GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE HOTEL INDUSTRY 2006
(AGBH 2006)
Version dated 11/15/2006
§ 1 Scope of application
1.1 These General Terms and Conditions for the Hotel Industry (hereinafter referred to as “AGBH 2006”) replace the previous ÖHVB in the version dated September 23, 1981.
1.2 The AGBH 2006 do not exclude special agreements. The AGBH 2006 are subsidiary to individual agreements.
§ 2 Definitions of terms
2.1 Definitions of terms:
“Proprietor”: Is a natural or legal person who accommodates guests in return for payment. “Guest”: Is a natural person who makes use of accommodation. The guest is usually also the contractual partner. Guests also include those persons traveling with the contracting party (e.g. family members, friends, etc.). “Party”: is a natural or legal person in Austria or abroad who concludes an accommodation contract as a guest or for a guest. “Consumer” and “Entrepreneur”: The terms are to be understood in the sense of the 1979 Consumer Protection Act as amended. “Accommodation contract”: Is the contract concluded between the accommodation provider and the contracting party, the content of which is regulated in more detail below.
§ 3 Conclusion of contract – down payment
3.1 The accommodation contract shall come into effect upon acceptance of the Party’s order by the Proprietor. Electronic declarations shall be deemed to have been received if the party for whom they are intended can retrieve them under normal circumstances and if they are received during the published business hours of the Proprietor.
3.2 The Proprietor shall be entitled to conclude the Accommodation Agreement on the condition that the Party makes a down payment. In this case, the Proprietor shall be obliged to inform the Party of the required down payment before accepting the written or oral order of the Party. If the Party agrees to the down payment (in writing or orally), the Accommodation Agreement shall come into effect upon receipt by the Proprietor of the Party’s declaration of consent to the payment of the down payment.
3.3 The Party shall be obliged to pay the down payment no later than 7 days (receipt) prior to the accommodation. The costs for the money transaction (e.g. transfer charges) shall be borne by the Party. For credit and debit cards, the respective terms and conditions of the card companies shall apply.
3.4 The down payment is a partial payment of the agreed remuneration.
§ 4 Start and end of accommodation
4.1 Unless the Proprietor offers a different time of occupancy, the Party shall have the right to occupy the rented rooms from 4.00 p.m. on the agreed day (“day of arrival”).
4.2 If a room is occupied for the first time before 6.00 a.m., the previous night shall count as the first overnight stay.
4.3 The rented rooms shall be vacated by the Party by 12.00 noon on the day of departure. The Proprietor shall be entitled to charge an additional day if the rented rooms are not vacated in due time.
§ 5 Withdrawal from the Accommodation Agreement – cancellation fee
Withdrawal by the Proprietor
5.1 If the Accommodation Agreement provides for a down payment and the down payment has not been made by the Party in due time, the Proprietor may withdraw from the Accommodation Agreement without granting a grace period.
5.2 If the guest does not show up by 6.00 p.m. on the agreed day of arrival, there shall be no obligation to provide accommodation unless a later time of arrival has been agreed.
5.3 If the contracting party has made a down payment (see 3.3), the rooms shall remain reserved until 12.00 noon on the day following the agreed day of arrival at the latest. If the advance payment exceeds four days, the obligation to provide accommodation shall end at 6 p.m. on the fourth day, with the day of arrival being counted as the first day, unless the guest announces a later day of arrival.
5.4 Unless otherwise agreed, the accommodation contract may be terminated by the accommodation provider by means of a unilateral declaration for objectively justified reasons no later than three months before the agreed day of arrival of the contracting party.
Withdrawal by the Party – cancellation fee
5.5 The Accommodation Agreement may be terminated by unilateral declaration by the Party no later than 3 months before the agreed date of arrival of the Guest without payment of a cancellation fee.
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.6 Outside the period specified in § 5.5., withdrawal by unilateral declaration by the contracting party is only possible subject to payment of the following cancellation fees:
– up to 1 month before the date of arrival 40% of the total package price;
– up to 1 week before the date of arrival 70% of the total package price;
– in the last week before the date of arrival 90% of the total package price.
up to 3 months: no cancellation fee
3 months to 1 month: 40%
1 month to 1 week: 70%
In the last week:90%
Impediments to arrival
5.7 If the Party is unable to arrive at the accommodating establishment on the day of arrival due to unforeseeable extraordinary circumstances (e.g. extreme snowfall, flooding, etc.), the Party shall not be obliged to pay the agreed remuneration for the days of arrival.
5.8 The obligation to pay the remuneration for the booked stay shall be revived from the date of arrival if arrival is possible again within three days.
§ 6 Provision of substitute accommodation
6.1 The Proprietor may provide the Party or the guests with adequate substitute accommodation (of the same quality) if this is reasonable for the Party, in particular if the deviation is minor and objectively justified.
6.2 An objective justification is given, for example, if the room(s) has (have) become unusable, guests already accommodated extend their stay, there is an overbooking or other important operational measures necessitate this step.
6.3 Any additional expenses for the substitute accommodation shall be borne by the Proprietor.
§ 7 Rights of the contractual partner
7.1 By concluding an accommodation contract, the contractual partner acquires the right to the usual use of the rented rooms, the facilities of the accommodation establishment, which are usually accessible to the guests for use without special conditions, and to the usual service. The Party shall exercise its rights in accordance with any hotel and/or guest guidelines (house rules).
§ 8 Obligations of the Party
8.1 The Party shall be obliged to pay the agreed remuneration plus any additional amounts incurred due to the separate use of services by the Party and/or the accompanying guests plus statutory VAT by the time of departure at the latest.
8.2 The Proprietor shall not be obliged to accept foreign currencies. If the Proprietor accepts foreign currencies, these shall be accepted in payment at the current exchange rate if possible. If the Proprietor accepts foreign currencies or cashless means of payment, the Party shall bear all related costs, such as inquiries with credit card companies, telegrams, etc.
8.3 The Party shall be liable to the Proprietor for any damage caused by the Party or the Guest or other persons who accept services of the Proprietor with the knowledge or will of the Party. § 9 Rights of the Proprietor
9.1 If the Party refuses to pay the agreed remuneration or is in arrears, the Proprietor shall be entitled to the statutory right of retention pursuant to Section 970c of the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB) and the statutory lien pursuant to Section 1101 ABGB on the items brought in by the Party or the Guest. Furthermore, the Proprietor shall be entitled to this right of retention or lien to secure its claim under the Accommodation Agreement, in particular for meals, other expenses incurred for the Party and for any claims for compensation of any kind.
9.2 If the service is requested in the room of the Party or at unusual times of the day (after 8 p.m. and before 6 a.m.), the Proprietor shall be entitled to charge a special fee for this. However, this special charge shall be indicated on the room price list. The Proprietor may also refuse such services for operational reasons.
9.3 The Proprietor shall be entitled to invoice or interim invoice its services at any time.
§ 10 Obligations of the Proprietor
10.1 The Proprietor shall be obliged to provide the agreed services to an extent that corresponds to its standard.
10.2 Examples of special services of the accommodation provider that are not included in the accommodation fee and are subject to a charge are:
a) special accommodation services that may be charged separately, such as the provision of lounges, sauna, indoor pool, swimming pool, solarium, garage, etc.;
b) a reduced price shall be charged for the provision of additional beds or cribs.
§ 11 Liability of the accommodation provider for damage to property brought in
11.2 The Proprietor shall not be liable for slight negligence. If the Party is an entrepreneur, liability for gross negligence shall also be excluded. In this case, the Party shall bear the burden of proof for the existence of fault. Consequential damage or indirect damage as well as lost profits shall not be compensated under any circumstances.
11.3 The Proprietor shall only be liable for valuables, money and securities up to the amount of currently € 550. The Proprietor shall only be liable for any damage in excess thereof in the event that it has accepted such items for safekeeping with knowledge of their nature or in the event that the damage was caused by itself or one of its employees. The limitation of liability pursuant to 12.1 and 12.2 shall apply mutatis mutandis.
11.4 The Proprietor may refuse to store valuables, money and securities if the items concerned are significantly more valuable than those usually stored by guests of the respective accommodating establishment.
11.5 In any case of storage, liability shall be excluded if the Party and/or Guest fails to notify the Proprietor of the damage incurred without undue delay after becoming aware thereof. Moreover, such claims shall be asserted in court within three years from the date of knowledge or possible knowledge by the Party and/or the Guest; otherwise the right shall lapse.
§ 12 Limitations of liability
12.1 If the Party is a Consumer, the Proprietor’s liability for slight negligence, with the exception of personal injury, shall be excluded.
12.2 If the Party is an Entrepreneur, the Proprietor’s liability for slight and gross negligence shall be excluded. In this case, the contractual partner shall bear the burden of proof for the existence of fault. Consequential damage, immaterial damage or indirect damage as well as lost profits shall not be compensated. The damage to be compensated shall in any case be limited to the amount of the legitimate interest.
§ 13 Keeping animals
13.1 Animals may only be brought into the accommodation establishment with the prior consent of the accommodation provider and, if necessary, for a special fee. 13.2 The contractual partner who takes an animal with him is obliged to keep or supervise this animal properly during his stay or to have it kept or supervised by a suitable third party at his own expense.
13.3 The contractual partner or guest who takes an animal with him must have appropriate animal liability insurance or personal liability insurance that also covers possible damage caused by animals. Proof of the relevant insurance shall be provided upon request by the Proprietor.
13.4 The Party and/or its insurer shall be jointly and severally liable to the Proprietor for any damage caused by animals brought along. In particular, the damage shall also include any compensation payable by the Proprietor to third parties.
13.5 Animals are not permitted in the lounges, lounges, restaurant rooms and wellness areas.
§ 14 Extension of accommodation
14.1 The contractual partner is not entitled to an extension of their stay. If the Party notifies the Proprietor of its wish to extend the stay in good time, the Proprietor may agree to the extension of the Accommodation Agreement. The Proprietor shall be under no obligation to do so.
14.2 If the Party is unable to leave the accommodating establishment on the day of departure because all departure options are blocked or unusable due to unforeseeable extraordinary circumstances (e.g. extreme snowfall, flooding, etc.), the Accommodation Agreement shall be automatically renewed for the duration of the impossibility of departure. A reduction of the fee for this period is only possible if the contractual partner is unable to make full use of the services offered by the accommodation provider due to the exceptional weather conditions. The accommodation provider is entitled to charge at least the price that corresponds to the price usually charged in the low season.
§ Section 15 Termination of the Accommodation Agreement – Early termination
15.1 If the Accommodation Agreement was concluded for a fixed term, it shall end upon expiry of the term.
15.2 If the Party departs early, the Proprietor shall be entitled to demand the full agreed remuneration. The accommodation provider shall deduct what he has saved as a result of the non-utilization of his services or what he has received by renting the booked rooms to other parties. Savings shall only be deemed to have been made if the accommodation establishment is fully booked at the time the rooms booked by the guest are not used and the room can be rented to other guests due to the cancellation by the contracting party. The contractual partner bears the burden of proof of the savings.
15.3 The contract with the Proprietor shall end upon the death of a Guest.
15.4 If the accommodation contract was concluded for an indefinite period, the contracting parties may terminate the contract by 10.00 a.m. on the third day before the intended end of the contract.
15.5 The Proprietor shall be entitled to terminate the Accommodation Agreement with immediate effect for good cause, in particular if the Party or the Guest
a) makes significantly detrimental use of the premises or, through his or her inconsiderate, offensive or otherwise grossly improper behavior, makes it unpleasant for the other guests, the owner, the owner’s staff or third parties living in the accommodation establishment to stay together or is guilty of an act against property, morality or physical safety towards these persons that is punishable by law;
b) is afflicted by an infectious disease or an illness that extends beyond the period of accommodation or otherwise becomes in need of care;
c) fails to pay the invoices submitted when due within a reasonably set period (3 days).
15.6 If the fulfillment of the Agreement becomes impossible due to an event to be deemed force majeure (e.g. natural disasters, strike, lockout, official orders, etc.), the Proprietor may terminate the Accommodation Agreement at any time without observing a notice period, unless the Agreement is already deemed terminated by law or the Proprietor is released from its obligation to provide accommodation. Any claims for damages etc. by the contractual partner are excluded.
§ 16 Illness or death of the guest
16.1 If a guest falls ill during their stay at the accommodation establishment, the accommodation provider shall provide medical care at the guest’s request. In the event of imminent danger, the Proprietor shall arrange for medical care even without the Guest’s specific request, in particular if this is necessary and the Guest is unable to do so themselves.
16.2 As long as the Guest is unable to make decisions or the Guest’s relatives cannot be contacted, the Proprietor shall arrange for medical treatment at the Guest’s expense. However, the scope of these care measures shall end at the time when the Guest is able to make decisions or the relatives have been notified of the case of illness.
16.3 The Proprietor shall be entitled to claim compensation from the Party and the Guest or, in the event of death, from their legal successors, in particular for the following costs: a) outstanding medical costs, costs for patient transportation, medication and medical aids b) room disinfection that has become necessary,
c) laundry, bed linen and bed furnishings that have become unusable, otherwise for the disinfection or thorough cleaning of all these items, d) restoration of walls, furnishings, carpets, etc., insofar as these have been soiled or damaged in connection with the illness or death,
e) room rent, insofar as the room has been used by the guest, plus any days on which the rooms cannot be used due to disinfection, evacuation, etc.,
f) any other damage incurred by the accommodation provider.
§ 17 Place of performance, place of jurisdiction and choice of law
17.1 The place of performance shall be the place where the accommodation establishment is located.
17.2 This contract shall be governed by Austrian formal and substantive law to the exclusion of the rules of private international law (in particular IPRG and EVÜ) and the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
17.3 The exclusive place of jurisdiction for bilateral business transactions shall be the domicile of the Proprietor, whereby the Proprietor shall also be entitled to assert its rights before any other court with local and subject-matter jurisdiction.
17.4 If the accommodation contract was concluded with a contractual partner who is a consumer and has their place of residence or habitual abode in Austria, legal action against the consumer may only be brought at the consumer’s place of residence, habitual abode or place of employment.
17.5 If the accommodation contract was concluded with a contractual partner who is a consumer and whose place of residence is in a member state of the European Union (with the exception of Austria), Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, the court with local and subject-matter jurisdiction for the consumer’s place of residence shall have exclusive jurisdiction for actions against the consumer.
§ 18 Miscellaneous
18.1 Unless the above provisions provide otherwise, a time limit shall commence upon delivery of the document ordering the time limit to the contracting parties, who must observe the time limit. When calculating a time limit which is determined by days, the day in which the time or event falls on which the start of the time limit is to be based is not included. Time limits determined by weeks or months refer to that day of the week or month which corresponds by its name or number to the day from which the time limit is to be counted. If this day is missing in the month, the last day of this month shall be decisive.
18.2 Declarations must be received by the respective other Party on the last day of the period (midnight).
18.3 The Proprietor shall be entitled to set off its own claims against claims of the Party. The Party shall not be entitled to set off its own claims against claims of the Proprietor unless the Proprietor is insolvent or the Party’s claim has been established by a court or acknowledged by the Proprietor.
18.4 In the event of loopholes, the relevant statutory provisions shall apply. The “General Terms and Conditions for the Hotel Industry 2006 – (AGBH 2006)” apply to all bookings/reservations: In deviation from the AGBH 2006, the following improved regulations apply for the guest: CANCELLATION POLICY:
– Up to one week before the day of arrival: cancellation free of charge
– Up to 16:00 on the day before: 50% of the full price of the overnight stay
– Cancellation after this time or early departure: full agreed price
BEGINNING AND END OF ACCOMMODATION:
– Guaranteed room occupancy time: 15:00
– Room vacated by 11:00