GENERAL
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
Every British traveller visiting any of the destinations on this website is required to hold a full 10-year passport with a minimum of six month’s validity beyond your return date. Any person holding a non-British passport must check their own requirements with the relevant embassy. Currently,, British passport holders are not required to apply for a visa in advance of their arrival in Dubai (please check prior to booking). Visas for Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar are issued to British Passport holders on arrival. Currently there is a cost involved for the Oman visa. British Passport holders are required to apply for visa in advance of a visit to Vietnam and Cambodia. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct documentation and any necessary visas for your destination, prior to your departure from the United Kingdom.
ALCOHOL IMPORT RESTRICTIONS
Please note that it is prohibited by law to bring any alcohol into Arabian countries, either on your person or in your baggage.
HEALTH
The requirement for vaccinations varies from country to country and sometimes even, region to region. Such requirements or recommendations may also be subject to change. Accordingly, if you are in any doubt, we would suggest that you consult your local GP. Of course we also strongly recommend that you take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy before you travel. Please note that pregnant passengers are not accepted by the majority of airlines after 28 weeks into the pregnancy. Please note that some medication commonly used in the United Kingdom may be on the illegal drug list in some other countries so you are advised to check this prior to your holiday. Taking medicines to Dubai - for some UK medicines, including various over the counter medicines such as Codeine, it is necessary to carry an accompanying doctor's note or prescription to authenticate its use. We would refer you to the Department of Health free leaflet entitled 'Health advice for travellers'.
WEATHER
Within the general information on each destination we have included a chart providing an indication of the average general weather conditions. Please note that this is for guidance and cannot be relied upon. It is generally accepted that weather conditions around the world are becoming more and more unpredictable. Please note that If Only… will not be held liable for any impairment of your holiday caused by adverse weather conditions.
GOVERNMENT ADVICE
Should you have any reservations about travel, due to political unrest, potential violence etc. we would recommend that you access the government website (www.fco.gov.uk) for specific advice relating to your chosen destination.
BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE
Generally speaking, on economy flights the baggage allowance is 20kg. This is likely to be increased for Business and First Class passengers. Any excess luggage will be charged at the discretion of the airline. Please note that the allowance applied to internal flights or inter-island flights may be less. If in doubt, please consult one of our travel consultants.
EXCURSIONS
Any excursions booked and paid for in resort are operated by the local handling company. Accordingly you will be subject to their booking conditions and cancellation charges. As If Only... is not party to the provision of these services, refunds cannot be obtained from us after your return from holiday.
SPECIAL REQUESTS
If Only... staff will do their utmost to ensure that any special requests or special needs you may have are satisfied, whether they relate to the flight or indeed your hotel. Such requests must be made in writing. However, please appreciate that they are merely 'requests' and therefore can never be guaranteed.
CURRENCY
It is recommended that you take with you travellers cheques, either in Sterling or US dollars. These can be exchanged for cash at most overseas banks and hotels. Credit cards are almost essential as they will be requested to guarantee your hotel extras bill.
UNUSED SERVICES
Refunds are not available for services booked and provided but not utilised.
MEAL PLAN
For the avoidance of doubt, unless otherwise stated, where the board basis is 'half-board' or 'all-inclusive', then as a general rule all meals will be taken in the main hotel restaurant. Should guests wish to use an alternative restaurant, then a supplement will normally be applied by the hotel.
SWIMMING PRECAUTIONS
In some destinations it is advisable to wear some form of protective footwear when swimming in the sea. For example, there have been rare instances of holidaymakers being injured by stonefish in Mauritius. Please also always adhere to local instructions.
FLIGHTS
CHECKING-IN
Where the facility exists, clients are strongly advised to check-in online before travelling to the airport.
FLIGHT SCHEDULE CHANGES
Regrettably airlines occasionally change their flight schedules. Please note that we cannot be held responsible for any such changes made after the time of booking.
FLIGHT DELAYS
For a variety of reasons (eg. adverse weather conditions, increases in air traffic and technical problems etc) flight delays are always going to occur. While the airline may make alternative arrangements to ensure you reach your destination, there will be no compensation for any loss of services or any consequential reduction in the length of holiday. Such matters may be the subject of a claim on your insurance policy.
SEAPLANE TRANSFERS
A number of our resorts in the Maldives are accessible only by seaplane. Please note that seaplane transfers only take place during daylight hours. If you arrive at the airport in Malé outwith daylight hours, then it will be necessary to take interim accommodation at the Hulhule Airport Hotel.
AIRPORT TAXES
Generally speaking the airport taxes are incorporated in the package price you have paid. Occasionally however, airports will apply a departure tax which requires to be paid in cash before your inbound flight. This is current applicable to some airport in Vietnam and Cambodia.
PASSENGER NAMES
It is essential that the name you provide at the time of booking conforms to that on your passport. Airlines are unlikely to allow any subsequent name change after ticketing without a very substantial financial penalty. This point of information is particularly relevant to honeymoon couples where the bride decides to change her surname subsequent to the booking having been placed.
CHECK-IN TIMES
It is your responsibility to respect the check-in times specified by the airline on which you are travelling, and to ensure that you arrive at your point of departure in plenty time. If Only...will not accept any liability if you miss your flight as a result of your late check-in or connecting transport being delayed.
HOTELS
HOTEL CLASSIFICATION
At If Only… we have the policy of not providing any hotel classification or grading. It is our view that a classification system restricted to only five categories does not provide you, the holiday-maker, with adequate differentiation.
ACCOMMODATION
A number of the hotels featured on this website are located in tropical climates. Inevitably therefore they sometimes attract unwelcome visitors of the insect variety. This represents part and parcel of life in such countries and should not be interpreted as being an indication that the accommodation is lacking in hygiene standards. Please note that when a hotel description states a 'sea view' or 'ocean view' then this may in fact only be a partial or restricted view. Please be advised that the accommodation images featured are not necessarily synonymous with the lead-in room type referred to in the price panel.
CHECK-IN/OUT TIMES
Check-in and check-out times may vary from hotel to hotel. It is not unusual for the former to be 14.00 hours and 11.00 hours for the latter. Generally speaking hotels will attempt to accommodate early arrivals or late departures, but this is not always possible. Should you wish to have access to your room for an extended period then a local charge is likely to be applied. If you are scheduled to arrive in resort in the early morning after a long flight, we recommend that you pre-book and pay for your room at the time of booking.
DISABLED FACILITIES
A number of the hotels and resorts featured lack even the most basic facilities such as ramps and lifts. Our staff will do their utmost to advise which hotel is most suited but we will not be held liable in the event that the correct apparatus and necessary modifications are not in place. To provide us with the necessary assistance, we would ask that you provide your specific requirements in writing at or prior to the booking stage.
MAINTENANCE WORK
Nowadays, in order to maintain standards, hotel renovation is a continual process. In this event, hotel management will ensure that any disturbance to guests is restricted to the absolute minimum.
RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION WORKS
Development work in hotels and resorts is also becoming more and more commonplace. At If Only… we will use our best efforts to ensure that you are advised in advance of any intended works, whether they be within your hotel or adjacent thereto. However, some works may be unscheduled and therefore we would not be in a position to inform you before departure. Regrettably we cannot accept responsibility for improvement / building / construction works carried out to your hotel or the near vicinity. If we are of the opinion that the building works may seriously impair the enjoyment of your holiday, we will offer you the opportunity to transfer to an alternative holiday of comparable standard. If the alternative is available at an extra cost, the difference will be payable by you. Alternatively, If Only... will give you the option to cancel and you will receive a full refund.
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR
Please note that it is commonplace for guests staying in resort hotels over the Christmas and New Year period to be obliged to pay a supplement for obligatory additional services, such as gala dinners. There is also a minimum nights stay requirement at some hotels over this period.
TRADE FAIRS AND EVENTS
Due to high demand for accommodation during some trade fairs and special events held throughout the year, some hotels may charge a supplement. Please contact our reservations consultants for further information.
ALL INCLUSIVE HOLIDAYS
Where one of our resorts offers an all-inclusive product, it is worth noting that the all-inclusive aspect may start and finish at certain times on the dates of arrival and departure. Also, resorts are prone to occasionally tweaking the specific terms of their all-inclusive package and this is something beyond our control.
