FAQ

Etoiles du Sud was founded in early 2021 by experienced travel specialists with more than 25 years of experience in the professional rental of high-quality vacation accommodation. We operate as intermediaries in the rental of luxury vacation villas in southern France. Through our mediation you enter into a rental agreement with (mostly) private vacation villa owners with whom we work. Etoiles du Sud has a large network of carefully selected local service partners in the South of France to provide you with the most carefree vacation possible.

The Terms and Conditions are displayed during the booking process, and you must agree to these terms before booking. They can also be found in the footer under "Terms and Conditions". You can read through the terms and conditions via this link: https://www.etoiles-du-sud.com/general-conditions

We can be reached Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm by email (info@etoiles-du-sud.nl) or by phone or Whatsapp (+31-6 8260 2882). Outside office hours or in case of emergency, you can also leave a message at this number.

Etoiles du Sud is not currently affiliated with any Guarantee Fund. However, we aim to join the Guarantee Fund which is most appropriate for our organization in the foreseeable future

• Via internet - always enter "France" on the homepage under country, then choose the desired region and/or sub-region and click "search"
• If desired, you can also enter the place, number of persons and/or date before pressing the search button
• These options are also possible via the choice "Our Villas" in the top menu
• You will now get an overview of available vacation villas based on the search criteria you entered
• Click on the photo or the button "+Info" for all details of the villa concerned, via the button "Photos" you can view the entire photo gallery
• In the pop-up screen enter the desired date (the green highlighted dates are available) and click on "add dates". You will immediately see if the villa is bookable online or on request. Then fill in the number of persons and in case of children also the ages and click on "book";
• Here you will get the total cost overview specified and you can enter your personal information, desired payment method and any discount code. You must agree to the Terms and Conditions before pressing "book";
• Your booking has now been made and will be confirmed to you online and by email
• Once the down payment is received by us you will receive an e-mail confirming that the rental agreement is finalized
• If the villa is on request, after receiving your reservation request Etoiles du Sud checks with the owner to see if your request can be definitively confirmed. Once your booking is confirmed, Etoiles du Sud will send you a booking confirmation by e-mail
• By phone - by contacting Etoiles du Sud directly.

If you search online by your desired departure date and length of stay, only the villas available in the specified period will be displayed. If you are searching without specifying a specific period, you can use the calendar of availability shown with each vacation villa. In this calendar you will immediately see the current availability of the vacation villa as currently known.

Booking online with Etoiles du Sud is secure. Your booking is sent through a trusted secure connection.

With most of our vacation villas it is possible to take an option. This generally applies for a maximum of 48 hours and depends on the high season. Please contact Etoiles du Sud by phone for the possibilities. Online it is not currently possible to take an option.

It is eventually possible to visit the vacation villa in advance, provided it is available, and the owner agrees. For this, please contact Etoiles du Sud by phone to make an appointment.

Children must be specified as one traveler. In the corresponding description you will find the number of persons allowed in the vacation villa. In some cases, this number can be increased by an infant (maximum 1 year old). Under "Optional Services" on the villa description page it is indicated if a cot/chair is available for a baby and if a fee applies.

Each vacation villa has its own extra services such as crib, bed linen, pool heating, breakfast, airport transfer etc. You will find the available services with their respective costs in the description on the page of the chosen vacation villa. During booking you can add these services if you wish after which they will be specified in the total cost summary before you make a final booking.

A stay longer than 4 weeks should always be requested from the owner. This is because different arrangements may apply for cleaning, linen change and purpose of stay. This also applies to long-term business bookings. For this, please contact Etoiles du Sud to discuss the possibilities.

In most vacation villas, youth groups with a main booker under the age of 25 are not allowed. In some cases, the age limit is even 30. This is specifically indicated on the description pages of the vacation villa. If upon arrival it turns out that the (age) information provided at the time of booking was incorrect, the owner or his caretaker even has the possibility to deny the guests access to the vacation villa whereby, in some cases, there may no longer be any refund of the paid holiday sum. It is also possible that upon admission an additional increased deposit may be required which must be paid directly on the spot. It is therefore important to provide the correct information when booking to avoid this type of situation and disappointment. Etoiles du Sud and the owner or its caretaker are not liable in such cases.

If you have a discount code, you can enter it when entering your personal information and payment method during the reservation process. If the discount code is valid, it will be immediately deducted and specified in the cost summary.

After you have booked online (or by phone), you will receive a confirmation via e-mail. This booking confirmation indicates the deadline for payment. After full payment is received by Etoiles du Sud, you will receive by e-mail the booking confirmation of your rental period with the address details of the vacation villa and the details regarding check-in. This booking confirmation is also your invoice.

Once you click on "Book" on the booking page, you will receive a booking confirmation via email containing all the details and your booking number. If you do not receive a confirmation from us, please contact Etoiles du Sud.

Upon receipt of the full travel sum, you will receive a booking confirmation via email with the address of your booked vacation villa. Due to privacy laws, we are not allowed to release address information before a final rental agreement has been established.

As a rule, the deposit is at least 35% of the total travel sum plus optional services. For some vacation villas this percentage may vary. This is indicated under the booking conditions of the respective vacation villa and in your cost overview when booking. The deposit must be paid no later than 2 days after making the booking. If the deposit is not received on time, we reserve the right to unilaterally cancel your reservation. However, charges may apply.

The remaining travel sum must be received by us no later than 8 weeks before departure. If you pay in two installments, you will receive a reminder by e-mail upon expiration of the second installment. In case of departure within 8 weeks, the payment must be made in one time. In case of a departure within 10 days, the payment must be made in one go. Please send us proof of this immediately by e-mail to administratie@etoiles-du-sud.nl so that we can confirm your booking definitively immediately

We accept payments via bank transfer or credit card. Customers living in the Netherlands can still transfer the travel sum to us up to 3 days before arrival. For customers residing in other countries, the deadline is up to 10 days before arrival. Within said period, the travel sum must always be paid by means of the digitally offered payment methods in our booking confirmation (Ideal, Maestro, Visa/Mastercard and Amex).

You can pay by bank transfer to account number IBAN NL21 RABO 0364 1473 77 in the name of Etoiles du Sud bv (Swift: RABONL2U). This information can also be found in the footer and on your booking confirmation. For a correct and timely processing of the payment, we ask you to mention the booking number when paying. Please note that processing payment via bank transfer may take 3-5 business days. Billing takes place exclusively in euros and includes VAT.

Payment by credit card is possible. We accept the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard and American Express. You can indicate this choice during the booking process at "method of payment".

Once we have received your payment in good order, you will receive a payment confirmation email from us. With a bank transfer, please allow 3-5 business days for processing. If you have not received a confirmation, please contact us.

Payment processing time depends on bank processing time. Therefore, you run the risk that the payment will not be received by us in time and the booking may be cancelled automatically. Our advice is therefore to pay on time. When paying by bank transfer, please allow 3-5 business days for processing. If the payment term is still exceeded, please contact us as soon as possible. If payment is not made on time, Etoiles du Sud has the right to unilaterally cancel the booking and charge a cancellation fee. When Etoiles du Sud unilaterally cancels the booking, you will be notified by e-mail.

Unfortunately, this is not possible. The rental price must always be paid in advance. Upon arrival on site, you will pay any charges indicated on your booking confirmation.

We will charge you an administration fee at the time of booking. This fee includes correspondence regarding your booking by e-mail or telephone, handling of the reservation and costs of payment, changes in the travel party, coordination of special arrival requests, emergency telephone for weekend arrivals, mediation of complaints and possible assistance with damage settlement, organization or mediation of special requests. The administration fee is non-refundable in case of cancellation.

All owners of vacation villas, with Etoiles du Sud acting as intermediary, require a deposit to be paid by the tenant. This serves as security for the owner for any damage or additional costs caused by tenants (e.g. cleaning costs, costs for breakages, damage, stays exceeding the permitted number of people, serious noise pollution, etc.). The amount of the deposit is indicated on the booking confirmation.

Etoiles du Sud has no control over this deposit. Some vacation rentals require a cash deposit to be paid upon arrival, which is refunded by the property caretaker upon departure, less any additional costs. In many cases, Etoiles du Sud collects the security deposit from the tenant on behalf of the owner upon payment of the holiday price. After the rental period, this deposit may be refunded with the owner's consent. This consent shall be provided by the owner to Etoiles du Sud no later than fourteen days. Tenants must provide Etoiles du Sud with the required details of their bank account at the end of the rental period. Upon receipt, Etoiles du Sud will usually refund the deposit to the tenant's specified account within 2 weeks.

If Etoiles du Sud collects this deposit, it can be paid by bank transfer or in some cases by credit card. When paying by credit card, there are additional charges. It is necessary to pay the deposit otherwise you may be refused the key. Please note that in some destinations it is only possible to pay in cash.

In the south of France, it is compulsory to pay tourist tax. This is generally a set amount per person per night with an adjusted or exempt rate for children. If tourist tax must be paid for your stay in the vacation villa of your choice, the amount will be shown in your cost summary. In some cases, you pay it to the owner on the spot or it is already included in the rental price. In most cases, the tourist tax will be collected by us with the final payment of your booking. Changes to the rate that occur after a booking we have to pass on to the customer. A rate may also change if the classification of a house is changed.

Unless specifically indicated on your booking confirmation, no on-site charges apply. If applicable, please contact Etoiles du Sud.

No, you must have a valid liability insurance for damage caused to the holiday villa, both interior and exterior, as well as to the personal belongings of the owner.

You must have proper insurance for damage to your property.

The owner or Etoiles du Sud are not liable for personal injury or damage to your property.

When you book a vacation villa through Etoiles du Sud, we advise you to also take out travel and cancellation insurance. At the moment you cannot take out travel or cancellation insurance with Etoiles du Sud. We advise you to arrange this through your own insurance expert.

At the moment you cannot take out travel or cancellation insurance with Etoiles du Sud. We recommend that you arrange this through your own insurance expert.

We strongly recommend that you always take out a good cancellation insurance with your booking. If you have a continuous cancellation insurance, it is advisable to check whether it also covers the costs of cancellation because of changed travel advice and restrictions such as covid.

In case of changes, we advise you to contact us by email or telephone. If you wish to change the period of stay or change accommodations, cancellation fees may apply.

At this time, unfortunately, this is not possible online. You can contact Etoiles du Sud for this.

A confirmed booking is final and cannot be revoked. The Distance Selling Act, in particular the 14-day cooling-off period given therein, does not apply to travel contracts concluded via the Internet. This law makes an exception for the tourism sector due to the specific nature of the services provided. Therefore, our services are excluded from the right of withdrawal.

If you cancel the booking, a fee will be charged to cover the costs we incurred in preparing the stay and the irrevocable deposit already paid to the owner. This amount increases the closer the cancellation date is to the actual arrival date

Etoiles du Sud generally applies the following cancellation fees:

• For cancellation eight weeks or more before the start of the stay: 35% of the invoiced rent plus the amount of optional services.
• In case of cancellation within 6 to 8 weeks before the start of the stay, the 90% of the invoiced travel sum plus the amount of optional services is due.
• In case of cancellation within the 6-week period before the start of the stay, the 100% of the invoiced travel sum is due.
• Please note that there are some vacation villas with cancellation policies that differ from the above. At the description page of each vacation villa, you will find under "booking conditions" the correct applicable cancellation conditions for that villa. Please read these carefully before booking.

In case of early termination of the stay, the full rental fee remains due. A cancellation must take place during business hours. If a cancellation is made after business hours, the cancellation shall be deemed to have been made on the next business day (Monday through Friday).

After the full travel sum has been paid, you will receive your booking confirmation. This will include the exact address of the vacation villa and the details regarding check-in.

Generally, you are welcome between 4:00-6:00 p.m. on the arrival day and must leave the vacation villa by 10:00 a.m. on the departure day, unless otherwise stated in your booking confirmation.

Owners and their cleaning team set themselves to a fixed arrival or departure time. They want everything to be completely in order the moment you arrive but also want everything to be in order again for the next travel party. Arrival and departure at a different time is therefore only possible after consultation with the owner and/or his caretaker. Please let us know in time so that we can clarify the possibilities for you. In some cases, additional costs may arise due to different arrival or departure times (e.g. on Sunday or late at night).

If the villa is already occupied for your trip or if new guests arrive after you, in most cases it is not possible, for example, to bring your luggage to the villa earlier in the day, as this will interfere with smooth preparation of the villa. We are happy to answer further questions or make individual arrangements.

Your booking confirmation will tell you how arrival is arranged. As a rule, the owner or his caretaker comes to the vacation villa with the key and receives you on the spot. It is also possible that your booking confirmation states the address of the owner or his caretaker, where you can pick up the key. Usually this is in the vicinity of your vacation villa.

On your booking confirmation, you are often requested to contact the owner or his caretaker by phone about 2 hours before arrival to communicate your estimated time of arrival so that he can be present in time and a smooth check-in can be guaranteed. For check-out, please make your own arrangements with the owner or caretaker on site.

If, due to unforeseen circumstances, it is not possible to receive you personally on site, the owner or his caretaker will ensure that you know in time how to get to the vacation villa you have rented. Most of the caretakers and owners speak English and experience shows that even with some French-speaking caretakers/owners there are rarely any problems with reception. Should you nevertheless not succeed you can always contact Etoiles du Sud.

Your booking confirmation will have the owner or caretaker's contact information and arrival times. Find him/her by phone first and if you do not get contact, you can contact Etoiles du Sud by phone.

The presence of bed, bath and kitchen linens varies by villa. You will find this information and any applicable costs under the services on the description page. Also, you will find this on the booking page.

Yes, blankets or blankets and pillows are provided in all vacation villas.

Through "our villas" in the header you will be taken to a search page. Enter reference number or name of the vacation villa you have booked in the search bar and press the magnifying glass. If there are specific questions you cannot find the answer to, please contact Etoiles du Sud.

When traveling through Europe with a dog or cat, you are required to be able to produce an animal passport for your pet(s). This includes proof of vaccination against rabies. In addition, your pet must have identification, such as a subcutaneous chip or a tattoo. Both the passport and identification can be obtained from the veterinarian. Also note the proper vaccinations, health protection of your pet and the specific rules for France.

For some vacation villas, pets are welcome (on request). You will find this in the optional services when booking. Please indicate the age and breed of the dog when booking. You can mention this in questions and comments. The applicable surcharge per pet can be found in the cost overview. This is often costs for extra cleaning.

Some plots are completely fenced. This fencing prevents wild boar or other animals from entering the property. These fences can sometimes have weak spots; therefore we cannot guarantee 100% fencing. Dogs are not allowed in the private pool, and you must bring your own sleeping place in the form of a basket or crate. Pets are generally not allowed in the bedrooms.

In most of our vacation villas, smoking is not permitted indoors. You will find this in the description page of the vacation villa you have booked.

All vacation guests wish for an undisturbed vacation. In France, the same rules for noise pollution apply as at home. Therefore, please be considerate of your neighbors/neighborhood. Unfortunately, construction work near the vacation villa is not always predictable as in the south of France construction sites remain quiet for several years and are restarted without consulting the neighbors of the respective builders. In general, in most areas there is a construction ban in July and August. Outside of that, construction, renovation, or gardening work in the area, which can sometimes be noisy and cause a nuisance, is not excluded. Unfortunately, the owner and Etoiles du Sud are not liable for any disturbances caused by construction work in the vicinity.

A beautiful garden needs regular maintenance, as does the pool which needs to be kept at the right levels. This is checked as much as possible in the early morning and on changeover days. Major garden maintenance is done in the spring and fall when the vacation villa is not rented. During rentals, minor work, such as grass cutting, may be done and you may not refuse access to the gardeners. Normally, the gardener and pool service have their own key to the plot (not to the vacation villa) and the owner, or his caretaker has informed you of the day and time at check-in. You do not have to stay home for this. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact owner or the caretaker.

In most vacation villas, tenants are offered the possibility of using a WiFi internet connection. The use of this connection is always for private use and, unfortunately, uninterrupted operation cannot always be guaranteed, even if the website states that it is available in the vacation villa. The data infrastructure in more remote locations is sometimes poor and not always suitable for streaming services. Due to weather conditions, line may often fail, or the router may even have to be replaced or completely reinstalled after a serious disruption. For this reason, therefore, no guarantee can be given for the 100% trouble-free operation of TV and other electronic equipment. For each villa, the respective owner decides which TV channels can be received. In many villas, besides the usual French channels, international channels are also included in the additional package, often English TV channels can also be received via satellite. More and more villas have Smart TVs with e.g. Netflix that can be connected to your own equipment.

The electricity infrastructure in the region is also uneven and problems may occur due to weather conditions. It is not allowed to connect own devices with a high charging load (e.g. e-bikes, electric cars) to the house network without prior permission from the owner, as this can lead to overloading and outages. If a charging station intended for this purpose is available at some vacation villas, you will find this explicitly on the description page.

A barbecue is available in most vacation villas, usually an electric or gas barbecue, as charcoal barbecues are not allowed in some regions or seasons for fire safety reasons. A gas bottle is available for use in most cases, which can be exchanged for a full one at gas stations for a fee. Please note that the use of gas cylinders is not permitted in most areas. Barbecuing is usually prohibited in high season when it is very dry and there is a risk of forest fires. Please note that a complete cleaning of the barbecue is not included in the final cleaning. You should leave the barbecue as clean as possible after use.

Unless otherwise indicated, you do not have to clean the vacation villa yourself. However, the villa should always be left in a proper state ('broom clean'). Always remember to clean the barbecue yourself after use. In some cases, the cleaning costs must be paid on the spot but usually when booking to Etoiles du Sud. This is always clearly stated, this information can be found in the cost overview on the description page and also on the booking page. If the villa is left disproportionately dirty requiring additional cleaning, these additional costs may be deducted from the security deposit.

The renter is legally responsible for any damage caused by him. Something can always be accidentally broken. Any damage should be reported to the owner or caretaker immediately. Only then can they possibly repair or replace it before the arrival of new guests.

If you have a complaint about your rented vacation villa, the caretaker or owner on site is your first point of contact. It is important to always pass on your complaint directly to the caretaker or owner during your stay (in any case within 24 hours of its occurrence), so that they can resolve your complaint as soon as possible. If the complaint is not dealt with to your satisfaction, then you, the tenant, can contact Etoiles du Sud so that we can seek an urgent and satisfactory solution in consultation with the owner or caretaker. If this fails, you can submit your complaint in writing to Etoiles du Sud up to 14 days after departure from your vacation villa. You must include all relevant details, supported by evidence and/or photographs. If you have a complaint about the service of Etoiles du Sud itself, you can contact us by phone or email. We will then strive to give you a substantive response to your complaint within 14 days.

After returning home, you will receive an email from us with a link to a review form. All customer reviews are handled and released by Etoiles du Sud. You can also post a review on Trustpilot via this link:
https://www.trustpilot.com/evaluate/etoiles-du-sud.com?utm_medium=trustbox&utm_source=TrustBoxReviewCollector

of on Google Review via this link:
https://g.page/r/CedXOfiH7uG1EB0/review