Terms and Conditions of use of Youth Hostels
[Last updated - 29 november 2022 - section 11]
In Mainland Portugal, the Youth Hostels (Pousadas de Juventude) are managed by Movijovem - Mobilidade Juvenil, CIPRL and, in some cases, this management is granted to other public or private entities.
Check the terms implemented during the COVID-19 period in section 21.
1. Anyone, regardless of age, can use the Youth Hostels.
2. The services are provided in the Youth Hostels through a sale or booking, and its holder can benefit from advantages if they have, alternatively, a Youth Hostels Card or a European Youth Card. Note: Information about purchase conditions and benefits of each card can be requested at any service point.
3. Accommodation in any Youth Hostel requires presentation of the guest’s legal identification document, whose information regarding personal data is protected in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation - Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
4. Any children or young person under the age of 16 (sixteen), even if they hold their own Youth Hostels Card or European Youth Card, must be accompanied by an adult responsible for them or be in the possession of an authorisation issued for this purpose.
5. According to the provisions of Law No. 63/2017 of 3 August, smoking is not permitted - including heat not burn products and electronic cigarettes, pursuant to Article 4(3) of said law - in the enclosed spaces of Youth Hostels. Similarly, no food or beverages are allowed in the multiple rooms.
6. With the exception of ‘pet friendly’ Youth Hostels, the entry or stay of animals on the premises are not allowed, save for service dogs.
7. Guests are individually responsible for any damage they cause, assuming the inherent responsibilities.
8. When available, the Hostel Kitchen and Laundry Room allow individual guests to prepare light meals and wash clothes, according to specific Youth Hostel rules. Due to the exceptional situation we are living in, this service is unavailable in some hostels, but will be resumed as soon as possible. Please contact the desired hostel to confirm if this service is available.
9. The occupation of double rooms allows, at most, the placement of an extra bed or cot. Additional cost may be incurred to the booking.
10. Guests staying in double rooms, family rooms or apartments are provided with bath towels and face cloths.
11. The exchange of bed linen and towels is ensured weekly by the cleaning services, and may be changed, by decision of the Youth Hostel, due to extraordinary circumstances.
12. Movijovem, as manager of the Youth Hostel, is not liable for guests’ personal belongings left in the accommodations.
13. Personal belongings left in the rooms will be removed after the guests leave or check-out, and may be collected at reception, within 30 days, by whoever proves to be their rightful owner.
14. Booking of the ‘bed’ service, when available, gives the purchaser the right to enjoy a bed in a multiple room. The multiple room is shared with other guests, who may or may not be part of the same group. The Youth Hostel is responsible for assigning the ‘bed’ in question.
15. Booking of the ‘private room’ service gives the purchaser the right to enjoy the room in question in privacy, regardless of the number of beds they occupy, up to the maximum limit of existing beds.
16. Bookings of double rooms or apartments for adults accompanied by children require the booking of an ‘extra bed’ free of charge or with a 50 % reduction in the RRP when the child is between 13 and 16 years old, on the check-out date. Both cases are subject to the availability of resources at the Youth Hostel.
17. The acquisition of the ‘extra bed’ service gives the client the right to enjoy an additional bed, that allows to increase the basic accommodation capacity of a double room or apartment.
18. The booking policy for Youth Hostels (terms of confirmation, change, cancellation and refund) gives any collective or individual person (aged 16 years or older) the possibility to purchase accommodation services upon booking, or others, pursuant to the following terms:
1. Bookings by individual clients:
a. Confirmation of bookings is subject to payment of the services until the deadline shown in the booking information.
b. The client may choose refundable or non-refundable rates, when available.
c. In the case of refundable rates:
i. Cancellation (total or partial) under the free cancellation period indicated in the booking does not confer the right to any refund.
ii. Refunds are made by bank transfer or another method to be agreed with the client.
d. In the case of non-refundable rates, any change or cancellation of services (total or partial) implies the total loss of the amount paid.
2. Bookings by collective clients (groups):
a. Collective clients are considered those whose bookings include 10 or more people.
b. The confirmation of booking is subject to the acceptance of the terms of payment, changes and cancellation informed in writing by the Youth Hostels services.
c. Cancellations (total or partial) of confirmed bookings do not confer the right to any refund.
d. No changes can eb made to bookings with less than 15 days from the date of arrival (inclusive).
19. Bookings made directly on the Youth Hostels website - www.pousadasjuventude.pt - are not covered by the commercial conditions of the accommodation programmes, available at https://pousadasjuventude.pt/pt/programas/.
20. The opening hours of the Youth Hostels are:
a. Check-in: from 18h00m until 00h00m (after this time, check-in is carried out by the Night Receptionist and the formalisation of the check-in held in the reception’s period of operation, from 08h00m).
b. Check-out: until 12h00.
c. Cleaning: 12h00 to 18h00 (during this period, access to the rooms may be conditioned).
d. Silence: 00h00m to 08h00m.
Meeting Rooms:
e. Day: 09h00m to 24h00m.
f. Morning: 09h00m to 13h00m.
g. Afternoon: 14h00m to 18h00m.
h. Night: 20h00m to 24h00m.
Meals:
i. Breakfast: 8h30m to 10h00m.
j. Lunch: 12h30m to 14h00m.
k. Dinner: 19h30m to 21h00m.
Note: The meals service schedules may change according to the time of year and specificity of each Youth Hostel.
The schedules and services mentioned herein may change without notice.
21. Use of Youth Hostels during the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak, which causes the COVID-19 disease:
Youth Hostels implemented measures to prevent and minimise the risk of contamination, supported by the guidelines of the General Directorate for Health (DGS), therefore bearing the POUSADA SEGURA (SAFE YOUTH HOSTEL) stamp. Guests are also expected to play their important role in making sure everyone remains safe, both individually and collectively.
General Obligations:
The basic precautions for prevention and control must be followed at all times, according to the guidelines issued by the DGS, including the following general procedures:
- Hand hygiene: wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or with a 70 % alcohol-based solution, covering all surfaces of the hands and rubbing them until they are dry;
- Respiratory etiquette: cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue that should then be thrown into the trash. After coughing, sneezing or even blowing your nose, sanitise your hands properly, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
- Social conduct: change the frequency and form of contact with people at the Youth Hostels, avoiding close contact, handshakes, kisses, shared jobs, face-to-face meetings and sharing of food, utensils, glasses and towels. Always keep the recommended physical distance.
For the sake of Youth Hostels’ guests and workers safety, the following mandatory compliance measures are applied:
a) The use of a mask is mandatory when circulating in common spaces.
d) Guests must keep an eye on symptoms of cough and breathing difficulties.
e) The recommended safety distance must be respected. There are circulation boundaries and flows in the common areas of the facilities, which must be respected by everyone.
The Hostel will display informational posters on prevention, control and surveillance procedures of COVID-19, which guests should always be aware of, also allowing, through QR Code, the reading of the Terms and Conditions of use of Youth Hostels.
Cleaning: bed linen will be changed only at check-out or for stays longer than 7 days. All contact surfaces in the room will be sanitised and disinfected daily. Public areas will be cleaned and disinfected several times a day.
Breakfast can be taken on a take-away basis, served in pre-prepared units with adapted content or in the dining room, by shifts previously scheduled at check-in and limited to the availability of authorised seating.
Swimming pools: due to issues related to the new coronavirus outbreak, it may be necessary to close the swimming pool without any prior notice; this will not be accepted as a reason for cancellation of the booking nor will it give rise to any refund.
Changing rooms: guests must follow the changing room rules, namely the exclusive use of the shower stall assigned to their room, and respect the maximum number of users at once.
22. Restrictions on the availability, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Youth Hostels (Pousadas de Juventude):
It is prohibited to provide, sell or make available alcoholic beverages to minors and to anyone who is notoriously intoxicated or who appears to have a psychic anomaly;
We do not sell or allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages between 00h00 and 08h00 am.
23. Youth Hostel guests are requested and encouraged to behave in a way that promotes the sustainable consumption of resources, be it water or energy, as well as encouraging Zero Waste of food. The promotion of other behaviours aimed at environmental sustainability, such as waste recycling and reuse of resources, is a commitment of the Youth Hostels network.
24. The refusal to comply with any of these measures, as well as the adoption of behaviours that disrespect and/or endanger both the security and hygiene of other Youth Hostel guests and/or workers, will lead to the immediate impediment to use the facilities, without a right to reimbursement.