Fonte Lodge
Beira, Portugal
Vinha Da Manta
- Our low price promise from €110 p/n
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Safari tent
Sleeps 4 /
Extra space for 1 adult
- King-size double, three single bunks
Overview
Vinha da Manta is stunning. Dotted with olive, almond, peach, cherry and fig trees, the estate has an eco-filtered natural pool for swimming, with a bar where you can get drinks and lunches and meet other guests. For your main evening meal, owner Menno’s cooking is not to be missed - he cooks four-course gourmet meals every other day using home-grown produce wherever possible. A huge continental breakfast is included every morning of your stay.
The canvas lodges come complete with private kitchens and outdoor bathrooms; interior furnishings are bespoke designs inspired by the shapes and colours of the surrounding landscape, while natural materials, neutral colours and soft lighting create a calm, relaxing environment. Each has plenty of privacy with a wooden terrace giving dramatic views down the valley. Fonte Lodge even has its own private swimming hole built into the deck, fed by spring water (giving it its name – Fonte is Portugese for spring).
Horses are Jacqueline’s passion, and one of the reasons she and Menno moved from Holland to Portugal. She’s happy to take guests out for a ride on one of their six horses at Vinha da Manta. Menno and Jacqueline can organise activities from guided hikes to wine tasting, or you can go exploring by yourself – fantastic wild swimming, prehistoric cave paintings, Moorish fortresses and much more.
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check-in is from 3pm
- Check-out is before 11am
Sleeping arrangements
- King-size double, three single bunks
Extra space available
Space for 1 baby no charge. Travel cot and high chair available on request
Space for 2 pets no charge. Please be aware there are chickens and other animals on site
Space for 1 adult from €15 per adult per night All bedding provided. Children very welcome at same rate.
Kids & Pets
Children and pets are very welcome
Cooking
- Kitchen inside lodge with full range of kitchen appliances (including hob and fridge)
- All crockery, cutlery, pots and pans
- Coffee percolator
Washing
- Private bathroom with toilet and semi-outdoor hot shower
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Gas burner
- Electric blankets in cooler months
- Electric lighting throughout
- All bedding and towels provided
- Plug sockets throughout
Entertainment
- Books and board games to borrow at the main house
- Swimming pool
- WiFi at main house
Getting there
Vinha da Manta, Quinta Do Barata, 6300-095 Faia, Guarda, PORTUGAL
Main road turn off: ///prospered.fighters.bravest
By plane
You can fly to Porto (2 hrs' drive), Lisbon (3 hrs), Madrid (4 hrs) and Valladolid (2½). It's best to hunt around for good deals!
Possibilities include:
TAP to Porto or Lisbon;
Easyjet to Madrid, Lisbon or Porto;
KLM to Lisbon or Madrid;
Transavia to Lisbon or Madrid;
Ryanair to Porto, Lisbon, Madrid or Valladolid
By train
The nearest station is Guarda, 12 km, a stopping point for all intercity trains as well as the international train from Paris. Check here for train times. From Guarda you can get a taxi to Faia for around €15.
By bus
There are quite good bus connections from Porto, Lisbon and Madrid to Guarda. Bus information can be found here.
By car
From Porto: From the airport follow first the A44 or A4 to Porto till you see the A1 (toll road) towards Lisbon . Follow this until the exit Aveiro/Viseu to the A25. Take the direction to Viseu and after Viseu the direction to Guarda. Leave the motorway at junction 28, follow signs IP5/Porto de Carne. Take exit Transito/Porte de Carne to the N16. Follow this road about 12 miles and then turn to the right to Faia. Take that exit and drive down the valley. At the roundabout drive into the village Faia (3d exit). Continue straight through the narrow streets of the ancient village, the road winds to the right and then left. At the end of the village begins a new asphalt road. Follow this road up until you're on top of the hill and the road curves to the left, follow the road and after 500 meters (along the white water basin) on your left is a dirt track (300 meters) that leads to our estate.
From Lisbon: From the airport follow the motorway A1 direction Porto until the exit of Torres Novas, Castelo Branco and Abrantes. Then follow the A23 to Guarda, exit 35. Follow the signs Hospital, to the roundabout with the modern image in the shape of the letter G. From there, follow the signs for Vale do Mondego. Drive through the villages Cubo, Prado and Chaos, where you will see the lake on your left. Then take the exit to Pero Soares on the left. After Pero Soares, after the cemetery, you get a sharp bend, take the turn in the new asphalt country road on the right, which shows the sign of our neighbours, Dominio Vale do Mondego. After 800 meters there is a dirt road to the right. This is the entrance to Vinha da Manta. It only takes 300 meters to get to our estate.
From Salamanca, Spain (also if you will be arriving by car from England) :
Cross the border at Vila Formosa on the A23 and drive to Guarda. Take the A23 towards Castelo Branco and turn right at the first exit, number 35. Follow the signs Guarda centro/Hospital, to the roundabout with the modern sculpture in the shape of the letter G. From there, follow the signs to Vale do Mondego. Drive through the villages Cubo, Prado and Chaos, where the lake will be on your left side. At the end of the village of Chaos, turn left, direction to Barragem, along the lake. Take that exit and follow the road to Pero Soares. After Pero Soares, after the cemetery, you get a sharp left curve with on the right a new asphalt country road, which shows a sign that says Dominio Vale do Mondego. After 800 meters there is a dirt road to the right.
This is the entrance to Vinha da Manta. It only takes 300 meters to get to our estate.
Food & Drink
At Vinha Da Manta
Vinha Da Manta is located in a fantastic area, where small-scale farmers and producers offer unique local specialities. Renowned are the cheeses from Celorico Da Beira, the cherries from Faia, the wine from Aldeia Viçosa and not to forget the olive oil from the valley below - its fruity flavour may remind you of artichoke.
The kitchen is Menno’s domain - he serves a daily breakfast, and an sumptuous evening meal every other night, all made from fresh produce either from his own vegetable garden or from local farmers. He describes his style as "Mediterranean classics with a touch of cheeky input from myself". Think clams with piri-piri and coriander, lamb loin in anise herbs and presunto (dried Portuguese ham from Iberian pigs), tagine with figs and bio-dynamic lamb, bread and pizza from the wood oven and pesto made from Portuguese basil.
If on Menno's days off you'd like to cook for yourself, each lodge has a fully-equipped kitchen and there are shops in Porto de Carne (4km) or Guarda (12km) where you can stock up.
Pubs & Restaurants
Besides Vinha da Manta's own very popular restaurant there are several restaurants in the surroundings ranging from the “all you can eat for almost nothing” to the more “fine dining” venues.
Activities
At Vinha Da Manta
Vinha da Manta is the perfect place to do absolutely nothing - just read a book at the pool, take an occasional nap in the shade and get a snack and drink at the pool.
Outdoor & Active
Hiking
The “Parque Natural da Serra de Estrela” is famous for its rugged granite formations, alternating with savannah-like plains where the indigenous Bordeleira sheep still graze. This protected natural area, that has escaped mass tourism, can be discovered from Vinha Da Manta with some great tours. Old trails that run criss-cross through the area, that often date back to Roman times, lead the walker over vast mountain ranges and through sparsely populated valleys, where wild boars, eagles and foxes wander around in large numbers. This area, even during the hot Iberian summer, is a green oasis. Menno and Jacqueline are happy to drop you off at a good starting point if you're not driving.
Horse riding
This is the perfect place for horse lovers, whether you're an experienced rider or just a beginner. Jacqueline has been working with horses practically her whole life and is more than happy to take guests out fir a ride (at the moment this is limited to two guests at a time).
Swimming
There are several places where you can swim. The natural swimming pond at Vinha da Manta itself has both a deep end for diving and a shallower end for kids. There's also a river within walking distance, ideal for swimming and playing. It is always cool and calm. There are several places. What we think as the best place, which can be reached by car, there are many flat rocks where you can easily lie down on and the kids can play safely. And of course, there are many other places that are not even discovered yet. Just a short drive away, there is a large reservoir, with a small beach where you can enjoy a quiet long swim. There is also a “praia fluvial” in almost every village, which are beaches along the riverside. They often have a little bar with cold drinks and ice creams and a slide for children.
Local villages
In Portugal, in the old villages, there is still plenty of population, and they are very interested in anyone who comes along. Our environment is 5000 years old cultural landscape. From the prehistoric rock art here in the Coa Valley, through the many Roman roads, even next to our property, Moorish fortresses and castles around here to the tangible traces of the medieval Iberian history in the old Guarda from the 11th century. You can find something back from every age in the landscape, which includes people who live partly in the 21st century, but clearly have their roots in an almost medieval society. The old ladies dressed in black with a bundle of sticks on their heads, the last donkeys, the common baker's ovens, the Christmas fire, the busy village pub, the Eastern processions, in short, everything here is very much alive and takes place in an environment that is as it was 200 years ago.
Further afield, you can visit Salamanca (Spain), The Douro valley, and the highest point of Portugal (2000m) which is also a ski resort in winter.
Meet your hosts
From owners Menno and Jacqueline:
"We are Menno and Jacqueline. In 2011 we moved to Portugal together with our 3 children, Finn (now 16), Thijm (now 13) and Kate (now 10). We wanted to create something special for and by ourselves, where we can both live and share our passions at the same time. Menno's passion is cooking and as a viticulturist he is also passionate about wine. Horses are Jacqueline's main passion.
We were both active in the business sector in the Netherlands. Menno was manager of Amsterdam Central Station and Jacqueline was an IT consultant. Vinha Da Manta represents a time for new challenges and a different interpretation of our everyday lives.
Vinha Da Manta is a small estate of 10 hectares that we arrange as we would like to have it when we ourselves go on vacation. We created beautiful spaces and an environment in which peace and comfort together with friendliness and a sociable atmosphere. We love to share all of this with our guests.
We opened the doors of Vinha Da Manta in the summer of 2012. We realized an accommodation where we ourselves would like to go to – light, air, space, enjoying the nature, good food, a good atmosphere and luxury. That is why we would like to keep Vinha da Manta small and intimate, with a certain amount of exclusivity. We run the company ourselves, which means that everything is done to maintain our own high standards. We are constantly improving what we have created, and make it even better, year after year. We are constantly seeking for a way to provide our guests the best holiday experience possible and at the same time we also have a clear ecological conscience. We combine "green" with luxury. We are committed to protecting the relationship with the land, the local community and the natural environment, what goes well together with a luxurious, outdoor holiday. That is also the reason we have a natural pool, cleaned only by plants in which the water is better than from your home tap. Our own well provides us with the purest drinking water. We use local sustainable wood to build the platforms for our lodges and our fixtures and furnishes are designed in conjunction with the shapes and colours of the surrounding landscape. We grow our own vegetables for our restaurant as much as possible, all organic, just like our cheese, eggs and milk. Our fruit trees, vines, fig trees and olive trees are also organic. Total darkness is now a real treat, so we try to minimize light pollution with solar soft lighting. These are all just examples of the first steps we are taking, small but durable ones, to be able to share with our guests and taking them in a new way of seeing the world."
Reviews
We loved our stay. Fonte Lodge was such a special, unusual spot. The location is beautiful and rural - very few tourists. The accommodation was rustic but comfortable, we particularly liked our private 'plunge pool', the shared natural pool and our terrace with breathtaking views of the valley. The owners and the volunteers were all lovely and made us feel very welcome. The gardens and space on site, as well as the other kids and the cats and dog were really popular with our children. They also did a horse riding lesson which they really enjoyed. The food is unbelievable- it felt so special to be sat under the vines enjoying incredible 3-course meals cooked by Menno. We also liked how social it was and enjoyed chatting to the other guests. Fonte Lodge is unique - as a parent it was wonderful to be able to sit somewhere beautiful and wild and enjoy a cocktail whilst the children either ate their own adapted 3-course meal or ran wild through the gardens. A wild and beautiful stay where children and parents can both relax and enjoy themselves.
24/08/2024Claire
Beauty, food and kindness in Portugal. Vinha Da Manta is an organic paradise! Picture the greenest of mountains, fresh water springs, beautiful sunrises outside your own safari lodge...and then tie it all together around the warmest of communal tables serving amazing homemade food and lovely Portuguese wine. My girlfriend and I stayed in Fonte Lodge, which comes with it's own plunge pool. We loved how the lodge wasn't overlooked so we could sunbathe and swim without worry. The communal area where you go for breakfast and the amazing banquet meals is a short 5 minute walk away and slightly further to the larger wild pool complete with frogs! haha. The hospitality is definitely the biggest selling point. Jaqueline and Menno are wonderful hosts. Nothing was too much trouble, they even lent me a guitar for our stay. Menno's cooking is comparable to some of the best chefs, and you will dine for half the price of what you expect to pay for such amazing food! Honestly one of the best trips we've had and we only wish it was for longer... Thank you both so much!
17/09/2018kyla
Vinha da Manta is a paradise. The setting is idyllic, about 30 acres of ancient fruit farm at the head of a valley with huge views into the Serra da Estrela national park. Each lodge is set at the end of a separate terrace, very private, from which paths through wild flowers and fruit trees link them to the main house and terrace. The lodges are large safari-style canvas tents. Ours could sleep four, one double plus one bunk, open-plan layout, with a kitchen for light cooking. Outside is a wooden deck with furniture and shade, ours also had a spring-fed plunge pool. The shower and toilet is outside, in an adjacent wooden hut, all perfectly fine. Although this is luxury, it is still camping: there are steps, ruts and slopes. Owners Jaqueline and Menno are perfect hosts - helpful, efficient and friendly. Breakfast is a buffet, can be eaten outdoors on the house terrace overlooking the garden and valley, fresh bread and home-made jams, cheese, ham, cereals, fruit, tea, coffee, juices... Menno's evening meals are spectacular, three courses, home cooked, excellent value, there is no reason to eat anywhere else. All in all, one of the most relaxing and beautiful places we have been to.
23/06/2018John
What a wonderful place - glamping at the glamourous end of the scale!
21/05/2018Vicky
Fantastic time. Menno and Jacqueline and their amazing family and helpers really made our stay special. The location was beautiful, the lodge was great fun and the food was scrumptious. We were welcomed and treated as old friends as soon as we arrived. Our holiday was over all too soon but our daughter is going back next year as a volunteer for the summer! How many holidays end with an offer of a summer in Portugal!!!
29/05/2016Cheryl
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 loved our stay. Fonte Lodge was such a special, unusual spot. The location is beautiful and rural - very few tourists. The accommodation was rustic but comfortable, we particularly liked our private 'plunge pool', the shared natural pool and our terrace with breathtaking views of the valley. The owners and the volunteers were all lovely and made us feel very welcome. The gardens and space on site, as well as the other kids and the cats and dog were really popular with our children. They also did a horse riding lesson which they really enjoyed. The food is unbelievable- it felt so special to be sat under the vines enjoying incredible 3-course meals cooked by Menno. We also liked how social it was and enjoyed chatting to the other guests. Fonte Lodge is unique - as a parent it was wonderful to be able to sit somewhere beautiful and wild and enjoy a cocktail whilst the children either ate their own adapted 3-course meal or ran wild through the gardens. A wild and beautiful stay where children and parents can both relax and enjoy themselves.
24/08/2024