1 Introduction and Acceptance
These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern every booking made through OFF-PISTE. They are entered into between you ("you," "your," or "Guest") and [OFF-PISTE LLC — insert the confirmed legal name of your New York entity] ("OFF-PISTE," "we," "us," or "our"), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of New York.
By submitting a booking enquiry, paying a deposit, or otherwise confirming a reservation with OFF-PISTE, you accept these Terms in full, together with the specific details set out in your Booking Confirmation and any chalet-specific house rules provided to you before arrival. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not proceed with a booking.
These Terms apply to all reservations of chalet accommodation, and any related services, arranged by OFF-PISTE, regardless of where in the United States you are traveling from.
2 Definitions
In these Terms, the following terms have the meanings set out below.
- “Booking Confirmation” means the written confirmation issued by OFF-PISTE once a Booking is accepted, setting out the Chalet, dates, guest count, Total Price, and any special arrangements.
- “Chalet” means the private chalet accommodation booked through OFF-PISTE for a given stay.
- “Chalet Owner” means the individual or company that owns or operates the Chalet under local French law, and that is responsible for its physical condition and for certain on-site services such as housekeeping and in-chalet catering.
- “Party Leader” means the individual who makes the Booking and who is responsible, on behalf of the group, for the accuracy of the information provided and for the group’s compliance with these Terms.
- “Total Price” means the full price of the Chalet stay and any bundled services stated in the Booking Confirmation, exclusive of items expressly identified as additional.
3 Our Role: How OFF-PISTE Works
OFF-PISTE is not a listings marketplace. We personally select and inspect each chalet in our collection, negotiate directly with the Chalet Owner, and then sell you the stay in our own name, as principal. Your contract for the stay is with OFF-PISTE — not directly with the Chalet Owner — and OFF-PISTE is responsible to you for the arrangements made under these Terms, as further described in Section 20 (Limitation of Liability).
Certain services delivered at the Chalet itself — housekeeping, in-chalet chefs, hosts, and similar on-site staff — are provided by the Chalet Owner or its local partners. Those individuals are independent of OFF-PISTE and are not our employees or agents, although we select every Chalet Owner with care and maintain a direct, ongoing relationship with each one.
4 Eligibility to Book
To make a Booking, you must be at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract. The Party Leader is responsible for the accuracy of all information provided to OFF-PISTE on behalf of the group, and for ensuring that every member of the group is made aware of, and complies with, these Terms and any house rules applicable to the Chalet.
5 The Booking Process and Formation of Contract
An enquiry, a quote, or a hold on a Chalet is not binding on either party. A contract between you and OFF-PISTE is formed only once (a) OFF-PISTE has issued a Booking Confirmation, and (b) OFF-PISTE has received the applicable deposit described in Section 8.
The Booking Confirmation is the definitive record of your stay — the Chalet, dates, guest count, Total Price, and any special arrangements agreed with you. Please review it carefully and notify us of any discrepancy within 48 hours of receipt; we will treat the Booking Confirmation as accurate after that point.
6 Chalet Descriptions, Photography, and Availability
Descriptions and photography on our website and in our marketing materials are prepared in good faith to reflect each Chalet accurately. That said, furnishings, décor, and minor amenities may change over time due to renovation, seasonal maintenance, or decisions made by the Chalet Owner that are outside OFF-PISTE’s control.
If a material feature described to you — for example, a hot tub, sauna, or a specific bedroom configuration — becomes unavailable before your arrival, we will notify you as soon as we become aware of it and offer the remedies described in Section 11.
7 Rates, Currency, and Taxes
Prices are quoted in U.S. dollars unless stated otherwise, for the specific period and occupancy set out in your Booking Confirmation, and include the Chalet rental together with any services expressly bundled into that price.
Prices exclude anything not expressly included — à la carte concierge services, ski passes and equipment, gratuities, and personal expenses, among others — unless your Booking Confirmation states otherwise.
Certain French local taxes, notably the taxe de séjour (a municipal tourist tax), are set by the relevant French municipality and may be collected separately, either at the time of booking or on-site, at the applicable local rate.
Once a Booking Confirmation has been issued, your Total Price is fixed and will not increase, except for taxes, fees, or governmental charges newly imposed after confirmation, which we will pass through at cost.
8 Payment Terms
A deposit of 30% of the Total Price is due at the time of booking to secure your Chalet; the remaining 70% is due no later than 60 days before your arrival date. We will send a reminder in advance of that due date.
If you book less than ten (10) weeks before your arrival date, the full Total Price is due at the time of booking.
We accept payment by bank wire transfer and major credit card; a processing fee may apply to credit card payments and will be disclosed before you pay. If a payment is not received by its due date, we will contact you in writing and allow five (5) business days to bring your account current before treating the Booking as cancelled by you under Section 9, with the corresponding forfeiture.
9 Cancellation by You
To cancel a confirmed Booking, the Party Leader must notify OFF-PISTE in writing; the cancellation takes effect on the date we receive that notice. Because OFF-PISTE commits to the Chalet Owner on your behalf well in advance of your stay, the following non-refundable tiers apply, calculated against your Total Price:
- More than 90 days before arrival: your 30% deposit is forfeited; any amount paid above the deposit is refunded.
- Between 60 and 90 days before arrival: 50% of the Total Price is payable and non-refundable. If you have already paid more than 50%, the balance above that amount is refunded; if you have paid less, the remaining balance up to 50% is charged.
- 60 days or fewer before arrival, including no-shows: 100% of the Total Price is non-refundable.
No refund is available for early departure, unused nights, or unused services once your stay has begun. Given how firm this schedule is, we strongly encourage every Guest to purchase comprehensive travel insurance, ideally including “cancel for any reason” coverage, before making final payment. See Section 17.
10 Amendments by You
Requests to change your dates or guest count are subject to the Chalet Owner’s availability and may carry an administrative fee in addition to any resulting price difference. We will always try to accommodate a change first.
If the Chalet Owner cannot accommodate a requested change, the original Booking remains in place unless you choose to cancel it, in which case the cancellation terms in Section 9 apply. Reducing your guest count does not reduce your Total Price unless we agree otherwise in writing.
11 Cancellation, Substitution, or Change by OFF-PISTE
On rare occasions, a Chalet may become unavailable for reasons outside our control — for example, damage to the property, a change of ownership, or a Force Majeure event as described in Section 23. If this happens before your arrival, we will offer you a choice between:
- a comparable substitute chalet, of the same standard or better, at no additional cost; or
- a full refund of all amounts you have paid.
This is your sole remedy in these circumstances. Except where the unavailability results from OFF-PISTE’s own negligence, OFF-PISTE is not liable for any further compensation, including the cost of flights or other travel arrangements made independently of OFF-PISTE.
12 Security / Damage Deposit
A refundable security deposit, separate from your Total Price, is required for every stay and is stated in your Booking Confirmation. Depending on the Chalet, this is typically between $2,000 and $10,000.
OFF-PISTE collects this deposit directly, by credit card pre-authorization or bank transfer, no later than 14 days before your arrival. It is held to cover damage to the Chalet or its contents beyond normal wear and tear, missing items, excess cleaning, and any properly documented charges the Chalet Owner bills to OFF-PISTE following your stay.
We release or refund your security deposit within 14 days of your departure, less any documented deductions, and will provide supporting evidence for any deduction on request.
13 Arrival, Departure, and Occupancy
Unless your Booking Confirmation states otherwise, standard check-in is 4:00 p.m. and check-out is 10:00 a.m., local time. Earlier arrival or later departure can be requested and, where possible, we will try to accommodate it, but it is never guaranteed and may carry an additional charge.
The number of guests staying at the Chalet may never exceed the maximum occupancy stated in your Booking Confirmation without OFF-PISTE’s prior written consent. Exceeding it is a material breach of these Terms and may result in additional charges or refusal of entry for guests beyond the stated maximum.
14 Guest Conduct and House Rules
Every Chalet comes with house rules — covering matters such as quiet hours, use of amenities like a hot tub or sauna, smoking, and pets — which we will share with you in advance of arrival. You and every member of your group agree to comply with them.
Unless approved by OFF-PISTE in writing beforehand, the Chalet may not be used for any event, party, or gathering beyond your booked group, and pets are not permitted unless expressly pre-approved.
In the case of a serious breach — illegal activity, conduct that endangers people or property, or a material violation of the house rules — OFF-PISTE or the Chalet Owner may end your stay immediately, without refund, and you remain responsible for the cost of any resulting damage beyond your security deposit.
15 Chalet Staff and On-Site Services
Chefs, housekeepers, hosts, and other on-site staff are engaged by the Chalet Owner or its local partners, not by OFF-PISTE. They are skilled professionals in their field, and we choose every Chalet Owner with care, but we cannot warrant every individual act of on-site staff beyond the standard described in Section 20.
If anyone in your group has a dietary restriction or allergy, please tell us in writing before arrival so that we can pass it on to the Chalet’s culinary team. We and the Chalet’s staff will make every reasonable effort to accommodate it, but cannot guarantee against the risk of cross-contamination in a private-chalet kitchen.
16 Concierge and Ancillary Services
At your request, OFF-PISTE can arrange ski passes, equipment rental, private transfers, lessons, spa treatments, restaurant reservations, and similar services, often through independent third-party providers.
Where a third-party provider has its own terms or cancellation policy, we will pass those along to you as soon as we know them. OFF-PISTE selects its concierge partners with care, but is not liable for the acts or omissions of an independent third-party provider beyond that duty of reasonable care.
17 Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend that every Guest purchase comprehensive travel insurance before making final payment, covering at minimum trip cancellation and interruption, medical treatment and evacuation in a mountain environment, baggage, and winter sports activities specifically — many standard policies exclude off-piste or backcountry skiing, so please check the policy wording carefully.
OFF-PISTE is not an insurer or an insurance broker, and is not a party to any policy you purchase.
18 Passports, Visas, and Travel Requirements
You are solely responsible for holding a valid passport with sufficient remaining validity for entry into the Schengen Area, for any visa that may be required, and for complying with all applicable entry requirements for France. OFF-PISTE is not liable for denied entry, missed travel, or any related loss arising from incomplete or invalid travel documentation.
We recommend checking current requirements with the U.S. Department of State and the relevant French governmental authorities before you travel, as requirements can change.
19 Assumption of Risk — Mountain and Winter Sports
A stay in the French Alps takes place in a mountain environment that carries inherent risks — weather, snow and avalanche conditions, altitude, and terrain — and winter sports activities such as skiing, snowboarding, ski touring, sledding, and the use of amenities like a hot tub or sauna carry an inherent risk of injury.
By booking with OFF-PISTE, you voluntarily accept these risks on behalf of yourself and your group. Please ensure appropriate fitness for planned activities, supervise minors closely, and use qualified instructors or mountain guides for any off-piste, backcountry, or high-altitude activity. OFF-PISTE does not guarantee snow conditions, weather, or the operation of any lift or resort infrastructure, none of which are within our control.
20 Limitation of Liability
OFF-PISTE will perform its obligations under these Terms with reasonable skill and care. To the fullest extent permitted by law:
- OFF-PISTE’s total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to a Booking is limited to the Total Price actually paid by you for that Booking;
- OFF-PISTE is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential losses, including lost enjoyment of a vacation beyond the remedies described in Sections 9 and 11, missed connecting travel, or lost income; and
- OFF-PISTE is not liable for the acts or omissions of the Chalet Owner, its on-site staff, or any independent third-party service provider, except to the extent the loss results from OFF-PISTE’s own failure to exercise reasonable care in selecting them.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot be excluded or limited as a matter of law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by OFF-PISTE’s negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
21 Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless OFF-PISTE, its members, officers, and employees from and against third-party claims, losses, and reasonable expenses arising from a breach of these Terms, a violation of law, or a willful or negligent act by you or a member of your group that causes damage or injury during your stay, except to the extent caused by OFF-PISTE’s own negligence or breach of these Terms.
22 Complaints
If anything is not as expected during your stay, please raise it immediately with the on-site chalet host or with OFF-PISTE’s emergency contact, provided in your pre-arrival information, so that it can be addressed in real time — most issues are resolved fastest on the ground, while we can still act.
If an issue remains unresolved, please submit a written complaint to OFF-PISTE within 14 days of your departure, with as much detail as possible, so that we can investigate it properly with the Chalet Owner. A complaint raised well after departure, without having been reported on-site, may be more difficult for us to substantiate and resolve.
23 Force Majeure
Neither party is liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms to the extent caused by a Force Majeure event — meaning an event beyond that party’s reasonable control, including natural disaster, extreme weather, epidemic or pandemic, war, terrorism, government-imposed travel restriction or border closure, strikes, or infrastructure failure.
If a Force Majeure event prevents your stay from taking place, the remedy described in Section 11 (a comparable substitute or a full refund) is OFF-PISTE’s sole obligation, less any amount OFF-PISTE has already irrecoverably paid to a Chalet Owner or third party, provided OFF-PISTE has made reasonable efforts to recover that amount on your behalf.
24 Intellectual Property
The OFF-PISTE name and marks, together with the text, photography, and other content on our website and in our marketing materials, are owned by or licensed to OFF-PISTE and protected under U.S. and international law. You may view and print this content for your own personal, non-commercial use in connection with your Booking, but may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from it without our prior written consent.
25 Privacy and Communications
We collect certain personal information in the course of arranging and administering your Booking, and handle it in accordance with our Privacy Policy. By providing a phone number or email address, you consent to receive booking-related communications from us by phone, email, text message, or WhatsApp. We will only send you marketing communications if you separately opt in, and you may unsubscribe from those at any time.
26 Seller of Travel and Regulatory Notices
Depending on where you reside, OFF-PISTE may be subject to seller-of-travel registration or disclosure requirements under state law, including in California, Florida, Hawaii, and Washington. Where such requirements apply to a given Booking, OFF-PISTE will either hold the applicable registration or rely on an available exemption, as required by that state’s law.
27 General Provisions
These Terms, together with your Booking Confirmation and any house rules provided to you, constitute the entire agreement between you and OFF-PISTE regarding your Booking, and supersede any prior discussions or representations on the same subject.
If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect. Our failure to enforce any provision on a given occasion is not a waiver of our right to enforce it later. OFF-PISTE may assign these Terms to an affiliate or a successor to its business; you may not assign your Booking to another person without our prior written consent.
These Terms are published in English and in French for the convenience of our clients. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the two versions, the English version governs, except where applicable law requires otherwise. Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.
28 Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles.
If a dispute arises, we ask that you first contact us directly so that we can try to resolve it informally and in good faith. If it cannot be resolved that way, you and OFF-PISTE agree that the state and federal courts located in New York County, New York, have exclusive jurisdiction, and each party consents to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.
29 Changes to These Terms
OFF-PISTE may update these Terms from time to time. The version in effect on the date your Booking Confirmation is issued governs that Booking. Any updated Terms apply only to Bookings confirmed after they are posted, together with a new effective date at the top of this page.
30 Contact Us
If you have any question about these Terms, please reach us at the details below — we are always glad to talk a booking through before you commit to it.
