Retreat Terms & Conditions
Payment, Deposits and Payment Deadlines
A deposit is required at the time of booking to secure your place on the retreat. The amount of the deposit and the applicable payment schedule will be stated on the individual retreat booking page and/or in your booking confirmation.
Unless a different payment schedule is specifically communicated for a particular retreat, the remaining retreat balance must be paid in full no later than three months before the retreat start date.
Some retreats are offered with individual instalment plans. In these cases, the remaining balance must be paid according to the instalment dates stated on the retreat booking page, booking confirmation and/or invoices sent to you. These retreat-specific payment dates form part of your booking agreement.
If a payment is not received by the stated due date, we may contact you and provide a reasonable additional deadline for payment. If the outstanding amount remains unpaid after this additional deadline, The Witches’ Cookery reserves the right to cancel your booking and release your place to another participant. Any amounts already paid will then be handled according to the cancellation policy below and any mandatory statutory rights that apply.
The booking deposit is non-refundable in the event of a voluntary participant cancellation, except where mandatory law provides otherwise. Any refund calculated under the cancellation schedule below therefore applies only to amounts paid in addition to the deposit.
Cancellation, Refund and Insurance Policy
We understand that nobody books a retreat intending to cancel, but unexpected circumstances can occur. For this reason, we strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you reserve your retreat place.
Please make sure your chosen insurance covers the retreat price as well as circumstances such as illness, trip cancellation, travel disruption, delayed or cancelled flights and other non-refundable travel arrangements you may make independently.
No refund or price reduction will ordinarily be provided for portions of the retreat that a participant does not use due to late arrival, early departure, missed transportation, personal travel delays or a voluntary decision not to participate in individual activities, subject always to any mandatory statutory rights that may apply.
Participant Cancellations
If you need to cancel your participation, please notify The Witches’ Cookery in writing as soon as possible.
Your booking deposit remains non-refundable in the event of a voluntary participant cancellation, subject to any mandatory statutory rights that may apply.
For all amounts paid in addition to the deposit, the following cancellation schedule applies:
- More than 80 days before the retreat start date: 100% of payments made beyond the deposit will be refunded.
- 15–79 days before the retreat start date: 40% of payments made beyond the deposit will be refunded. The remaining 60% will be retained as cancellation compensation.
- 14 days or less before the retreat start date: Payments made beyond the deposit are non-refundable.
Any refund due will be processed in accordance with applicable law.
Transferring Your Booking to Another Participant
If you are unable to attend, it may be possible to transfer your booking to another eligible participant, subject to applicable law and the requirements of the particular retreat.
The replacement participant must meet any participation requirements for the retreat and must agree to these Retreat Terms & Conditions, the Participant Agreement and any applicable venue or community guidelines.
Any reasonable additional costs actually incurred as a result of transferring the booking may be charged to the original participant and/or replacement participant where permitted by law.
Please contact us as soon as possible if you would like to transfer your booking so that we can discuss the available options.
If Your Cancelled Place Is Resold
If you cancel your retreat place and The Witches’ Cookery is subsequently able to resell that place to another participant, we may refund additional amounts that would otherwise have been retained as cancellation compensation, taking into account any costs, losses, payment fees or administrative expenses resulting from the cancellation and resale.
The ability to resell a place cannot be guaranteed.
Any mandatory statutory rights remain unaffected.
Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances
Nothing in these terms limits any statutory right a participant may have to cancel without cancellation compensation where unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances significantly affect the performance of the retreat or, where applicable, transportation to the retreat destination.
Where applicable law entitles a participant to a full refund, that refund will be processed within the legally required timeframe.
Participant Agreement and Pre-Retreat Information
All retreat participants are required to complete the Participant Agreement and any additional pre-retreat questionnaires or documentation requested by The Witches’ Cookery.
Unless another deadline is specifically communicated, these documents should be completed within seven days of receiving them.
If a booking is made shortly before the retreat, a shorter reasonable completion period may be communicated.
These forms allow us to collect information that may be relevant to your participation, including dietary requirements, allergies, accessibility needs, health or safety considerations and emergency contact information. They also ensure that all participants acknowledge and agree to the retreat community guidelines, expected standards of behaviour and any relevant rules set by the retreat venue.
If required documentation is not submitted after a reminder and reasonable additional deadline, The Witches’ Cookery reserves the right to cancel the booking where participation cannot reasonably or safely proceed without that information. Any resulting cancellation will be handled according to the cancellation policy above and applicable law.
Participant Conduct
Retreats are intended to provide a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all participants.
Participants are expected to treat other guests, retreat staff, venue staff and the retreat property with respect and to follow the community guidelines and venue rules communicated before or during the retreat.
The Witches’ Cookery reserves the right to require a participant to leave the retreat where their behaviour presents a serious safety concern, significantly disrupts the retreat, repeatedly violates communicated rules or materially affects the wellbeing of other participants.
Where legally permissible, a participant required to leave for such reasons will not ordinarily be entitled to a refund for unused portions of the retreat. Any mandatory statutory rights remain unaffected.
Cancellation by The Witches’ Cookery
If The Witches’ Cookery cancels a retreat, participants will receive any refund required under applicable law.
Where a participant is legally entitled to a monetary refund, The Witches’ Cookery will not require the participant to accept a credit, voucher or transfer to another retreat instead.
We may offer participants the option of transferring their payment to another retreat date where appropriate, but accepting this option is voluntary where a refund is legally required.
The Witches’ Cookery is not responsible for independently booked costs such as flights, additional accommodation, rental cars, loss of earnings or other travel expenses, except where liability arises under mandatory applicable law.
For this reason, comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended before booking flights or making other non-refundable travel arrangements.
Travel Documents and Entry Requirements
Participants are responsible for ensuring that they hold all passports, visas, Electronic Travel Authorisations, health documents or other travel documentation required for their journey and retreat destination.
The Witches’ Cookery cannot accept responsibility where a participant is unable to attend because required travel documentation has not been obtained or is invalid, subject to any mandatory statutory rights that apply.
Travel Insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended for every participant.
Your insurance should ideally cover the full retreat price, cancellation, illness, travel disruption, delayed or cancelled transportation, luggage and any independently booked travel arrangements.
Some insurance providers require coverage to be purchased within a certain period after booking your retreat or travel arrangements, so please check the conditions of your chosen policy promptly.