Terms & Conditions
October 2026
Bookings & Cancellations
Every visit is arranged around you. These terms explain how we reserve your time, prepare for your arrival and protect the care offered to each guest. Please read them before paying a deposit / booking fee or purchasing a gift voucher.
1. Your visit
Sheldon is a private wellness space in Sheldwich. We welcome one booking at a time, from individual visits to small gatherings of up to ten guests. Visits are by appointment only, Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30 am to 4.30 pm; closed Sundays and Mondays.
Water Rituals, treatments and dining are individually priced. Pool access must be booked separately unless expressly included in your confirmation. The Quiet, Unhurried and Lingering Rituals offer one, two and four hours respectively in our privately reserved, heated indoor pool. We do not have a sauna, steam room or hot tub.
2. Deposit / booking fee
A deposit / booking fee of up to 50% of the total value of your booked Water Rituals and/or treatments is payable when booking. The amount is calculated and confirmed at that time, depending on how much of our operational day is reserved for your visit. Food and drink are excluded from the deposit calculation.
The deposit is an advance payment towards your visit, not an additional charge. Your booking is secured only when payment has been received and we have confirmed it in writing. The remaining balance, including any additions, is payable on the day of your visit, before departure.
All deposits / booking fees are non-refundable, subject to section 3 and your statutory rights. Sheldon welcomes one booking at a time: your payment reserves our space, therapist time and preparations exclusively for you. A cancellation may leave us unable to replace part or all of the day’s income.
With at least 14 days’ cancellation notice, your deposit may be transferred to a future booking; it is not refunded in cash. The new date is subject to availability and must be confirmed by email. With less than 14 days’ notice, the deposit is not transferable and the cancellation charges below apply.
3. Cancellations, changes and non-attendance
Email enquiries@sheldonspa.co.uk to cancel or request a change. Telephone conversations must be followed by email. Notice is measured from receipt of your email to the confirmed arrival time, in calendar days; exactly seven days means 168 hours. Please retain our acknowledgement, and follow up if it does not arrive.
| Notice received | Deposit / cancellation outcome |
|---|---|
| At least 14 days before arrival | Deposit may be transferred to a future booking; no additional cancellation charge |
| At least 7 days but less than 14 days | 50% of the cancelled booking value; deposit is retained and not transferable |
| Less than 7 days before arrival, or a no-show | 100% of booking, including pre-ordered food. Deposit retained; remaining balance due. Deposit not transferable. |
If you cancel less than seven days before your confirmed arrival time, or do not attend, the full cost of the cancelled booking is payable. Your deposit counts towards this amount, and any remaining balance is due.
Payments already made count towards the cancellation charge; they are never added to it. Any payment above the applicable charge will be refunded. Excluding food and drink from the deposit calculation does not exclude pre-ordered dining from the cancellation policy.
A date change cancels the original reservation and creates a new booking. The deposit may transfer with at least 14 days’ notice; otherwise the charges above apply. Reducing guest numbers, booked time, treatments or pre-ordered dining is a partial cancellation; these terms apply only to the cancelled portion. Replacement guests require our agreement and prior health disclosure.
We will try to refill cancelled time. All cancellation charges, including retained deposits, will be reduced for costs saved or replacement income and will not exceed our reasonable net loss. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Cancellation charges: a worked example
Example booking: Water Rituals and/or treatments £400, plus pre-ordered food £60. A £200 deposit has been paid (50% of £400). Food is excluded from the deposit calculation.
| Notice received | Calculation and outcome |
|---|---|
| At least 14 days | The £200 deposit may transfer to a future booking. No additional cancellation charge. The deposit is not refunded in cash. |
| At least 7 days but less than 14 days | 50% of £400 = £200 cancellation charge. Less the £200 deposit already paid = £0 remaining to pay. The deposit is not transferable. |
| Less than 7 days, or a no-show | 100% × (£400 + £60) = £460 cancellation charge. Less £200 deposit already paid = £260 remaining to pay. The deposit is not transferable. |
Your deposit is part of the cancellation charge, never an extra charge. These examples show the calculation before any reduction for costs saved or income recovered from a replacement booking. The final charge will not exceed our reasonable net loss, as explained in section 3.
Gift Voucher Policy
4. Purchasing a voucher
Gift vouchers are monetary, with a minimum value of £50. They provide credit towards eligible Sheldon services; they do not guarantee a particular treatment, price, date or availability. Please provide the recipient’s name, personal message and, where applicable, delivery address. Vouchers are issued after cleared payment.
Vouchers may be emailed, or posted by Royal Mail Special Delivery. Postage and handling are £5.50 for voucher purchases under £100 and £10.35 for purchases of £100 or more. These postage and handling charges are based on Royal Mail Special Delivery rates and are correct as at 11 October 2026. They may increase if Royal Mail raises its charges. The delivery charge and total payable will be confirmed before payment.
5. Validity and December exclusion
New vouchers are valid for 12 months from purchase, unless a different period is expressly agreed before purchase and printed on the voucher. The expiry date shown on the voucher governs its validity. Existing vouchers retain the expiry date and purchase terms under which they were issued; these new terms do not retrospectively shorten them.
Gift vouchers are not redeemable during December. This restriction applies to new purchases and must be disclosed before payment. An existing voucher remains subject to its original purchase terms. December does not pause or extend the stated validity period.
Please note that our booking diary opens two months at a time. Keep your voucher’s expiry date in mind when planning your visit, and contact us as soon as the relevant dates become available.
The visit must take place on or before the expiry date. Making a booking before expiry for a later visit does not extend validity. Please allow sufficient time to find a suitable appointment. Expired credit is not redeemable or refundable, except where required by law.
6. Redeeming a voucher
Tell us at the time of booking that you wish to use a voucher and provide its details and value. Vouchers may be used in full or part payment for Water Rituals, treatments, dining and eligible in-house retail. They cannot be exchanged for cash, used to buy another voucher or redeemed through our online shop.
Use against an existing booking requires a prior written request and our agreement.
Present the original printed voucher, or the issued emailed voucher, on arrival. Without it, payment will be required until its validity and unused balance can be verified. Treat vouchers as cash. Do not lose. Lost, stolen, damaged or copied vouchers are not automatically replaced or honoured; we may investigate where proof of purchase is available and the unused credit can be verified.
Pay any amount above the voucher value by an accepted payment method. No cash change is given; unused credit remains available until the original expiry date. A voucher may only be redeemed once for each amount of credit used.
7. Voucher bookings and cancellation
Voucher bookings follow the same deposit calculation and cancellation terms as all other bookings. The deposit is up to 50% of booked Water Rituals and/or treatments, excluding food and drink. We may allocate valid voucher credit towards the confirmed deposit; any shortfall must be paid to secure the booking.
With at least 14 days’ cancellation notice, voucher credit allocated to the deposit may transfer to a future booking within the voucher’s original validity period. Transfer does not extend expiry or remove the December exclusion. With less notice, or if you do not attend, the applicable cancellation charge may be deducted from allocated credit; any shortfall remains payable. Only the applicable charge is deducted, subject to section 3; unrelated unused credit is not forfeited.
8. Refunds and purchase rights
Vouchers are not otherwise refundable, except where required by law. Where a statutory cooling-off right applies to a telephone, email or online purchase, you may cancel within the applicable 14-day period by emailing us. A personal message or emailed delivery does not, by itself, remove that right. Any refund due will be returned to the purchaser using the original payment method where practicable; cancelled voucher credit cannot subsequently be used.
Preparing for Your Visit
9. Prices, dining and arrival
Your confirmation sets out the agreed services and price. Prices include applicable taxes. Additional services are subject to availability and charged at the price agreed when added. Later promotions do not apply retrospectively to confirmed bookings.
Dining is pre-ordered. All guests must disclose allergies and dietary requirements before their order is confirmed. We will explain what we can accommodate; we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment. A 15% discretionary service charge is added to food and drink and may be removed on request.
Only food and drink supplied by Sheldon may be consumed on site unless agreed in advance. Bringing alcohol requires prior permission and agreement of any corkage charge. Please arrive at the confirmed time. Late arrival may shorten your visit or treatment without reducing the price; we cannot guarantee an extension. Early departure does not entitle you to a refund.
10. Health, suitability and age requirements
Each guest must disclose relevant medical conditions, pregnancy, recent surgery, medication, injury and allergies before booking, and tell us about any changes before arrival. Consultation information must be completed before treatment. Where appropriate, we may request medical advice or clearance before confirming suitability.
Treatments support wellbeing and do not replace medical diagnosis or care. We may adapt or decline a treatment or pool visit where it would be unsafe. Where a concern was disclosed in advance and we cannot provide a suitable agreed service, we reserve the right to remove/cancel the affected service without charge. If material information is withheld or disclosed late, any cancellation charge remains subject to section 3 and your statutory rights.
Sheldon is adults-only as standard. Any visit involving a guest under 18 must be specifically agreed in writing before booking, with permitted activities and parental supervision confirmed. Do not assume that adult pool access or treatments are available to a minor.
11. Safety, belongings and privacy
Please follow staff instructions and pool safety guidance. Glass, breakable items, confetti, party poppers, nail varnish and decorations are not permitted in the pool area unless specifically approved. Tell us if hair colour may transfer so we can provide a suitable towel. Report damage or breakages immediately; reasonable cleaning, repair or replacement costs caused by misuse or carelessness may be charged.
Please keep valuables secure. On-site parking is available; vehicles and belongings remain your responsibility, subject to our legal obligations. Photography, video and live broadcasting require our permission and the consent of every identifiable person included. Personal and consultation information is handled under our Privacy Policy and GDPR notice.
12. Changes or cancellations by Sheldon
We will explain material changes caused by equipment failure, staffing or other disruption. Confirmed services and prices will not be materially altered without your agreement.
If we cancel or cannot deliver a material part of your booking, we will offer an agreed alternative or offer you an alternative date altogether. If you agree to an alternative service or replacement date, any deposit / booking fee already paid will be carried over and credited towards that booking. You do not have to accept a replacement date. Voucher payments will be restored as credit with a fair opportunity to redeem; any cash refund required by law remains available. No charge applies to services we cannot supply.
Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
13. Contact, complaints and application
Questions, cancellations and complaints: enquiries@sheldonspa.co.uk
Telephone: 01795 532 418 | Website: www.sheldonspa.co.uk
Sheldon, Lees Court Road, Sheldwich, Kent, ME13 0LU.
These terms apply to new bookings and voucher purchases made after they are supplied to you. Earlier contracts retain their agreed terms unless a change is mutually agreed. Please keep your confirmation and voucher purchase information. Nothing here limits your statutory consumer rights. The law of England and Wales applies, without restricting any mandatory protections available to you.