Terms and Conditions for Lifestylebookings.com
These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of Lifestylebookings.com (“the Platform”), a marketplace connecting Hosts / Vendors offering accommodation, rentals, properties and activities (“Listings”) with Guests seeking to book them. By accessing or using the Platform, you agree to these Terms, our Privacy Statement, and other policies referenced herein. “Lifestylebookings,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to lifestylebookings.com. These Terms form a binding agreement between you and Lifestylebookings.com.
A. Terms and Conditions for Guests
- Eligibility:
- You must be at least 18 to book a Listing or create an account.
- You agree to provide accurate, complete, and current information during registration and booking.
- Booking and Payment:
- Requests to Book for Accommodation are subject to availability, Host approval and Confirmation.
- You agree to pay a Booking Fee / Commission of 10% as displayed at checkout within 24 hours of receipt of a Request to Book Acceptance, failing which your Booking will lapse.
- Upon making this Payment the Booking is Confirmed.
- You are then required to pay the Host the balance of the Total Accommodation Cost, minus the Booking Fee, which we refer to as the Direct Payment, on arrival at the Host, unless you mutually agree to an interim payment with the Host before your arrival date.
- Booking Fees are not refundable unless cancellations are more than 30 Days before Check in Date.
- In the event that a Host is unable to honor a Confirmed Booking the Host is then liable to the Guest for refunding the Booking Fee.
- Guest Responsibilities:
- Ensure that you are fully acquainted with Host / Vendor Terms of Stay / Terms of Use / House Rules, which may be disclosed in the Listing, or on site, or in a waiver, agreement (if applicable).
- Comply with such Terms and Rules.
- Respect the property: Report damage promptly and reimburse Hosts for damage beyond normal wear and tear (e.g., broken furniture, stained carpets).Adhere to occupancy limits, pet policies, and noise restrictions (e.g., no parties unless permitted).
- Do not engage in commercial activities (e.g., filming for profit) without Host consent.
- Maintain cleanliness: Leave the Listing in a reasonable state, disposing of trash as instructed.
- Respect and adhere to rules about pets and smoking.
- Safety and Conduct:
- Do not engage in illegal, discriminatory, or harassing behavior.
- Provide valid contact information and respond promptly to Host communications.
- Liability and Insurance:
- You are responsible for your actions and those of your guests or pets.
- Lifestylebookings is not liable for personal injury, property damage, or loss during your stay.
- Disputes:
- Communicate issues with the Host via the Lifestylebookings Helpdesk / Support.
- Use the Help Desk to request refunds or report damage within 72 hours of checkout.
- Leave honest reviews to help future Guests and Hosts.
- Lifestylebookings reserves the right to monitor reviews at its own discretion.
- Termination:
- Grokstays may suspend or terminate your account for violating these Terms and Rules, including repeated rule violations, multiple bad reviews from Hosts or fraudulent activity.
B. Terms and Conditions for Hosts
- Eligibility:
- You must be at least 18 and have legal authority to offer your Listing (e.g., own or lease the property).
- You agree to provide accurate Listing details (e.g., location, amenities, terms and conditions of stay, house rules) and maintain high review ratings.
- Listing and Booking:
- You need to set set pricing, availability, and cancellation policies, disclosed clearly in your Listing.
- You are not allowed to use any street address, trade name, website details or contactable details in you Listings.
- Do not use images with imbedded location codes.
- You are not allowed to use any street address, trade name, website details or contactable details in any communications with a Guest or potential Guest before you receive Confirmation of Booking Payment from Grokstays.
- Honor confirmed bookings unless extenuating circumstances apply (e.g., uninhabitable property).
- Cancellations must be reported to Lifestylebookings immediately.
- Disclose any booking agreement terms in your Listing description and messaging before booking.
- Host Responsibilities:
- Provide a safe, clean, and accurately described Listing, including disclosures about noise, privacy, or shared spaces.
- Respond to Guest inquiries within 24 hours, especially near check-in or during stays.
- Comply with local laws (e.g., permits, taxes, safety regulations). You are solely responsible for understanding and meeting these requirements.
- Handle Guest personal information per our Privacy Statement and Host Privacy Standards. Do not use Guest data for marketing without consent.
- Fees and Payments:
- Lifestylebookings charges a 10% Booking Fee / Commission, unless otherwise detailed in our Agreements with Hosts.
- Once the Guest pays the Booking Fee the Booking is Confirmed.
- Cancellations by Guests for which Lifestylebookings will reimburse their Booking Fees are allowed for up to 30 days before Check in Date.
- The Guest pays the Balance of the Accommodation Booking Amount, minus the Booking Fee, ie the Direct Payment, on arrival at Host.
- You may not charge undisclosed fees. Security deposits, if required, must be disclosed in the Listing.
- In the event that a Host is unable or unwilling to honor a Confirmed booking for which a Guest have already paid a Booking Fee, the Host becomes liable to the Guest for reimbursing him his booking Fee, unless such a problem / cancellation is reported to and agreed to by Lifestylebookings more than 30 days before the Check in Date.
- Content and Intellectual Property:
- You grant Lifestylebookings a non-exclusive, worldwide license to use your Listing content (e.g., photos, descriptions) for promotion and operation of the Platform.
- Your content must not infringe third-party rights or violate our Content Policy (e.g., no discriminatory or illegal content).
- Safety and Compliance:
- Ensure Listings meet safety standards (e.g., smoke detectors, clear exits).
- Do not manipulate search rankings or encourage off-Platform bookings.
- Report Guest violations (e.g., damage, rule-breaking) via the Resolution Center with documentation (e.g., photos, messages).
- Liability and Insurance:
- Lifestylebookings is not liable for any Listed Property or Activity damage, personal injury, or legal disputes.
- Host / Vendor insurance needs to be in place for the above.
- Reimbursement for Damage caused by Guests needs to be provided for by the Host Terms and Conditions of Stay.
- These Host Terms and Conditions must be clearly spelt out and easily available for perusal by Guests
- Any such damage claim needs to be resolved directly with the relevant Guest.
- Disputes and Reviews:
- Address Guest issues promptly via the Lifestylebookings Support / helpdesk.
- Leave honest reviews to help future Guests and maintain platform trust.
- Lifestylebookings may mediate disputes but is not responsible for enforcing rental agreements.
- Termination:
- You may remove Listings or deactivate your account with notice, subject to completing existing bookings.
- Lifestylebookings may suspend or remove Listings for violations, low ratings, or legal non-compliance.
General Terms (Applicable to Both Guests and Hosts)
- Platform Use:
- Do not misuse the Platform (e.g., scraping, unauthorized copying, or framing content).
- Comply with all applicable laws, including privacy and data protection regulations.
- Indemnification:
- You agree to indemnify Lifestylebookings for losses arising from your violation of these Terms, misuse of the Platform, or infringement of third-party rights.
- Limitation of Liability:
- Lifestylebookings is not liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages. Our liability is limited to the fees paid to us for the relevant booking.
- Governing Law and Disputes:
- These Terms are governed by the laws of South Africa. Disputes will be resolved through arbitration in Cape Town, per South African Arbitration Guidelines, unless otherwise required by law.
- Changes to Terms:
- We may update these Terms, with notice on this Website of material changes. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.
- Contact:
- Email: admin@lifestylebookings.com