Is my holiday protected?

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All our flight-inclusive packages are protected under Spirito italiano Ltd company registration 04653855, ATOL number 9613. Spirito Italiano Ltd, is also a member of ABTA Y0465. This means that you are financially covered in the event that Spirito Italiano Ltd should cease trading. If you book a non-package which is made up of only 1 component, then this will be booked by The Italian Connection (London) Ltd which is not a member of ABTA and does not hold an ATOL license which means that the service you have booked is not protected. Please refer to our terms and conditions - https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

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Why should I book with you?

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The reasons for booking with is is: a) We have been organising trips to Italy since the early 90s. b) We know the country well. c) We have lived and worked in the country and we are completely fluent in the language and its culture. d) Our main aim is to look after you from the time of your enquiry right through to your trip to Italy and back and are with you every step of the way. e) You will always only deal with one person throughout the booking stage. g) You will have 24-hour access to your travel consultant throughout your stay ....shall we go on?

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How do I book?

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The process is simple. Once you are happy with the proposal we have prepared for you or with the specific service provided, we will send you our booking form to complete. Once we receive the completed booking form, we will start booking your trip to Italy. Once everything is booked and confirmed, we will issue a confirmation invoice and then 30% of the amount of your invoice will be due for payment by return. This is a non-refundable deposit. The final balance will be due 6 weeks before departure HOWEVER.... If your proposal includes a non-refundable item, so for example if we opt for a room at a lower cost, then the deposit requested may be slightly higher but you will see this from the proposal as it is clearly stated. Also, flight tickets, rail tickets, ferry tickets, opera tickets will not be refunded.

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Can I pay in a different currency?

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Yes but only in Euros. If you decide to pay in euros, we need to know when organising the proposal for you so that we can provide you with the proposal in euros. Payment in euros will only be possible by bank transfer and you will need to add an extra 8 euro bank charge. This fee is applicable everytime we receive payment in euros.

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What are your payment methods?

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You can pay by: Cheque Bank transfer Credit card Debit card Credit and debit card payments may incur an additional processing charge which will be clarified in your proposal. We do not accept business cards.

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Why do you say that the deposit is non-refundable?

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There are a range of reasons why certain items may be non-refundable. Deposits cannot be refunded or transferred because there are set costs that we incur on each part of your package, flights, accommodation, tours and excursions and so forth. Your deposit is used as a deposit to pay for these items to ensure that they are confirmed for you and the agreement with our suppliers is the same as our agreement with you. If you are not sure, it is best to check that you have adequate travel insurance to cover any possible losses. Without payment of the required deposit we will not be able to guarantee the service.

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If I cancel, what costs do I incur?

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Due to the bespoke manner of our business, all our cancellation charges will be provided on your proposal. Sometimes to take advantage of a special deal, we book non-refundable services which means that once booked and confirmed, it cannot be cancelled. We will of course advise you of this in the proposal so that you are aware of this at all times. Once the confirmation invoice is issued the 30% paid is non-refundable. There will be a request for a further 30% payment and subject to the proposal, this may be within 1 to 3 months and then the final balance 6 weeks before departure. If you do cancel, any monies paid will be non-refundable. Any admin/booking fees will also be non refundable.

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What happens if "We" cancel?

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If we cancel your trip to Italy, it will be because an apartment is no longer available because of damage. or the owner has decided to sell the property or by force majeure. Usually we provide our clients with alternative solutions, however if we are unable to help or you are not happy with the alternatives, we will provide you with a full refund of the service.

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What happens after the final balance is paid?

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At least 10 working days before departure, you will be sent all your E-vouchers and boarding passes and of course our bespoke travel itinerary. You will need to print them or load them onto your mobile or IPAD so that you have them present when checking into flights and accommodation. If possible we try to send you the vouchers sooner but we will keep you updated every step of the way.

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I have special requests

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Not a problem just let us know so that we can ensure that we advise our suppliers who can assist you accordingly. We do recommend that you discuss any special requests at the very beginning, so for example if you prefer a bath tub, it is important to specify this before the proposal is issued as the majority of Italian accommodation do not offer bathtubs. We always do our best to ensure that all your needs are met, however it may not always be possible.

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Where can I get further information?

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We suggest looking at our essential guide to Italy which is in addition to our terms and conditions. This will of course give you a little more information and we will try to update our FAQs. If you have any suggestions, do let us know.

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Our bespoke proposals

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Each of our proposals are unique and tailored to your specific requirements. We spend a lot of time in its creation, looking at your request and advising you accordingly. When you contact us with your ideas, we will offer you a free consultation which can take place either by phone or by email. Once you have agreed to the general outline of your trip, we will put together the proposal which will provide you with a choice of accommodation together with services which we feel will enhance your trip. We will also work with you within the specified budget you have provided. If we feel that your budget is unrealistic for the type of holiday you are hoping to enjoy, we will advise you of this immediately.

With each proposal, a lot of time is spent and this is to ensure that your trip is perfect. If you are happy to proceed with the putting together of your proposal, we will request a one-off administration fee of £ 89.00. On receipt of this fee, we will work on a day to day itinerary for you, taking into consideration our communication either by phone or email. If you are happy with the day to day itinerary, we will then go ahead with the proposal, which will include and provide accommodation options, excursions, recommendations of what can be done in specific areas, time to spend in locations and so forth. If you would then like to tweak or amend the proposal, we would be more than happy to do that for you.

It is also worth considering that once the proposal has been finalised, but your dates of travel change, or you are unable to travel due to the virus or work, we will keep the proposal active for you, prices will logically vary. This means that you do not have to pay a further admin fee.

If you then decide to go ahead with your Italian holiday, the admin fee of £ 89.00 which you have paid, will then be deducted from your total invoice. If you do not wish to go ahead, there will be no refund.

When deciding:

1. The Italian Connection was set up back in 1996 promoting accommodation within the country. We then decided to set up Spirito Italiano in 2003 as we wanted to encompass the whole Italian experience, which is not just about travel but everything Italian.
2. We are a small independent company and the service we provide takes into consideration the human element. You are not put on hold for hours, or have to go through a series of questions. From the moment you get in touch with us, right through to your return to the UK, you will be looked after by your first point of contact. This means that you will only be dealing with one person throughout the booking process. Because of this, there will be no need for repetition as you will have a one to one relationship with your travel advisor.
3. The services we provide are manifold and you just need to review our web site to see the different experiences we provide. We also have some sample itineraries which are trips our clients have enjoyed. Here are just a few examples to show you the different possibilities:

https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/luxury-sportscar-tour

https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/7-day-romance-italy

https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/ferrari-grand-tour

https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/eatandshopitaly

https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/luxuryitaliancruise

https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/italianoperatheatre

https://www.italian-connection.co.uk/fashionshoppingtouritaly

Our proposals are creative and each proposal is carefully considered and studied. Our knowledge, experience and the love we have for the country is something we are very happy to share. Throughout the years, we have built up a reputation which goes from strength to strength. The relationship we build with our clients comes in the form of understanding your requirements and being able to communicate with you so that nothing is ignored.

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What about if I do not want a bespoke proposal

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If you do not require a bespoke proposal and just wish to book a villa or apartment, there will be no fee to consider.

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