The Hive Seal Bay
Booking & cancellation policy
Please read these terms before booking your stay at The Hive. This policy applies to new direct bookings where it is provided and accepted before booking.
Updated 2 November 2026
Which bookings does this policy cover?
Version 2 November 2026 applies to new direct bookings made after this policy was published and accepted before booking. Existing bookings keep the terms agreed when they were made. This page does not retrospectively replace those terms. Email thehivesealbay@outlook.com with your booking reference if you need the terms for an existing stay.
Booking your stay
The Hive is a three-bedroom holiday home in the White Horse area of Seal Bay Resort, Selsey, sleeping up to eight guests. It is not pet-friendly. Online stays are between three and 21 nights, subject to availability.
A booking request holds dates for owner review; it is not a confirmed reservation and takes no payment. When using Stripe, your reservation is confirmed after payment succeeds and the site shows that the booking is confirmed. If your booking needs review, please contact us before making another payment.
Entertainment passes and some resort activities can require separate arrangements or additional payment. Please ask us about these before your stay.
Your holiday payments
For bookings made more than six weeks before arrival, the first payment is a 20% holiday booking deposit plus a separate £100 refundable damage deposit. The remaining 80% of the holiday price is due six weeks before arrival.
For bookings made six weeks or less before arrival, the full holiday price plus the £100 damage deposit is due when booking. The damage deposit is separate from the holiday price and is not charged again when you pay the balance.
How to cancel
Email thehivesealbay@outlook.com with your name, booking reference and holiday dates. Cancellation takes effect on the date we receive your email, not the date we acknowledge it. We will confirm the cancellation in writing.
Notice is the number of calendar days between the date we receive your cancellation and your arrival date, using UK time.
Cancellation charges and refunds
The following maximum charges apply to the holiday price only. The refund column assumes the holiday price has been paid in full. The separate damage deposit is dealt with below.
| Notice before arrival | Maximum holiday cancellation charge | Minimum holiday refund if paid in full |
|---|---|---|
| 70 days or more | 20% | 80% |
| 29-69 days | 50% | 50% |
| 8-28 days | 80% | 20% |
| 7 days or fewer, including no-show | 100% | May be zero |
Example: for a £500 holiday paid in full plus a £100 damage deposit, cancellation 14 days before arrival means at least £200 back in total (£100 holiday refund plus £100 damage deposit). At seven days, the refund could be only the £100 damage deposit. Refunds may be higher if our actual loss is lower.
How we calculate the final charge
The table sets maximum charges, not automatic deductions. We will charge no more than our reasonable, evidenced losses directly caused by the cancellation, and never more than the applicable table limit.
We will take reasonable steps to re-let the dates. Saved costs and income from replacement bookings will reduce the charge, so we do not recover the same loss twice. We will provide a written calculation and refund any excess. If the dates are subsequently re-let, we will review the charge and issue any further refund due.
Holiday payments already received count towards the charge. If the final charge is less than those payments, we refund the difference. If it is more, we will explain any remaining amount due in writing.
Your £100 refundable damage deposit
If you cancel before occupying the caravan, or do not arrive and never occupy it, your £100 damage deposit will be refunded in full. It is not used to pay holiday cancellation charges.
After a completed stay, the damage deposit is refundable after inspection if there is no chargeable damage. We initiate its refund within seven days after departure; your bank’s processing can take longer. Any deductions are limited to reasonable, evidenced costs for damage or missing items. Normal wear and routine cleaning are excluded. We provide photographs and an itemised explanation of deductions and refund the remainder.
Refund timing
We aim to initiate agreed refunds within 14 days of confirming the amount. Refunds go to the original payment method where possible. Your bank or payment provider may take additional time to show the money in your account.
Changing your dates
Date changes are subject to availability and our written agreement. Any revised price or payment schedule will be confirmed before you agree. We do not charge a separate administration fee. A request to change dates does not itself change or cancel your booking.
If we cannot provide your stay
If we cancel before arrival because we cannot provide your booked stay, you may choose a suitable alternative we offer or a full refund of all money paid to us for the booking, including the damage deposit. You do not have to accept an alternative. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Travel insurance and your rights
Travel insurance is not included. Consider suitable cover for circumstances that might prevent your stay. Nothing in this policy removes or limits your statutory rights.
Help with a payment
If a payment appears to have succeeded but your confirmation is unclear, please do not pay again. Email us with your booking reference so we can check the payment and reservation. If a checkout has expired without payment, check availability again to start a fresh attempt.
Read our privacy notice for information about the details you provide when booking.