We have been operating holidays since 1970, a long time for an independent company in this volatile business. In that time our specialist programmes have become well known, largely through word of mouth. We are both retail and tour operating members of ABTA, licensed by IATA, and have a busy commercial department for business travellers. We are still owner managed and remain fiercely independent!
In March 2006 Sunvil was awarded bronze status by readers of Wanderlust Magazine, one of the industry’s most respected publications. Sunvil has twice previously won the best tour operator award.
In November 2006 Sunvil was awarded Independent Specialist Tour Operator of the Year by the British Travel Awards.
General Information About Our Holidays in Italy:
About Sunvil bonding
The air holidays and flights in this brochure are ATOL protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by The Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL Number is 808. In the unlikely event of our insolvency the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any holiday money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. All holidays not including air travel are protected by a bond through The Association of Independent Tour Operators Trust Limited, a DTI licensed body.
Manor House accommodation
When you are staying in Manor Houses please do not forget you are staying in someone’s home. These are not hotels and are run in a very different and informal manner. Many provide only breakfast. An evening meal can sometimes be arranged but is usually taken with the family.
Hotel accommodation
Room furnishings: In most cases rooms are furnished with twin beds and, when a double bed is requested we pass the preference to the hotel. Most hotels do have some rooms with double beds – if they do not, they can usually successfully push two single beds together. Soap and towels are provided but not beach towels – please bring your own.
Sea View: Sea view can be guaranteed only where a supplement is charged. Otherwise, we can request sea view rooms and the hotel will try to honour the request.
Three bedded rooms: Three bedded rooms are available in most hotels but, as they are often twin rooms with an extra bed, they may be rather cramped. We cannot he held responsible if you find the room too crowded.
Single rooms: Single rooms are sometimes smaller, tend to be without much of a view, and are more likely to be without balcony. They are also difficult to book in high season. In the low season you may well, however, have a twin for sole use, although it is very much luck of the draw.
Air-conditioning: Where air-conditioning is mentioned this is provided at the discretion of the management and may not necessarily operate all day and every day.
Non-standard holidays
Our holidays can be very flexible. Some of the most popular arrangements are the following:
Multi-centres: Most of the holidays offered can he combined. Some suggestions are made on the resort pages, but please telephone if you have any specific ideas not mentioned there.
Longer durations: Any length of stay can be arranged. Please telephone us for a quotation.
Tailor-made holidays: For holidays in hotels not featured in this brochure or of a longer duration and more complex character please ask us for a quotation. If your requirements can be met at a reasonable price, we may well ask for a signed booking form and deposit before starting work on the actual holiday arrangements. We can also arrange flights for one person and accommodation for two, a week in a hotel and a week free with a car, varying durations for different members of your party etc. In fact, we are generally open to suggestion.
Local representatives and agents
As this is a tailor-made programme for seasoned travellers we have no local representatives. We have local agents in Italy who can give any necessary help and guidance and can always be contacted. You will not be visited in your accommodation. Please remember that, wherever you are, most hotel managers, owners and receptionists are often only too keen to help you with local information. Any problems you experience must be reported locally so that we are given the opportunity of solving them. If you cannot reach our local agent then try us in London.
Our out of hours emergency telephone number is 00 44 (0)7050 126444.
Persons travelling on their own
All prices are per person. When clients are travelling entirely on their own, there may well be (depending on the individual holiday) additional supplements for transfers or car hire.
Group travel
We are experienced in making arrangements for special groups and welcome enquiries for affinity, conference and incentive travel.
Children and infants
Children: Children’s reductions may apply on the basis of one child per two full fare paying passengers. Children must be under the age of 12 years on the date of departure to qualify and, in hotels, they must occupy the third bed in a three-bedded room.
Infants: Infants under 2 years of age on the date of departure travel for a flat rate of £45. Cots should be requested on the booking form and are payable locally. All baby food is also payable locally. Infants do not qualify for a seat on the aircraft, nor do they have any baggage allowance. However, under the terms of our insurance policy, infants are insured free of charge providing the other members of the party are insured with us.
Payment and ticket despatch
The balance of your holiday cost, as detailed on your confirmation and account, is due 8 weeks before departure. No reminders are sent. We accept payment by credit, debit or charge card. As we are charged for this service by the credit card companies we must levy a 1.5% (for Mastercard or Visa) or 2.5% charge (for Amex), on top of the quoted price of the trip. Should credit card companies increase their charges to us this charge may well increase. You will be advised of the exact charge at the time of booking. Should you require a receipt, please enclose a stamped addressed envelope with your payment. Tickets are sent about 10 days before departure.
Amendments, late bookings and telephone charges
A fee of £25 per booking will be charged for each amendment to a confirmed booking to cover administration costs. In the case of a minor amendment (eg cancellation of a pre-booked hire car) this charge is per booking; in the case of a major amendment (eg. change of holiday dates, accommodation or resort) this charge is per person. Fax and telephone fees may also be charged when bookings are altered. For an alteration within 8 weeks of departure, we reserve the right to treat the alteration as a cancellation of the original holiday (attracting cancellation charges) and regard it as a new holiday booking.
Safety standards and regulations
The safety standards and regulations in operation overseas are those of the country in question and may not reach the same level as those we enjoy in the UK. The monitoring, enforcement and compliance with these local regulations is a matter for the authorities of that country and the foreign supplier of the services concerned. The general standards of safety and hygiene, fire precautions etc, will generally be lower than in the U.K. Liability insurance requirements vary considerably from country to country as does the responsibility placed on an organisation by local law. Please therefore, take all precautions to protect yourself and your family whilst on holiday. In particular, you should familiarise yourself with hotel fire escape routes and always be aware of hidden dangers involving swimming pools, balconies and hotel lifts, especially if travelling with children.
Swimming pools
Please note that the opening date of the pool is an approximate date and cannot be guaranteed. Pools open/close according to the weather. If summer arrives early then pools are opened earlier than originally stated. The weather is unpredictable and therefore we cannot guarantee that pools will open/close when stated in our brochure. The dates given are simply guidelines.
Aircraft seat pitches and DVT
We have no control over how much leg room (seat pitch) airlines allow on their aircraft. We cannot guarantee a particular configuration on board as aircraft types vary. However, these seat pitches are standard throughout the airline industry and comply with the current Civil Aviation Authority guidelines. Advice on measures to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) may be obtained from your GP.
Passports, visas and health requirements
VALID PASSPORTS are required. At the time of going to press no visas, inoculations or vaccinations were required by citizens of the United Kingdom and Ireland for travel to Italy. It is, however, advisable to check with your doctor well before departure. If you do not hold a United Kingdom passport, you must inform us of this fact when booking a holiday and contact the Italian consulate to see whether a Visa is required in your case. Please note it is your responsibility to ensure that you have correct and current Visa documentation - we cannot be held responsible for any trouble or delay at foreign airports. From 5th October 1998 it was no longer possible to include or add children to a British Passport. From that date all children (including babies) who are not already included on a valid 10 year passport need to hold their own passport if they are to travel abroad. Children who are already included on an existing passport must continue to travel with the passport holder until:
a) the child reaches the age of 16, or
b) the passport on which the child is included expires or
c) the passport on which the child is included is submitted for amendment.
Currency regulations
At the time of going to press, there was no restriction imposed by the British Government as to the value of foreign currency, Sterling cash or travellers cheques taken out of the United Kingdom. Many shops, hotels and car hire agents abroad will accept Visa Card, Mastercard, Diners Club and American Express cards. The local currency is the Euro.
Facts of life
We believe the information contained in this brochure is true and correct and it is essential that you read our descriptions most carefully to avoid making a wrong decision in your choice of resort. If you are unsure of anything please ask to speak to someone from our office who has actually been to the area you are planning to visit. Our advice is impartial – we would far rather lose you to another company than allow you to visit a location completely unsuited to your needs. Having said that, we would also like to make our own position clear. Seasons change and so do resorts. What is ‘quiet’ in June can be crowded in August. Tourist facilities depend on the time of year, weather and/or demand. Please bear this in mind before booking as it is impossible to qualify every statement on every page. Remember too, that our prices tend to reflect these differences throughout the season. If you visit Italy you must be prepared to accept the local way of life which, due to the climate, can be totally different from ours. Buses tend to run very early in the morning, shops and offices may well close in the afternoon for a siesta and restaurants, bars and discotheques are usually noisier and open later than their British equivalents. Plumbing is rarely perfect. Roads are largely unlit and often have no pavement. Utility boards (water/ electricity/telephone) may dig roads up and leave them unprotected. So, if your accommodation is outside one of the towns, be prepared and take a torch! Please bear in mind too that life must go on – buildings must be built, roads must be dug and children will play noisily in the streets. We are not trying to dissuade you from travelling with us but just pointing out that you must take the rough with the smooth when you visit any foreign country with any tour operator. Despite the above, we are certain you will have the holiday of a lifetime but, if you do experience some niggles, try to have patience and understanding and gracefully accept that you cannot live as you would at home.
Manor houses and Rural Locations
Many of our properties are located in rural areas. Indeed, for many people, this is one of the main attractions. However, having open countryside nearby or a location on a working farm, local wildlife, farm animals and pets (cats & dogs) are quite common. So, if you or any of your party is likely to be squeamish, we recommend you check with us as to the suitability and location of your chosen accommodation before you book.
Farmhouse accommodation in Italy
Apartments are adequately equipped including a fridge, cooker or cooking rings, cutlery and linen. There are no kettles. Beach towels are not included, so please take your own. Cleaning/linen change is generally once weekly. Access to the property will be between 16.00hrs-20.00hrs to allow for cleaning. It is important that you contact the owner to advise your approximate arrival time. The accommodation has to be vacated by 10.00 hours on the day of departure.
Please note that you will be asked to pay a deposit on arrival of between 100-300 Euros (cash only) to cover any damage to the property. This deposit is fully refundable on departure. Clients are reminded that any breakage must be reported locally so that arrangements can be made to have the broken article(s) paid for on the spot and subsequently replaced. It would be very unfair if any breakage was not reported, as future clients would not find the properties fully equipped. Due care must be taken with all furnishings. No extra persons are permitted to sleep in the property unless prior arrangements have been made with our agents locally or ourselves.
Welcome packs
Welcome packs are provided in self-catering units in Italy at selected properties. They generally include: Bread, butter, jam, eggs, ham, cheese, milk (1 litre), water (2 litres), orange juice, tea and coffee.
Recommended reading
The Landscape Series
For walkers and explorers, these pocket-sized guides contain walks of all grades, car tours and picnic suggestions, plus bus timetables and large scale walking maps.
Choose from Landscapes of The Dolomites, Italian Lakes, Tuscany, Umbria and the Marches, Sorrento-Amalfi-Capri or Sicily among others. They generally are intended to be used in addition to a standard guidebook and cost £12.00 per book including P&P.
All orders must be made in writing to:
Sunflower Books, (Dept. SV),
PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU
