Terms of Stay

Any property you book with Discover Tekapo Accommodation (DT) is offered for your stay subject to the following terms which you agree to be bound by when confirming your booking.

Check in/out:
Unless agreed otherwise with DT, check-in is between 3-6 pm at our office in the village centre. We like to greet our guests on arrival when possible as we enjoy sharing local knowledge of activities, eating places and important information about your accommodation. However if you prefer a self check-in, or will be arriving after our office hours, we can provide access to a key-safe at the property on request.

An early check-in or late checkout request may be accepted dependent on our housekeeping scheduling, and could incur a fee. Standard check-out is by 10 am, and keys must be returned to DT’s office unless other arrangements made. We are also available for any assistance you may need during your stay with us.

Confirmation & payment:

A non-refundable $15 deposit is required to secure your booking, after which DT will email full confirmation details, including payment options.
Remaining payment may be made with credit card via DT’s secure payment gateway or by funds transfer to Discover Tekapo’s bank account at least three days prior to arrival. Alternatively, payment may be made on check-in at the DT office by cash or card. Credit card transactions incur a 2.75% transaction fee. AMEX or Diners cards are not accepted.
For bookings during the peak periods of Christmas, New Year and the winter school holidays DT may request a non-refundable 50% deposit a month in advance of arrival. .
For long-stay bookings of 5 or more nights DT may request a non-refundable 50% deposit a month in advance of arrival.
Bookings for Takapo Retreat require a non-refundable 50% deposit a month in advance of arrival or upon booking if booked less than 1 month prior.

All charges are subject to change without prior notice from time to time by DT. Any unpaid accounts will incur late payments fees, collection costs and any other associated legal fees.

Cancellations/Alterations:

We’d appreciate as much notice as possible for any cancellations or alterations to your booking.

Standard cancellation policy: if you alter or cancel your booking up to 7 days prior to your arrival date, you will be charged the $15 booking deposit. If you alter or cancel within 7 days of your arrival date you will be charged the total price of your original reservation. Alternatively, under certain circumstances we may agree to a credit towards a future booking.

Peak period cancellation policy: for bookings during the peak periods of Christmas, New Year and the winter school holidays your 50% deposit will be retained if you alter or cancel your booking up 1 month prior to your arrival date. If you alter or cancel within 1 month of your arrival date you will be charged the total price of your original reservation. We are happy to review this if you re-book future dates for a similar value and we are able to gain a replacement booking for the original dates.

Long stay cancellation policy: for bookings of 5 or more nights your 50% deposit will be retained if you alter or cancel your booking up 14 days prior to your arrival date. If you alter or cancel within 14 days of your arrival date you will be charged the total price of your original reservation. We are happy to review this if you re-book future dates for a similar value and we are able to gain a replacement booking for the original dates.

Takapo Retreat cancellation policy: if you alter or cancel your booking 14-30 days prior to your arrival date, your 50% non-refundable deposit will be retained by DT. If you alter or cancel within 14 days of your arrival date you will be charged the total price of your original reservation.We are happy to review this if you re-book future dates for a similar value and we are able to gain a replacement booking for the original dates.

As Tekapo is an alpine environment, please ensure that your travel insurance covers you for unexpected events resulting in last minute cancellations or alterations, including adverse weather conditions. The refund policy for cancellations due to extreme weather conditions, natural disaster, fire, pandemics, or other events outside of either the guests or DTs control will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Guest numbers:
Rates are based on the number of people staying in the house for each night of your booking, including children. If the number of people staying alters on any night from what was paid, you must advise us promptly and pay the relevant additional charge per person.

Cleaning & linen:
The rate includes full linen for the number of guests booked, and our team will clean the house after your stay. We ask that you leave it tidy on your departure. An extra fee will be charged if the house is left in an excessive mess or extra beds used. All our houses are non-smoking throughout.

Minimum stay:
Increased minimum night limitations may apply to event weekends, long statutory weekends or school holiday periods. However exceptions may be made so you are welcome to enquire with DT to check.

Gatherings, excessive noise:
Guests are expected to be respectful of neighbours and take music/noise indoors by 10pm. Excessive noise and disruptive behaviour may result in you being asked to leave the house immediately. Large gatherings for birthdays, weddings, conferences, or similar such activities, where the number of people in attendance at any one time exceeds the stated number the house sleeps, must first be approved by DT and may be subject to a bond.

Damage & excessive cleaning:
Guests are liable for any excessive cleaning charges or damage to the Property (including its contents) incurred during your stay, whether you or your invitees directly or indirectly cause it. You must report any damage immediately to DT, including any spills on any part of the Property. You must not attempt to remedy any such damage. DT may inspect the Property before and after your stay to ascertain what (if any) damage has been caused. Any costs incurred will be debited to your credit card and you will be advised of the details of the charges within 3 days of the debit.

Security bond:
One of our properties, Takapo Retreat, requires a $500 bond to be pre-authorised on a guest’s credit card for the duration of their stay and will be refunded in full subject to an inspection of the property after check-out.

BBQs:
Some houses have BBQs available for the guests use. If you run out of gas please phone the office. Please clean them after you have used it.

Dogs:
By prior agreement ONLY, a number of our houses welcome well-behaved, house trained dogs – see the full list of pet-friendly holiday homes here. Please ask about your pet when you book, otherwise they may be refused on arrival. A fee of $30 per dog per stay applies. Owners are expected to follow a few simple rules while staying – see FAQ’s for details. In case of any damages/stains on the carpet, etc. the credit card supplied to secure the reservation will be charged to cover any professional cleaning fees.

EV charging:
Only one of our properties offers an Electric Vehicle charger, Araki. Charging an EV in any other property is not permitted as they do not meet the Work Safe requirements. Please use the public EV charging station located at the Tekapo Four Square supermarket.

Unavailability:
Occasionally, due to circumstances beyond our control, the holiday home you booked may become unavailable for your dates of stay. If this occurs we will endeavour to accommodate you in an equivalent or better holiday home.
DT accepts no liability if for any reason the Property is withdrawn from our management before your stay. In that event, we will use reasonable endeavours to book you into an equivalent Property.

Lost property:
While every care will be taken to retrieve lost items, Discover Tekapo will not be held accountable or responsible for items lost or left behind by tenants. DT reserves the right to charge a collecting fee for any items left behind by the tenant.

Weather:
As Lake Tekapo is located in an alpine setting the weather can be changeable and unpredictable at times. When selecting a home, please be aware that properties located on hillsides or down long driveways may be inaccessible at times during snowfall. During winter the main roads are cleared quickly and events like this do not last long, however a 4WD and chains is recommended.

Faults:
We do not guarantee that the products and services that are listed in any of the homes will be continuous or fault free. DT will endeavour to repair/replace any faulty item but given the limited services available in the village this may not always be immediately possible. Events beyond our control, such as poor weather, power cuts or unforeseen electronic breakdowns, do not give the tenant the automatic entitlement to a discount, unless such event has prevented the tenant from being able to safely occupy the property altogether and DT are unable to relocate the tenant to a property of equal size and standard.

If upon arriving at your accommodation you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the property, DT expects immediate notification to allow us the opportunity to address the matter promptly. Any delay in bringing an issue to our attention will forfeit any entitlement to a possible discount.

Changing terms & giving notice:
We may change these terms by changing or removing existing terms or adding new ones, at any time. The change applies from the time it is published on our site. If we need to give you any notice, we can do this by emailing you at the last email address you have provided us. You are deemed to have received the email at the time the email leaves our server.

These terms constitute the entire agreement between you and ourselves. Our failure or delay in exercising or enforcing any right or provision of these terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

Breach of agreement:
If you breach this agreement during your stay, we may at its sole discretion evict you from the Property without refund of any monies paid by you. If you do not pay DT any monies when due, we may charge interest at the rate of 16% per annum which shall accrue on a daily basis on the total amount outstanding from the due date to the date of payment in full.

Indemnity:
You will indemnify DT for any claims, damages, penalties and losses (including its contents) in relation to any breach of this agreement by you.

Currency/Law:
All monies charged under this agreement are in the currency of New Zealand. This agreement will be governed by the laws of New Zealand.

Privacy:
You have the right to see any information held by DT about yourself or any default database, and to correct that information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993.

General:
If any provision of these terms is found by a Court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the Court should endeavour to give effect to the parties intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of these terms remain in full force and effect.