly the best bed of the lot).
Shivanni is situated in a far corner, with a deck facing towards the beautiful sunset - the perfect place for an evening aperitif, perhaps with like-minded guests or your friendly, creative hosts Avril and Alan. In one sense you’re not far from civilisation: Roulotte Retreat is on the edge of a village, though not walkable; you can pop to Melrose for dinner, and the seven roulottes are dotted around one central wildlife pond. In another, you’re in a different world altogether...
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 4 - 6 PM (Check in after 8pm, £15. After 10pm, £20 (cost per Roulotte and payable direct to the owners)
- Check out: 10:30 AM
- Please bring a torch, walking boots and swimwear
- There is an outdoor deep copper bath tub available for the exclusive use of Gitana guests and must be booked and paid for as part of your stay directly with the owners: £100 for 2 days (ready for arrival, with extra towels and bathrobes included) and for any extra days usage there is a charge of £15 per day. If you are not going to use the hot tub for the whole duration of your stay, please choose another roulette.
- There is one designated parking space by the studio deck, approx. 50m from the Roulotte via a grass path
- Your hosts live on site
- The Roulotte is 50m from other spaces on site
- Initial firewood is provided
- Phone signal depending on the network
- Wifi is available from the studio deck
- Plug sockets available
Sleeping arrangements
- One double bed
Cooking
- Kitchenette equipped with a Baby Belling electric cooker, small fridge with small freezer compartment, kettle, toaster and cafetière
- Cooking utensils, crockery and glassware for two
- BBQ firepit
Washing
- Flushing toilet
- Shower
- Toiletries provided
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Bed linen and towels are provided
- Electric radiator
- Wood burning stove inside
Entertainment
- 1950's wooden wellbeing studio with a covered deck available for hire
- Communal firepit area
- On-site pond
Getting there
Roulotte Retreat, Bowden Mill House, Melrose TD6 OSU
What3Words: ///jacuzzi.airbrush.rocked
Your hosts will send you an email with all the details on your stay before you check in. Please keep an eye on your emails and check your junk inbox ahead of your stay as the email contains some important information you will need for check in and details of how to pay for your eco hot tub/vintage bath tub/eco sauna prior to arrival.
By public transport
The nearest train stations are at Edinburgh and Berwick upon Tweed. From here you can book a taxi to the site.
By car
Buses run from Edinburgh, Carlisle and Newcastle to nearby St Boswells, Newtown St Boswells or Galashiels (The bus companies are Perrymans or First Buses). From here you can book a short taxi ride to the site.
Guests are advised to not use the sat nav when you get close to Roulotte Retreat and follow the instructions provided by your hosts upon booking.
Roulotte Retreat is just off the A699 which is near the A68 from Newtown St Boswells or St Boswells and A7 which runs through Hawick, Selkirk or Galashiels. If coming from the north, come off the A68 at Newtown St Boswells, follow the road for Bowden, next to the Borders Regional Council Offices. In the village of Bowden, just before the village green look out for a sign on the left, marked 'Bowden Kirk'. Follow this road down the hill and just before the bridge, turn right up our drive. There are a few big rocks at the bottom of the drive next to the wooden fence. There is a sign, saying 'Private Drive, No Turning'. Come up the drive and half-way up, just before the stable block and follow the sign to the car park.
Alternatively, if you are coming from the south coming from either A68 at St Boswells or from Selkirk on the A7 and are on A699 then come off at the sign for Bowden Kirk which is just opposite a white house. Turn up into this road, past Bowden Kirk and follow the road down over the bridge and then turn left up the drive. Halfway up the drive turn right up into the car park.
Food & Drink
At Roulotte Retreat
The following can be arranged directly with Avril and Alan:
Breakfast hampers (meat, vegetarian or vegan).
Champagne on ice, decorated Roulotte Retreat style.
As a group visiting Roulotte Retreat you may wish to organise food for a special occasion. Ask Avril and Alan about excellent local caterers.
Pubs & restaurants
Marmions, Melrose (4 miles) - a relaxed, laid-back bistro atmosphere with delicious food from many cultures, including Turkish-inspired dishes.
The Town House, Melrose (4 miles) - a contemporary restaurant with first class food and beautiful décor.
Burts, Melrose (4 miles) -a great bar suppers and restaurant.
Montecassino, Melrose (4 miles) - serving Italian pizzas and much more, in a family friendly atmosphere.
Seasons, Gattonside (5.5 miles) - serving wonderful food in a relaxed inviting atmosphere. They also have superb desserts.
The Buccleuch, St. Boswells (3 miles) - bar suppers both inside and in the delightful garden.
Main Street Trading Gallery, St. Boswells (3 miles) - a bookstore and café with delicious cake and coffee.
The Denholm Meet, Denholm (10 miles) - a fabulous bistro, well worth the drive, with Aladdin’s Cave style antique shop upstairs and monthly music nights.
The County Hotel, Selkirk (6.5 miles) - a great coffee shop, bar food and excellent restaurant with exquisite décor.
The Flat Cat, Lauder (13 miles) - a great café and art gallery featuring local artists, do leave room for the cakes! Furniture by Tim Stead.
The Jammy Coo, Lilliesleaf (10 miles) - a café and art gallery with friendly atmosphere in a small local village.
Oscars, Kelso (12.5 miles) - serving excellent food in this borders market town, open evenings – try the excellent fajitas, veggie and non-veg.
Beanscene, Hawick (13.5 miles) - a café with music, cinema and events, overlooking the river.
The Glen Cafe, St. Mary’s Loch, Yarrow Valley (23.5 miles). After the wonderful views on the way up the valley and a walk by the lochs it is so refreshing to visit The Glen with its bistro-type atmosphere, all the Sunday papers and free internet.
Activities
At Roulotte Retreat
Birdwatching
Yoga - stretch the body, discover the power of the breath and calm the mind with Yoga, in one-to-one sessions or small groups.
Massage – indulge yourself and let the tension melt away with a full menu of massage therapies.
Beauty treatments - treat yourself to some beauty treatments for an extra bit of pampering.
Personal training – work out with a personal trainer, either one-to-one or in small groups.
Roulotte Retreat often offer themed breaks, such as yoga, art, creative writing, fitness, the art of massage, active sport – ask Avril & Allan for more details.
Outdoor and active
St. Cuthbert’s Way long-distance footpath meanders nearby and woodlands, streams, waterfalls and hills complete the surrounding beautiful landscape.
The River Tweed flows nearby, in fact the very burn which runs through the meadow flows into this famous salmon fishing river, which meanders through the local countryside en route to the sea at Berwick upon Tweed.
The beautiful valleys of Yarrow and Ettrick fan out from Selkirk and onwards up towards Moffat and Eskdalemuir where the famous Tibetan Monastery of Samye Ling is situated. Another neighbouring valley moves towards Peebles and its mountain biking terrain. There's also horse-riding and canoeing, plus many other outdoor options nearby.
Places to visit
Melrose, home of Rugby Sevens and the Borders Book Festival - 3 miles away.
Plenty of events held in the Scottish Borders throughout the year as well as excellent restaurants, swimming pools, cinema and theatres.
Meet your hosts
Meet Avril and Alan
They are the inspiration and driving force behind Roulotte Retreat; their warm personalities and zest for life touch everyone who visits and from the vibrant colours of the roulottes through to the meadow with its wonderful wildlife, every aspect of Roulotte Retreat reflects their beliefs, values and interests.
In March 2008 the idea emerged of a romantic retreat in their meadow. A place where guests could restore, recharge, rejuvenate, just by being there, surrounded by nature. The first caravan to arrive was the traditional bowtop. They then discovered roulottes. In September 2008, Avril and Alan travelled to France to meet the artisans who would go on to create their dream of wooden Romany style caravans, or roulottes, as they are known in France.
Avril and Alan didn't just want roulottes, they wanted to work with highly skilled craftsman recognised for their beautiful carving and work, who could create designs unique to Roulotte Retreat inspired by Avril and Alan's ideas. This search has taken them to France as well as The Netherlands and some of the next roulottes are currently being built in both countries. Made of oak, ash, chestnut, pine and wild cherry, each French roulotte takes two carpenters six months to complete. Quality furniture has been lovingly sourced over the last couple of years and exotic fabrics have been hand finished into the finest drapes to adorn the walls, perfecting the roulottes' unusual, quirky interiors.
Roulotte Retreat opened in August 2010 with the first two roulottes, Devanna and Karlotta, both from France. In 2011 four more roulottes from France and The Netherlands arrived and settled in the meadow. Each roulotte has its own personality and unique style inviting guests to book according to their mood and taste…
Roulotte history
There is much discussion about this but it is generally agreed that Gypsies are an Indian people who left the subcontinent in the 10th century for Persia. From there, the exodus continued to Armenia, Syria, the future Iraq, Byzantine Greece, the Balkans, Western Europe, and North America. Long past World War II, roulottes remained a way of life for European Gypsies.
Initially these groups left on foot, carrying their heavy loads, but later acquired donkeys to transport their belongings. The more affluent would buy wagons which were drawn by oxen and these would be covered by a felt cover – the original Gypsy caravan, or ‘living wagon’. At the beginning of the 19th century the first wooden carts were used as houses and by the end of the 19th century wooden Gypsy caravans replaced the wicker wagon predecessors and so became real homes on wheels with a door, windows, shutters and a chimney.
Like little wooden homes on wheels, roulottes have captured the imagination of all those who have seen them roll along the lanes and villages of France. Now they are being rescued, restored and new designs based on the originals are being created to bring them back to life again, representing the spirit of the proud nomadic people who lived in them.
In 1888 van Gogh painted Encampment of Gypsies with Caravans, in the area of Arles. ‘Madeline and the Gypsies’, written by Bemelman in 1959, is the story of the famous schoolgirl Madeline and Pepito and their adventure where they join the circus and tour France in a roulotte. The great Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt is also connected with the roulotte as are the Gypsy Kings, who come from Gypsy communities in Arles and Montpellier.
Environmental policy
Avril and Alan are committed to being as environmentally friendly as possible and urge guests to be so too. In the meadow they have planted native trees and hedging to encourage wildlife, flowers and berries and increase biodiversity. The wildlife pond is lined naturally with clay and filtered by reeds so it is clean, fresh water supporting an abundance of aquatic life and plants.
The roulottes are made from locally sourced timber from near where they are made in France and The Netherlands. Although being imported, they made a decision to buy them from the local artisans who have been carrying on this ancient craft and creating unique roulottes. They have used a local haulage company in the Scottish Borders who already travel over to France and The Netherelands and so were able to transport the roulottes on their return journey. The roulottes and cottage are painted with eco-friendly paint and use natural materials whenever possible. The roulottes are equipped with many energy-efficient appliances including eco kettles and toasters. Solar lighting and minimal low level lighting only is used throughout the site to avoid light pollution in such a natural environment, which is excellent for star-gazing. All loos are low flush and 'water pebbles' are used in the showers to reduce water usage. The firepit and campfires are supplied with wood from local woodlands and water butts collect rainwater which helps to water the plants or clean wellies. Herbs are grown in the meadow and the meandering chickens can supply free range eggs. No cars are allowed in the meadow to preserve the natural integrity of the landscape. Guests are asked to arrive in one car only and they have space allocated in a natural car park sheltered by trees.
Wildlife
Avril and Alan have enhanced the beauty of the local landscape by planting more native trees, shrubs and wildflowers providing a natural environment where both holiday guests and the resident wildlife can happily co-exist in harmony with each other. Roulotte Retreat is situated in a beautiful three-acre meadow set below the Eildon Hills (as legend goes, home to the sleeping King Arthur and his Knights as well as the Queen of the Fairies and her Queendom who led Thomas the Rhymer astray all those years ago). The West Burn runs through the field offering delightful pools en route to its junction with the Bowden Burn and onwards to the River Tweed and the sea. In the middle of the meadow is a wildlife pond complete with jetty and small shingle beach (the jetty cannot be accessed by guests). The meadow landscape reflects that of the surrounding countryside with mounds of broom, gorse, hawthorn and wild rose. The owners have left the area to re-wild so wildlife abounds in and around the meadow – at night you can hear the hooting of owls, in the early morning you may catch a glimpse of the elusive deer. A family of badgers are known to come out and play at the end of the drive when they think no one is looking. Great bird-watching is right on your doorstep with nuthatches, yellowhammers, goldfinches, goldcrests, tree-creepers, long-tailed tits, woodpeckers, blue tits, sparrowhawks, swallows and kites amongst others. Herons arrive for a snack from the burn in the meadow and pheasants stroll in to share food with the chickens and geese. Voles, moles, fieldmice, rabbits, hares and foxes share the fields and hedgerows.
Reviews
We had received a voucher for Canopy & Stars from close friends as a wedding gift and decided to use the voucher for our 1st wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful stay, we ended up walking up to the top of the middle Eildon hill and then went out for dinner and had such a lovely anniversary ❤️ Absolutely loved the Shivanni Roulotte, it was beautiful and has so many gorgeous details. It's such a beautiful location and we were lucky enough weather-wise last night to see the stars. We really enjoyed the experience and we'll definitely be leaving a 5 star
17/09/2023Georgia
We had an amazing time at Shivanni. From the start everything was spotlessly clean and the roulette was cosy. We had everything we could need and there were lots of extra touches like a sign leading us to a sunset watching bench. The whole weekend was perfectly peaceful and quiet.
16/09/2022Polly
Lovely, very peaceful, beautiful roulotte!
24/08/2022Maureen
The stay was in a beautiful location where you can easily escape from anything due to its remoteness. The caravan was beautiful and although there were others on the ground it made it feel like we were the only ones there due to the wonderful wildlife throughout the grounds. The hosts were very friendly and we particularly enjoyed watching the chickens roam around.
20/09/2021Steven
Had a fabulous staying in Shivanni, so relaxing and peaceful.
04/09/2021Sonia
Booking Terms
Canopy & Stars low price promise
Book with us in confidence knowing you won’t find that place cheaper elsewhere. All of the prices we display are set and matched by our Owners. (In this world of foreign currency, we do have to say 'subject to exchange rates' for some of our European places.)
What does ‘from price’ mean?
Our ‘from price’ is based on a four night stay in low season and designed to help you to compare different prices across our collection. Some of our Owners vary their nightly rates and check in days throughout the year, so it may differ from the rate quoted below the calendar. It is quite common (although by no means universal) for places to charge a little more in peak season or for shorter stays, to cover changeover costs. Consider booking longer stays during the cooler months if you’re looking for the lowest nightly rates.
Agency Terms & Conditions
Except where otherwise specified, we Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd (Company No 09088366) of Merchants House, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RW act only as an Agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. As an Agent we act as an intermediary between you and the owner (‘’Owner’’) of the holiday accommodation (‘’Property’’) you will be staying in. We help to arrange reservations and bookings between you and the Owner and take payments from you on behalf of the Owner.
We are only arranging a contract between you and the Owner for hire of the Property and for any other services or arrangement you purchase from the Owner (the “Booking”). This means the legal contract for the Booking is between you and the Owner despite the fact that a payment for the Booking has been made to the Agent. Your contract for the Booking is not with Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd (Canopy & Stars).
Canopy & Stars is part of the Sawday’s family of companies, a majority employee owned business, 24% owned by a charitable trust and a B Corp. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into in relation to Bookings or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any Booking.
When making your Booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the Owner, as detailed in clause 1.2 below. Your Booking is subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other specific booking conditions of the relevant Owner(s) you contract with. The Owner’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Owner’s liability to you.
You may decide to make more than one Booking at the same time. The price charged in total for more than one Booking will always equal the prices charged separately for each individual Booking. All Bookings are available to be purchased separately at the same price as they are when more than one Booking is made. This means that any multiple Bookings do not constitute a package as defined in the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.
By making a booking, you agree that:
- You have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
- The lead name on the Booking will be the person responsible for the Booking and shall be responsible for paying the deposit and the full price, for making any amendment and cancellation requests and for the payment of any additional charges. The lead name accepts these Terms & Conditions on behalf of all persons in the Booking;
- You consent to our use of your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy;
- You are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age
The Canopy & Stars online booking system enables Guests to make Bookings 24 hours a day. To confirm your booking, you must pay a 25% deposit (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of your check in date) and the entire Booking will be subject to the cancellation policy as outlined in clause 2 below. The Canopy & Stars telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturdays 10am to 2pm. When using the online enquiry form, for those Properties without online booking, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the Booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone, we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm). Online or email enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment. Therefore, if possible, we do recommend that you book on the Canopy & Stars website using the online booking system.
1. Booking and payments
1.1 In order to confirm your chosen Booking, you must pay a 25% non-refundable deposit as required (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of the date of your check-in). The deposit is non-refundable as it covers costs incurred and services provided to enable your Booking. These include, but are not limited to, marketing and PR, property inspection fees, Owner management, booking management, credit card fees and customer service.
1.2 Your Booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Owner will exist when we receive payment of the deposit and send you a booking confirmation on the Owner’s behalf. This Booking confirmation email will be sent within 24 hours and will contain the details of your Booking and of payments made and due. If you have not received your Booking confirmation email within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk). Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. As we act only as booking Agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.
1.3 Once the 25% deposit has been paid, the full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in. A reminder to pay your balance will be sent to you one week prior to this 10 week date, where applicable, by email. We automatically take the balance payment using the same card as used to make the deposit payment. It is your responsibility to advise us if we should use a different card and to contact us by telephone (0117 204 7830) to arrange for alternative payment method. If the automated balance payment does not successfully go through as there is a problem with your card, such as it is expiring, then we will contact you to try and take alternative payment. If you do not make any payment due to Canopy & Stars by the due date for payment and at the latest within 5 days of this date, then with regret, we will notify the Owner who will cancel your Booking and terminate their contract with you. In these circumstances, your rights to a refund are set out in clause 2.3 and 2.4 below. Please note that if you have paid in a currency that is different to the original pricing, we will not be able to guarantee the same conversion rate that was used to convert the deposit payment.
1.4 Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Owner concerned, all monies you pay to us for a Booking will be held on behalf of the Owner(s) concerned.
1.5 Credit Card payments are processed via Elavon who provide merchants services facilities to Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd.
2. Cancellation by You
2.1 If you have to, or want to cancel or amend your Booking, this request must be sent to us by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk) and will be considered and responded to within two working days of receipt. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your Booking prior to travel. Whilst we will always try to help, we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met.
2.2 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your 25% deposit being forfeited. The deposit is always non-refundable as it covers costs incurred and services provided to enable your Booking.
2.3 All bookings are non-amendable and non-refundable within 10 weeks of your check in date. If you need to cancel your booking within 10 weeks, the total cost of the accommodation including the deposit will be forfeited. Cancellation should always be in writing to bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk.
2.4 If you need to cancel your booking at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, the 25% deposit will be forfeited. If the booking has been paid in full the balance will be returned to you, minus the 25% deposit. Refunds will be issued in the same form and ratio as the original payment was made. Therefore, if a Gift Voucher was used to book your stay, the refund will be back onto a new Gift Voucher at the same amount as originally used. Alternatively, if you paid in cash, your refund will be processed in the currency of the booking. Where this is different to the currency of the payment card, this will be converted at the current exchange rate on the day of the refund.
2.5 Cancellations made by you, at any time, may incur a £50 administration fee in addition to us retaining the non-refundable deposit. This represents the administration costs incurred by us on behalf of the Owner to deal with such requests.
2.6 If extreme weather prevents you from reaching your holiday, taking, or finishing your holiday, you are still subject to these cancellation terms as outlined in clause 2.3 above. We strongly recommend that you take out a travel insurance policy which covers this eventuality. In the event of the property becoming unavailable (such as due to fire or flooding), Canopy & Stars will endeavour to provide the Guest with suitable alternative accommodation, starting with any other accommodation that may be available with the same Owner of your Booking, or will refund all monies paid, or a proportion in the case of curtailment. The Agency cannot, however, pay any compensation or expenses as a consequence of such an event.
2.7 Cancellation insurance is available to purchase from many providers, but will be a third-party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way. You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party for UK holidays and you must take out personal travel insurance for international holidays, including for illness and cancellation due to Covid-19. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover is adequate for your needs, including cancellation and curtailment.
2.8 If you fail to check-in on your date of arrival your Booking will be cancelled and no refund will be due.
3. Amendments to your booking, requested by you
3.1 Amendments to your Booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time amendments may be treated as cancellation and our refund policy as detailed in clause 2.3 above may apply. All amendments are subject to availability and may incur a £50 admin fee detailed in clause 2.5 above.
3.2 If we can fulfil your request to amend your booking, any differences in price as a result of the amendment, will be paid by you in the case of an increase and refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price, e.g. amending your booking from low season to high season.
3.3 In the event that a date swap is offered, this will normally be agreed with a set timeframe to rebook and sometimes a credit against a future stay will be offered. The credit can only apply to a stay at the same space as originally booked.
3.3.1 If a date swap is offered, then the Agency Booking Terms and Conditions applied at the time of your original booking will still apply. Therefore, if your date was swapped within 10 weeks of the original check in date, the 10 week cancellation policy set out in clause 2.3 applies to your new stay, even if the new check in date is beyond 10 weeks.
4. Refunds
If a refund is issued it will be in the same form and ratio as the original payment was made. Therefore, if a Gift Voucher was used to purchase the original stay, the refund will be back onto a new Gift Voucher at the same amount as originally used.
5. Insurance
You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party for your holiday, including holidays in the UK. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover is adequate for your needs, including cancellation and curtailment for any reason. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday.
6. Changes and Cancellations by the Owner
We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Owner needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Booking or to cancel your Booking. We will also liaise between you and the Owner to try and organise an alternative Booking offered by the Owner, or a refund but we will have no further liability to you.
7. Cancellations due to events outside of Owner’s control
An Owner may have to cancel a booking due to events outside of their reasonable control (see clause 22). In such circumstances, we will liaise between you and the Owner to try and organise an any alternative Booking offered by the Owner, or a refund but we will have no further liability to you.
8. Complaints & Procedure
We always aim to provide the best possible holiday experience, however, if you have any complaint or problems during your stay, please immediately notify the Owner during the stay itself, so that the Owner has the opportunity to resolve the problem at the time. If you do not follow this procedure, there will be less opportunity for the Owner to investigate and resolve your complaint and to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Delays may also mean that the amount of compensation you may be entitled to, may be reduced or negated.
Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also let us know of the problem as soon as possible by emailing info@canopyandstars.co.uk. We will aim to respond within 1 working day to acknowledge your email. We will then review your feedback and investigate the complaint. This may involve discussing your concerns with the owner, revising the website listing for inaccuracies, and reviewing previous guest feedback and internal inspection notes. This process can take time to complete, so please allow approx. 7 working days for a final response.
We also welcome you to fill in our feedback survey which will be sent to you via email the day after you check out. It is important for us to gather as much information as possible about the experiences our guests are having. This is what helps us support our Owner in fulfilling their potential and identifying if anything could be improved.
9. Our Responsibility for your Booking
Your contract is with the Owner and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Booking. Our responsibilities are limited to making the Booking in accordance with your instructions and acting properly in accordance with our legal duties as an Agent. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Booking that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your Booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the Booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.
10. Your Responsibilities
10.1 Please note that you have a contract with the Owner of the property. As such you are under a responsibility to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner whilst staying at the property with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their Property.
10.2 You are responsible for informing the Owner of any losses or damage to the property as soon as possible. Please note that you will be liable to pay the Owner for any losses or damage to the property caused by you or a member of your party (except reasonable wear and tear). Some Owners may also require a damage deposit. If so, this information will be provided on the website place page under ‘essentials’.
10.3 You must also leave the property by the check-out time specified on your Booking. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period and/or refuse any future bookings from you. Please note that this would be without the right to any refund.
11. Pets
11.1 Not all properties accept pets. If you wish to take your pet on holiday, please advise us before booking and we can check whether pets are accepted at the property. You must obtain the prior consent of the Owner before taking any pets to the property. If you take a pet to a place that doesn’t allow pets, or you exceed the number of pets allowed at a place, the Owner has the right to refuse you to stay at the Property, and/or they may ask you to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period. Please note that this would be without the right to any refund.
11.2 A nightly charge may be made by the Owner for each pet and additional terms may apply, you will be notified of this at point of Booking. Please check these terms carefully before booking and arriving.
11.3 Please do not leave your pets alone or unsupervised in the property at any time during your stay. For the safety and comfort of your pet we request that Owners exercise due diligence at all times, especially where the property is located near a road/livestock. Canopy & Stars nor the Owner can accept responsibility for the safety of your pet.
11.4 If any guest has an allergy to pets, please be aware that Owners (and we) cannot guarantee that a pet has not stayed in a particular Property. We and Owners cannot accept responsibility for any suffering which may occur as a result of such animals having been present in a property.
11.5 We ask that all owners of pets keep their pet under control at all times and to be responsible for ensuring that they do not damage the Property, livestock or vegetation during the stay. You will be liable for any damage caused by your pet. Any damage is to be reported to the Owner immediately. Any additional cleaning required, that may incur an additional charge, will be at the Owner's discretion.
12. Special requests
If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, allergy, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Owner, but unfortunately, we can't guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.
13. Maximum Numbers
Please note that except by prior arrangement confirmed in writing, only the number of persons specified on a booking confirmation may occupy a property. Most owners reserve the right to refuse admittance or revoke a Booking if this condition is not observed and you are unlikely to receive any refund.
13.1 The Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property. As Agent, we will have no liability to you in these circumstances.
13.2 The Owner only supplies the Property for domestic and private use. You agree not to use the Property for any commercial, business or re-sale purpose, and the Owner has no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption, or loss of business opportunity. If you do wish to use the Property for a commercial purpose, you must contact Canopy & Stars prior to confirming your booking.
14. Group Bookings
Not all Owners accept Bookings for a single sex group (for example, a stag or hen party). Guests wanting to make such a Booking should check with us beforehand to enable us to check whether the Owner is prepared to accept the Booking. We will then advise you accordingly. In event that an Owner does not accept this type of Booking then it is with regret, that the Booking may be cancelled, and cancellation fees may apply. It is the Guest’s responsibility to enquire with Canopy & Stars and/or check on our website beforehand to make sure that this type of Booking is permitted.
15. Pricing
15.1 Canopy & Stars reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time on behalf of the Owner. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.
15.2 Rates are set per place in the currency specified by the Owner. Where this has been converted into the currency of your preference, until the payment stage this will be an estimation only, based on a recent exchange rate. The original rate will be displayed before you confirm your payment and you will be given the option of paying in your own currency at our guaranteed rate, or paying in your own currency and leaving the conversion and any associated fees to your card provider.
16. Information & Accuracy
The information and prices shown on this website are varied from time to time and may change between the time you first view a property and make a Booking. You should check that all the details are as you expect prior to making a Booking. It is always possible that, despite our best efforts, some of the properties (including the features and extras available) may be incorrectly described and/or priced. If we discover this is the case after you have made a Booking, we reserve the right to contact you with details of the correct information and/or pricing and will give you the option to:
(1) proceed with the Booking based on the correct information and/or pricing, which may require the payment of an additional amount by you
OR
(2) subject to availability, change your booking dates to dates when the pricing can be honoured and so no additional charge to you. In the event that a lower price can be offered for alternative dates then the difference would be refunded
OR
(3) cancel the Booking. If we do not receive your instructions within 5 days of contacting you, we reserve the right to cancel your Booking without liability to you.
17. VAT
Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable, the tax is included in the advertised holiday rental price. If the rate of VAT changes between the date of the Booking and the date of the stay, Canopy & Stars may adjust the rate of VAT that you pay, unless you have already paid for the Booking in full before the change in the rate of VAT takes effect.
18. Visa, passport and health requirements
Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume that all members of your party are British citizens who hold or will hold full British passports valid for the entire duration of the international Booking. Information on visa, passport and health requirements, where given and applicable, is so given on this basis. Requirements may change and you are therefore strongly recommended to check the up to date position with the Owner of the Booking, Passport Office, appropriate embassy or consulate or your doctor as applicable in good time before the commencement of your holiday. Prior to international travel it is your responsibility to check whether it is safe to travel by visiting the FCO website www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
19. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions have been drafted in accordance with and are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any and all disputes arising out of these Agency Terms & Conditions.
20. Discrepancies
In case of a discrepancy between these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Agency Terms & Conditions shall prevail.
21. Validity clause
In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Agency Terms & Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Agency Terms & Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.
22. Events beyond an Owner or Agency’s control
If an Owner or Canopy & Stars is prevented or delayed from complying with any of their respective obligations under these Agency Terms & Conditions or a contract for a Booking due to events or circumstances beyond their reasonable control, the inability or delay in performing those obligations will not be treated as a breach of these Agency Terms & Conditions or a contract for a Booking. Examples of such events or circumstances include fire, flood and other acts of God, strikes, trade disputes, lock outs, restrictions of imports or exports, riot, accident, disruption to energy supplies, civil commotion, acts of terrorism or war, pandemic (including Covid-19), any national/local/regional government restrictions.
Thank you for wading through all the very boring, but very important stuff above.
Now the outdoors is calling, so go and get wild in nature!
We had received a voucher for Canopy & Stars from close friends as a wedding gift and decided to use the voucher for our 1st wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful stay, we ended up walking up to the top of the middle Eildon hill and then went out for dinner and had such a lovely anniversary ❤️ Absolutely loved the Shivanni Roulotte, it was beautiful and has so many gorgeous details. It's such a beautiful location and we were lucky enough weather-wise last night to see the stars. We really enjoyed the experience and we'll definitely be leaving a 5 star
17/09/2023