General Order Terms and Conditions
Our terms regarding orders, payment, amendments, cancellations, insurance, rights, obligations, reservations, and privacy.
Last updated: 2024-06-29
Åpenhetsloven / Freedom of Information Act
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Our terms regarding orders, payment, amendments, cancellations, insurance, rights, obligations, reservations, and privacy. These general terms and conditions apply to goods and services purchased from Gausta Ski & Resort AS (hereinafter referred to as “Gausta”) and those who enter into an agreement with Gausta in respect of the confirmation (the guest(s)).
The terms of sale together with your order or booking, confirmed by way of an order/booking confirmation, constitute the entire contractual basis for the purchase. These provisions apply as a binding contract for goods and services purchased via www.gausta.com (booking.gausta.com)m www.gaustablikk.no, the Gausta app, via our call centre, or directly from an agent etc., as well as for stays at our rental units. The order or booking can apply to accommodation, ski passes, activities, or the purchase of other products and services, or a combination of these.
Where these terms of sale require something in writing, this requirement is met by way of e-mail, SMS, letter, or the like.
The operator responsible is Gausta Ski & Resort AS, Kvitåvatnvegen 372 3660 Rjukan, Org. nr: 891 680 422.
1. PLACING ORDERS AND MAKING BOOKINGS
1.1. Anyone placing an order at www.gausta.com or via the Gausta app must be at least 18 years of age. This applies to all goods and/or services that can be ordered on the relevant website, except for accommodation (cf. § 1.2).
1.2. When booking accommodation at www.gausta.com, the person making the booking must be at least 20 years of age. The occupier or person making the booking must be at least 20 years of age. This requirement also applies to the person in charge of the cabin or apartment throughout the stay. Identification must be presented when checking in upon request. Should it transpire that the occupier is under the age of 20, the key will not be handed over and the rental amount will not be refunded.
1.3. Before finalising an order or booking, you must read and familiarise yourself with the important information relating to the relevant product.
1.4. Orders and bookings are binding as soon as your booking is completed and a booking number has been assigned to the guest. Once the order/booking is complete, you will receive a receipt by e-mail, provided that you have entered a correct and valid e-mail address. The receipt will contain all the details of your purchase. The guest must bring the confirmation (printed or online) and show it upon arrival.
1.5. Check that the confirmation you receive is in accordance with what you have booked or ordered. It is the guest’s responsibility to check that the arrival and departure date and everything else of relevance to the booking or order are correct.
The booking or order is incomplete and invalid in the following cases:
– The person making the booking or order has not received an e-mail with the confirmation/reference number. If you have not received an order/booking confirmation, you should check your spam folder and make sure you have used a valid e-mail address.
– The card payment is interrupted for some reason and the payment has failed.
– The payment is incomplete or incorrect, meaning that the amount has not been debited from your account.
If you are unsure whether the order or booking has been completed correctly, please contact Gausta by phone at +47 35 09 14 22 or by e-mail at booking@gaustablikk.no.
1.6. My page: once your order or booking has been confirmed, you will receive an e-mail explaining how to log into your account (“My page”) at gausta.com. There you will find your order/booking confirmation and other information about your stay. You can change your personal details at any time by logging in to “My page”.
1.7. Gausta accepts no liability for errors made by guests by not fully complying with our terms and conditions. The terms and conditions protect you as a guest, the accommodation, and the seller as a distributor.
2. PAYMENT
2.1. Payment by card is made when the order or booking is made. We accept Visa and MasterCard for online orders and bookings.
– All call centre bookings require a 10-day payment deadline. If you book less than 10 days before arrival, payment must be made the same day as the booking. Payment information such as account number, IBAN and BIC / SWIFT is on the confirmation. Always state booking references when paying.
– In case of non-payment at check-in, we will require payment on arrival. There may be an additional administration fee.
3. CANCELLATION AND CHANGES
The following conditions apply to private individuals. For groups or conferences with more than 10 hotel rooms or larger groups of more than 20 people, separate cancellation conditions apply. Please contact our course and conference manager at booking@gaustablikk.no.
3.1 For your stay:
Accommodation and other products purchased via www.gausta.com, Gaustablikk Fjellresort, the Gausta app or via our call centre must be cancelled or changed no later than 14 days (at 16:00) before your arrival date. Change of travel days, hotels, etc. can be done for an administration fee if the organizer has the opportunity to comply with the new wishes.
3.2.1 If the guest cancels after the cancellation cut-off date, the guest must pay 75% of the stay for the booked period. The curtailment of a booked stay is regarded as a cancellation. Cancellation that is done 1-3 days before arrival is charged 100%.
3.2.2 Separate cancellation policy applies to activities such as shuffleboard, padel court rental and floating saunas. Cancellation must be made no later than 48 hours before the booked date, to receive a full refund. Cancellation that is done less than 48 before booked date is charged 100%.
3.2.3 Gausta Ski & Snowboard School, Gausta Skirental and ski passes have a cancellation 4 days before the booked date to receive a full refund. Cancellation done less than 4 days before booked date is charged 100%.
3.2.4 Bookings and orders made after the cancellation cut-off date are binding. Cancellation can be made online on "my page" or in writing to Gausta: booking@gaustablikk.no. Changes must be made by phone by calling +47 35 09 14 22 or by sending an e-mail to booking@gaustablikk.no.
3.3. No-show
In the event of a no-show, the guest must pay 100% of the booked stay.
3.4. Insurance
The guest is responsible for arranging their own insurance to cover both the trip and the terms of their booking/occupancy. Examples are travel and leisure insurance, and travel and liability insurance.
3.5. Conditions for refunds of season passes to Gausta Skisenter:
3.5.1. The season passes are covered by the rules stated by ALF: Refunds are due for downtime* that has lasted more than a third of the period of validity for the season passes. The validity period for season passes begins on the opening date of Gausta Skisenter and lasts until the end of the season. Refunds are valid for the ski days that haven't been possible to make use of, for the remainder of the season due to the ski resort downtime.* The number of possible ski days is counted from the first regular open day of the ski resort.
*By downtime we here mean stops resulting from events not controlled by the operational management, that could not have been expected on the day of sale or whose consequences could not be avoided. Downtime due to wind, weather, snow conditions or unforeseen technical problems is not included.
3.5.2 Season passes can be cancelled in accordance with the previous sections. The first day of a season pass is counted from the first time that it is activated at the lifts. Lift passes that have not been activated can be cancelled at any time during the season, with the right to a full refund. A refund will not be given once the lift pass has been activated, except in the case of ALF’s regulations regarding the closure of operations being applied, see paragraph 3.5.1.
4. OCCUPIER’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS
4.1. The guest is responsible for any damage caused to the hotel, hotel room, apartment, or cabin as a result of negligent or willful behaviour. The occupier must treat the rental unit, fixtures, and equipment the unit in such a way so as not to cause damage or unnecessary wear and tear. Damage to the unit caused by the occupier must be compensated by the occupier. In the event of damaged fixtures or equipment or of vandalism, or if the occupier sets off the fire alarm, resulting in the emergency services being called out, compensation will be required prior to the occupier’s departure or may be subsequently invoiced.
Gausta has the right to terminate the agreement with immediate effect if the guest or someone in the guest's company acts disruptively and/or damages the accommodation unit or the surrounding area, or if the accommodation unit is used for something other than the agreed purpose. In cases where the agreement is terminated, the guest and the guest's party must leave the accommodation immediately, without the rental amount being refunded. If the agreement is terminated immediately for the above reasons, Gausta will charge an extra fee corresponding to the damage, a minimum of NOK 5000. Gausta reserves the right to close the accommodation and remove the guests' belongings in the event of immediate termination of the agreement.
4.2. The guest must follow the house rules, the alpine responsibility code, instructions, and regulations applicable to travel and the accommodation unit. Between 23:00 and 07:00, the guest must be careful to keep noise to a minimum for the sake of other guests. Noise in the rental unit that causes a nuisance to other guests will be reported. If this is ignored, the occupier may be immediately evicted. The rental amount will not be refunded in this case.
4.3. The rental unit may be occupied only by the number of people set out in the contract.
4.4. Cleaning cabins and apartments:
Prior to departure, guests must properly clean their cabin or apartment in accordance with the cleaning instructions, unless agreed otherwise. This requires that the guest wipes down all the benches, washes the dishes, and removes any rubbish from the accommodation unit. Any rented bed linen must be removed and placed next to the bed on departure. Remember to close all doors and windows.
If this is not done, or should our inspection staff not approve the cleaning, Gausta will charge the guest an additional fee of NOK 1500 or more, depending on the size of the accommodation unit.
Guests can order a final cleaning service before arrival. Ordered or mandatory cleaning does not include deep cleaning inside and out, washing up, or emptying of rubbish.
4.5. Bed linen and towels in cabins and apartments:
Bed linen and towels are included in the price of cabins and apartments with the exception of Kvitåvatn Fjellhytter. At Kvitåvatn Fjellhytter, bed linen and towels can be rented from Gausta or brought from home. Bed linen, towels and firewood must be ordered at least 2 days before arrival.
4.6. Electricity is included in the price. Firewood is not included and must be ordered separately.
4.7. Pets may be brought to units only where this is permitted and where payment for this has been agreed upon.
4.8. Smoking is not permitted in any of our hotels, cabins, or apartments. We ask all our guests to respect this rule.
4.9. The occupier must follow the rules regarding pets, smoking, and the use of fires. The costs associated with a breach of these rules will be invoiced, with a minimum fee of NOK 1,500.
4.10. All keys to the accommodation unit must be handed in on departure. In the event of a missing key, a fee of NOK 2500 will be charged for changing the locks.
4.11. Please see also the other rules that apply to each individual accommodation facility.
5. CHECKING IN AND CHECKING OUT
5.1. Check-in is at Gaustablikk Fjellresort from 16:00 on the day of arrival. Check-out is by 11:00 on the day of departure unless agreed otherwise. Keys can be collected at the reception of Gaustablikk Fjellresort if nothing else is written. More information can be found in your booking confirmation, at gausta.com, or in the Gausta app.
5.2. Ski passes and/or other products that are sold together in a package with the accommodation can be collected at the ski pass vending machines at the destination Packages containing large products such as ski equipment and bikes are available for collection at the ski and bike rental centre.
6. TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR SKI PASSES
6.1. When you buy a ski pass online, you can buy it with or without a data medium, e.g. a keycard from Skidata. If you buy a ski pass with an existing keycard, your ticket will be activated the first time you scan it at the ski lift. (Please see gausta.com or the Gausta app for information on the lifts where the keycard can be activated.) If you have bought a new keycard online, you can collect it from the ski pass vending machines or at Gausta ski rental at the destination.
6.2. Ski passes are personal and must not be transferred.
6.3. When you purchase a ski pass at the Gausta ski centre, you undertake to follow the alpine ski sense rules (see section 7). In the event of the abuse or breach of the alpine responsibility code, your ski pass may be deactivated without any reimbursement.
6.4. A keycard is mandatory for all types of passes. Children under 8 years does not require a keycard, children under 8 years can easily pass through the child gates at all lifts.
6.5. Young people (aged 8 to 17) and seniors (aged 65+) can buy a ski pass at a reduced price. Please see the current price lists at www.gausta.com for pricing information.
6.6. Regarding age when buying a ski pass: Age at the time of purchase applies. For example, if a child turns 8 in January, they can still use a 0-7 ski pass for the entire season if the ski pass is loaded onto their keycard before their birthday.
6.7. Ski passes that are valid for multiple days must be used on consecutive days.
6.8. Regarding season passes:
– Season passes are valid during ordinary opening hours from the start of the winter season until the end of the season.
– Season passes are personal and cannot be transferred to others. The user must be able to prove that they are the rightful holder of the pass. The pass must be shown voluntarily at checkpoints. Any breach of these rules results in the pass being deactivated. The misuse of ski passes results in an additional fee or may be reported to the police.
– A lost ski pass will be replaced with a new pass only if personal details were registered when the pass was purchased and the pass can be blocked. The facility owner may charge an administration fee in connection with issuing a new pass.
– Season passes are not valid without a photo. It must be possible to identify the pass holder (the eyes must be visible, with no ski goggles or the like).
– Season passes can give guests benefits and good discounts on other services at the destination. These benefits and prices may change during the season. Please see the current list of benefits at gausta.com.
6.9. The ski pass is valid throughout the Gausta ski centre. Sections of competition trails may be reserved for competitions and training. The Gaustabanen railway is not included in the ski pass and tickets must be purchased separately.
6.10.1 Right of return on ski passes: We adhere to the guidelines for the alpine skiing industry issued by Norske alpinanlegg og fjelldestinasjoner (ALF). For more information about refunds, please contact the Gausta ski centre in writing at hello@gausta.com.
6.10.2 Reimbursement in case of illness or injury
In the event of illness or injury, the card user will be entitled to a proportionate reimbursement of the card expenses for the time the card could not be used. The injury or illness must be documented on request through a doctor's statement. The ski pass must be returned as soon as possible to Gausta Ski rental.
6.11. Bad weather, bad conditions, and/or technical problems: Customers must assess the weather and conditions themselves based on their own skiing skills. If you are unsure about the weather, conditions, or operating status, please follow the updates on open slopes and lifts at www.gausta.com or in the Gausta app, or contact staff before buying a ski pass. Be aware that the weather and conditions can change quickly, and that information is for guidance only. Please note that at -20 degrees Celsius, we must take precautions to determine whether we can remain open or not, depending on weather conditions
7. SKI SAFETY
7.1. The alpine responsibility code: When you purchase a ski pass at the Gausta ski centre and/or use the ski facility, you undertake to adhere to the alpine responsibility code, developed in collaboration with Norske alpinanlegg og fjelldestinasjoner (ALF). A violation of the alpine responsibility code may result in your expulsion from the facility.
– It is important that you wear a helmet, show consideration for other skiers and snowboarders, and adhere to the alpine responsibility code. You should be able to ski with us safely, so we all have a responsibility for our own skiing.
– Responsibility for avoiding injuries: You must behave in such a way that you do not pose a danger to yourself or to others. You must be in full control of your ski and snowboard equipment at all times. You are responsible for ensuring your equipment does not injure other people or damage other equipment.
– Adjust your speed according to the conditions: You must ski in a controlled manner, adjusting your speed and style according to your skill, the terrain, the conditions, and traffic.
– Duty to give way: Those coming from behind (from above) must ski in such a way that they do not pose a risk of collision.
– Overtaking: You can overtake another skier or snowboarder provided that you leave them enough space for both controlled and uncontrolled movements. You must not ski straight downhill, except for during organised training.
– Starting off, turning in, or turning uphill on a descent: If you turn in or turn uphill on a descent, you must ensure that this does not pose a danger to yourself or others. The same applies when starting off after a stop.
– Stopping on a descent: Unless absolutely necessary, you should not stop on a descent in a confined space, under overhangs, or in places with limited visibility. If you fall in such a location, you must move out of the way as quickly as possible.
– A descent on foot: If you are on foot, you must use only the outer edges of the slope.
– Ski binding brakes/snowboard leashes: Ski binding brakes and snowboard leashes are compulsory. Check that the bindings are mounted correctly.
– Respect signs and markings: For your own and others’ safety, follow signs, markings, and instructions. Never ski on slopes or in areas that are signposted as closed. This can result in accidents, damage equipment, or, in the worst case, endanger lives.
– Remaining in an alpine facility outside of its opening hours is forbidden: This can be life-threatening as work takes place outside of opening hours to produce snow and prepare slopes.
– Assistance in the event of an accident: Everyone has a duty to help in the event of an injury. Witnesses and those involved must provide their personal details. If a guest is injured in the alpine ski facility, contact Skipatrulje at +47 41 60 20 30. In the event of a serious injury or accident, you must always contact the emergency services on 113.
– Alpine skiing comes with a degree of danger, so please be cautious. Drugs and skiing do not go together.
8. LIABILITY, PRICES, AND RESERVATIONS
8.1. As an operator, Gausta has a duty to ensure that guests receive written confirmation of their order or booking and other necessary documents; that guests are informed about how to make payment, where keys can be collected, other matters relevant to their order or booking; and that the order or booking matches the description in the confirmation. Gausta is not liable for promises made directly to the guest by a third party without Gausta’s knowledge and which Gausta is not aware of nor should have been made aware of (for safety’s sake, you should try to get any such promises in writing).
8.2. As an operator, Gausta has a liability to the guest for what the guest is entitled to in accordance with the agreement. This liability also applies to assignments that are to be performed by a party other than Gausta. Information in catalogues and brochures and on the website are binding on Gausta but can be amended before the agreement is entered into if a clear reservation is made and the guest is clearly informed of the amendment. Gausta reserves the right for typographical errors, printing errors, and publishing or proofreading errors on websites and in other printed material about what the provider offers.
8.3. The accommodation facility reserves the right to make price amendments as a result of increased costs for the purchase of goods and services, increased taxes, and other circumstances outside of the accommodation facility’s control. Guests must be notified of price changes immediately.
9. FORCE MAJEURE
9.1. Gausta and its subcontractors (including accommodation facilities) are not responsible for unsatisfactory weather conditions, closed facilities, or other conditions outside of the facility’s control. Events outside of Gausta’s control, such as strikes, lockouts, fires, etc. that make it impossible to fulfil the obligations of this agreement allow Gausta to terminate this agreement without any obligation to pay compensation.
9.2. Owing to circumstances outside of the accommodation facility’s control, the accommodation facility is entitled to move occupiers to equal or better accommodation. Where possible, the occupier will be informed in advance of any such changes. Such changes do not release the occupier from their obligation to pay for their stay.
10. COMPLAINTS
10.1. Any complaints must be made to the accommodation operator on-site at the time of their stay. Get in touch immediately or by 10:00 on the day after arrival so that the defect or fault can be rectified immediately and with the least possible inconvenience to the guest. Faults that are reported on departure or later will not warrant financial compensation.
11. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
11.1. Guests are asked to contact the provider if they have a problem with their order or booking. If the guest and the provider are unable to agree on a resolution, any dispute regarding an agreement that has been previously entered into shall be resolved in a local court.
12. PRIVACY
12.1. By registering their personal data, guests agree that Gausta in its role as data controller will process the data to fulfil its obligations to guests. It may be necessary to transfer data to Gausta’s partners, such as insurance companies, hotels, train operators, airlines, bus companies, etc. Gausta uses guests’ data to provide information, offers, and service in connection with the guest’s order or booking via e-mail, phone, and SMS, as well as by post. Guests may also be contacted for marketing purposes and for market research. For more information, please see Gausta’s privacy policy at www.gausta.com.
