Loading…
APUSENI DIGITAL HUB S.R.L. · CUI 52599906
Version 1.0 — effective from the date of publication on the website
1.1. The Explore Apuseni platform (the “Platform”) is administered by APUSENI DIGITAL HUB S.R.L., CUI 52599906, registered with the Trade Register under no. J2025074412001, with its registered office in Dealu Bajului village, Arieșeni commune, 253A Principală Street, Alba County, Romania (the “Operator”).
1.2. Contact: contact@exploreapuseni.ro; telephone 0750 269 246 (+40 750 269 246 from outside Romania). Support for Platform use and bookings is provided through Platform messaging, email or telephone. The email and registered office are available for legal notices, exercise of rights and any communication for which the law requires an appropriate channel.
1.3. Explore Apuseni is a mobile-adapted web application in Romanian and English for discovering the Apuseni Mountains and booking accommodation and experiences there. It was developed within a project funded through AFIR, CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027, DR 36 LEADER intervention. The funder is not a party to bookings and does not guarantee hosts' or experience providers' services.
2.1. A “Tourist” is an individual using the Platform to search for or book accommodation or an experience. Specific consumer protection applies when acting outside their professional activity.
2.2. A “Host” or “Partner” is an authorised individual or legal entity offering and providing accommodation or an experience through a Platform listing. An “Experience Provider” is a Partner offering a guided activity or other tourist service with a scheduled date and time.
2.3. A “Listing” presents accommodation or an experience, with description, photographs, facilities, location, availability, prices and rules. A property may be listed as an entire property or by room.
2.4. A “Request” is an accommodation booking request requiring manual host acceptance. Experience bookings are confirmed automatically after successful payment, without manual provider acceptance. A “Confirmed Booking” meets the conditions in Article 6.
2.5. “Preauthorisation” or a “Hold” temporarily reserves an amount on the tourist's card without collection. “Capture” collects the authorised amount. “Payment to the Host” releases funds through Stripe Connect, separately from the tourist's payment.
2.6. “Check-in” means taking possession of accommodation through an in-person meeting with the host; “Check-out” means vacating and handing back the property. A “Durable Medium” allows personally addressed information to be stored and reproduced unchanged, such as an email or downloadable document.
3.1. The Operator provides search, booking request, communication and payment tools. The accommodation or experience service contract is concluded directly between the tourist and the host identified in the booking. The Operator does not provide accommodation or experiences; it intermediates bookings and facilitates collection on the host's behalf through Stripe, within the host's mandate.
3.2. Intermediary status does not remove the Operator's responsibility for its own obligations: accurate information, Platform operation, correct booking transmission, payment and refund operations within its responsibility, and handling reports.
3.3. Content about attractions, trails and localities is informational, managed by the Operator, and is not a bookable service. The Platform does not sell package travel.
3.4. Accommodation bookings require manual host assessment and acceptance. Experiences are confirmed automatically on successful payment, subject to available places. The Platform has no public tourist or host reviews or ratings. Listings marked “Promoted” receive increased visibility for a fee.
4.1. To book in their own name, tourists must be at least 18 and have full legal capacity. Anyone booking for companions must be entitled to share their information and communicate the stay's rules to them. Minors may receive accommodation or experiences through an adult's booking under the law and property conditions.
4.2. Information supplied during account creation and booking must be accurate and current. The Operator may request contact confirmation and proportionate clarification where necessary for booking performance, security or fraud prevention. Documents are not requested without a justified purpose.
4.3. Tourists must keep access credentials confidential and promptly report suspected unauthorised access. Responsibility for account activity is determined according to circumstances and law.
4.4. Favourites are for personal organisation: saving a listing does not reserve availability or lock a price. Account closure may be requested by email or messaging; it does not cancel confirmed bookings or extinguish existing obligations.
5.1. Before requesting a booking, tourists can consult accommodation or experience characteristics, dates or scheduled time, guest numbers, total price and currency, price components (nightly rate, cleaning and additional guest fees if applicable), included services, arrival and departure times, property rules and the host's chosen cancellation policy.
5.2. The contracting host's identity, professional status and legally required contact information are communicated no later than booking confirmation. Host contact details are not public in listings to protect the booking flow; Platform messaging connects tourist and host from request submission.
5.3. Search results reflect selected criteria and filters: locality, dates, people, property type, facilities and price. Among eligible results, listings with active promotion subscriptions (“Promoted”) appear with priority and are visibly labelled; otherwise, order follows the tourist's sorting choice or, by default, search relevance and publication date. Paid visibility is not a guarantee of accommodation quality.
5.4. The special tourism promotion tax (local tax) set by the property's local council is excluded from the price paid online. The tourist pays it directly to the host at the property under the applicable local decision; it is mentioned in the listing and confirmation. The host is responsible for calculation, collection, declaration and remittance.
6.1. The tourist selects the listing, dates or session and number of people, reviews the summary, corrects errors and expressly accepts these Terms, the Cancellation and Refund Policy and applicable rules. The final button explains that accommodation is charged after host acceptance, while experience payment leads directly to confirmation.
6.2. For accommodation, the tourist authorises a card hold for the displayed amount; receipt of a request or successful preauthorisation does not guarantee the stay. During payment completion, selected inventory is temporarily reserved, usually for 10 minutes; incomplete payment lets the hold expire. For experiences, payment is captured and the booking confirmed automatically after successful payment, without manual acceptance.
6.3. The host accepts or rejects an accommodation request within the displayed deadline, at most 24 hours after authorisation, bounded by arrival time and card authorisation validity. Rejection cannot be discriminatory or unlawful. This step does not apply to experiences.
6.4. Host acceptance of accommodation triggers capture of the preauthorised amount. The accommodation contract forms when final confirmation of acceptance and successful payment reaches the tourist. For experiences, the contract forms when confirmation of successful payment and automatic booking reaches the tourist. The Platform distinguishes pending requests, payments being processed and confirmed bookings.
6.5. Final confirmation includes the parties, property or experience, dates, price and components, payment made, cancellation policy, accepted rules and arrival coordination information. Confirmation and accepted conditions are emailed and remain available in the tourist's account.
6.6. On rejection, expiry or tourist withdrawal before final confirmation, the price is not collected and the hold is cancelled. Withdrawal is available through the account or by contacting the Operator; receipt time is relevant. Cancelling before host confirmation is free.
6.7. The Platform usage contract is concluded between tourist and Operator by accepting these Terms, separately from the accommodation or experience contract. Its language is the language in which documents are presented and accepted, Romanian or English; in a divergence, the Romanian version prevails.
7.1. The request summary shows the stay's total price for the selected dates and people, with nightly rate, cleaning and additional guest fees if set by the host. Optional services require express choice. No costs are added through preselected options and no undisclosed mandatory costs are requested on arrival, except the local tax in Article 5.4.
7.2. The Operator retains a 10% booking commission from the host. It is borne exclusively by the host and is not a separate fee owed by the tourist to the Operator.
7.3. Transaction currency is Romanian leu (RON), displayed before payment. Currency conversion or charges applied by the issuing bank arise from the tourist's banking relationship.
7.4. A confirmed booking's price cannot be increased unilaterally. An obvious pricing error is assessed under the law and immediately communicated; it does not permit charging a difference without the tourist's agreement.
8.1. Booking payments are exclusively online by card through Stripe within Stripe Connect. The issuing bank may require additional authentication. The Operator does not store full card numbers or security codes; card information is entered directly into the processor's secure components.
8.2. For accommodation, preauthorisation temporarily reduces the available card balance without collection; capture is initiated on host acceptance. Experience payment is captured on automatic confirmation. The amount cannot be increased by reusing the original authorisation.
8.3. If the hold or capture fails, the tourist is informed and may retry through the secure flow within the communicated period. They need not accept a different price; an expired request requires a new request. Retries do not cause duplicate collection.
8.4. If capture occurs without final confirmation or collection is duplicated, the Operator checks and initiates correction or refund of the unjustified amount without undue delay. Restoration of the available balance after preauthorisation cancellation also depends on the issuing bank.
8.5. Collected funds are allocated through Stripe Connect between the Operator's commission and the host's share. Host funds are released after check-in under the Payment Policy. This delay does not affect when the tourist is charged and is not an escrow account, insurance or bank guarantee.
8.6. Valid Platform payment discharges the tourist's obligation for the amount paid. The host cannot demand it again on arrival. Statutory and banking-contract rights to dispute a payment remain unaffected.
9.1. The host, as service provider, issues the accommodation or experience fiscal document (invoice or fiscal receipt as applicable) using tourist-provided booking details. The tourist must supply correct billing details and may request lawful correction.
9.2. Stripe payment confirmation and a bank statement prove payment without replacing the host's fiscal document. The Operator's commission invoice to the host concerns only their relationship.
10.1. For accommodation and experiences on specified dates or periods, the statutory 14-day withdrawal right does not apply under Article 16(l) of Emergency Ordinance no. 34/2014. The tourist is informed before submission. This does not remove cancellation rights under the Cancellation and Refund Policy or statutory non-performance remedies.
10.2. Hosts select a predefined Flexible, Moderate or Strict policy per listing. The policy presented before the request and included in confirmation applies; hosts cannot change it for an already confirmed booking. Full rules, thresholds, refund percentages and no-show treatment are in the Cancellation and Refund Policy, which forms part of these Terms.
10.3. The tourist cancels through their account or by contacting the Operator through messaging, email or telephone, identifying the booking. The Operator confirms receipt, recorded time and resulting calculation in writing. Receipt of the clear cancellation request determines policy application.
10.4. Cancellation treatment of commission concerns only Operator and host; it does not reduce the tourist's refund under the accepted policy or become an additional tourist fee.
11.1. Once refund entitlement and amount are determined, the Operator initiates it through the payment processor within the Cancellation and Refund Policy deadlines and communicates amount and status. Initiation is not the same as crediting the card, which depends on processor and bank.
11.2. Refunds use the original payment method. If it no longer permits repayment, a secure alternative is agreed with the entitled holder. A voucher is not imposed instead of money where repayment is due.
11.3. No-shows and early departure have only the consequences in the Cancellation and Refund Policy. A notified and accepted delay, unjustified refusal of entry or host absence from the agreed meeting is not a tourist no-show.
12.1. Hosts must honour confirmed bookings. If they cancel or cannot provide the agreed accommodation or experience, the tourist is informed promptly and receives a full refund of Platform payments for the unprovided service, without deduction and without excluding other legal remedies.
12.2. Another property, dates or a voucher may be offered only as freely accepted solutions. Refusal does not affect refund rights. The Operator facilitates communication without guaranteeing replacement accommodation.
12.3. If the property materially differs from the offer, is unsafe or admission is refused, the tourist should contact host and Operator promptly, describe the problem and retain reasonable evidence, such as photographs and messages. Prompt reporting allows rectification; delay does not automatically extinguish statutory rights.
12.4. Depending on the non-performance, the tourist may request rectification, an appropriate price reduction, contract termination and repayment, or damages from the host under the law. The Operator is separately responsible for its own obligations under Article 17.
13.1. Check-in and check-out times, maximum capacity, rules on children, pets, smoking, quiet and included facilities are those communicated in the listing and accepted at booking. Later changes affecting the stay require the tourist's agreement.
13.2. Entry is through an in-person meeting with the host or representative. Tourist and host coordinate arrival through Platform messaging; the tourist communicates foreseeable delays. Host absence at the agreed time is reported to the Operator and is not attributed to the tourist.
13.3. Hosts may request information and documents legally necessary for tourist records. This does not justify retaining identity documents or collecting excessive copies and information.
13.4. Tourists must use property carefully, respect safety rules, neighbours and agreed guest numbers, and hand it back at the agreed time. Hosts cannot impose new or disproportionate penalties; any claim must be justified and may be disputed.
14.1. The Platform charges or holds no damage deposit. Preauthorising the booking price is not a damage guarantee, and hosts cannot demand an undisclosed cash or card deposit on arrival.
14.2. Tourists are responsible for damage attributable to them under the law. Normal wear, pre-existing defects and unproven assertions do not justify compensation.
14.3. Hosts may submit a damage claim offline through support at contact@exploreapuseni.ro within 48 hours of check-out, describing the damage, photographs, discovery time and justification of the amount. The tourist receives it through support and may respond with evidence within 5 calendar days. The Operator facilitates communication and may propose an amicable solution without bindingly determining whether damage exists or its value. The Platform does not provide an account-based flow for submitting or managing damage claims.
14.4. No damage claim authorises a card charge. Compensation is paid only with tourist agreement or a competent authority's decision. Silence is not acknowledgement of debt. The 48-hour period is contractual procedure and does not affect statutory limitation periods or court access.
15.1. Users must communicate respectfully and not use the Platform for threats, harassment, discrimination, fraud, false identities, unauthorised payments or illegal activity. Unauthorised access attempts, service disruption and malware transmission are prohibited.
15.2. Messaging is for organising bookings and stays, not unsolicited commercial messages or abusive collection of others' data. Negotiation and payment for bookings initiated on the Platform take place exclusively through it; this rule does not prevent exercise of legal rights or necessary emergency communication.
15.3. Trail and attraction information does not replace assessment of local conditions, warnings from Salvamont, ANM or park authorities, or appropriate preparation. The Operator corrects inaccurate information of its own when it becomes aware of it. Call 112 in emergencies; Platform support is not an emergency response service.
16.1. Tourist content consists of information and messages supplied through Platform functions. Tourists retain their content rights and permit only use necessary for communication, booking performance, security and incident resolution under the Privacy Policy.
16.2. Illegal content, unjustified third-party data and materials infringing others' rights must not be transmitted. Potentially illegal content may be reported to contact@exploreapuseni.ro with exact location, reasons, notifier contact details and a good-faith accuracy statement.
16.3. The Operator acknowledges, diligently assesses and communicates the outcome. It may remove or restrict unlawful content or content incompatible with these Terms, considering severity, context and rights. The affected person receives reasons and challenge options.
16.4. Moderation does not justify general disclosure of private conversations. Operator staff access is limited to legitimate purposes, including support, incident investigation and legal obligations, and authorised persons.
16.5. Platform and Partner text, photographs, graphics and databases are protected under the Intellectual Property Policy. Ordinary information and booking use is permitted; unauthorised commercial exploitation is not.
17.1. Hosts are responsible for lawful provision of accommodation or experiences, property condition, required safety, offer accuracy and their own tax obligations. The Operator is responsible for its services and obligations, including information, correct booking transmission and payment operations within its responsibility.
17.2. The Operator does not guarantee permanent uninterrupted operation or control all host or bank acts. However, an interruption or third-party involvement does not exempt it from liability for an attributable act or its own legal obligation.
17.3. Liability is not excluded or limited where law prohibits this, including intent, gross negligence and harm to life, physical integrity or health. Consumers' rights to legally owed damages are not restricted.
17.4. Listing approval checks host-supplied documents and information; it is not absolute quality certification. The Operator responds to any substantiated report.
18.1. Force majeure is an external, unforeseeable, absolutely insurmountable and unavoidable event under Civil Code Article 1351 that actually prevents performance. Normal seasonal weather, lack of funds, overbooking or ordinary technical problems are not force majeure.
18.2. For bookings affected by publicly confirmed exceptional events, including orange or red ANM warnings for the area, CNAIR or local-authority access-road closures, natural disasters and mandatory authority measures, the Operator may recognise force majeure using public evidence. The tourist may then choose full repayment or rescheduling with host agreement; any rescheduling price difference is paid or refunded as appropriate.
18.3. The affected party informs the other promptly, explains the booking impact and provides available evidence. Exemption from damages gives no right to retain the price of a service that cannot be supplied. Rescheduling and vouchers require tourist agreement.
19.1. The Operator may proportionately restrict a tourist account for proven fraud or serious fraud indications, security risks, illegal content, serious or repeated breaches or a legal obligation. Measures are limited to necessity and reviewed if the reason disappears.
19.2. The tourist receives specific reasons, scope and challenge information. For urgent risks, the Operator may act immediately with subsequent notice without undue delay.
19.3. Review may be requested at contact@exploreapuseni.ro. A responsible person assesses explanations and evidence and gives a reasoned response within 15 working days. The procedure does not condition access to ANPC, SAL bodies or courts.
19.4. Suspension does not confiscate payments or automatically cancel a valid booking; the Operator ensures a communication channel for bookings and repayments. Voluntary closure does not extinguish outstanding obligations or prevent legally justified retention.
20.1. Personal data are processed under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), Law no. 190/2018 and the Privacy Policy, which describes categories, purposes, legal bases, recipients, retention and rights. Hosts have their own controller obligations for accommodation services.
20.2. Acceptance is not general consent to any processing. Cookies and technologies requiring consent are used under Law no. 506/2004 and the Cookie Policy. Refusing optional cookies does not affect booking.
21.1. For booking problems, the tourist contacts the Operator through messaging, email or telephone with information identifying the situation. The Operator forwards accommodation matters to the host and handles its own responsibilities. Reports are diligently examined and an outcome communicated within 15 working days.
21.2. Consumers may contact the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) through official channels at https://anpc.ro. Information on ANPC's SAL Directorate and alternative dispute resolution conditions under Government Ordinance no. 38/2015 is available at https://reclamatiisal.anpc.ro/. If direct resolution fails, the Operator communicates legally required information about the competent SAL entity on a Durable Medium.
21.3. The European online dispute resolution platform (SOL/ODR) closed on 20 July 2025 under Regulation (EU) 2024/3228 and is no longer available. National SAL procedures remain applicable.
21.4. Tourists may apply to legally competent courts. No mandatory arbitration or exclusive jurisdiction at the Operator's registered office is imposed to consumers' detriment.
22.1. The Operator may update these Terms for legislative, security or service changes. Important changes are communicated in advance by email and through the Platform with reasonable notice, usually at least 15 days before application, except urgent legally imposed measures or measures necessary to combat an immediate risk.
22.2. Each booking uses the version accepted at request submission. Changes do not retroactively increase prices, tighten cancellation or reduce existing booking rights.
22.3. Tourists rejecting new Terms may stop using the Platform and request account closure without losing rights from earlier bookings.
22.4. Romanian law applies, subject to applicable European rules. Choice of law does not remove mandatory consumer protection under the law of the consumer's habitual residence.
22.5. If a clause is ineffective, the remainder applies insofar as legally permitted. Ambiguity is interpreted in the consumer's favour.