Gay Travel France is based in Paris and manages a portfolio of furnished apartments on behalf of Absolu Travel, the leading provider of furnished apartments for the gay community in Paris and Nice.
Accommodation in a furnished apartment is subject to Absolu Travel’s General Terms and Conditions, which are attached:
The contract is made up of (1) the individual sale terms or reservation confirmation and (2) these general terms and conditions. Acceptance of these general terms and conditions implies the acknowledgement, agreement and acceptance of all documents presented to the client upon arrival, including, but not limited to, the individual terms or reservation confirmation, the inventory and the credit card payment receipt.
Accommodation in a furnished apartment requires a contract which is not covered by the French loi du 6 juillet 1989, nor is it covered by the provisions of the Code Civil or article L 632-1 of the Code de Construction et l’Habitation. This contract is personal for a named person on persons. It applies only to the client and any other individuals declared at the time of reservation. It is non-transferrable.
According to article L 632-1 of the Code de Construction et l’Habitation, if a client establishes his primary residence in an apartment, he may enjoy a one-year renewable contract, in accordance with all the provisions of the aforementioned article and other specific terms and conditions. If he does not establish primary residency, the accommodation is considered temporary and only for the dates outlined in the original reservation confirmation or in the list of specific terms and conditions.
A price is valid only for the number of occupants specified in the reservation. Extra guests are prohibited, unless by permission of Absolu Travel and payment of the applicable supplemental occupancy rate. Unless otherwise agreed, check in is after 2 pm on the day of arrival and check out before 11 am on the day of departure.
Absolu Travel reserves the right to enter the apartment at any time, specifically and not limited to maintenance repairs (including to locks) and monitoring. At the conclusion of the rental period, any personal property remaining in the apartment shall be removed and stored at client’s expense and risk. Acceptance of these terms and conditions is essential; these provisions form the grounds on which Absolu Travel leases the apartment.
A reservation is only considered confirmed once all documents submitted by Absolu Travel have been signed and the deposit has been paid. Absolu Travel cannot guarantee clients a specific apartment, but only an apartment from the specified rate category, or from a higher rate category. If the client wishes to extend his stay, Absolu Travel will do its utmost to offer the same apartment, but cannot guarantee apartment availability outside of the specified reservation period.
Rental fees, service charges and security deposit must all be paid upon arrival, at the very latest, by (1) Visa or MasterCard; (2) Traveler’s checks (euros) or (3) cash (euros). The client is responsible for any transaction fees associated with credit card payments. If the client arrives outside of normal business hours, all outstanding balances will be deducted prior to arrival.
For payments by credit card, the client will be required to sign a separate payment authorization by which the client renounces the right to dispute the amount(s) deducted from his credit card. Absolu Travel reserves the right to not accept payment by credit card.
Under no circumstances does early departure entitle the client to any form of reimbursement. Any sum payable during or at the end of a stay, including for final housekeeping, service interventions, damage to the apartment or its contents, client negligence or excess electricity consumption shall be deducted from either the client’s credit card or security deposit, at the discretion of Absolu Travel.
Apartment keys are available upon the payment of all rental fees, charges and security deposits associated with the stay.
The security deposit must be paid in cash or traveler’s checks. However, upon request, Absolu Travel may accept to block a pre-authorized sum using the client’s credit card as a security deposit. Absolu Travel accepts this method of deposit for the client’s convenience. In exchange, the client expressly authorizes Absolu Travel to deduct any amount from his credit card deemed necessary to make good any damage or deterioration in the apartment, which may be equal to or less than the original pre-authorized sum.
If a checkout inventory is not submitted due to unexpected departure, a departure outside of normal business hours or for any other reason, the security deposit will be forwarded to the client or cancelled (in the case of a pre-authorized debit) less any sum due. It is the client’s responsibility to notify Absolu Travel within 48 hours of the receipt of the final invoice of any questions or disputes he may have. After this period, the client renounces the right to contest any sum retained from the security deposit or debited from his credit card.
The security deposit in no way limits the financial liability of the client, who is ultimately responsible for the real cost of any damages which exceed the initial deposit amount. The minimum amount deducted for any loss, damage or deterioration shall be 30 euros per incident.
An inventory checklist shall be presented to the client upon check in. A departure inventory will be conducted upon check out. It is the client’s responsibility to notify Absolu Travel within 48 hours of any questions or discrepancies. After this period, the inventory shall be considered final.
Apartment descriptions can be found on the Absolu Travel websites. Each entry features a general overview and photographs as well as a list of technical specifications and equipment. As the service we provide does not fall under the same statutes or guidelines as a standard residential lease or rental agreement, surface area measurements and specifications provided have no legal value. This information is non-contractual and provided for informational purposes only. Absolu Travel shall in no way be held liable for any discrepancies and the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed.
Decoration and furniture in an apartment is subject to change and evolves over time. Although every effort is made to keep the website up to date, it may or may not reflect recent changes. Absolu Travel can in no way guarantee the decoration or the availability of a specific piece of furniture.
The following rules apply to the cancellation of a confirmed reservation or early departure: (1) For cancellations made more than 30 days prior to arrival, the client forfeits 50% of the initial deposit. (2) For cancellations made less than 30 days before arrival, the entire deposit shall be forfeited. (3) For cancellations made less than 3 days prior to arrival or a failure of the client to take the apartment, the balance for the entire rental will be charged. (4) No refund will be made in the event of an early departure.
As insurance regulations and the notion of liability vary between different countries, the client must inquire with his own insurance provider to ensure that he and any travel companions are covered in the event of personal injury or property damage during his stay. The client must be insured. Because of this, by signing this contract, the client declares himself to be adequately insured and agrees not to hold Absolu Travel liable for any accident or injury which may occur during his stay.
It is the client’s responsibility to take all necessary precautions when using equipment in the apartment. The client agrees not to use or attempt to use any equipment which he does not know well enough to be able to use safely, or for which adequate instructions have not been provided. The client agrees to take all necessary precautions to prevent accidents or falls, especially in bathrooms, kitchens and stairwells.
The accommodation price includes the following: use of a furnished apartment for the duration specified in the accommodation contract; water, electricity and television service; water consumption; reasonable electricity consumption; household linen for the specified number of occupants; for stays over one week and less than four weeks, linens will be changed once per week; any service intervention during normal business hours due to solely to equipment failure or otherwise outside the client’s control.
The purchase price does NOT include the following: hardware and/or software necessary for Internet connection; premium television services; any service intervention needed because of client misuse; final housekeeping services.
A free Internet connection may be provided in the apartment, but Absolu Travel cannot always guarantee its availability. It is the client’s responsibility to configure his computer and the modem in the apartment. If the client requires a guaranteed Internet connection, he can rent a mobile Internet 3G+ USB key from Absolu Travel at the applicable conditions and rates at the time of stay.
Absolu Travel is committed to minimizing its impact on the environment and its use of natural resources. Traditional light bulbs are always replaced with energy efficient bulbs. Heating guidelines reflect reasonable energy consumption guidelines. For the purposes of this provision, reasonable daily electricity consumption is defined as: 10 KWh/day for a studio; 15 kWh/day for a one-bedroom apartment; 20 kWh/day for a two-bedroom apartment and 25 kWh/day for larger apartments. Clients are responsible for any energy consumption beyond these guidelines. Meter readings will be taken upon arrival and departure.
The client must take good care of the apartment and its furniture throughout his stay. The client will be held responsible for any damage or loss to the apartment or any of its contents that takes place during his stay. The cost of making good any damage or loss will be billed to the client.
As all apartments are non-smoking, smoking in any of our properties is subject to a fine.
The client is solely responsible for his own personal belongings, including, but not limited to, valuables. He must take all reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized access to the apartment. He is responsible for any damage and the consequences thereof, both direct and indirect, including bodily harm, which occur in the apartment or common areas of the building, caused by himself or by any third party and resulting from any act, negligence or misuse by himself, a guest or any third party. The client and any third party involved hereby renounce the right to bring any legal action against Absolu Travel. Should the client or any of his guests wish to bring legal action against a third party, he agrees to assume full responsibility for doing so.
The client must respect all building rules and not create excessive noise or any other disruption which could potentially disrupt other tenants. Noise violations or disturbances are grounds for immediate termination of this contract and expulsion without compensation. The client must respect the common areas of the building and leave nothing outside of the apartment or in the common areas of the building. Pets are not permitted, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing. The client agrees to behave responsibly, and not use the apartment for any business-related activity or sub-let it.
Upon leaving the apartment, the client must not leave the keys inside the apartment or in the lock inside the apartment, unless these were the instructions given by a member of Absolu Travel staff. In the event that an apartment key is lost or stolen, the client will be responsible for the cost of changing the locks.
The client must ensure that the apartment is vacated in the same order and condition in which it was found upon arrival. Furniture and electrical connections must not be moved or modified. If these guidelines are not respected, the client will be billed for final housekeeping services according to the rates and conditions applicable at the time of stay.
If the reserved apartment is unavailable because of a decision by its owner, due to a technical problem or any other unforeseen circumstance, Absolu Travel reserves the right to substitute an apartment from the same price category. Differences in surface area, interior décor or furniture will be not be considered valid grounds for refusing the alternative apartment.
If an apartment of the same price category is not available, Absolu Travel will offer one from a higher category for the same price, or one from a lower category (in which case the difference in rental price will be reimbursed for the duration of the stay). If downgraded to a lower price category, the client may refuse the alternative apartment. If no alternative apartment can be found, the client has no right to any compensation beyond a reimbursement of the cost of his stay.
The client acknowledges that any failure to fulfill his obligations, including, but not limited to those concerning commercial use of the apartment, payment and housekeeping is sufficient grounds for immediate termination of this agreement. The client will be required to vacate the apartment immediately at the first time of asking and without compensation. Absolu Travel also reserves the right to seek indemnity for any damage or losses incurred. If it needs to maintain the property, Absolu Travel reserves the right to prevent access to an apartment by any means necessary, and the client acknowledges and accepts this provision.
In the event of a legal dispute, only French law shall apply and the original French version of this contract takes precedent. The relevant jurisdiction is the Cour de Paris.