Terms & Conditions 

1. ECO-STAYS

ROLE OF HOSTUS AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF HOSTUS

• HOSTUS acts as a facilitator and merely provides an online platform to the User to select and book a particular Eco-stays. Eco-stays in this context includes all categories of accommodations such as Eco-stays, home-stays, bed and breakfast stays, farm-houses and any other alternate accommodations.
• All the information pertaining to the Eco-stays including the category of the Eco-stays, images, room type, amenities and facilities available at the Eco-stays are as per the information provided by the Eco-stays to HOSTUS . This information is for reference only. Any discrepancy that may exist between the website pictures and actual settings of the Eco-stays shall be raised by the User with the Eco-stays directly, and shall be resolved between the User and Eco-stays. HOSTUS will have no responsibility in that process of resolution, and shall not take any liability for such discrepancies.

INFORMATION FROM THE ECO-STAYS AND THE TERMS OF THE ECO-STAYS

• The Eco-stays booking voucher which HOSTUS issues to a User is solely based on the information provided or updated by the Eco-stays regarding the inventory availability. In no circumstances can HOSTUS be held liable for failure on part of a Eco-stays to accommodate the User with a confirmed booking, the standard of service or any insufficiency in the services, or any other service related issues at the Eco-stays. The liability of HOSTUS in case of denial of check-in by a Eco-stays for any reason what-so-ever including over-booking, system or technical errors, or unavailability of rooms etc., will be limited to either providing a similar alternate accommodation at the discretion of HOSTUS (subject to availability at that time), or refunding the booking amount (to the extent paid) to the User. Any other service related issues should be directly resolved by the User with the Eco-stays.
• Eco-stays reserves the sole right of admission and HOSTUS has no say whatsoever in admission or denial for admission by the Eco-stays. Unmarried or unrelated couples may not be allowed to check-in by some Eco-stays as per their policies. Similarly, accommodation may be denied to guests posing as a couple if suitable proof of identification is not presented at the time check-in. Some Eco-stays may also not allow local residents to check-in as guests. HOSTUS will not be responsible for any check-in denied by the Eco-stays due to the aforesaid reasons or any other reason not under the control of HOSTUS . No refund would be applicable in case the Eco-stays denies check-in under such circumstances.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE USER

• The User would be liable to make good any damage(s) caused by any act of him/ her/ or their accompanying guests (willful/negligent) to the property of the Eco-stays in any manner whatsoever. The extent and the amount of the damage so caused would be determined by the concerned Eco-stays. HOSTUS would not, in any way, intervene in the same.
• The primary guest must be at least 18 years old to be able to check into the Eco-stays.
• The User has to be in possession of a valid identity proof and address proof, at the time of check-in. The Eco-stays shall be within its rights to deny check-in to a User if a valid identity proof is not presented at the time of check-in.
• Check-in time, check-out time, and any changes in those timings, will be as per Eco-stays policy & terms. Early check-in or late check-out request is subject to availability and the Eco-stays may charge an additional fee for providing such services.

ADDITIONAL CHARGES BY THE ECO-STAYS

• The booking amount paid by the User is only for stay at the Eco-stays. Some bookings may include breakfast and/ or meals as confirmed at the time of booking. Any other services utilized by the User at the Eco-stays, including laundry, room service, internet, telephone, extra food, drinks, beverages etc. shall be paid by the User directly to the Eco-stays.
• 2.4.2. Eco-stays may charge a mandatory meal surcharge on festive periods like Christmas, New Year's Eve or other festivals as decided by the Eco-stays. All additional charges (including mandatory meal surcharges) need to be cleared directly at the Eco-stays. HOETUS will have no control over waiving the same.

PAYMENT FOR BOOKINGS AND ANY ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

• Booking of a Eco-stays can either be “Prepaid”, or “Pay at Eco-stays” as per the options made available by a Eco-stays on the Website of HOSTUS .
• In “Prepaid” model, the total booking amount is paid by the User at the time of booking itself. Such total booking amount includes the Eco-stays reservation rate, taxes, service fees as may be charged on behalf of the actual service provider, and any additional booking fee or convenience fee charged by HOSTUS .
• At the Eco-stays’s or HOSTUS ’s sole discretion on case to case basis, the User may also be provided with an option to make a part payment to HOSTUS at the time of confirmation of a booking. The balance booking amount shall be paid as per the terms of the bookings. For security purposes, the User must provide HOSTUS with correct credit or debit card details. HOSTUS may cancel the booking at its sole discretion in case such bank or credit card details as provided by the User are found incorrect.
• Some banks and card issuing companies charge their account holders a transaction fee when the card issuer and the merchant location (as defined by the card brand, e.g. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) are in different countries. If a User has any questions about the fees or any exchange rate applied, they may contact their bank or the card issuing company through which payment was made.
• Some accommodation suppliers may require User and/or the other persons, on behalf of whom the booking is made, to present a credit card or cash deposit upon check-in to cover additional expenses that may be incurred during their stay. Such deposit is unrelated to any payment received by HOSTUS and solely at the behest of the Eco-stays.
• In “Pay at Eco-stays” model, the concerned Eco-stays will collect the entire payment against the booking at the time of check-in. In case of international bookings, the payment will be charged in local currency or in any other currency, as decided by the Eco-stays. For security purposes, the User must provide HOSTUS with correct credit or debit card details. HOSTUS may cancel the booking at its sole discretion in case such bank or credit card details as provided by the User are found incorrect.

PAYMENT FOR BOOKINGS AND ANY ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

• The Website may contain links to third party websites. HOSTUS does not control such websites and is not responsible for its contents. If a User accesses any third-party website, the same shall be done entirely at the User’s risk and HOSTUS shall assume no liability for the same.
• HOSTUS is not responsible for any errors, omissions or representations on any of its pages, links or any linked website pages to the extent such information is updated or provided directly by the Service Providers or the advertisers.
• HOSTUS does not endorse any advertisers on its Website, or any linked sites in any manner. The Users are requested to verify the accuracy of all information provided on the third-party web pages.
• The linked sites are not under the control of HOSTUS and hence HOSTUS is not responsible for the contents of any linked site(s) or any further links on such site(s), or any changes or updates to such sites. HOSTUS is providing these links to the Users only as a convenience.

2. CABS

DEFINITIONS

• “Cab” as may be used in this document includes all categories of transport vehicles like sedans, hatchbacks, sport utility vehicles, multi utility vehicles, and any other vehicle meant for transporting passengers.
• “Cab Operator” means all the cab operators providing their vehicles along with their drivers;

TYPES OF CAB BOOKINGS FACILITATED BY HOETUS

• Outstation Cab: This enables User(s) to book vehicles operated by cab operators having All India Tourist Permit (AITP) vehicles and operating between two separate cities. On the basis of the demand/requirement of the User, HOSTUS as a facilitator connects the User with the concerned cab operator.
• Car Rental (intracity and intercity): This enables User to book vehicles operated by cab operators having AITP license on hire/rental basis. This service shall be provided for both intercity and intracity on exclusive basis by booking the entire Vehicle of the cab/taxi operators.
• Airport Drop: This shall exclusively cater to the needs of User intending to travel from and to the Airport. The service provided is intracity in nature and shall not facilitate the User to book intercity Airport drops

ROLE OF HOSTUS AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

• HOSTUS does not operate cab services on its own. In order to provide a comprehensive choice of cab services, cab types and prices to User, it has tied up with many Cab Operators.
• HOSTUS acts only acts a facilitator between the Cab Operator and User. The transaction is always between the Cab Operator and the User.
• It is the sole responsibility of the Cab Operator to ensure it has all the requisite licenses, approvals, insurance and permits from appropriate authorities required to undertake the travel booked. HOSTUS gives no warranty or assurance in regard to requisite licenses, approvals, insurance and permits which the Cab Operator is supposed to obtain from appropriate authorities.
• HOSTUS shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for any claims with respect to the trip including without limitation, claims pertaining to timeliness, safety, continuity, uninterrupted travel, quality, conditions of vehicle or driving skill, the Cab not departing or reaching on time, behavior of the cab driver, interiors of the Cab, cancellation of the trip by the Cab Operator due to any reason whatsoever, the baggage of the User getting lost, stolen or damaged, the Cab Operator providing a different type of Cab to the User, the User waiting at the wrong boarding point, the User being dropped to nearest location by the driver of the Cab due to any unavoidable circumstances, or any act or omission of Cab Operator causing accident, loss of life to the User.
• HOSTUS will not be liable to User or to any other person for any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential loss, damage, cost or expense of any kind whatsoever and howsoever caused from out of the information derived by User through usage of Website, in so far as such information is provided by the Cab Operator.
• In case of break down or accident of Cab where Cab Operator has been unable to make alternative arrangement, HOSTUS shall provide proportionate refund to User for uncovered distance. Any claims, liabilities or legal costs arising out of such event shall be borne by the Cab Operator.

PAYMENT FOR BOOKINGS AND ANY ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

• Booking of a Cab can either be “Prepaid”, or “Part Payment” as per the options made available by the Cab operator on the Website of HOSTUS .
• In “Prepaid” model, the total booking amount is paid by the User at the time of booking itself. Such total booking amount includes the base fare, applicable taxes, service fees as may be charged on behalf of the Cab operator, and any additional booking fee or convenience fee charged by HOSTUS .
• In “Part Payment” model, the User is required to pay a specific percentage of the total booking amount at the time of making the booking and balance payment shall be made directly to the driver at the time of check-in.
• Any booking is subject to applicable cancellation policy set out on the booking page or as communicated to the User(s).
• In case of Car Rental and Outstation Cab bookings, the booking amount paid does not include toll charges, interstate taxes, passenger taxes or any other applicable levies and the same shall be borne by the User.
• Expenses like toll charges, permit charges, parking charges, entry fees, Service Tax & any other Government Tax as per Government guidelines are to be borne by the User and paid directly to the driver.
• The estimate cost provided at the time of booking is not to be construed as the final pricing for your trip unless specifically indicated. The final amount for your trip will be calculated based on actual usage (number of Kilometers and hours). Distance and time are calculated from garage to garage and not from the pick-up of the User for both within city and outside city trips.
• The travel allowance wherever applicable has to be paid directly to the driver.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE USERS

• The User must carry a valid photo-id proof during the trip and present the same to the Cab Operator or driver of the Cab before boarding the Cab. In the event of a mismatch in the identity of the User or traveller, the Cab Operator or the driver of the Cab may, at their discretion, deny boarding to such User.
• Cab Operator is obligated to commence the trip as soon as the User boards the Cab. User shall report to HOSTUS in case the driver denies to commence the trip for any reason whatsoever.
• User shall board the Cab on or within such time as informed at the time of booking or provided in the booking voucher. In case the User fails to board the cab within the given timeline, Cab Operator will have the liberty to cancel the booking without informing the User.
• User will not have any right, title or interest in the Cab provided for the given trip.
• Once a Trip is booked by User, changes in departure time, boarding or dropping points are not permitted.
• Any failure by User to board the Vehicle within the given timelines at the boarding point or trip commencement point, shall result in forfeiture of the total booking amount paid by the User without any refund rights.
• User shall stop and take breaks at specified places only. User shall avoid taking additional breaks except in case of emergency.
• User shall be responsible and liable for their own safety and security of luggage. HOSTUS shall not be responsible for any loss to User or their luggage in any event.
• In the event of any dissatisfaction with any of the services provided by Cab Operator or HOSTUS , the matter must be reported directly to Cab Operator or HOSTUS , in order that appropriate action may be taken to remedy the problem.
• The booking made by the User should be strictly for tourism purposes only.
• The trip should be undertaken in the User’s personal capacity and shall not be used for profit making in any commercial context.

DO’s AND DON’Ts FOR THE USER

THE USER SHALL:

• Arrive on time at the appointed pick up point as mutually agreed with Cab Operator;
• Maintain and ensure good and humble conduct with Cab Operator during the trip and on failure to do so, Cab Operator may require such User to disembark the Cab;
• Prior to commencement of trip, check and agree with Cab Operator on dimension/weight of the luggage that can be accommodated in the boot space of the Cab;
• Check the starting time and the reading on the odometer at the start of the trip. Disputes regarding the same will not be acceptable after completion of journey.

THE USER SHALL NOT:

• ask Cab Operator to violate any traffic rules, or the city police or government rules or other applicable laws for any reason whatsoever;
• coerce Cab Operator to overload the boot space of the Vehicle with the User’s luggage;
• use services offered under this head for any purpose which is unlawful or illegal under the applicable laws;
• insist on disembarking at any place expect the point of drop as provided by the User at the time of booking;
• board the Cab if he/ she is intoxicated or under influence of any drug or similar abusive substances.

3. ACTIVITIES AND OTHER SERVICES

DEFINITIONS

• ‘Activity’ includes day tours & sightseeing, spa & wellness, adventure sports, cruise, theme/ amusement parks, buffets & dining or any other service/product booked on the Website.
• The provider of the Activity will be referred as ‘Activity Provider’, who shall be solely responsible for provision of the products/ services booked by the User.

ROLE OF HOSTUS AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

• HOSTUS ’s role is limited to facilitating the procurement of an Activity service by the User from the Activity Provider. The transaction or the service fulfilment relation is always between the User and the Activity Provider
• HOSTUS shall not provide pick up and drop facility for any Activity unless otherwise explicitly mentioned in the confirmation of the reservation.
• HOSTUS shall not be liable or responsible for:
  • Any damage or loss, injury, accident, death, breakdown, irregularity, delay/change in schedule, cancellation without cause, inaccurate information, deficiency of service/product, or cancellation due to conditions not under the control of Activity Provider;
  • The health, safety and well-being of the User in the course of availing the Activity or thereafter;
  • Any incidental or ancillary services which is directly purchased by the User from the Activity Provider;
  • Any incorrect information provided by the Activity Provider.
• The maximum liability of HOSTUS will be limited to refund of booking amount which was received by HOSTUS for reservation of the Activity.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE USERS

• The User agrees to comply with the terms and conditions of Activity Provider in addition to HOSTUS ’s User Agreement and Terms of Service.
• The User will be required to present the booking / confirmation voucher issued by HOSTUS in order to avail the Activity
• The User shall further be in possession of valid documents viz. identity proof, address proof, passport in case of Activity booked outside India or any other document as specified by the Activity Provider in order to utilize the Activity booked.
• The User may be required to sign a waiver/consent form, safety procedure form, medical declaration or other document before availing the Activity where mandated by the Activity Provider.
• The User shall reach out to Activity Provider directly for any concerns subsequent to the confirmation of reservation.
• The User should ensure that he qualifies all the eligibility criteria for availing the Activity including but not limited to age limit, weight limit, medical conditions etc. User understands that in case he is found unfit or illegible for the Activity, Activity provider may or may not allow the User to avail the said Activity.

PAYMENTS FOR BOOKINGS, AND CANCELLATIONS

• Reservations will be subject to cancellation and refund policies of the Activity Provider which may vary from time to time.
• HOSTUS may charge applicable taxes or service charge, convenience fees etc. wherever applicable.

HOST TERMS and CONDITIONS : Hosting a Homestay / Eco-Stay with HOSTUS.life

1. Registration: Hosts must register with a valid email address, phone number, and other required information.

2. Listing: Hosts are responsible for accurately describing their homestay, including amenities, services, house rules, photographs, host details etc.

3. Pricing: Hosts set their own rates, but must include all applicable taxes and fees. Hosts are required to maintain a standard B2C pricing across all platforms and direct dealings, to avoid any pricing disputes. 

4. Availability: Hosts must update their availability calendar regularly and timely respond to availability inquiries by the HOSTUS.life team. 

5. Guest Communication: Hosts must respond promptly to guest inquiries and messages. Host should timely respond to and properly communicate with guests having a reservation done through HOSTUS.life.

6. Cancellation: Hosts must adhere to the cancellation policies agreed upon with Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd.

7. Payment: Hosts will receive payment from Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd, minus applicable commissions.

8. House Rules: Hosts must establish and communicate clear house rules to guests.

9. Liability: Hosts are responsible for any damages or losses caused by guests. Any charges if required to be collected due to such unfortunate incident, has to be collected directly from the guest. Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd, will not be liable for any financial coverage.

10. Dispute Resolution: Hosts agree to participate in Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd dispute resolution process.

11. Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd, reserves the right to run promotional activities and marketing campaigns from time to time, which could include the content of the hosted property. The Host agrees to such promotional activities as a part of the standard terms and conditions while enlisting their property on HOSTUS.life.

12. Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd, agrees to pay a token advance for confirmation of reservations and the balance after successful hosting of the guest. Payments are cleared within 48 hours of checkout.

13. Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd, reserves the right to share public information provided by the host, on its digital platforms and affiliates. Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd, is also liable to share such information with any legal entities / law authorities, in case of any such information is summoned by them.

14. Hosts are also required to verify the identity and authenticity of the guests, by scrutinizing the validity of the identity proofs of the guests.

15. Hoetus Global Pvt Ltd, reserves the rights to update the terms and conditions from time, as per legal and business requirements, which would be published under the standard terms and conditions of our website: https://hostus.life/ and our mobile applications.

Privacy Policy 

This Privacy Policy is prepared by Hostus.life, a brand of HOETUS GLOBAL PVT LTD, and whose registered address is in Siliguri, Darjeeling,India (“We”) are committed to protecting and preserving the privacy of our visitors when visiting our site or communicating electronically with us.

This policy sets out how we process any personal data we collect from you or that you provide to us through our website and social media sites. We confirm that we will keep your information secure and comply fully with all applicable India Data Protection legislation and regulations. Please read the following carefully to understand what happens to personal data that you choose to provide to us, or that we collect from you when you visit our sites. By submitting information you are accepting and consenting to the practices described in this policy.

Types of information we may collect from you. 

We may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal information about individuals who visit and use our website and social media sites:

Information you supply to us. You may supply us with information about you by filling in forms on our website or social media. This includes information you provide when you submit a contact/inquiry form. The information you give us may include but is not limited to, your name, address, e-mail address, and phone number.

How we may use the information we collect

We use the information in the following ways:

Information you supply to us. We will use this information:

• to provide you with information and/or services that you request from us;

• To contact you to provide the information requested.

Disclosure of your information

Any information you provide to us will either be emailed directly to us or may be stored on a secure server.

We do not rent, sell or share personal information about you with other people or non-affiliated companies.

We will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that your personal data is not disclosed to regional/national institutions and authorities unless required by law or other regulations.

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our site; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorized access.

Your rights – access to your personal data

You have the right to ensure that your personal data is being processed lawfully (“Subject Access Right”). Your subject access right can be exercised in accordance with data protection laws and regulations. Any subject access request must be made in writing to smile@hostus.life. We will provide your personal data to you within the statutory time frames. To enable us to trace any of your personal data that we may be holding, we may need to request further information from you. If you complain about how we have used your information, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Changes to our privacy policy

Any changes we may make to our privacy policy in the future will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, notified to you by e-mail. Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes to our privacy policy.

Contact

Questions, comments, and requests regarding this privacy policy are welcomed and should be addressed to smile@hostus.life.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Eco Stay Bookings / Sustainable Vacations Bookings / Conscious Commute Bookings:

Bookings made through HOSTUS ( www.hostus.life / Hostus mobile applications / Hostus Care Desk) are eligible for a refund of 50 % if cancelled by the guest 15 days prior to the check-in date.

Bookings cancelled within 15 Days to the check-in date are not eligible for any refund. 

Refunds would be processed within 2 to 5 business days. 

Please contact smile@hostus.life for any further inquiries.