PREMISE
A mountain hut is not a hotel or a restaurant. Its remote, high-altitude location makes management both challenging and costly—especially when it comes to supplying food and other essentials. Every day, we offer a warm and genuine welcome: no frills, perhaps lacking some comforts, but always with a smile and never watching the clock. We kindly ask for your understanding. Embrace the nature of this unique environment: avoid unrealistic expectations and respect the natural limitations of the services we can provide. In short, let yourself be immersed in the mountain spirit and enjoy the rare and authentic experience of staying in an alpine hut.
NOTICE: These terms and conditions have been translated from Italian. In the event of any discrepancies in interpretation, the Italian version shall prevail in all cases.
1. Scope of the General Terms and Conditions
1.1. These General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter the “Terms and Conditions”) set out the terms, procedures and conditions governing the booking and provision of accommodation and hospitality services (hereinafter the “Services”) provided by Rifugio Emilio Questa, located in Valdieri (CN), Località Lago delle Portette, Italy (hereinafter the “Mountain Hut”).
1.2. The Services include:
1.2.1. the use of furnished accommodation units / rooms / dormitories / wooden external rooms / tents / open-plan cabins (hereinafter the “Rooms”);
1.2.2. the use of common areas, including the bar and refreshment area, toilets, showers and other facilities;
1.2.3. the provision of food and beverages in accordance with the arrangements and availability of the Mountain Hut;
1.2.4. where applicable, the use of additional equipment or facilities, subject to availability and to the terms and charges established by the Mountain Hut.
1.3. The descriptions of the Services published on the Mountain Hut’s website (hereinafter the “Website”) shall be deemed an integral part of these Terms and Conditions.
1.4. These Terms and Conditions are made available to the Customer through their publication on the Website, by being sent together with the email confirming availability and, in any event, by being displayed in the common areas of the Mountain Hut and in the Rooms.
1.5. The Terms and Conditions shall be deemed to have been read and accepted by the Customer upon payment of the booking deposit referred to in Section 4 below and, in any event, at check-in.
2. Request for Services and Conclusion of the Contract
2.1. The Customer may submit a request to book the Services (hereinafter the “Booking Request”) to the Mountain Hut in any of the following ways:
2.1.1. electronically, by sending an email to emilioquesta@gmail.com;
2.1.2. electronically, by completing the relevant form available on the Website;
2.1.3. by telephone, using the numbers provided on the Website;
2.1.4. in person, to authorised staff at the Mountain Hut or elsewhere.
2.2. The Customer is responsible for the accuracy and truthfulness of the information provided. If the information supplied is insufficient or incomplete, or if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that it is inaccurate, the Mountain Hut may request additional documents to supplement or substantiate the information provided.
2.3. The Mountain Hut reserves the right to refuse a Booking Request if:
2.3.1. the Customer fails to provide adequate proof of identity, domicile or residence or, where applicable, of their status as the representative and/or agent of another person and of the corresponding authority to act on that person’s behalf;
2.3.2. the Mountain Hut is fully booked.
2.4. The contract between the Mountain Hut and the Customer shall be deemed concluded when the booking deposit is paid within the time limit specified by the Mountain Hut or, failing this, at the time of check-in at the Mountain Hut.
3. Provision of the Services
3.1. The Mountain Hut guarantees that the Services provided to the Customer will comply with the standards applicable to its official classification, namely that of an Alpine Mountain Hut under the regulations of the Piedmont Region.
3.2. At the Customer’s request and subject to availability, the Mountain Hut will provide the Customer with the items referred to in Section 1.2.4. Such items shall remain the property of the Mountain Hut and must be returned in the same condition in which they were provided, in accordance with the applicable terms and procedures. The Mountain Hut accepts no liability for any damage to property and/or injury to persons arising from the Customer’s use of such additional items.
3.3. In the event of a fault or malfunction affecting items or equipment located in the Rooms or common areas, or the items referred to in Section 1.2.4., the Mountain Hut will arrange for their repair or replacement. Where the fault or damage is found to have resulted from misuse, tampering, negligence and/or lack of due care on the part of the Customer, the cost of repair or replacement shall be charged to the Customer.
3.4. The Customer shall use the Rooms, common areas and the items referred to in Section 1.2.4. in such a way as not to cause damage to or disturb the premises or other guests staying at the Mountain Hut. The Customer shall be solely liable for any direct damage resulting from a breach of this obligation and shall indemnify and hold the Mountain Hut harmless against any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred as a result.
3.5. The Customer shall also indemnify and hold the Mountain Hut harmless against any action, claim or demand brought by third parties against the Mountain Hut arising from any act and/or omission attributable to the Customer, or otherwise resulting from failure to comply with and/or breach of these Terms and Conditions or applicable law. In particular, by way of example and without limitation, the Mountain Hut accepts no liability for theft and/or loss occurring inside the Mountain Hut or in its immediate vicinity.
4. Price, Booking Deposit and Cancellation
4.1. The price of the Services (hereinafter the “Price”) shall correspond to the rates published in the relevant section of the Website, excluding any charges relating to the use of the items referred to in Section 1.2.4. Following receipt of the Customer’s Booking Request, the Mountain Hut will in any event specify the total Price in the email confirming availability sent to the Customer.
4.2. The Mountain Hut will require the Customer to pay, using the payment methods specified, a non-refundable booking deposit (hereinafter the “Deposit”), the amount of which will be specified in the availability confirmation email sent to the Customer.
4.3. The Customer must notify the Mountain Hut in good time of any intention to cancel the booking and therefore not make use of the Services. More specifically, where a Deposit has been paid, it will under no circumstances be refunded. If the booking is cancelled no later than three (3) days before the scheduled check-in date, the Deposit may be carried over and used towards a future booking during the same season. If the booking is cancelled within three (3) days of the scheduled check-in date, the Deposit shall be retained as compensation and may not be applied to any future booking.
5. Payment of the Price
5.1. The Mountain Hut accepts the following forms of payment (please note that not all payment methods are available for all Services):
5.1.1. Credit or debit cards;
5.1.2. Satispay;
5.1.3. Cash.
5.2. Where the contract is concluded on the day of check-in, i.e. where the Customer has not booked the overnight stay in advance, the Customer shall pay, at check-in and in advance, a portion of the Price in the amount specified by the Mountain Hut.
6. Collection and Processing of Personal Data
6.1. We wish to inform Customers that European Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (hereinafter the “GDPR”) provides for the protection of individuals and other parties with regard to the processing of personal data.
6.2. The Mountain Hut, acting as Data Controller, provides the necessary information regarding the use of Customers’ personal data. Personal data held by the Mountain Hut are collected directly from the data subject. Data are processed in both paper and electronic form using tools, procedures and methods strictly related to the purposes for which they are processed and in a manner designed to ensure the highest possible level of security and confidentiality, in accordance with the GDPR. Such data are processed solely for the purpose of providing the Services requested by the data subject and of presenting proposals and information concerning offers and initiatives organised by the Mountain Hut. Any refusal to provide personal data or to consent to their processing will make it objectively impossible for the Mountain Hut to provide the Services. The aforementioned personal data are processed exclusively for the purposes of providing the Services covered by these Terms and Conditions.
6.3. The data subject may withdraw their consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of any processing carried out prior to such withdrawal.
6.4. The data will not be communicated or disclosed to third parties.
6.5. The data subject has the following rights:
6.5.1. The right to obtain confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning them exist, even if not yet recorded, and to have such data communicated to them in an intelligible form.
6.5.2. The right to obtain information concerning:
a) the source of the personal data;
b) the purposes and methods of processing;
c) the logic applied where processing is carried out using electronic means;
d) the identification details of the Data Controller, data processors and the designated representative pursuant to Article 5(2);
e) the persons or categories of persons to whom the personal data may be communicated or who may become aware of such data in their capacity as designated representative within the territory of the State, data processors or persons authorised to process the data.
6.5.3. The right to obtain:
a) the updating, rectification or, where the data subject has an interest in doing so, completion of the data;
b) the erasure, anonymisation or blocking of data processed unlawfully, including data whose retention is unnecessary for the purposes for which they were collected or subsequently processed;
c) confirmation that the operations referred to in points a) and b), including their content, have been brought to the attention of those to whom the data have been communicated or disclosed, except where this requirement proves impossible or involves the use of means manifestly disproportionate to the right being protected.
6.5.4. The right to object, in whole or in part:
a) on legitimate grounds, to the processing of personal data concerning the data subject, even where such data are relevant to the purpose for which they were collected;
b) to the processing of personal data concerning the data subject for the purposes of sending advertising material, direct sales, market research or commercial communications.
6.6. The Data Controller is the Management of the Mountain Hut.
6.7. In order to exercise the rights described above, obtain information regarding any persons authorised to process the data and submit any request concerning the processing of their personal data, the data subject may contact the Data Controller, including by email, at the following address: emilioquesta@gmail.com.
6.8. Data subjects are further informed that, pursuant to Articles 51 et seq. of EU Regulation 679/2016 and Articles 141 et seq. of Legislative Decree 196/2003, where they believe that their rights have been infringed, they may seek protection in accordance with the applicable legislation.
6.9. The provision of personal data does not in itself constitute a guarantee that the Services will actually be provided.
6.10. The Mountain Hut reserves the right to amend or supplement this privacy notice whenever necessary, at any time and without prior notice, unless otherwise required by law. It is the responsibility of the data subject to consult this page regularly in order to remain informed of the provisions currently in force.
6.1. Pursuant to and for the purposes of Article 13 of Legislative Decree No. 196/03, the Personal Data Protection Code (hereinafter the “Privacy Code”), the Mountain Hut, acting as Data Controller, provides the necessary information concerning the use of Customers’ personal data. Personal data held by the Mountain Hut are collected directly from the data subject.
6.2. Any refusal to provide personal data or to consent to their processing will make it objectively impossible for the Mountain Hut to provide the Services. Such personal data are processed exclusively for the purposes of providing the Services covered by these Terms and Conditions. Personal data are processed primarily using IT and electronic systems, as well as manually and on paper, using procedures strictly related to the purposes for which the data are processed and in a manner designed to ensure data security in accordance with applicable legislation. Personal data will not be communicated to third parties and will be processed only for the period strictly necessary to provide the Services.
7. Rules and Prohibitions Within the Mountain Hut and Tents/Huts
7.1. Smoking is prohibited.
7.2. Food and drinks may not be consumed outside the designated areas.
7.3. Camping stoves or open flames may not be used outside any areas specifically designated for this purpose.
7.4. Clothing and equipment may not be dried directly in front of heating appliances.
7.5. Audio equipment may not be used at a volume that disturbs other guests or the surrounding environment.
7.6. Waste must not be left inside or outside the Mountain Hut.
7.7. Animals of any breed or size may not be brought into the Mountain Hut without the express permission of the Manager or staff.
7.8. Footwear must be removed before entering the Rooms.
7.9. Water must not be wasted, whether for drinking or personal hygiene. Please take a shower only when genuinely necessary and keep it as short as possible. Do not leave taps running unnecessarily.
The Mountain Hut is not connected to the mains water supply, and filling the water tanks takes a considerable amount of time, particularly during periods of low rainfall. For the same reason, hot showers are timed, token-operated and subject to a charge. Supplies of methane gas and firewood are limited — and particularly expensive to replenish, as they must be delivered by helicopter — and must therefore be reserved primarily for the Mountain Hut’s essential services.
When using the toilets inside the Mountain Hut, please flush only once and use toilet paper sparingly. Under no circumstances should any object other than toilet paper be disposed of in the toilets, as doing so may cause blockages or damage, particularly given that water pressure is often relatively low.
8. Hours to Be Observed by Guests
8.1. Breakfast is served from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
8.2. Dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and may be organised in separate sittings depending on the number of guests staying at the Mountain Hut.
8.3. On the day of departure, sleeping accommodation must be vacated by 8:00 a.m.
9. CAI Members
Please note that, since 2018, the Mountain Hut has no longer been affiliated with the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI). Consequently, no CAI membership discounts apply.