These Terms & Conditions apply to everyone who uses Ecovilla Rentals. Part A applies to all users. Part B applies specifically when you book a stay as a Guest. Part C applies specifically when you list a property as a Host. If you do both, both Part B and Part C apply to you.
1. Introduction & Acceptance
1.1 These Terms and Conditions ("Agreement") govern your use of Ecovilla Rentals (the "Platform"), a property management and booking platform for properties within the Machuca Valley community, Costa Rica, through which Ecovilla Rentals manages listings and the booking process on behalf of Hosts. By creating an account, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Agreement in its entirety, including whichever of Part B or Part C applies to your use of the Platform.
1.2 Ecovilla Rentals is operated by an individual as a sole trader, trading as "Ecovilla Rentals". You can contact us at info@ecovillarental.com.
2. Eligibility & Accounts
2.1 You must be at least 18 years old to create an account or make a booking on the Platform.
2.2 You agree to provide accurate, current information when creating your account and to keep it up to date, including a valid email address used for booking and account notifications.
2.3 You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.
3. Platform Role & Disclaimer
3.1 Ecovilla Rentals operates as a property management platform. We manage property listings on behalf of Hosts — including reviewing, editing, publishing, suspending, or removing listings — and manage the booking and payment process between Hosts and Guests. Ecovilla Rentals has overall authority over how a Property is listed and presented on the Platform.
3.2 Ecovilla Rentals does not own any listed Property, and the rental agreement for a specific stay remains between the Guest and the Host. Notwithstanding Ecovilla Rentals's authority over listing content under Section 3.1, the Host remains solely responsible for the physical condition, safety, and legal compliance of their Property, as set out in Section 14 and Section 18.3.
4. Prohibited Conduct
The following apply to all users of the Platform, whether acting as a Guest or a Host:
- Any activity that is illegal under the laws of the Republic of Costa Rica
- Discrimination of any kind — based on nationality, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic
- Circumventing the Platform to arrange payment outside of Ecovilla Rentals for a booking originated on the Platform
- Harassment, threats, or abusive communication directed at another user or at Ecovilla Rentals staff
- Attempting to interfere with, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to the Platform or other users' accounts
5. Privacy & Cookies
5.1 Our collection and use of your personal information is described in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of this Agreement.
5.2 Our use of cookies and similar technologies, and your choices around them, are described in our cookie banner and are available at any time via the "Cookie Settings" link in the site footer.
6. Limitation of Liability
6.1 To the maximum extent permitted by law, Ecovilla Rentals is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Platform, your stay at or hosting of a property, or your interactions with other users.
6.2 Our aggregate liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the Platform shall not exceed the total fees you paid to Ecovilla Rentals in the twelve months preceding the claim.
6.3 Nothing in this Agreement excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited — including any mandatory consumer protection under the law of England and Wales, and any mandatory law of the Republic of Costa Rica insofar as it applies to a Property located there or to a Host's obligations regarding it.
7. Suspension & Termination
7.1 Ecovilla Rentals reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account, with or without notice, for violation of this Agreement.
7.2 You may close your account at any time. Any obligations that arose before closure (such as an active booking or an outstanding payout) continue to apply, and role-specific closure terms in Section 18 apply to Hosts.
8. Governing Law & Disputes
8.1 This Agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Subject to Section 8.3, any disputes arising from this Agreement are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
8.2 If you are a consumer, nothing in this Agreement deprives you of the protection of any mandatory provisions of the law of the country in which you are resident, where applicable.
8.3 This Agreement governs your use of the Platform. It does not override, and is not intended to override, any mandatory law of the Republic of Costa Rica that applies directly to a Property, its physical operation, or a Host's obligations as a property owner or operator there — including property, safety, tax, environmental, accommodation, and HOA/condominium requirements. Those remain the Host's responsibility under Section 14.
9. Booking & Payment
9.1 When you submit a booking request, you are asking a Host to confirm your stay. No payment is taken while a request is pending, and you may withdraw a pending request at any time at no cost.
9.2 Once a Host accepts your request, you'll receive a secure payment request for the total price of your stay, sent to you directly (via a payment link) rather than charged automatically. That total includes the Accommodation Amount (defined in Section 9.5) plus a 2% Community Give-Back Fee, a 4% Platform Fee, and a 4% Processing Fee. The Processing Fee is calculated to fully cover our payment provider's own charge on the complete amount billed (including any security deposit and cleaning fee), so its dollar amount may be slightly higher than 4% of the accommodation total alone — the rate itself never changes. These are the only booking fees charged to Guests, and the total price shown reflects the complete cost of your stay. Your booking is confirmed once payment is received and manually verified.
9.3 Where a booking includes a refundable security deposit, this is disclosed before you complete payment and is handled as described in Section 12.
9.4 If your booking is later cancelled, note that the 4% Platform Fee and the 4% Processing Fee are non-refundable in every cancellation scenario — see Section 10.
9.5 "Accommodation Amount" means the rental amount plus any applicable cleaning fee. It excludes the Platform Fee, the Processing Fee, the Community Give-Back Fee, and the security deposit. This is the figure any accommodation refund under Section 10 is calculated against.
10. Cancellations & Refunds
10.1 More than 90 days before check-in. If you cancel a confirmed booking more than 90 days before check-in, you automatically receive a full refund of the Accommodation Amount (see Section 9.5) and a full refund of the Community Give-Back Fee. The 4% Platform Fee and the 4% Processing Fee are not refunded. All cancellation requests are reviewed by our team before a refund is issued, but no case-by-case decision is needed for the amount itself — it's calculated automatically under this Section.
10.2 90 days or less before check-in. There is no fixed refund percentage and no per-Property or per-Host cancellation-policy schedule for a cancellation this close to check-in. Instead, your Host decides whether to offer a refund of the Accommodation Amount and, if so, how much — this may range from a full refund to no refund at all, depending on the circumstances. We record the Host's decision and process it on your behalf. Whatever proportion of the Accommodation Amount is refunded, the Community Give-Back Fee is refunded in that same proportion. The Platform Fee and Processing Fee are never refunded, regardless of the Host's decision.
10.3 If the Host cancels your confirmed booking, you automatically receive a full refund of the Accommodation Amount and a full refund of the Community Give-Back Fee, in the same way as Section 10.1. The Platform Fee and Processing Fee remain non-refundable, unless applicable law requires otherwise. A Host-initiated cancellation may also have other consequences for the Host under Section 15.1.
10.4 In every case, any refundable security deposit is unaffected by which of the above applies and is always returned to you in full as part of your cancellation refund — see Section 12.
10.5 Approved refunds are sent to you directly and may take several business days to arrive.
10.6 If you need to shorten a confirmed stay that has already begun (an early check-out), any refund for the unused nights is at the sole discretion of the Host. Ecovilla Rentals does not guarantee, and is not responsible for processing, a refund for an early check-out under this policy.
11. Conduct During Your Stay
11.1 You agree to comply with the maximum occupancy and any house rules disclosed by the Host for the property, and to treat the property and surrounding community with respect. This includes any applicable community rules, HOA/condominium rules, and community codes of conduct provided to you through Ecovilla Rentals or the relevant community.
11.2 You may not host ticketed or paying events, sub-let the property to undisclosed third parties, or use the property for any commercial purpose not agreed with the Host.
11.3 You are responsible for the conduct of anyone you bring onto the property during your stay.
12. Damage, Deposits & Guest Liability
12.1 You are liable for any damage to the property, its contents, or shared community areas caused by you or your guests during your stay, beyond normal wear and tear.
12.2 Where a booking includes a refundable security deposit, it is held by Ecovilla Rentals's payment processor and released no later than the third business day following check-out, once no damage has been reported. Business days are Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays. Where damage is reported, Ecovilla Rentals may deduct a reasonable amount from the deposit to cover the cost of repair or replacement before releasing the remainder.
12.3 If the cost of damage exceeds the security deposit held, you remain liable for the difference directly to the Host.
12.4 Where a Host reports damage, they're asked to provide reasonable supporting evidence where available — such as photographs, video, repair estimates, invoices, or replacement costs. You'll have the opportunity to respond before any amount is deducted. Where Ecovilla Rentals is responsible for administering the claim, we review the evidence from both sides and determine a reasonable amount, without creating an unnecessarily complicated process.
13. Listing Accuracy & Representation
13.1 All property listings must contain accurate and truthful descriptions, current nightly pricing, high-quality photographs that genuinely represent the property, and an up-to-date availability calendar.
13.2 Any material misrepresentation of property features, amenities, location, or condition may result in immediate listing suspension without refund of any fees paid.
13.3 Hidden fees of any kind are strictly prohibited. Pricing displayed to Guests must reflect the complete total cost of their stay.
13.4 As set out in Section 3.1, Ecovilla Rentals has overall authority over listings on the Platform, including the right to review, edit, or correct listing content, and to suspend or remove any listing at its sole discretion.
14. Host Responsibilities
14.1 Response Time: Hosts must respond to all booking requests within 72 hours of receipt. Consistent failure to do so may result in listing suspension.
14.2 Property Standards: All properties must be maintained in clean, safe, and habitable condition throughout the rental period.
14.3 Check-in Instructions: Hosts must provide Guests with clear and accurate check-in instructions no later than 24 hours before their scheduled arrival.
14.4 Community Compliance: Hosts must comply with, and ensure their Property complies with, any applicable community rules, HOA/condominium rules, and community codes of conduct provided through Ecovilla Rentals or the relevant community.
15. Host Cancellations & Fees
15.1 If you need to cancel a confirmed booking, notify Ecovilla Rentals as soon as possible. A Host-initiated cancellation always entitles the Guest to a full refund under Section 10.3, and may also have other consequences under Section 15.2 or the applicable community/Property arrangements, depending on the circumstances.
15.2 Hosts who cancel more than two bookings within any 90-day period may have their listing temporarily or permanently suspended at Ecovilla Rentals's discretion.
15.3 Platform & Community Fees: Guests pay a 2% Community Give-Back Fee and a 8% Ecovilla Rentals Platform Fee (4% Processing Fee + 4% Platform Fee) on each confirmed booking (see Section 9.2). Separately, each property carries a Host Fee — a percentage set by the Community Admin for that property and deducted from the Host's payout — which is contributed to the property's community fund. The Host Fee varies by property and is never shown to Guests.
15.4 Payout Schedule: Host payouts are processed on the first Monday of the month following your guest's check-in, subject to no active disputes.
15.5 Disputed Payments: In cases of dispute, Ecovilla Rentals reserves the right to withhold payout in escrow until the matter is fully resolved.
15.6 Hosts are responsible for all applicable taxes on income earned through the Platform under Costa Rican law.
16. Guest Relations & Code of Conduct
16.1 Hosts must maintain professional, courteous communication with all Guests at all times.
16.2 Discrimination against Guests of any kind — based on nationality, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic — is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate and permanent account termination.
16.3 Hosts who fail to meet the 72-hour response requirement on three or more consecutive occasions may have their listing suspended pending review.
17. Host-Specific Prohibited Activities
In addition to Section 4, the following are strictly prohibited on all Ecovilla Rentals listed properties:
- Commercial farming, agricultural operations, or livestock management
- Permitting sub-letting of the property to undisclosed third parties
- Permitting ticketed or paying events with more than 20 attendees without prior written approval
- Misrepresenting the property's environmental certifications or eco-credentials
18. Host Account Closure & Indemnification
18.1 Hosts wishing to voluntarily close their account must provide 14 days' notice. All active bookings must be honoured before termination takes effect.
18.2 Upon termination, all listing data will be removed from the platform within 30 days.
18.3 While Ecovilla Rentals manages listings and has overall authority over how Properties are presented on the Platform (see Section 3.1), Hosts are solely responsible for the physical condition and safety of their Property. Hosts agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ecovilla Rentals from any claims, damages, or losses arising from their Property or actions as a Host.