Go Cotswolds Terms and Conditions

First things first…

By making a purchase from this website, you agree that you have read and understood the Terms and Conditions below, and accept them on behalf of yourself and all persons included in your booking (your party). If you have any questions or queries about them then please do contact us before you book.

These terms and conditions apply only when purchasing products directly from Go Cotswolds at www.gocotswolds.co.uk. Go Cotswolds products bought through other third-party websites are subject to the terms and conditions of those third-party companies.

For terms and conditions which specifically apply to competitions organised by Go Cotswolds, please see our Competition Terms & Conditions.

SMALL GROUP TOURS, PRIVATE TOURS AND PRIVATE VEHICLE HIRE

By ‘small-group tours‘, we mean our Cotswolds in a Day, Secret Cotswolds, and Cotswolds Walks and Villages tours, where tickets are sold in advance on a per-person, first-come first-served basis.

By ‘private tours‘ or ‘private vehicle hire‘ we mean any tour or journey provided by Go Cotswolds and/or its partner companies, which has been booked exclusively for you and/or your party. Additionally, ‘ready-made private tours‘ refers to our instant-book private tours, which follow a predetermined itinerary but are exclusively for you and/or your party. ‘Custom private tours‘ are tours designed exclusively for you and/or your party where we have worked together to provide a custom-made itinerary.

The following terms and conditions apply to all small-group tours, private tours and private vehicle hires unless stated.

Booking and payment

Full payment is required at booking. We accept credit/debit card payment via our third-party payment servers Stripe and PayPal.
For private tours, we can also invoice you for payment by bank transfer, credit or debit card.
Advance booking is essential. Passengers arriving for a small-group tour without a pre-booked, pre-paid ticket will only be accommodated if the maximum carrying capacity of the vehicle would not be exceeded. In such ‘walk-up’ cases, we will accept credit/debit card or cash payments.

Ticket types for small-group tours

For our small-group tours, an adult ticket must be purchased for persons aged 16 years and over on the day of travel, and a child ticket must be purchased for children aged 3–15 on the day of travel.
We’re sorry, children under the age of 3 are not permitted on our small-group tours.

Passenger numbers

Except in situations where we have specifically hired a larger or smaller vehicle, all minibus vehicles owned and operated by Go Cotswolds Ltd. have a legal maximum capacity of 17 people, including the driver. Therefore, the maximum number of passengers we can carry at any one time is 16 – this includes any children or babies in your group, even if they do not use a seat (however, see the ‘Children’ section below).
Passengers arriving without a ticket (for small-group tours) or without being named on the booking (for private tours) will be turned away and not given access to the tour if the maximum passenger capacity would be exceeded. Other members of the party, who are in possession of a ticket but choose not to join the tour because another person is turned away, will forfeit the ticket price and be ineligible for a refund or compensation.
Persons without a pre-booked, prepaid ticket may be admitted to the tour if there is room on the vehicle and if full payment can be made by credit/debit card or cash.

Children

Children under the age of 3 are not permitted on our small-group tours, and we do not recommend our small-group tours for young children. As parents/guardians, you should consider whether your child will enjoy the tour, and/or affect the enjoyment of other passengers, before booking.
By law, all children aged 3 years and older must be seated in their own seat in our vehicle, and use the three-point seat belt provided.
For private tours only, where you as the party organiser are responsible for the whole group, we will accept ‘babes in arms’ (i.e., children under the age of 3 may be carried or sit on an adult’s lap). This is legal; however, for safety reasons, we do not recommend it and you do this entirely at your own risk. We strongly recommend that you bring a car seat for any children under 3. Please note that we cannot carry more than 16 passengers, including any children or babies, even if they do not use a seat.

Pick-up times and locations

For small-group tours, please see the relevant tour information page for details of our free pick-up locations. Pick-up at locations other than those stated may be possible but cannot be guaranteed and are subject to additional charges – please enquire before making your booking and consider using public transport options where possible.
For ready-made private tours, we can pick you up from anywhere within the specified postcode areas in the list of pre-defined locations mentioned on the tour information page. One pick-up is included in the price of the tour; additional pick-ups may be possible but may are subject to additional charges – please enquire before making your booking.
For bespoke private tours and private vehicle hire, we can pick you up from almost any location(s) you choose. Pick-up points are agreed at the time of booking and reflected in the price. Subsequent changes to the pick-up location(s) may not be possible, or may incur additional fees – please enquire for details.
It is your responsibility to tell Go Cotswolds where you would like to be picked up from, either at the time of booking, or in good time before the tour.
It is your responsibility to make your own way to the agreed pick-up location, and to be at the agreed pick-up location on time (we recommend arriving no less than 10 minutes before the advised departure time).
Go Cotswolds is under no obligation to wait for late passengers. No refund or compensation will be offered if you miss the tour through no fault of our own, including but not limited to ‘sleeping in’, traffic delays, broken down vehicles, or public transport delays/cancellations.

Drop-off times and locations

For small-group tours, the drop-off location will be the same as your pick-up location, unless otherwise agreed. It is possible to drop you off at one of our other free drop-off locations – please see the relevant tour information pages for details. Drop-off at locations other than those stated on our tour information pages may be possible but cannot be guaranteed and are subject to additional charges. Please enquire before making your booking.
For ready-made private tours, we can drop you off anywhere within the specified postcode areas in the list of pre-defined locations mentioned on the tour information page. One drop-off is included in the price of the tour; additional drop-offs may be possible but may are subject to additional charges – please enquire before making your booking.
For custom private tours and private vehicle hire, we can drop you off at almost any location(s) you choose. Drop-off points are agreed at the time of booking and reflected in the price. Subsequent changes to the drop-off location(s) may not be possible, or may incur additional fees – please enquire for details.
Onward travel from the drop-off point is your responsibility. Go Cotswolds is not liable and will not provide a refund or compensation for missed transportation. If you are travelling by public transport before or after the tour/journey, we recommend you purchase a flexible ticket that does not restrict you to a particular service.

Meeting points during the tour/journey

Meeting points and departure times during the tour/journey will be communicated to you by your driver/guide. It is your responsibility to be at these locations at the time advised by your driver/guide. Go Cotswolds cannot provide compensation for any other expenses incurred if you miss the pick-up/meeting time through no fault of our own.

Luggage

Space is not usually a problem on our vehicles, but please let us know at the time of booking if you intend to bring any large items of luggage (for example, large suitcases, sports bags etc).
Small bags and personal items may be kept inside the vehicle, at your own risk.
Our guides are happy to help you if needed. However, we reserve the right to decline to assist you with your luggage, for example, if it is heavy, fragile, requires assembly/disassembly etc.
We can carry lightweight, foldable strollers/pushchairs and lightweight, foldable manual wheelchairs on our vehicles; however, you are responsible for loading/unloading these items, and for folding/unfolding them correctly. Go Cotswolds accepts no responsibility or liability for any items damaged. Please note, we cannot carry non-foldable wheelchairs, or any electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
Go Cotswolds accepts no responsibility or liability for any items damaged, lost or stolen during a tour/journey.

Accessibility

Regretfully, our vehicles are not wheelchair accessible. However, we can usually accommodate persons with most other disabilities, visual impairments and mobility issues. Please see our Access Statement for more information. Please contact us if you need advice on whether a Go Cotswolds tour is suitable for you.
We can carry small walking aids (sticks, canes, walking frames etc.), and lightweight, foldable manual wheelchairs on our vehicles; however, you are responsible for loading/unloading these items, and for folding/unfolding them correctly. Go Cotswolds accepts no responsibility or liability for any items damaged. Please note, we cannot carry non-foldable wheelchairs, or any electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

Passenger safety and behaviour

Passengers aged 16 and older are responsible for their own conduct, and passengers under the age of 16 are the responsibility of their accompanying parent(s)/guardian(s). You indemnify us against any liability for damage caused by you or any members of your party.
All passengers must wear a seatbelt at all times while the vehicle is moving. Passengers aged 14 and older are responsible for wearing their own seatbelt, and parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that children under the age of 14 wear a seatbelt.
Go Cotswolds is not liable for any damage or injury caused as a result of passengers not wearing a seatbelt.
It is not permitted to eat or carry hot food or drinks, or to drink alcohol on the vehicle at any time. Smoking is not permitted on or near the vehicle at any time.
In the event of spillages or damage to the vehicle caused by you or other persons included in your party, a cleaning or repair fee of £100 or the total cost of the repair bill (whichever is the greater) will be invoiced to the party organiser.
Please consider the impact of your behaviour on other guests and your guide. Excessive or loud talking while your guide is delivering commentary is impolite, spoils the experience for other people, and may distract your guide from safe driving. No aggressive, abusive or nuisance behaviour will be tolerated, or any behaviour deemed to be unreasonable by your driver/guide. Go Cotswolds reserves the right to terminate the tour/journey, refuse entry to the vehicle or refuse continued participation of the tour/journey to you (or any member of your party), for any reason, including but not limited to any behaviour deemed to have a negative impact on the enjoyment or safety of other passengers, or to the driver/guide. Go Cotswolds is not liable and will not be held responsible, or provide any compensation, for expenses incurred as a result.

Customer cancellations, no-shows and transfers

For small-group tours we have a 24-hour cancellation policy. To cancel your booking and receive a full refund, or to transfer your booking to another date (subject to availability), you may manage your booking using the ‘Manage this purchase’ link provided in your confirmation email, or contact Go Cotswolds by email, telephone, WhatsApp or SMS text message as soon as possible and at least 24 hours before your agreed pick-up time. No refunds, full or partial, will be issued for cancellations or transfer requests made within 24 hours of your scheduled departure time, or for no-shows. We recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurance. If requested, we are happy to provide any receipts or documentation you may need to support a travel insurance claim.
For private tours or private vehicle hire: To cancel your booking, or to transfer your booking to another date(s) (subject to availability), contact Go Cotswolds by email, telephone call or SMS text message as soon as possible and at least 14 days before your agreed pick-up time. For cancellations made at least 14 days before your agreed pick-up time, an administration fee of £75 (per day, for multi-day bookings) will be deducted from your refund. No refunds, full or partial, will be issued for cancellations or transfer requests made within 14 days of your scheduled departure, or for no-shows. No refunds, full or partial, will be made for any pre-paid elements of your hire, including but not limited to pre-booked parking, coach permits, congestion/low emission zone charges, pre-booked attraction entrance fees, restaurant or accommodation deposits. We recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurance. If requested, we are happy to provide any receipts or documentation you may need to support a travel insurance claim.
Refunds are handled by Stripe, the payment processing partner used by our booking system, Xola. Refunds are credited back to the original payment method, and can take up to 10 working days.
There is no limit to the number of times you may transfer a booking, but transferred bookings are no longer eligible for a refund.
If you transfer a booking to a date or tour that has a higher price from the price you originally paid, Go Cotswolds will invoice you for the difference and your booking will not be confirmed until this invoice is paid. If you transfer a booking to a date or tour that has a lower price from the price you originally paid, Go Cotswolds will refund you the difference as soon as possible.
Go Cotswolds will not be held responsible, or provide any compensation, for expenses incurred as a result of a customer transfer request, cancellation or no-show. We recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurance. If requested, we are happy to provide any receipts or documentation you may need to support a travel insurance claim.
Go Cotswolds cannot be held responsible for emails, messages, or voicemails not received within the terms outlined above.

Cancellation or curtailment by Go Cotswolds

In the unlikely event that a tour/journey is cancelled by Go Cotswolds, we will issue a full refund of the ticket price you paid. Alternatively, subject to availability, you may transfer your tour/journey to a future available date(s).
In the event of a cancellation by Go Cotswolds, Go Cotswolds will contact you as soon as is practically possible using the telephone number or email address you provided at the time of booking. It is your responsibility to ensure the contact details you provide are suitable and correct.
In the event that a tour is cut short owing to circumstances beyond our control, Go Cotswolds will refund what is deemed to be a fair proportion of the cost of the tour. Go Cotswolds’ decision is final.
Refunds are handled by Stripe, the payment processing partner used by our booking system, Xola. Refunds are credited back to the original payment method, and can take up to 10 working days.
Go Cotswolds will not be held responsible, or provide any compensation, for other expenses incurred as a result of a cancellation made by us. We recommend that you (and the members of your party) take out appropriate travel insurance. If requested, we are happy to provide any receipts or documentation you may need to support a travel insurance claim.

Accident, injury or loss

Go Cotswolds is not liable for any accident, injury, delay, loss, damage, inconvenience – direct or consequential, however caused – sustained on the vehicle (owned by Go Cotswolds or its partners) or on a tour/journey unless due to negligence by us, in which case, our liability is limited to compensation to a maximum amount of the price paid for your tour/journey.

Privacy

By agreeing to our terms and conditions you also acknowledge, understand and agree to our Privacy Policy, which you can read here.

Additionally, during a tour/journey, we may, with your verbal consent and knowledge, take photographs of you and/or the members of your party. Photographs remain the property of Go Cotswolds. By agreeing to have your photograph taken you agree that these images may be used for marketing, promotional and/or social media purposes. You may withdraw your consent, in writing, at any time, by sending an email to info@gocotswolds.co.uk.

GIFT VOUCHERS

The following terms and conditions apply to all gift vouchers, and bookings made using gift vouchers, purchased from the Go Cotswolds website.

Gift voucher coupon codes can only be used once.
Gift voucher codes for a specific tour, issued after 24th March 2020, are valid for 2 years from the date of purchase (except some vouchers issued in lieu of a refund during the COVID-19 pandemic; see special terms for COVID-19 gift vouchers below).
Gift vouchers issued before 24th March 2020 had no expiry date. We are happy to honour these vouchers to the original value of the voucher at the time of purchase. Therefore, where a product has increased in price since the voucher was issued, the voucher may be used as part-payment towards that product.
Gift voucher codes for a monetary value, as opposed to a specific tour, have no expiry date.
Gift vouchers have no cash value and no cash alternative will be offered.
Except for some gift vouchers issued during the COVID-19 pandemic (please see ‘COVID-19 information’ below), gift vouchers, and bookings made using gift voucher coupon codes, are non-refundable.
No refund or compensation will be offered for ‘no-show’ bookings made using a gift voucher coupon code.
Bookings made using gift voucher coupon codes may, upon giving a minimum of 24 hours notice, be transferred to an alternative available date for up to 1 year from the original booking date, or until the voucher expiry date, whichever is the longer.
You may use a gift voucher as part payment for a larger booking (e.g., you may redeem a voucher for 1 adult on a booking for 2 adults and pay the remainder). If you do not use the full value of the voucher in one booking, the remaining value is forfeited (e.g. if you redeem a voucher for 2 adults on a booking for 1 adult, you will not get any change or be able to use the remaining voucher value against another future booking).

COVID-19 information

Our usual customer cancellation and Go Cotswolds cancellation policies apply, as described above.

From Thursday 24th February 2022, all COVID-19 restrictions in England have been removed. There is no longer any legal requirement to self-isolate or quarantine if you test positive for COVID-19, and it is your choice to wear a face covering, or not, while on board our vehicles.

COVID-19 gift vouchers

If you opted for a Go Cotswolds gift voucher in lieu of a refund for a cancelled tour during the 2020/2021 COVID-19 pandemic, and if you find that you are not able to use the voucher within the 2 year expiry limit, please contact us to arrange for an expiry date extension. Given the exceptional circumstances, we will also be happy to offer a refund for these vouchers if you wish.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we updated our website and booking system and, regretfully, some gift vouchers issued during this time were lost and may no longer work on our website. We’re very sorry about this! Please contact us and we will be pleased to reinstate your code.

Terms and Conditions