Huts, Campsites, Cabins and Lodges terms and conditions

Updated March 2022

Bookings not meeting the following terms and conditions are treated as not valid and will be cancelled by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

By accepting these terms and conditions you are also accepting local site rules. These can be found on our website on the property web page.

General

1. A User/Household account must be created to make a booking. Information required to create an account is first and family names, hometown and country and a valid email address and phone number at the time of booking.
2. Account holders remain the owner of the booking and all correspondence regarding the booking must be received from or will be sent to the email address listed on their account. Account users can change details of their account online.
3. A booking is required for each adult, youth, child and infant intending to use the facility/service.
4. Bookings are not transferrable from one entity to another.
5. Proof of identity and booking may be required when accessing the facilities/services booked. Accepted forms of ID are a passport, driver's licence, credit card, firearms licence or student ID and must be shown to DOC staff or their agents on request.
6. Commercial and/or guided groups are not permitted to use DOC facilities/services unless authorised by a concession.
7. Commercial Agents wishing to make multiple bookings for services on behalf of customers must hold an Agent agreement with or obtain permission from DOC.

Age categories

8. The age categories below apply at time accommodation or service is used.
9. Persons aged 14 years and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Facilities/services provided by other organisations, eg transport operators, may use other age ranges. Please check the facilities/services you require.

Bookings

10. Bookings can only be made for those intending to use the accommodation, facilities or services at the time booked for. No speculative bookings are permitted.
11. All huts, rooms and campground bookings operate on a first come first served basis and cannot be reserved unless the property allows you to book a specific room/ bunk or campsite at time of booking.
12. If multi day bookings are not utilised and no contact is made with site office within 24 hours of first booked date, the remainder of the booking will be cancelled, and no refund given.
13. Proof of booking may be required when accessing the facilities/services booked and must be shown to DOC staff and/or their agents on request.
14. Use of booking implies acceptance of accommodation, facility or service rules as listed against the accommodation, facility or service on the DOC webpages.

General rules and expected behaviour

15. All accommodation and surrounds must be left in a clean and tidy state.
16. All rubbish must be taken with you on departure.
17. Users of accommodation sites keep noise to a minimum between 10 pm and 7 am.  
18. No pets are permitted unless authorised by DOC.
19. No drones unless permitted by DOC.
20. Check out by 11 am. Earliest Check in time is 2 pm.

Prices and payments

21. All prices are in New Zealand dollars and include GST (Goods and Services Tax).
22. Full payment is required at time of booking.
23. Accepted credit cards are Mastercard and Visa.
24. Bookings made online will automatically be charged to your credit card via the 3D secure payment network. Card and/or bank related security questions may need to be completed.
25. Card and security details are not held by DOC.
26. Any fees for modifications made to a booking will be charged at the time the modification is made.
27. Prices, transport timetables and other details may change without notice.

Penalty rates

Penalty rates apply for invalid and un-booked use of accommodation or services.

28. Where there is no valid booking, there is no guaranteed access to that service, or other facilities.
29. Failure to have a valid booking for a facility for the date of use will result in penalty fees being charged.
30. The penalty rate for all persons is the normal age fee plus the full adult fee for that service.

Modifications and cancellation policies

General

31. Booking refunds will only be made to the account holders credit card or agent who made the original booking.
32. Refunds for closures of facilities must be applied for no later than 7 days after the booked service date.
33. For terms of booking a season is consider as 1 July to 30 June.

Service fees, modifications and/or transfer of booking dates

34. Changes to party members details, date transfers and cancellations can only be made online by the account holder.
35. Bookings may be transferred only within the current booking season. Bookings outside the open booking period must be cancelled.
36. Service fees of $10 will apply to bookings made at or modifications made to bookings at a DOC Visitor Centre or campground.
37. Modifications resulting in a reduction of the value of the booking will result in a $5 fee.
38. Any additional fees will be charged at the time the modification is made.
39. Any modification/cancellation resulting in a refund will be credited back to the credit card used to pay for the booking.
40. Refunds will be processed at time changes are made and may take up to two weeks to appear on card statement.
41. No shows will be cancelled with no refund given if no communication has been received within 24 hours of due arrival date.
42. Modification and service fees are non refundable.

Cancellations due to weather or similar events

43. Where DOC advises of bad weather, or similar, that affects, but does not close or limit access to the facility:
    • you may wish to proceed with your booking, or
    • dates can be transferred free of charge to a later date in the same booking season, but no refund will be given, or
    • booking can be cancelled, and standard cancellation fees would apply.

44. Where DOC closes a facility or cancels a service due to reasons including (but not exclusive to) storms, flooding, geological activity, fire or a pandemic:
    • A full refund of the fee for the unused facilities will be given or a date transfer offered.
    • Those visitors who have already started their trip/ booking may be required to leave before their trip/ booking is completed. In this case a full refund for unused night’s accommodation will be given.
    • Visitors will only be rescheduled if there are vacancies available once the facility reopens.
    • If DOC has to reduce accommodation space at its huts, lodges or campsites, for reasons including (but not exclusive to) storms, flooding, geological activity, fire or a pandemic, then DOC will cancel and fully refund the most recently made bookings for any affected dates (last in – first out).
    • Refunds or rescheduling bookings due to facility/services closures must be applied for within 30 days. No refunds will be given after this time and trips will not be rescheduled.

Cancellations

45. Cancellations can be made online and the cancellation fees in the table below apply.
46. Refunds will be made to back to the credit card used to pay for the booking. Customers issued with a new card/expiry date since making their booking will need to contact a DOC Visitor Centre and supply their new card details for a manual refund.
47. Refunds may take up to seven working days to appear on card statements.
48. Refunds for bookings made by cash or Eftpos card can only be obtained from a DOC Visitor Centre.
49. Refunds for bookings made by a third-party site or office can only be obtained from that office.
50. Medical cancellations will apply only to the person named on the medical certificate and one support person.
51. Requests for medical refund must be emailed to the email address on the booking confirmation and must be accompanied by a copy of the medical certificate dated no more than weeks prior to current date.

Cancellation fees

The below table shows the percentage that will be charged if the whole of the booking is cancelled.

Dates and times are based on NZ Standard Time

Travel insurance

52. DOC recommends that you arrange travel insurance to guard against the loss of costs associated with cancellation or delay of your trip.

Non-DOC bookings

53. DOC is unable to rearrange non-DOC booked transport, accommodation and flight bookings if delays should occur.

Liability disclaimer

54. DOC will not be liable for injury, damage, delays or any costs incurred by visitors.

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