Araluen Lodge General Terms & Conditions
Introduction
By making a booking for accommodation or Experiences, the individual or entity making the booking (‘The Guest’) warrants that they have read these General Terms & Conditions and agrees to be bound by them, including any changes notified to them in writing prior to check-in or participation in the Experience.
For bookings made directly with The Property, where the date of check-in or Experience is more than 7 days in advance of the date of booking, The Guest has 48 hours from the time of booking or receipt of changes to these General Terms & Conditions to amend or cancel their booking and receive an amendment or refund of the cancelled component of their booking. This is referred to as the ‘48-hour grace period’.
Booking General
The Property will endeavour to provide the accommodation or Experience, but reserves the right to refuse a booking request or cancel a booking that is confirmed. Where a booking is confirmed, and is cancelled by The Property prior to check-in or participation in the Experience, suitable alternatives will be offered with a refund of the cancelled component of the booking provided if a mutually agreeable alternative is not available.
The Guest agrees to indemnify The Property against any costs arising from or associated with the refusal of a booking request or cancellation of a booking that is confirmed.
Booking Accommodation
All Accommodation is subject to availability and ‘conditions of occupancy’. Refer to Conditions of Occupancy in these General Terms & Conditions.
Room rates are per room, per night, based on two-person occupancy. Some room rates have ‘inclusions’ such as breakfast, which are specified in the rate description and in the booking confirmation. Refer to Accommodation Inclusions & Extras in these Terms & Conditions. Room rates may vary through the week and at certain times of the year. A minimum two-night stay applies for Villas on Fri and Sat nights, on long weekends, during special events and at certain times of the year such as between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and at Easter time.
Standard Check-In Time: 3pm – 9pm on the day of check-in
Standard Check-Out Time: Anytime prior to 11am on the day of check-out
Non-Standard Check-In and Check-Out times may be available and are granted at the sole discretion of The Property. Early check-in and late check-out times are subject to actual or expected occupancy on the night before check-in or night after check-out respectively, and may attract an additional fee.
Accommodation Inclusions & Extras
All room rates have the following ‘standard inclusions’:
- A daily room turn-over service (on request only)
- A weekly room cleaning service for stays of five (5) nights or longer
- Access to the outdoor swimming pool and a reasonable supply of pool towels during the
- Access to the property grounds
All room rates for accommodation in the Lodge have the following ‘standard inclusions’:
- Access to the communal lounge and use of the communal television
- Access to the communal kitchenette and use of the kitchen facilities
In addition to the ‘standard inclusions’, all Bed & Breakfast room rates include the provision of a daily continental breakfast for the number of people included in the guest booking.
Extras are provided as an adjunct to accommodation and include, but are not limited to:
- Access to outdoor gas BBQs,
- Access to the outdoor Pizza Oven,
Food, Services & Transportation
The Property does not operate an onsite restaurant, nor does it provide à la carte meal services. The Property can provide pre-prepared meals for in-room consumption (either supplied directly by The Property or indirectly by a Third Party). Refer to The Property website and online booking platform for details. Meals are subject to availability and menus may varyBooking Experiences
Experiences are provided as an ‘extra’ to accommodation and include massages, winery tours, hot air balloon rides, high tea experiences and other activities made available through The Property. Experiences are typically provided by third parties. Where an experience is provided by a third party that has their own terms and conditions, those terms and conditions will be provided to The Guest at the time of booking the Experience.
All Experiences are subject to availability, and in some instances minimum participation requirements and prevailing weather conditions at the time of participation in the Experience.
The Property will endeavour to provide the Experience, or facilitate the third-party in providing the Experience, but reserves the right to refuse a booking or cancel a booking that is confirmed. An Experience may be cancelled at any time if, in the opinion of The Property or the relevant third-party operator, a condition exists that makes it impossible, impractical and/or unsafe to conduct the Experience. A full refund of the value of the Experience will be provided in the event that a mutually agreeable alternative is not available.
The Property does not warrant the safety, efficacy or availability of an Experience provided by a third party, and The Guest agrees to indemnify The Property against liability for any loss, damage, injury or death (including loss or damage by fire or theft) resulting from or associated with the provision of an Experience provided by a third party.
Gift Vouchers
Gift Vouchers are valid for three years from the date of issue and are redeemed for the accommodation and/or Experience nominated on the Gift Voucher. Gift Vouchers cannot be redeemed for cash and are forfeit if not used within their validity period. Gift Vouchers are non-transferable and non-refundable, unless explicity stated on the gift voucher itselfBooking Categories
The Property classifies bookings in one of four categories as follows:
- Individual Booking
- Group Booking
- Exclusive Use Booking
- Extended Stay Booking
An Individual Booking is a booking for one or two rooms for a duration of one to seven nights. It may or may not include extras or Experiences. An Individual Booking can be a ‘direct booking’ or a ‘third-party booking’.
A Group Booking is a booking for three or more rooms for a duration of one to seven nights.
An Exclusive Use Booking is a booking for the entire property, or for all rooms within the Lodge, for a duration of one to seven nights.
An Extended Stay Booking is a booking for one or more rooms for a duration of eight or more nights.
Group, Exclusive Use and Extended Stay bookings can only be a made directly with The Property (a ‘direct booking’) made via telephone or email. These booking categories may or may not include extras or Experiences. Preferred rates may apply.
Booking Confirmation
All bookings, with the exception of Extended Stay Bookings, are secured with a 50% deposit at the time of booking with the balance due on the day of check-in. Extended Stay Bookings are secured with a deposit at the time of booking, with the balance due in one or more instalments on or after the day of check-in, as agreed in writing between The Property and The Guest at the time of booking.
Acceptable payment methods are Credit Card, EFTPOS, Direct Deposit and cash. Accepted Credit Cards are Visa, MasterCard and American Express (3% surcharge). By providing credit card details, The Guest warrants they have authority to use the credit card and they authorise The Property to charge the cost of their booking or bookings to the credit card.
A booking confirmation email must be obtained by The Guest in order for a booking to be confirmed. If a confirmation email is not obtained, the booking is not confirmed.
It is the responsibility of The Guest to review the booking confirmation email within 48 hours of receipt and advise The Property if there are any errors or omissions, and/or terms and conditions that are not acceptable.
Booking Amendments & Cancellations
In the event of a booking amendment or cancellation initiated by The Property, please refer to the relevant section of these General Terms & Conditions.
In the event of a booking amendment or cancellation initiated by The Guest, where the ‘48-hour grace period’ applies, The Guest is entitled to an amendment or refund of the cancelled component of the booking.
In the event of a booking amendment or cancellation initiated under the ‘fire danger and emergency provisions’, The Guest is entitled to a credit equal to the value of the amended or cancelled component of their booking. The credit is valid for 12 months from the original date of check-in, and can be used to book accommodation and/or Experiences at The Property. The credit cannot be redeemed for cash and is forfeit if not used within the validity period.
In the event of a booking amendment or cancellation initiated by The Guest, where the ‘48-hour grace period’ or ‘fire danger and emergency provisions’ do not apply, The Guest is entitled to an amendment or refund of the cancelled component of their booking UNLESS one or more of the following applies:
- The booking is amended or cancelled within 30 days of the date of check-in and The Property cannot rebook alldates of the amended or cancelled booking. In this instance The Guest will forfeit the deposit for the booking.
- The booking is amended or cancelled within 7 days of the date of check-in and The Property cannot rebook alldates of the amended or cancelled booking. In this instance The Guest will forfeit the full amount of the booking, and the balance will be due on the day of check-in of the amended or cancelled booking.
- The booking is unfulfilled because The Guest fails to check-in without notification, or amends or cancels on the day of check-in. In this instance The Guest will forfeit thefull amount of the booking, and the balance will be due on the day of check-in of the unfulfilled booking.
An email that amends or cancels a booking must be obtained by The Guest in order for an amendment or cancellation to be granted. If a confirmation email is not received, the original booking remains in effect.
Property Operating Hours & Staff Availability
The property operates 24 hours per day and through most of the year, excluding ‘blackout periods’ nominated in or identified on The Property website and/or The Property and third party online booking platforms.
The property may close due to fire danger and emergencies. Refer to Fire Danger & Emergencies in these General Terms & Conditions.
The Property is managed by staff that live onsite. Those staff are generally accessible for queries and special requests during the hours 8am-9pm local, and for emergencies 24 hours per day. Note that staff may not always be onsite, and guests are requested to exercise patience and understanding in the event that a staff member cannot immediately attend to an onsite request.
The property reception is only staffed during standard check-in times. Refer to Booking Accommodation earlier in these General Terms & Conditions.
Bond For Accommodation
A bond for incidentals and damage is required for accommodation and is due on the day of check-in. The amount of the bond varies by booking category as indicated below. The preferred method of providing a bond is via credit card “pre-authorisation”. A “pre-authorisation” is a temporary hold of a specific amount of the available balance of the credit card. It is not a charge. A “pre-authorisation” is typically released within 3-4 business days of the transaction date, subject to the terms and policies of the credit card provider.
| BOOKING CATEGORY | BOND |
|---|---|
| Individual | $100 |
| Group | $300 |
| Exclusive Use | $600 |
| Extended Stay | $300 |
Maximum Occupancy & Occupancy Restrictions
The property has maximum occupancy and occupancy restrictions as follows:
| BUILDING TYPE | ROOM TYPE | NO. AVAIL | MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY PER ROOM | OCCUPANCY RESTRICTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villa | Hilltop Spa Villa | 2 |
| Max occupancy applies1 |
| Garden Spa Villa | 1 |
| ||
| Lodge | Deluxe Lodge Room | 2 |
| Children and infants are not permitted2 |
| Boutique Lodge Room | 2 | |||
| PROPERTY TOTAL | 7 |
|
Note 1 Discretion may be exercised by The Property where a combination of children and infants exists
Note 2 Unless staying under an Exclusive Use Booking or where explicitly approved by The Property
An Adult is defined as a person aged 10 years and over
A Child is defined as a person aged 2 to 9 years inclusive
An Infant is defined as a person aged under 2 years
Restricted & Prohibited Activities
Smoking is not permitted inside any building on the property.
Pets are not permitted on the property.
Parties, gatherings and functions are not permitted on the property, without the prior written approval of The Property.
The moving of soft furnishings, bedding, furniture, appliances, cooking utensils and dinnerware between individual rooms and communal spaces on the property is not permitted. Furthermore, the moving of furniture and appliances within individual rooms and communal spaces is not permitted.
The moving of outdoor furniture is not permitted, with the exception of ‘sun lounges’, outdoor table and chair settings and portable gas BBQs supplied by The Property.
Use of the swimming pool at night is not permitted, without the prior approval of the property. The temporary ‘jamming open’ of, or over-riding of the automatic close function associated with, the swimming pool access gates is strictly prohibited.
The use of cooking appliances that are not supplied by The Property is not permitted, without the prior written approval of The Property. These include, but are not limited to:
- portable BBQs
- portable stoves, hot plates, cooktops or hobs
- spit roasts and camping rotisseries
- portable kitchens
Fires shall not be lit on the property, other than in indoor fireplaces and in portable gas BBQs supplied by The Property, without the prior written approval of The Property. Use of the outdoor Pizza Oven is not permitted, without the prior approval of The Property.
Activities that engage the services of third parties in the conduct of ‘business’ on the property (‘Third-Party Business Activities’) are not permitted on the property without the prior written approval of The Property. ‘Third Part Business Activities’ include, but are not limited to:
- third-party massages and facials not booked as part of an Experience
- third-party hair and makeup activities, whether or not as part of wedding preparations
- third-party photographic activities, whether or not as part of wedding preparations
- third-party food preparation and on-site catering activities
Driving and parking of vehicles on the property, other than in clearly demarked driveways and public car parks or parking areas, is not permitted without the explicit approval of The Property.
The use of BBQs inside any building on the property is prohibited.
Entry into rooms, buildings and areas on the property marked as ‘PRIVATE’ is prohibited.
Swimming in, floating or boating on the dam on the property is prohibited.
Fire Danger & Emergencies
The Property is located in an area that is prone to bushfires and has experienced moderate to severe bushfire events in the past. Bushfire danger is at its highest in the summer and early autumn months (Dec-Mar). Emergencies can occur at any time.
In the interest of guest and staff safety, The Property may be forced to limit or restrict guest activities during the Fire Danger Period or in emergency situations, as declared or advised by the Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA), the Victoria State Emergency Service (SES), Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria Police, the local, state or federal governments or government agencies (collectively ‘The Relevant Body’).
In extreme situations the property may be forced to partially or fully close, which may involve the cancellation or amendment of bookings prior to or after check-in. Partial or full closure of the property will occur when, in the opinion of The Property or The Relevant Body, the safety of guests is compromised if the property remains open.
In certain fire danger and emergency situations The Guest becomes eligible for relaxed booking amendment and cancellation rules. The Property provides these relaxed rules under ‘fire danger and emergency provisions’. Refer to the table below to identify situations where the relaxed booking amendment and cancellation rules apply.
Incidents and warnings within the state of Victoria are displayed on the VicEmergency website. The physical address of the property is 603 Steels Creek Road, Steels Creek VIC 3775 Australia. The Property falls within the Central Fire District of the CFA and is within the municipal region of Yarra Ranges. The property is zoned Rural.
Table 3 ‘Fire Danger & Emergencies’ below indicates the actions that The Property and/or The Guest may need to take in relation to accommodation and Experiences in certain fire danger or emergency situations.
| SITUATION | CIRCUMSTANCE | AFFECTED PERIOD | PROPERTY AND/OR GUEST ACTIONS DURING THE AFFECTED PERIOD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Danger Period declared | CFA declares the ‘Fire Danger Period’ | Typically Nov-Apr1 |
|
| Total Fire Ban declared | CFA declares a ‘Total Fire Ban’ | Single day and night |
|
| Extreme Fire Danger forecast | CFA forecasts an ‘Extreme Fire Danger’ | Single day and night |
|
| CODE RED Fire Danger forecast | CFA forecasts a ‘CODE RED Fire Danger’ | Single day and night |
|
| Emergency Warning issued | Relevant Body determines that the property and its occupants are in imminent danger and will be impacted by the emergency | Hours to days |
|
| Bushfire identified | Bushfire with the potential to impact the property and its occupants is identified | Hours to days |
|
| Evacuation Advisory issued | Relevant Body recommends occupants prepare to evacuate or evacuate immediately | Hours to days |
|
| Road closed | Access to the property is limited, restricted or unavailable | Hours to days |
|
| State of Emergency declared | Victoria Government declares a ‘State of Emergency’ | Days to months |
|
Note 1 Dates change each year based on environmental conditions
Note 2 Restriction applies despite CFA permitting the conditional use of gas BBQs. The Property applies a blanket restriction on gas BBQ use as an enhanced safety measure.
Note 3 Request made as a duty of care to guest safety and is not mandatory
Note 4 Relaxed booking amendment and cancellation rules apply under the ‘fire danger and emergency provisions’
Wild Animals & Insects
The Property is located in a rural area on the urban fringe of the city of Melbourne and is bounded on one side by natural bushland. Like most of Australia the area is home to a diversity of wild animals and insects, most of which are benign and harmless. Some however are dangerous.
Some endemic varieties of snake and spider are venomous, and guests are encouraged to exercise caution whilst outdoors when snakes are active (in the spring through early autumn months), or on the property in general where Redback spiders may be nesting or active.
In the event that a snake, Redback spider or other animal or insect that is known or suspected to be dangerous is sighted, The Guest should avoid the animal or insect and report the sighting to property management.
Conditions Of Occupancy
The Guest agrees to be considerate of other guests and neighbours of The Property at all times, and minimise noise and disruptive activities where possible and practical.
The Guest accepts that the safety and security of private property and personal effects brought onto the property is not the responsibility of The Property, and that The Property will not be liable for loss or damage (including loss or damage by fire or theft) to private property and personal effects which are used or stored on the property.
The Guest accepts that the safety and security of private motor vehicles driven or parked on the property is not the responsibility of The Property, and that the Property will not be liable for loss or damage (including loss or damage by fire or theft) to private motor vehicles driven or parked on the property.
The Guest agrees to exercise caution in relation to wild animals and insects.
The Guest agrees to supervise and take full responsibility for all children, infants and/or young adults in their care whilst on the property, including (but not limited to) around the dam, in and around the swimming pool and other areas that may be hazardous to children, infants and/or young adults.
The Guest agrees to comply with the maximum occupancy and occupancy restrictions for the room type(s) in their booking. The Property reserves the right to immediately cancel a booking without refund if it is evident that The Guest has permitted the maximum occupancy of a room to be exceeded, or has not complied with occupancy restrictions.
The Guest agrees to not permit a ‘restricted activity’ to occur on the property, unless explicitly approved by The Property in writing prior to ‘restricted activity’ occurring. The Property reserves the right to immediately cancel a booking without refund if it is evident that The Guest has permitted an unapproved ‘restricted activity’ to occur on the property. Any costs arising, such as those due to cleaning and/or repairs, will be charged to The Guest.
The Guest agrees to notify The Property in advance if they plan or expect to participate in wedding ‘bridal group’ preparations on the property. This notification is required to ensure that the property can support the planned activities, and to ensure that any third parties involved are approved to conduct business on the property and have the requisite public liability insurance.
The Property retains the right to enter a room or rooms occupied by The Guest:
- for the purpose of cleaning, tidying and provisioning supplies
- for the purpose of performing maintenance or remedial works
- for the purpose of minimising energy use or water consumption, where The Guest is known or anticipated to be away from the room or rooms for more than two hours
- where there is cause to believe, or evidence to suggest, that The Guest is not complying with the conditions of occupancy and/or the Experience
- where there is cause to believe, or evidence to suggest, that the safety or wellbeing of an occupant of the room or rooms is threatened
Wherever possible, and notwithstanding the safety and wellbeing of occupants, The Property will endeavour to provide advanced notice of the need to enter a room or rooms occupied by The Guest.
Property Location
The Property location details are shown below in conjunction with the distance (by road) from key Yarra Valley landmarks, attractions and venues.
| BUILDING/AREA | GPS/GOOGLE MAP CO-ORDINATES (Latitude, Longitude) |
|---|---|
| Lodge & Reception | -37.59640, 145.37260 |
| Hilltop Spa Villa (Villa 1) | -37.59584, 145.37244 |
| Hilltop Spa Villa (Villa 2) | -37.59602, 145.37234 |
| Hilltop Spa Villa (Villa 3) | -37.59669, 145.37229 |
| Main Carpark (access to Lodge, Reception & Villa 3) | -37.59671, 145.37270 |
| Villa Carpark (access to Villas 1&2) | -37.59591, 145.37287 |
| LANDMARK/ATTRACTION/VENUE | ||
|---|---|---|
| NAME | TYPE | DISTANCE/TIME BY ROAD FROM THE PROPERTY |
| Yarra Glen (Post Office) | Town | 7.5 km / 7 min |
| Coldstream (Post Office) | Town | 16.1 km / 16 min |
| Healesville (Post Office) | Town | 20.0 km / 18 min |
| Warburton (Post Office) | Town | 48.5 km / 43 min |
| Natskin Day Spa | Attraction & Spa | 6.3 km / 6 min |
| Alowyn Gardens | Attraction & Curated Gardens | 7.0 km / 6 min |
| Yarra Glen Adventure Playground | Attraction & Children’s Adventure Playground | 7.3 km / 7 min |
| Yarra Valley Chocolaterie | Attraction & Chocolate Outlet | 8.7 km / 9 min |
| Yarra Valley Dairy | Attraction & Cheese Outlet | 12.8 km / 12 min |
| TarraWarra Museum of Art | Attraction & Winery | 16.2 km / 14 min |
| Sugarloaf Reservoir Park | Attraction & Scenic Parks | 18.9 km / 19 min |
| Healesville Sanctuary | Attraction & Zoo | 24.2 km / 24 min |
| Rayners Orchard | Attraction & Orchard | 39.8 km / 35 min |
| Puffing Billy Historic Railway | Attraction & Historic Railway | 44.2 km / 43 min |
| Australian Rainbow Trout Farm | Attraction & Fishing Venue | 45.4 km / 42 min |
| DeBortoli Winery Estate | Restaurant & Winery | 4.3 km / 5 min |
| Yarrawood Estate | Restaurant & Winery | 5.9 km / 5 min |
| Heartswood Restaurant | Restaurant | 7.5 km / 7 min |
| Dixons Creek Café Bar & Grill | Restaurant | 7.2 km / 9 min |
| Acacia Ridge | Wedding Venue & Winery | 4.7 km / 4 min |
| Balgownie Estate Resort | Wedding Venue & Winery | 6.3 km / 6 min |
| Immerse Yarra Valley | Wedding Venue & Winery | 6.4 km / 9 min |
| Fergusson Winery | Wedding Venue & Winery | 7.0 km / 9 min |
| Steels Gate Wines | Wedding Venue & Winery | 7.5 km / 9 min |
| Sutherland Estate | Wedding Venue & Winery | 7.9 km / 9 min |
| Yering Station | Wedding Venue & Winery | 9.6 km / 10 min |
| Yarra Valley Estate | Wedding Venue & Conference Centre | 9.9 km / 11 min |
| Zonzo Estate | Wedding Venue & Restaurant | 10.7 km / 11 min |
| Olinda Yarra | Wedding Venue & Winery | 11.5 km / 11 min |
| Stones of the Yarra Valley | Wedding Venue & Restaurant | 14.7 km / 14 min |
| Coombe Yarra Valley | Wedding Venue & Restaurant | 15.5 km / 14 min |
| Oakridge Wines | Wedding Venue & Winery | 20.5 km / 18 min |
| Rochford Wines | Concert Venue & Winery | 21.5 km / 19 min |
| Levantine Hill | Wedding Venue & Winery | 21.7 km / 19 min |
| Massaros | Wedding Venue & Winery | 22.5 km / 20 min |
| Riverstone Estate | Wedding Venue & Winery | 23.4 km / 21 min |
| Inglewood Estate | Wedding Venue & Winery | 25.1 km / 23 min |
Contact Details
The Property contact and business details are shown below.
Physical Address
Araluen Boutique Accommodation 603 Steels Creek Road Steels Creek, VIC 3775 Australia
Postal Address
Araluen Boutique Accommodation PO Box 340 Yarra Glen, VIC 3775 Australia
Telephone: +61 3 5965 2013, +61 411 242 212
Email: enquiries@araluenlodge.com.au
Website: https://www.araluenlodge.com.au
Social Media:
Facebook: @araluenboutiqueaccommodationyarravalley
Instagram: @araluenboutiqueaccommodation
Australian Business Number (ABN): 56 890 183 651