In these Terms of Trading “We” and “us” means Richard Alexander Dawson and Thanaphorn Intanujit Dawson trading as “a Touch of Thailand in Greece” or the acronym ATOTIG.
Our business is the provision of a special combination of services for visitors to Ano Gatzea for periods of 9 days. These services include: One Thai body massage, one traditional Thai massage with head and shoulders massage, one Thai foot massage, one Thai Cookery lesson, one trip to local archaeology sites of interest by car including a visit to a working olive oil press, one trip by car to the historic mountain villages of Makrynitsa and Portaria, with shopping in Volos in the afternoon, and one guided walk on Mount Pelion. These services, (“The Main Services”) are included in the money you pay, (“the Price”) whether you choose to take them or not.
There will be other services which are extra and optional and for which a further charge will be made. These include: Massage with aromatic oils, An All-day trip by car to Meteora, or Delphi, an overnight car trip to Meteora and Vergina, with a night in a hotel in Meteora, skiing or snowboarding on Mount Pelion, making olive oil soap, extra massages or extra guided walks, (“Optional Services”). In relation to trips out, if a visitor uses their own car, we will normally make a discount on the cost of the trip for that visitor for the petrol.
We provide the Main Services at a time and order we choose, taking account of weather conditions and visitor needs. The Optional Services are given at our complete discretion.
Travel to Ano Gatzea: While we will normally collect visitors from Volos, we encourage visitors to hire a car and follow directions to Ano Gatzea. It is the visitor’s responsibility to travel at least as far as Volos at their own expense. In the event that a visitor is early, we will help them to find a local hotel for the initial night(s). In the event that a visitor is late, there will be no automatic right to services foregone or refunds.
Our property comfortably accommodates six visitors, in two two-storey stone houses, the Lemon House and Oliver’s Cottage. While couples will have the Lemon House, or a floor of Oliver’s Cottage to themselves, singles of the same sex will share a floor of Oliver’s Cottage. In the event of singles of different sex, or on request, we will make available an extra bedroom in our own house, The Old Bakery. While we will try to meet visitor requests, it is up to us who sleeps where. Both the Lemon House and The Old Bakery have wood-burning stoves with an ample supply of logs, as well as electric radiators, and extra blankets.
For any nine-day period, we reserve the right to take as few as three visitors, but will normally try to change the bookings to a later nine-day period. When two or more visitors want to have the whole of Olivers Cottage for themselves, for privacy, we will accommodate other visitors who would have been in Olivers Cottage in the Old Bakery, and both the Olivers Cottage visitors and the old Bakery Visitors will pay an upgrade fee, of 90 pounds for the whole stay. If the Old Bakery visitors refuse to pay for an enforced upgrade, then the Olivers Cottage visitors will pay the full 180 pounds.
Food: We include in the Price breakfast every day. This will be the venue for a briefing on the day’s events. We also include in the Price an evening meal of finger food, on the first night of arrival. It is up to the visitor to arrange other meals, although there may be extra meals for instance as a result of the Thai cooking classes. There are full self-catering facilities available in The Lemon House and Oliver’s Cottage and a choice of good restaurants within three kilometres by car, or one kilometre on foot. On trips out, it is up to the Visitor to cover their own meals and overnight stays at Meteora. There are fruit trees in the garden which are available to all visitors to browse but not harvest entirely. You are welcome to use our large barbeque and bread oven.
Insurance and Vaccinations: We carry buildings and occupier’s insurance, and for cars comprehensive car insurance. We encourage all visitors to buy travel insurance. We do not require proof of vaccinations but we and our staff are all fully vaccinated against COVID.
While staying with us, you are welcome to wander in the garden, and to walk anywhere on Mount Pelion, or to go to the beach and swim. Please treat the garden and other visitors with respect and courtesy. Please respect the privacy of us and our employees when off duty.
Payment of the Price. We require a 20% deposit to be paid on booking. These deposits ensure that we can deliver the Services to the best of our ability. The balance of 80% must be paid no later than three days before the 9-day stay begins. Payment is in pounds to a UK RBS Bank account; Sort code 16 23 17, Account number 10169650, RBS Leeds East Parade Branch, Account name Mr. Richard A Dawson. When making payment please include a personal reference so we know from whom it is paid. Payments while in Greece can be made in Euros.
In the event of cancellation, up to three days before the 9 days begins, for reasons which are not our responsibility, we will refund the 80% of the price within ten days after the relevant start of the nine-day period. We will only return the 20% deposit when the reason for cancellation is mainly and clearly our responsibility, or where a replacement booking is possible. No interest is payable in any event.
Our Liability. We are not responsible for travel arrangements of visitors but when you are in Ano Gatzea, we will look after you as our guests, and do all the things reasonably expected of a host. If our performance falls short, we will return a reasonable part of the Price, but our liability is limited in total to the Price. It is the visitor’s responsibility to inform us of allergies or special medical needs. We do not encourage those with mobility problems to book, given that Ano Gatzea is a mountain village with rough and steep places.
Languages: We speak English, French, Greek and Thai. The Thai employees have basic English. Our local manager speaks Greek and fluent English.
The Weather. You should expect some sunny days, with daytime temperatures in the twenties, but some rainy, windy and/ or stormy days. We recommend that you bring a change of warm outdoor clothes including a good waterproof and stout walking boots. We will do our best to tailor Services which are outdoors to fine days, which should be more than half. There will almost certainly be snow at the top of the mountain, at about 1470 metres where there is skiing. The garden is at about 150 metres elevation, and the chance of snow is very small, as can be seen by the ubiquitous olive trees which cannot sustain frost. When there is snow in Ano Gatzea it creates a white wonderland. In December and even in early January the Pagasitic Gulf, which is 20 minutes’ walk from the house, is good for swimming. We are not responsible for the weather.
Water: The water from the tap is good to drink, as is all the water from the Pelion aquifer. Hot water for both the Lemon House and Oliver’s Cottage is provided from gas cylinders. If the gas cylinder becomes empty, which is unlikely in nine days, it must be changed, which takes a short time.
Sale of items: We will offer for sale, from time to time, Thai products, for example hand woven silk, silk toys and spices, and local Greek products including olive oil, olive oil soap, and marmalade from garden citrus trees, and where these items or others are sold, we give good title and reasonable quality. Payment will be in Euros. Remember olive oil has to be well wrapped and sealed in plastic and stowed in your hold luggage.
Usually there will be one or two completely free days, during which Optional Services may be available. We can advise you on activities you can do alone if you want, but other than breakfast, you are responsible for your own activities on a day off.
Privacy policy: while we hope that after nine days together you will be on friendly terms with the other visitors, we will adhere strictly to the privacy policy.
We reserve the right to take up to 6 further visitors who sleep elsewhere in Ano Gatzea. We will do our best to integrate such visitors with the other visitors. We are not responsible for such visitors when they are at their rooms elsewhere, and the Price may be adjusted to reflect that such visitors have to ascend and descend the stone path from the village Church to the garden in the morning and the evening.
Ano Gatzea is a working community and when you are here, there will be normal noises of rural life, especially olive harvesting and olive pruning. There may be small scale construction work being done, but not close to the garden, other than fencing the garden which may occur and will not involve machines.
Please remember to turn off lights, especially outside lights when not in use.
Breakages. A small level of breakages is normal but significant damage must be paid for.
You may not bring pets with you. No smoking indoors, for the comfort of other and future guests. Please no muddy boots indoors.
Cleaning: The houses will be thoroughly cleaned at the start and at the end of nine days, however if a guest wants a change of bedding or towel, please ask. If a full house clean is requested in the middle of the nine-day period, a charge will be applied.
We will give you a key, and it is your responsibility to safeguard any valuables while in Ano Gatzea. Crime is extremely low, but like anywhere, not zero.