
At Plamedi Luxury Stay, we understand that travel plans sometimes change unexpectedly. This policy sets out our cancellation and refund framework in full transparency — outlining your entitlements for each scenario, the process for submitting a cancellation, and how refunds are calculated and processed. All policies are enforced fairly and in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008.
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- Overview & Guiding Principles
- Booking Deposit Policy
- Standard Cancellation Schedule
- Peak & Festive Season Policy
- Special Cancellation Scenarios
- No-Show & Early Departure
- Booking Modifications
- Credit Vouchers
- Refund Process & Timelines
- Cancellations by Plamedi Luxury Stay
- Third-Party Platform Bookings
- Travel Insurance
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Reservations
Plamedi Luxury Stay has crafted this Cancellation and Refund Policy to balance the realities of managing luxury short-stay properties — where unsold nights represent a significant and irrecoverable loss — with a genuine commitment to fairness, transparency, and compliance with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA).
Our policy is tiered: the more notice you give us, the greater your refund entitlement. This structure reflects industry-standard practice among South Africa’s leading luxury hospitality establishments and is designed to give guests every incentive to notify us of changes as early as possible, while enabling us to attempt to rebook the affected dates.
- Scope: This policy applies to all direct reservations made through our website (www.plamedistays.com), our reservations email, or our telephone line. Bookings made through third-party platforms (Airbnb, Booking.com, etc.) are additionally governed by those platforms’ policies — see Section 11.
- Calculation date: All notice periods are calculated from the date on which Plamedi Luxury Stay issues written acknowledgement of the cancellation — not the date the Guest sends the cancellation request.
- Consumer rights: Nothing in this policy derogates from your rights under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008. Where any provision of this policy conflicts with your statutory rights, your statutory rights shall prevail to the extent of the conflict.
- Written notice required: All cancellations must be submitted in writing. Verbal cancellations — whether in person, by telephone, or via WhatsApp voice message — are not accepted and will not trigger the cancellation process.
To secure any reservation with Plamedi Luxury Stay, a non-refundable booking deposit of 50% of the Total Booking Amount is required at the time of booking. This deposit is non-refundable under all circumstances, as it is applied immediately to the reservation of the property on your behalf and represents an irrecoverable commitment of availability.
What the Deposit Covers
- Securing and holding your chosen dates exclusively
- Administrative processing of your reservation
- Pre-arrival guest experience preparation
- Coordination of any special requests and preferences
- Lost opportunity cost of declining other bookings
Balance Payment Schedule
- Standard bookings: balance due 14 days before Check-in
- Bookings made within 14 days: 100% due immediately
- Peak season bookings: 100% non-refundable at booking
- Balance not received by due date: reservation may be released
- All amounts in South African Rand (ZAR) inclusive of 15% VAT
The following tiered schedule applies to all standard (non-peak season) direct bookings. Notice periods are measured in calendar days prior to the booked Check-in Date, counted from the date of written cancellation acknowledgement issued by Plamedi Luxury Stay.
| Notice Period | Refund Amount | Deposit Retained | Processing Time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Season — Direct Bookings | ||||
| 45+ days | Balance paid in full | Yes — 50% deposit retained | 7 – 10 business days | Full Refund |
| 31 – 44 days | 50% of Total Booking Amount | Yes — included in calculation | 7 – 10 business days | 50% Refund |
| 15 – 30 days | 25% of Total Booking Amount | Yes — included in calculation | 10 – 14 business days | 25% Refund |
| 8 – 14 days | 10% of Total Booking Amount | Yes — included in calculation | 10 – 14 business days | 10% Refund |
| 0 – 7 days | No monetary refund | Yes — full amount forfeited | N/A | No Refund |
| Additional Scenarios | ||||
| No-Show | No refund | Full amount forfeited | N/A | No Refund |
| Early Departure | No refund for unused nights | Full amount for booked nights | N/A | No Refund |
| Peak Season (any notice) | Non-refundable | Full amount retained | N/A | Non-Refundable |
| Force Majeure | Credit note or rescheduling offered | Assessed case by case | 14 – 21 business days | Credit / Reschedule |
Due to the extremely high demand and strictly limited availability of our properties during peak periods, all peak and festive season bookings are subject to a non-refundable, non-transferable payment policy, regardless of the cancellation notice given.
Peak and festive season periods include the following (exact dates confirmed annually on our website):
- Summer Festive Season: 15 December to 15 January (inclusive), covering the Christmas and New Year period — the highest-demand period across both Johannesburg and Cape Town properties.
- Easter / School Holiday Periods: South African school holiday windows as gazetted annually, and the Easter long weekend (Good Friday through Easter Monday).
- Public Holiday Long Weekends: Any long weekend created by a South African public holiday falling on a Friday or Monday, including Heritage Day, Freedom Day, Workers’ Day, and Youth Day periods.
- Special Events: Any period coinciding with major local events designated as high-demand by Plamedi Luxury Stay (e.g. Cape Town Jazz Festival, major sports events, New Year’s Eve). Guests will be notified at the time of booking if a special-event surcharge or non-refundable policy applies.
In extraordinary circumstances — such as a government-declared national emergency directly preventing travel — management may, at its sole discretion, offer a credit voucher valid for 12 months in lieu of a monetary refund for peak season bookings.
Plamedi Luxury Stay recognises that life is sometimes unpredictable. The following special scenarios will be assessed individually and with compassion by our management team, subject to the provision of appropriate supporting documentation:
- No-Show: A Guest is deemed a “No-Show” if they fail to arrive at the property by 23:00 SAST on the Check-in Date without prior notification to Plamedi Luxury Stay. In the event of a No-Show, the entire Total Booking Amount is forfeited with no entitlement to any refund or credit. The reservation will be cancelled and the property may be made available to other guests from the following morning.
- Late arrival notification: If you anticipate arriving after 21:00 SAST, please notify our reservations team as early as possible. We will make every reasonable effort to accommodate late arrivals and will hold the reservation until 23:00 SAST on the Check-in Date where prior notification has been received.
- Early departure: If you choose to depart before your booked Check-out Date for any reason (including personal preference, family emergency, or dissatisfaction with the property), no refund will be issued for unused nights. The full amount for all booked nights remains payable and no credit will be given for the unexpired portion of the Stay.
- Involuntary early departure: In the event that Plamedi Luxury Stay requires a Guest to vacate the property early due to a breach of house rules or conduct issues (as outlined in our Terms and Conditions), no refund will be issued for unused nights and the full booking amount remains forfeited.
- Force Majeure early departure: If a Guest is required to depart early due to a Force Majeure Event beyond both parties’ control (e.g. mandatory government evacuation, natural disaster), Plamedi Luxury Stay will assess a proportional credit for unused nights on a case-by-case basis, at management’s sole discretion.
We understand that travel plans evolve. Where possible, we will endeavour to accommodate reasonable modifications to confirmed bookings, subject to availability and the following conditions:
- Date changes: Requests to change your Check-in or Check-out Date are treated as a new booking for the revised dates, subject to availability. If the revised dates attract a higher rate, the rate difference is payable. If the revised dates attract a lower rate, no refund of the difference will be issued unless the modification is initiated by Plamedi Luxury Stay.
- Property changes: Requests to change to a different Plamedi Luxury Stay property are subject to availability and will be treated as a new booking. Any rate difference between the two properties is payable or credited accordingly. A modification administration fee of R500 applies to all confirmed property changes.
- Reducing the Stay: Shortening a confirmed Stay (reducing the number of nights) is treated as a partial cancellation. The cancellation policy in Section 3 applies to the cancelled nights, calculated based on the notice period at the time the modification is requested.
- Increasing the Stay: Requests to extend a Stay (additional nights) are subject to availability and will be charged at the prevailing rate for the additional nights.
- Modification procedure: All modification requests must be submitted in writing to booking@plamedistays.com. A modification is only confirmed upon written acknowledgement from our reservations team. Verbal modification requests will not be processed.
- Peak season modifications: Modifications to peak season bookings are subject to availability and may not be possible. No reduction in the total amount payable will be made for peak season bookings, regardless of the nature of the modification.
In certain circumstances — particularly where a monetary refund is not available under this policy — Plamedi Luxury Stay may offer, at management’s sole discretion, a credit voucher as an alternative. Credit vouchers allow guests to redeem the value of their booking against a future stay.
- Validity: All credit vouchers issued by Plamedi Luxury Stay are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Vouchers that are not redeemed within the validity period expire without recourse and no extension will be granted.
- Redemption: Credit vouchers may be redeemed against any Plamedi Luxury Stay property across Johannesburg and Cape Town, subject to availability. Vouchers cannot be redeemed against peak season bookings unless specifically stated on the voucher.
- Non-transferable: Credit vouchers are issued in the name of the Lead Guest and are non-transferable to any third party. They may not be exchanged for cash under any circumstances.
- Partial redemption: Where the value of a credit voucher exceeds the cost of a future booking, the remaining balance will be noted on a new credit voucher issued at the time of redemption. Where the cost of the future booking exceeds the voucher value, the difference is payable by the Guest.
- Not guaranteed: The issuance of a credit voucher is always at management’s discretion and is offered as a gesture of goodwill. Guests do not have an automatic or contractual right to receive a credit voucher in lieu of a monetary refund, except where this policy specifically states otherwise.
To ensure your cancellation is processed efficiently and your refund (where applicable) is issued promptly, please follow the steps below:
- Submit Written Cancellation
Send a written cancellation request to booking@plamedistays.com with the subject line: “Cancellation Request — [Your Booking Reference Number]”. Include your full name, booking reference, property name, Check-in Date, and the reason for cancellation.
- Receive Acknowledgement
Our reservations team will acknowledge your cancellation request within 2 business days. The date of this acknowledgement is the official cancellation date used to calculate your refund entitlement under Section 3.
- Refund Calculation Confirmed
Within 3 business days of the acknowledgement, we will send you a written refund calculation showing the amount to be refunded, the amount retained, and the basis for the calculation. You will be asked to confirm acceptance of the calculation before the refund is processed.
- Refund Processed
Upon your confirmation, the approved refund will be processed to your original payment method only. Refunds cannot be redirected to a different account, card, or third party under any circumstances.
- Funds Received
Standard refund processing timelines apply: 7 – 10 business days for PayFast (EFT/card), 7 – 14 business days for PayPal, and 3 – 5 business days for direct EFT. Processing times may vary depending on your bank or payment provider.
- Currency: All refunds are processed in South African Rand (ZAR). Plamedi Luxury Stay is not responsible for any exchange rate fluctuations between the original payment date and the refund date for international payments.
- Bank charges: Any bank charges, international transaction fees, or payment gateway fees incurred in connection with a refund are for the Guest’s account and will be deducted from the refund amount where applicable.
- Refund confirmation: A written refund confirmation will be sent to the Lead Guest’s registered email address once the refund has been initiated on our side. Please allow the processing timelines above before contacting us to query a refund.
Plamedi Luxury Stay strives to honour every confirmed booking. In the rare and unfortunate event that we are required to cancel a confirmed reservation, we are committed to acting with transparency, urgency, and fairness.
- Cancellation within our control: If Plamedi Luxury Stay cancels a confirmed booking due to circumstances within our control (e.g. the property becomes uninhabitable due to significant damage, emergency maintenance, or operational failure), the Guest will receive a full refund of all amounts paid, including the non-refundable deposit, within 7 business days of notification. Where possible, we will also endeavour to source alternative accommodation of equivalent or superior standard at our cost.
- Cancellation due to Force Majeure: Where cancellation is required due to a Force Majeure Event (see our Terms and Conditions for the full definition), Plamedi Luxury Stay will offer the Guest the choice of: (a) rescheduling to alternative dates within 12 months at the same rate; or (b) a full credit voucher valid for 12 months; or (c) where neither option is acceptable to the Guest, a partial or full refund assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account any costs already incurred by Plamedi Luxury Stay in preparing for the Stay.
- Notification: In the event of a cancellation by us, we will notify the Lead Guest as soon as reasonably practicable by email and telephone. We will make every effort to provide maximum notice to allow you to make alternative arrangements.
- Our liability: In the event of a cancellation by Plamedi Luxury Stay, our liability is strictly limited to the full refund of all amounts paid by the Guest. We are not liable for any consequential losses, including but not limited to flight cancellation fees, alternative accommodation costs, or any other expenses incurred by the Guest as a result of the cancellation.
Plamedi Luxury Stay lists its properties on selected third-party booking platforms. Cancellation policies for bookings made through these platforms may differ materially from our direct booking policy.
| Platform | Cancellation Policy Applied | Refund Processed By | Our Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | Airbnb’s selected cancellation policy for the listing (Flexible, Moderate, Strict, or Non-Refundable). Check your booking confirmation for the specific policy applied. | Airbnb directly to guest | Operational management of Stay only |
| Booking.com | Booking.com’s terms as per the rate type booked (free cancellation vs non-refundable). Confirmed in the booking details on the platform. | Booking.com or property, per agreement | Operational management of Stay only |
| Expedia / Hotels.com | Platform-specific terms per rate selected. Guests should review the cancellation terms displayed before confirming payment. | Expedia platform | Operational management of Stay only |
| Direct (our website) | This Cancellation & Refund Policy in full (PLS-CRP-2025-V1.0) | Plamedi Luxury Stay directly to guest | Full responsibility |
- Where a conflict exists between the cancellation policy in this document and the terms of a Third-Party Platform, the platform’s terms will govern with respect to payment, refund, and cancellation for that booking.
- Plamedi Luxury Stay’s house rules, conduct requirements, and operational policies (check-in/check-out times, noise, smoking, etc.) apply equally to all guests regardless of the booking channel used.
- Cancellations for third-party platform bookings must be submitted through the relevant platform’s cancellation interface, not directly to Plamedi Luxury Stay, to ensure the correct policy and refund process is applied.
- Trip cancellation and curtailment: Covers the financial loss resulting from having to cancel or cut short your trip due to an unforeseen insured event — including illness, injury, bereavement, or airline failure.
- Medical and emergency evacuation: Covers emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, and medical repatriation, particularly important for international guests travelling to South Africa.
- Personal property and baggage: Covers loss, theft, or damage to luggage, electronics, and personal valuables during travel and at the accommodation.
- Personal liability: Covers your legal liability to third parties for accidental bodily injury or property damage caused during your stay — including damage to our property above the security deposit threshold.
- Flight disruption: Covers additional accommodation, meals, and transport costs arising from flight cancellations, delays, or missed connections.
Travel insurance is widely available in South Africa through insurers such as Santam, Discovery Insure, Hollard, and Old Mutual Insure, as well as through international providers and many credit card travel benefits programmes. Plamedi Luxury Stay does not endorse any specific provider and recommends obtaining independent financial advice.
Please note: Plamedi Luxury Stay will not waive or modify its cancellation policy on the basis that a Guest failed to obtain adequate travel insurance.
Our reservations team is dedicated to assisting you with any aspect of your booking, including cancellations, modifications, and refund enquiries. Please contact us through the channels below:
Plamedi Trading CC
Our Commitment to Fair & Transparent Cancellations
This Cancellation and Refund Policy reflects our commitment to operating with the transparency and fairness expected of a premier South African luxury hospitality brand. We endeavour to process all cancellations and refunds promptly, communicate clearly at every step, and extend genuine compassion where extraordinary personal circumstances arise. We value every guest relationship and hope to welcome you — or welcome you back — to Plamedi Luxury Stay very soon.