Essential Information For Guests Of Villa Cascata

  • We sincerely want you to have a relaxed & enjoyable holiday. The purpose of this ‘plain English’ information is to clearly state what you can expect from your holiday accommodation with us.
  • The following information will help you find out about all aspects of your Villa Cascata private villa, from services within the accommodation to 3rd party service providers.
  • This essential information forms part of your contract with Villa Cascata. By payment of your deposit, you have accepted and agreed the conditions outlined here in Addendum A and the Rental Terms and Conditions.
  • Should you require any further information regarding any of the matters below, please do not hesitate to contact the Villa Cascata or the Management Company Reservation Administrator for clarification of any points of issue you might want to ask.

The Rental Accommodation

  • Villa Cascata is privately owned villa. Furnished to the owner's taste this includes; the standard, style and finish fixtures and fittings of the villa. We endeavour to give an accurate description of the villa with interior and exterior photographs, but sometimes we may update or change the décor / fixtures / fittings after you book your holiday. 
  • These changes would be considered upgrades and not to affect the overall enjoyment of your holiday.
  • We endeavour to represent as clearly as possible the features within Villa Cascata. The villa features operate to Portuguese Safety Standards, Services and Regulations. 
  • A change to the interior or exterior décor after you have confirmed and paid for your accommodation will not give grounds for cancelation or compensation of your booking.

The Strict Time Villa Cascata Will Be Available For Access And Departure

  • Strictly access to the property is at 4pm and Strictly departure from the property is 10am
  • Only those persons registered on the booking form may occupy Villa Cascata from 4pm on the date of arrival and all guests must vacate the villa, including luggage, by 10am on the date of departure.
  • Failure to vacate Villa Cascata by 10am on your date of check-out will result in further charges being levied and deducted from your security deposit.
  • In low season – November to March we will try to give immediate access and a late departure for Villa Cascata. But we cannot guarantee this unless it is specifically agreed on your booking reservation. Closer to the time of arrival we can confirm if this would be possible, please contact us to discuss.
  • All arrivals regardless of using airport transfers or private car hire all guests must wait until 4pm to gain entry to Villa Cascata.

Access And Keys For Villa Cascata

  • Your final departure information will be sent to you generally 5 days before arrival. This email will have information about how to access Villa Cascata and we will request that you save it to your mobile device, and also print off driving directions and access codes.
  • On arrival to Villa Cascata the keys can typically be obtained 
    • from the key safe which is located at the entrance of the property 
    • or if you are being met by the management of the property keys will be given to you in person
  • On your final day, you must return the keys to the key safe outside on the wall and leave the spare keys on the console in the hallway
  • If you lose any of the keys or the garage key fob you have been provided the cost of the replacement(s) and this will be deducted from the security deposit. 
  • Villa Cascata replacement costs also include;- alarm remotes, gates, garage fobs, auto remote controllers for access to the property, remote control for the television and air conditioning units.
  • During your holiday you are responsible for ensuring you lock up Villa Cascata when you go out, including use of locks and alarms as provided and that you have your keys with you to be able to get back in.
  • If you accidently forget to take your keys with you and you have not left your emergency access key in the key safe outside the Villa Cascata so you can access a key). You will be responsible for the ‘call out’ charge to unlock the Villa Cascata. Every call out to open Villa Cascata that you have locked yourself out of will incur a minimum fee of €100.00 per assistance. Extra call outs will deduct from the security deposit.
  • Some locks may require a locksmith to open and the cost of this is the responsibility of the tenant and will be paid directly to the locksmith or deducted off your security deposit.
  • The downstairs sliding patio doors also has ‘auto’ locks when you slide them into closed position – they will lock automatically. For security Villa Cascata’s front door has a dead lock and if you leave the key in the back of the door you will not be able to get back into the villa. 
  • When you arrive take time to walk around the Villa Cascata and take note of the type of locks in the villa.

Guest Responsibilities

  1. Villa Cascata is reserved exclusively for the people named on the reservation confirmation and no other persons are permitted to stay at Villa Cascata unless this has been agreed with us in writing
  2. The persons provide their passport information for SEF and insurance purposes and appropriate payments made (if applicable). Additional guests will be asked to vacate by the Management team staff, accommodation supplier or other person in authority and charges will be taken from the security deposit fee.
  3. You and all members of your party also agree not to use the Villa Cascata for any illegal or commercial purpose, including subletting of Villa Cascata
  4. We will only provide bedding and towels equal to the number of the confirmed guests names on the contract. Any additional bedding or towels must be confirmed and agreed on the booking form. There is an additional cost for extra bedding and towels.
  5. Villa Cascata is non-smoking. Smoking is not permitted anywhere Villa Cascata. Any breach of this condition will entitle Villa Cascata to withhold the entire security deposit. Smoking may be permitted outside the property, but, if any cigarette debris is found the additional costs of cleaning will be deducted from the security deposit.
  6. No pets or animals are allowed in Villa Cascata property. 
  7. Villa Cascata property including the furniture, fittings and electrical items and effects, in or on the property, must be left in the same state of repair and condition as the commencement of the rental period. On arrival all fixtures and furnishings are deemed to be in good working order and fit for purpose. Faults that are found during the rental period are to be reported to Villa Cascata / Management team immediately. Failure to report any faults will be deemed to have been caused by the guests. The guest will be liable for the cost of the repair.
  8. Electrical appliances are all regularly checked but may stop working at any time of your holiday. Please call us and we will try to replace as soon as possible. Please note that machines that stop working may require attendance of a technician who may not work outside of normal Monday – Friday hours. If this occurs with air conditioning units we will provide you with a room fan until repaired.
  9. Always rinse your plates before placing in the dishwasher. If the dishwasher breaks down because of food residue trapped in the drain we will charge you for the call out.
  10. Guests are requested not to use 'fake tan' whilst in Villa Cascata. 'Fake tan' damages soft furnishings and linens. If at the final inspection it is found that 'fake tan' has been used, the additional associated costs of cleaning, laundry or replacing the damaged linens or furniture will be deducted from the security deposit. All linen is deemed to be in perfect clean unmarked order on your arrival. If the linen is not in perfect conditions – contact us immediately.
  11. On departure you agree to complete the following before departing the property: accommodation in a reasonably clean condition / as you found it on arrival, wash and dry up any used kitchen items and return to the cupboards, lock up all doors and windows and set the alarm. If additional significant cleaning has been necessary after your departure this will be deducted from your security deposit.

Villa Cascata is Self-Catering

In the local area there are several supermarkets including: Apolonia, Pingo Doce, Lidl, Aldi, AliSuper, Jaffers, Mini Preco and some smaller localised shops. Apolonia and Continente offer a shopping delivery service. You can read more about this on their websites. www.apolonia.pt and www.continente.pt

Safety deposit boxes

Please note that a safes is provided

Maid and Property Services

During your stay it is necessary for the maintenance team, pool team and  gardeners to carry out their duties at the Villa Cascata, including cutting grass, general garden duties, pool maintenance and urgent property maintenance. While we don’t want to disturb your holiday these duties are essential to keep Villa Cascata to a high standard.

Electrical Infrastructure

Portugal is a developing country and there is major infrastructure work being done to bring electrical and water supply up to a Northern European standard. There may be times that the supply will be disrupted. We have found over the years that EDP / Camara (Council) will try to have normal supply reconnected within a few hours. Unless there is a specific problem with Villa Cascata there is nothing else that we can do but communicate to you of the situation.

Note that Villa Cascata is allocated a ‘volume’ of electricity by EDP. Generally we have electric circuits to the maximum voltage that we are allowed to have. But given the demands on the property and the electrics in the property it may short out if too many appliances on at once.

If you have too many gadgets – including air conditioning, tv, oven, ipads, mobile phones, laptops, hob, entertainment system, washing machine, hair dryer, kettle all on at the same time you will probably blow a fuse. Turn off some of the electronic items and reset the fuse box.

To reset the fuse box: open the front panel – look to see which switches are not facing the right way. Reset any wrong switches. 

Drains & Toilets

Portuguese sewerage standards are not to the same standard as your home. In most restaurants, shops and beach facilities you will see signs requesting you not to put paper in the toilet but in the bin beside. Many properties do not have main mains sewerage.

You may put toilet paper in the toilets at Villa Cascata. Apart from toilet paper no other items can go in the toilet whatsoever – this includes, Kandoo, baby wipes and sanitary products. If a toilet system blocks during your tenancy and the blockage is something other than toilet paper, we will deduct the cost of the clearance of the blockage from your security deposit.

You may find that sometimes a ‘smell’ comes from drains and toilets, this is because of the way the sewerage is constructed. Portuguese building regulations do not require ‘soil stacks’ the tube that takes the smells above the roof. The plumbing is under the floor of the bathrooms and you will see a silver round ‘plate’ on the floor. Sometimes there is a build-up of odour particularly in summer. This is normal, generally if you flush the toilet and run a tap for a minute or so the smell will dissipate.  The pipework for the drains in the shower and bath are much smaller than European standard and it will take longer and be a bit slower for the water to drain away.

Hot Water

The boiler in Villa Cascata is electrical immersion heater and solar panels these are of sufficient size for the capacity of guests we allow to stay in the property. 

If you over fill a bath or take a shower for a long time, you will find that the hot water will run out. Please take shorter showers or smaller / shallower baths to ensure that you can all have hot water available for your use. If you use up all the water it will take several hours to re-heat a full tank of water.

Rubbish Collection

There is no door-to-door rubbish collection. You will have to take your own rubbish daily to communal bins. Large dumpster style bins will be located outside Cascata Village on to dispose of your rubbish.

Summer Air conditioning

We ask that you do not leave air conditioning units on when you are not in the Villa Cascata. We specifically request you do not leave doors and windows open and the air conditioning units on. If we note that the above happens, we reserve the right to remove the air conditioning remotes from the property.

Villa Cascata is equipped with air conditioning and heating systems.  It could be on arrival you see additional infrastructure in the property but unless we have specifically offered this infrastructure with the rental contract it is not available for your use. It could be that it may be available in exceptional circumstances and a charge will be payable locally to use the infrastructure.

Winter Heating

Please note that Villa Cascata is equipped with a wood burning stove and heating facilities for winter heating.

If there is an extra charge for the use of air conditioning / heating systems this charge will be on the Villa Cascata website information pages

Villa Cascata has a wood burning fireplace we do not supply wood, you must buy this yourself.

During winter the temperature will drop very quickly after 3.30pm. Do not leave any windows open when you go out during the day as you will find  Villa Cascata will be cold on your return and will take a long time to get warm again.

The air conditioning is also reverse cycle – which means that it can heat the rooms.

Assistance while on Holiday

When you are on holiday we intend to respect your privacy. Our office is based in Olhos De Agua if you want to pop in and meet us. Our team area available to help via [email protected]

The dictionary defines an emergency as: an unforeseen, unexpected or sudden occurrence, a serious situation especially of a danger - demanding urgent and immediate remedy, action or assistance. If you call outside of business hours and it is not a problem as described above we will respond to you during normal business hours.

All serious emergencies – please dial 112 for Fire / Police or Ambulance

Out of Season and Public Holidays

There may be limited facilities available during low season which can be from the end of September through to May in the Algarve. Consequently, we recommend car hire during these times and to check before you book your holiday what amenities and facilities are open in this season.

Satellite navigation systems - GPS

The GPS satellite navigation system is fairly reliable here and is useful in locating places of interest during your holiday. We try and provide as accurate as possible GPS codes but you must also use any of the additional specific directions provided in your travel information pack when travelling to Villa Cascata, to avoid any difficulties.

Lost Property

Please ensure all personal possessions are packed when departing your holiday property. Whilst we will endeavour to assist when items are left, unfortunately we are unable to guarantee the return of any items which have been left unattended and will not be liable for any items lost or damaged in transit. Postage, packaging and handling fees may be applied for the return of lost property.

Passports and ID while on Holiday

It is your responsibility to ensure you have a valid passport and visa (if applicable). Passports should have six months validity by your return travel date.

If your travel requires a visa – and you require additional supporting documentation from us there is an administration charge of a minimum €60 per person per document for the additional supporting paperwork for your visa application.

By law in Portugal you should always carry your passport, ID and car hire documents with you at all times. There are regular police checks on cars and they will ask for your ID and car hire paperwork. We also recommend to photocopy or, save on your phone, your important documents / credit card fronts and also have the telephone number of your Bank written down if you need to make an emergency call. Put these documents in a sealable plastic bag then you have duplicates / emergency numbers if you need them.

Personal Health and Safety

The Algarve is generally a safe place. But this does not mean that you should not be cautious. Do not leave valuables in your car. Close windows in properties that face onto public areas. Always lock all windows / doors / shutters when you go out of the property and if there is an alarm always set it. Always shut all doors, windows and shutters when you go to bed.

If you lose any items of value while on holiday through theft, you must report the facts immediately to the local police and obtain a written report (they will ask for a payment to make a report and it can take several hours). If a report is not obtained, you may not be able to claim back on your insurance policy.

Pool, Garden and General Maintenance – Third Party Suppliers

Villa Cascata and Cascata Village is maintained by the staff that have access to the property. Gardens have to be maintained on a weekly basis. The pool is regularly checked and cleaned, and this is normally carried out early in the morning. The pool requires salt and chlorine to keep it  balanced and the pool person will advise if this has been done and that maybe the pool will not be able to be used for a short amount of time, this is a normal procedure.

Pool and garden personnel do not have fixed hours, so it is not possible for us to advise you of the exact date or time of their visit. We ask for your cooperation when these people visit.

Villa Cascata – Third Party Supplier

Although every effort is made to ensure the information contained about Villa Cascata is correct, we cannot take responsibility for its accuracy. Unfortunately, some facilities may not be available at certain times of year, or at times when maintenance work is required or events are being held. In addition, local charges may apply extra facilities.

Airport / Taxi Transfers - Third Party Suppliers

Unless specifically included on the booking form, no transfers are included in the cost of the Villa Cascata accommodation. We can organise airport transfers for you at an additional cost. You can be transferred to any destination from the airport upon arrival. Access to Villa Cascata property is only after 5pm.

All Facilities, Restaurants, Attractions, Leisure Sports etc. – Third Party Suppliers

Activities booked on your behalf such as sports activities, tennis and golf, the provision of the service and facility is a Third Party Supplier we cannot guarantee the service or availability of the amenity, service level or quality. All local attractions referred to are independent and provided by third party suppliers and not  by us.  All complaints with the services of Third Party Suppliers should be directed to the supplier not Villa Cascata

Some facilities, activities and excursions could involve an element of risk and are not controlled by Villa Cascata. If you wish to participate, purchase or make use of any optional activities, facilities or excursions Villa Cascata cannot accept liability in relation to these. The contract for the provision of that activity, facility or excursion will be between you and that provider. The discretion to partake in any such activities, facilities, or excursions is entirely at your own risk. You are responsible for taking sensible precautions for your own safety and for the safety of any children or family members for whom you are responsible. Please liaise with the supplier of the facility, activity or excursion for the Terms and Conditions of your activity, facility or excursion which will govern your contract with the supplier.

Telephones – Third Party Supplier

Unless otherwise stated, telephones are not provided by Villa Cascata. In Portugal it is not uncommon that it can take several attempts to ‘dial out’ of the country. If this happens just keep trying.

TV system – Third party Supplier

Please read this document here about the TV systems available Villa Cascata Essential Information TV System

Internet - Third Party Supplier

Please read this document about the internet: Villa Cascata Essential Information Internet 

Car Hire – Third Party Supplier

We can organise car hire for you. The terms and conditions of the car rental is with the provider not Villa Cascata.

You will need a credit card, a full driving licence which has been held for at least one year. All drivers must have a licence. If you hold a photo-card licence you will require the accompanying paper documentation. Photocopies will not be accepted. Child seats can be provided. Cars can be collected from the airport or delivered to Villa Cascata property.

Insects Animals - Third Party Invaders!

The Algarve has mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches, and other creeping and flying insects. Ants are common and if you leave food out or forget to clean down tables, sweep floors and serving areas, the ants will have wandered in and happily start eating up your leftovers. If this happens remove the leftover food and wipe down the affected area.  If the ants persist we can provide ant powder as a repellent.

The properties are surrounded by gardens and countryside and field mice and other rodents are common, along with local farm animals, dogs and cats. Some of these animals make noise. We have no control of any animals that belong to neighbours or non-domesticated animals who make noise or may be roaming around, so we ask your understanding in this matter.

Safe Working Environment

Villa Cascata accepts the responsibility under the regulatory framework of Portuguese law for the provision of a safe working environment for our staff.

All Villa Cascata employees and Villa Cascata service providers should be entitled to perform their duties free from the threat of overt stress, harassment, intimidation or physical violence.

Villa Cascata will not tolerate any abuse of its employees or service providers including:

  • Physical violence – including kicking, spitting, hitting or pushing, or use of a weapon.
  • Verbal abuse – including intimidation, shouting, swearing or insults, racial or sexual abuse.
  • Threats and intimidation via telephone, text, electronic mail and normal mail.
  • Threats of extortion by means of writing bad and false reviews for financial gain.
  • Aggressive behaviour, abuse or threats to gain improved or quicker service provision.

In everyday life things can and do go wrong and you have the right to discuss any aspect of your holiday with us. We request that it is done in a calm manner in accordance with our service provision policies and will look to rectify any issue which we believe needs rectifying in a realistic timeframe.

Website

We make every effort to ensure that the information and photography contained on our Villa Cascata website and our associated websites are accurate. However, many individuals are responsible for the provision of your holiday arrangements and they may alter or temporarily withdraw some of the advertised facilities or services without prior notice to us. Unfortunately, errors can occur and prices may alter, however we will always endeavour to advise you of any changes at the earliest opportunity. The distances to amenities, beaches, restaurants, supermarkets and pool measurements we have provided are approximate and if floor plans are displayed these are a guide and are not to scale.