Frequently Asked Questions

When you book a holiday with Sardinian Places you will benefit from ATOL protection. This ensures that you won’t lose your money or become stranded abroad in the unlikely event of financial failure

There have recently been a number of reassurances around the likes of flights and visas, and we recommend viewing ABTA's recent article on Brexit advice for travellers. You can read it here.

We no longer offer welcome hampers as these were first introduced many years ago when supermarkets were closed on a Sunday and this was our only flying day. These days food shopping is much more accessible for visitors and customer feedback told us that it was not a necessity for the majority. Following this change, we are pleased to be able to pass any savings to our customers in the prices we charge. 

To hire a car in Sardinia you need to be at least 21 years of age and have held a full driving licence for at least one year. You will also need a valid credit card. Drivers between 21 and 25 years of age will be charged an additional €22 per day plus tax locally.

Bank transfers

• Account name:  Serenity Holidays
• Account number: 06019129
• Sort code: 60-18-46

Please quote your booking reference number on all bank transfer transactions

Credit and Debit cards (no handling charge, unless a busniness credit card is used when a 1.6% charge will apply)

• Visa
• MasterCard
• Switch/Maestro
• Visa Electron
• Delta

Unfortunately, we are not able to accept Solo cards

Cheques

Please make payable to Sardinian Places and add your holiday reference to the reverse of the cheque along with your name and address.

All our holidays include baggage free of charge. Your allowance depends on the airline that you are traveling with. Please call us on: 01489 866959 to find the checked baggage allowance.

On June 8 2015, the paper counterpart to the UK driver’s licence was abolished. Customers no longer need to present this  when collecting your hire car. Neither do you need to generate a code from the DVLA website, simply present your photocard driving licence and a valid credit card for each named driver.

You will need a valid credit card in the name of the lead named driver as a security deposit. Please note: debit cards are not valid as a security deposit.

The currency in Sardinia is the Euro as is the rest of Italy.

For travel to Sardinia, you will need a valid passport for all members of your family. If you are a non-EU citizen, we advise you to contact the Italian Embassy for details.

Hotel facilities can sometimes be limited outside of high season. Due to weather conditions, outdoor pools are generally open from 1st May to 30th September as they are, in the main, unheated. Hotel restaurants may also be restricted during early and late season. For further information please ask at the time of booking.

All airlines are required to collect Advance Passenger Information from all customers (including infants) travelling to and from the UK by air in advance of issuing tickets.

What information is needed per passenger?

• Full name, as per your passport including any middle names.
• Your date of birth.
• The travel document 'type' e.g.passport.
• Your nationality.
• Passport Country of Issue.
• Passport number, issue date and expiry date.

When is the information required by?

• If we require this before issuing your tickets, this will be requested at the time of booking or at least 7 days before travel in order for your tickets to be processed in time.
  Failure to do so will prevent tickets from being issued.
  Any API details received within 7 days of departure may result in additional charges if a Ticket on Departure or Special Delivery is required to issue your tickets.
   
• If your ticket is issued as an e-ticket by the airline, you will be invited to enter this information directly into the airline website in order to complete online check-in and generate boarding passes. Information on this will be included with your travel documents.

How can I provide this information?

• You can enter these securely online under Manage My Booking or call our Admin Team with your passport details.

Bed linen, bath and hand towels are provided on a weekly basis. In most properties, guests can expect beds to be made up on arrival. Please note that for multiple week stays, clean linen for each week will be delivered at the weekend, however the beds will not be made up. Cot linen is not provided and beach towels are only included in our Premium properties.

Arrival instructions, which include directions to the property and GPS coordinates, are sent out with your travel documentation two weeks prior to your travel date.

Key information is normally included within your arrival instructions sent out with your travel documents however our reps can update you on arrival, providing they have your travel details.

On arrival in Sardinia, our resort team will send you a welcome text asking how you would like to have an informal meeting with our representative - this can be by phone, chat, video call or face-to-face. Please ensure you have provided us with a mobile number in advance of your holiday.

Your travel details are important so we are aware of your arrival time for key or property arrangements. Also if you have booked car hire with us, we require your flight details to ensure that the car hire desk remains open in the event of a delay.

Unfortunately this is not possible. Access to our self-catering properties is not permitted until 4pm due to the cleaning of the property. On the very rare occasion where the property is ready before 4pm, your airport representative will advise you on arrival.

These can be expected 2 weeks prior to your date of travel and will include elements such as arrival instructions and flight tickets (if needed). If you have only booked your accommodation with us, you will receive all relevant travel information via email unless otherwise requested.

If a property has a barbecue we note this in the accommodation facilities. Due to the rural nature of our properties and the high fire risk, barbecues are actually officially prohibited, though tolerated, due to the heightened fire risk in the drier summer months.

Our properties are thoroughly cleaned and checked before your arrival. We provide each of our properties with washing and dishwasher tablets, general cleaning products and bin liners. We kindly ask our guests to leave their accommodation clean and tidy. Should guests not undertake a minimal clean before departure or in the event of extra cleaning being required, a charge will be made.

If you require a cot or a highchair, please request it at the time of booking. Foldable highchairs and travel cots are provided free of charge in most of our self-catering properties. For hygiene reasons, cots are supplied without linen. Cots and highchairs can also be requested for hotel bookings – a small supplement may apply.

If your property has wifi, this will be indicated on the individual property description. Internet coverage and speed of connection may differ to that in the UK and may at times be limited or unavailable as a result of issues with the local network, There are Internet cafés in main resorts and a number of our hotels have this facility.

If you have any special requests regarding your holiday accommodation or flights, please ensure they are requested at the time of booking. Your requests will be passed on to our suppliers but cannot be guaranteed. Please contact Administration if you wish to add a request after the booking has been made. Unfortunately, we are unable to inspect requested items or services that are not advertised.

If there is anything at all about your holiday or property, which you feel unhappy about it is important that you inform your representative as soon as possible, so they are able to take any action locally that may be necessary. Your representative's phone number can be located on your arrival instructions sent out with your travel documentation and will also appear on your welcome note on your arrival in resort. Your representative should always be called in the first instance rather than the UK Office.

Beach towels are only provided in our Premium villas, so you are required to take beach towels for all other villas or apartments. Bath towels are not permitted for beach or pool use.

The standard international practice is to let rooms from midday to midday, however times do vary. Check in times are usually between 2pm and 3pm and check out times between 10am and 12 noon on the day of departure.

Your car hire package for 2018 includes 2 named drivers per car. All drivers must be over the age of 21 and have held a driving licence for at least 1 year. There is a young driver surcharge (if you are aged between 21- 25) of €22 per day, payable locally. It is a legal requirement to carry your photo-card licence at all times. Please ensure that your choice of car can accommodate all of your luggage.

These are normally well signposted, head for the Avis desk and you will be given the keys for your car and advised where it can be located. Please take the time to inspect the condition of the vehicle as, although the cars have been checked, sometimes things can be overlooked. The car will have a full tank of fuel and you must return it full otherwise additional charges will apply.

Car seats can be added to your booking by calling Administration on 0845 338 8701, however you will need to pay Avis directly. Baby, child and booster seats are payable locally at 75€ each per booking.

Car hire excess insurance is not included in our package prices. However, we are pleased to advise that we are partnered with Bettersafe - Insurance professionals specialising in car hire excess insurance. Taking out an insurance policy for this added protection enables you to claim back the cost of any excess charges that may be imposed should your hire car become damaged or stolen. This means that it is not essential to pay for Super CDW locally, saving at least €34 per day or €238 per week. To obtain a quote please visit Bettersafe.

Electricity in Sardinia is very expensive and most of our villas are metered for its use. In order to limit excessive usage, some of our property owners charge locally for the use of air-conditioning and according to the guests’ exact consumption during their stay. Guests should expect to pay an average of €60 per a/c unit per week – more accurate guidelines can be obtained for each property, please refer to the property descriptions or call us for details. As part of sustainable tourism we ask that air-conditioning is used sensibly: the windows and doors should be kept closed when the air-conditioning is on. The units should be turned off when guests leave their property and shutters and windows should be closed during the hottest part of the day to increase efficiency.

Out of respect for our owners and their properties, we ask our guests not to smoke inside our self-catering accommodation. This also applies to hired cars. Like the UK, a smoking ban is in place in all public areas across Italy.

As in most Mediterranean islands, water is in short supply in Sardinia, so please use it sparingly. At times, water can be temporarily cut off as a result of high demand in the peak summer months. Tap water may be perfectly safe to drink, but many of our properties have a private water supply, so we would recommend that you drink bottled water.

To assist us to improve our service and ensure standards are maintained, we will be most grateful if you would take the time to complete our questionnaire in resort and return it to our resort staff prior to your departure.

Travel insurance is a vital aspect to booking a holiday, giving you protection against unforeseen circumstances that could otherwise spoil your holiday.

We have arranged a scheme with specialists Travel & General Insurance Services Limited who are fully authorised and regulated by the FCA (firm reference number 304788), full details of which can be found on the FCA website: www.fca.org.uk.

Please call Travel & Genera directly on 0330 880 3625 for a quote.

Both credit and debit cards are accepted in restaurants, shops and petrol stations, however you may want to check prior to making any purchases in smaller towns or village. Few banks accept travellers cheques or sterling.

Any amendments will be subject to availability and an amendment fee in addition to any difference in costs. This is in addition to any suppliers' amendment or cancellation fees. Further details can be obtained from our Admin Team on 01489 866935 or via email at admin@sardinianplaces.co.uk.  Amendments within 14 days of travel are not always possible and cancellation charges will apply. Should you need to cancel, please advise our Admin Team as soon as possible, preferably by phone.  We also advise that you let your holiday insurance company know as soon as possible.

Some property owners require a security deposit to be paid in euros to cover any breakages, damage, losses or extra cleaning which may have incurred during your holiday. If a deposit is required to be paid for locally, you will be notified at the time of booking. For other self-catering properties you may be required to pay for a security deposit in the UK.

We ask guests to care for their holiday accommodation as if it were their own and we recommend all clients to purchase our travel insurance, which covers for some material damage, or make similar arrangements.

Whilst tightly controlled and sparse by Mediterranean standards, as part of their development, some resorts can experience local building work. We are unable at times to predict when and where building works will occur, as third parties carry these out over whom we have no control. Whenever we are aware that building works may have an impact on your holiday, we will advise you before departure as we appreciate the inconvenience that such work may cause. Whilst we will endeavour to do our best to find you alternative accommodation, in extreme cases this may not always be possible, especially in high season.

The welfare of our customers is our prime consideration and we are committed to raising the standards of health and safety in our properties and to continue to identify areas where safety can be improved. General safety regulations do vary from country to country and are often less stringent than those that we have come to expect in the UK. It is therefore important to be safety conscious and we suggest that on your arrival you familiarise yourself with your surroundings, read the information file provided, and to speak with your representative if you have any concerns. We hope that by taking these simple steps, this will help to ensure that everybody in your party has a safe and enjoyable holiday.

We are working with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to do all that we can to help British Travellers stay safe overseas. Visit Foreign & Commonwealth Office website » Their website at FCDO Travel Advice Know Before You Go is packed with essential tips, travel advice and up-to-date country specific information.

Only guests named on your confirmation are entitled to occupy the accommodation. Any people not appearing on the invoice will be charged locally.

Swimming pool details such as sizes, shape and depth (where known) are given in our facilities section for each accommodation, please refer to each property or call us if you require further information and we will check with the owner. Pools are generally freshwater and unheated though some are sea water and only a few are equipped with pool covers or fencing. Weather permitting, all pools are open from the start of May to the beginning of October. Pools are usually maintained and cleaned by the property owner who will be as discreet as possible when working around the property. In the event of bad weather or thundery conditions, pools can become cloudy quickly and dust and debris can appear. If this occurs please advise your representative immediately.

As mobile phone coverage is very good in Sardinia, only a few of our properties have telephones with lines restricted to local or emergency calls only. If you intend to use your mobile phone abroad, please ensure that it is registered for international use.

As terrestrial signals in Sardinia are generally very poor, most properties have satellite boxes. However, unless the owner has subscribed to a second provider, the only channels available will be in Italian.

In Sardinia, the infrastructure is not as advanced as in the UK or mainland Italy, and you may find supply to be less powerful and at times intermittent. The system is unlikely to be able to cope with several electrical appliances in operation at the same time.

When our guests are on holiday, the local population will be going about their daily business. Rural or village properties may have farming activities nearby, hunting and festivals, over which we have no control. In villages and more rural areas there may be cats and dogs that wander around apparently wild. Guests are encouraged not to feed them as this will attract them to return to the property.

If a mid stay clean is not already included in your holiday package, it is normally possible to arrange this at an extra charge. Please contact us for information and prices.

As properties are generally Sardinian or Italian owned, the décor may reflect the local lifestyle and the owners' taste. A dining table and chairs can be given more priority than comfortable indoor chairs, as this is more in keeping with a Mediterranean lifestyle. Floors are generally not carpeted and curtains are often decorative with shutters used to block out the light. Simpler properties can have basic kitchen facilities, should you have any special requirements please let us know.

Sardinia is one hour ahead of the U.K.

Most of our properties are located in the countryside, so indigenous animals and insects can be heard or seen at times. Guests should expect to hear dogs barking or a cockerel crowing at dawn time – this is part of the Sardinian way of life and is unavoidable and beyond our control. Mosquitoes, ants and other insects are quite common in the warmer climates. We strongly advise our guests not to leave any food uncovered and take household rubbish to the bin on a daily basis, to deter stray rodents and animals. Dogs and cats may wander around your property as other holidaymakers may have fed them before; they are normally docile and very friendly.