Legal information
Legal Notice and Terms of Use
Last updated: 14 September 2026
This legal notice governs access to and use of the website www.dependancevillanita.com and sets out the information the property is required to make public under applicable Italian and European legislation. By browsing the site you accept the conditions described here; if you do not agree with them, please refrain from using it.
1. Identification details of the publisher and owner of the site
Name: Dépendance Villanita
Owner: Anita Festino
Italian tax code (codice fiscale): FSTNTA78S57Z103H
Address of the accommodation: Via Polignano 116, Castellana Grotte (BA), postcode 70013, Italy · Pozzo Cucù district · Itria Valley
National Identification Code (CIN): IT072017C200084773
Phone and WhatsApp: +39 340 262 1558
Email: dependancevillanita@gmail.com
Type of establishment: independent apartment for two people (tourist rental / holiday home)
The site is owned by the owner of the property, who is also its publisher for the purposes of Italian law no. 62 of 7 March 2001. The site does not constitute a periodical editorial product and is therefore not subject to the registration requirement under art. 5 of law no. 47 of 8 February 1948, as it is not updated on a regular schedule nor is it journalistic in nature.
2. National Identification Code (CIN)
Art. 13-ter of Decree-Law no. 145 of 18 October 2023, converted with amendments by law no. 191 of 15 December 2023, established the National Identification Code (CIN), assigned by the Italian Ministry of Tourism through the Accommodation Establishments Database to properties used for tourist rental and to hotel and non-hotel tourist-accommodation establishments. The rule became fully operative from 2 November 2024, with a final compliance deadline of 1 January 2025.
Under the same provision, the CIN must be displayed outside the building where the property is located and shown in every published listing, and communicated everywhere, on any channel, by the property owner, by property agents and by the operators of online platforms. In compliance with this obligation, this property's CIN is published in the footer of every page of this site, in each language version, and is stated in point 1.
3. Nature of the site: no contracts concluded online
This site is purely informational and promotional in nature. It presents the property, its spaces, the services offered and the surrounding area.
The site is not an online shop and is not a booking engine: it hosts no booking forms, does not allow the selection of dates or rooms, does not process payments, does not collect credit card data, and contains no contact form. As a result, no contract is concluded remotely through these pages, and the provisions of the Italian Consumer Code relating to contracts concluded online through the site do not apply, including those on the right of withdrawal under articles 52 et seq. of Legislative Decree 206/2005.
Availability requests and bookings take place outside the site, by phone, WhatsApp or email to the published contact details, or through the online booking platforms on which the property is listed. In the latter case, in addition to these terms, the contractual terms of the platform used also apply.
Please also note that, under art. 47(1)(g) of Legislative Decree 206/2005, contracts for the provision of accommodation for purposes other than residential use, with a specific date or period of performance, are not subject to the right of withdrawal provided for distance contracts: the conditions for changing or cancelling a booking are those agreed at the time of booking, or those set by the platform through which it was made.
4. Bookings and confirmation
Information on rates, availability and services that you receive by phone, WhatsApp or email constitutes a quote and does not bind the parties until confirmed. A booking is considered finalised only upon explicit confirmation by the property, communicated in writing (email or message) or verbally, and upon payment of any deposit or advance payment requested.
The availability of rooms and accommodation types is subject to change until confirmed. The property reserves the right not to accept a booking request.
We ask you to let us know your arrival time in advance, so that we can welcome you in person: this information is needed to organise the service, as well as for the identification requirements described in point 7.
5. Essential terms of stay
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the following conditions apply to stays at Dépendance Villanita, consistent with what is published in the "Good to know" section of the home page.
Check-in and check-out — self check-in with Keybox. Access to the apartment is self-service via Keybox. We ask you to let us know your arrival time in advance: check-in and check-out times are agreed with the host according to your needs, always guaranteeing you privacy and independence.
Children. Children of all ages are welcome. The apartment is designed for two people; a cot and baby kit are available free of charge on request (see below).
Cot and baby kit. A cot, high chair and changing table are available free of charge on request and subject to availability. The apartment also has a sofa bed in addition to the double bed.
Pets. Pets may be accommodated only by prior agreement with the host at the time of booking. Guide dogs and assistance dogs for people with disabilities are in any case admitted, in accordance with law no. 65 of 14 May 2024 and applicable legislation on the matter.
No smoking. Smoking is prohibited inside the bedrooms and enclosed common areas, under law no. 3 of 16 January 2003, art. 51. An outdoor smoking area is available in the garden and on the patio.
Parking. Private parking within the fenced property is free of charge and requires no booking. It is made available purely as a grant of the use of space: the property does not assume the obligations of a bailee and is not liable for theft of or damage to vehicles or the property contained in them, except in cases of wilful misconduct or gross negligence.
Valuables. Guests are invited to take due care of money, valuables and documents. The hotelier's liability for property brought onto the premises is governed by articles 1783-1786 of the Italian Civil Code.
Damage. The guest is liable for damage caused to the furnishings, fittings and premises of the property, whether caused by themselves or by persons for whom they are responsible.
6. Tourist tax
The Municipality of Castellana Grotte applies a municipal tourist tax, established under art. 4 of Legislative Decree no. 23 of 14 March 2011 and governed by the applicable municipal regulation. The tax is owed by the guest for each overnight stay and is not included in the room rate: it is collected by the property at the end of the stay, with the issue of a named receipt, and subsequently paid over to the Municipality.
Under the municipal regulation, the tax is currently €2 per person per night for establishments up to three stars and for other accommodation establishments, a category that includes holiday homes and tourist rentals, and is owed for a maximum of 5 consecutive nights. The regulation provides for various exemptions, including children under 12, people with severe disabilities and their carers, on-duty law enforcement and armed forces personnel, and tour group leaders.
Amounts, exemptions and application procedures are set by the Municipality of Castellana Grotte and may be changed by subsequent resolutions: in any case, the municipal rules in force on the date of the stay apply, where set by the Municipality. We invite you to ask us to confirm the current amount and any applicable exemptions at the time of booking; we provide receipt documentation on request.
7. Guest identification
Under art. 109 of Royal Decree no. 773 of 18 June 1931 (TULPS), the property is required to personally identify every guest by means of a valid identity or recognition document, and to report their personal details to the locally competent police headquarters via the State Police's "Alloggiati Web" portal within 24 hours of arrival. As clarified by the Chief of Police's circular of 18 November 2024, identification must take place in person and cannot be replaced by the digital submission of documents or by the use of automated access systems.
For this reason we ask you to present a valid document for each guest on arrival, including minors. Refusal to provide the document means we cannot host you. The processing of the data collected in this way is described in the Privacy Policy, point 5.
8. Prices, information and availability
The site does not publish a room price list: rates vary depending on the period, the type of accommodation, the length of stay and the number of guests, and are provided on request or published on booking platforms. The exception is the supplements for cots and extra beds indicated in point 5, which are shown in euros, inclusive of applicable taxes and payable at the property.
The descriptions, images, distances, travel times and information on places of interest published on the site are indicative and do not constitute an offer to the public under art. 1336 of the Italian Civil Code. The gallery photographs depict real areas of the property, but the room actually assigned may differ from the one shown in terms of furnishings, size and orientation: the type of accommodation booked is the one stated in the booking confirmation.
The reviews shown on the site are extracts of opinions published by genuine guests on third-party booking platforms, attributed to the name chosen by the author when publishing. These are extracts: some reviews have been shortened and punctuation has been standardised for reading on the web, without ever altering their meaning, the opinion expressed or the rating given. The original source remains the platform on which the review was published, where each review can be read in full.
9. Intellectual property
All content on the site — text, photographs, illustrations, graphic elements, icons, page layout, source code, and the "Villanita" and "Dépendance Villanita" names and distinctive signs — is owned by the property owner or by the respective authors and is protected by law no. 633 of 22 April 1941 on copyright, the Italian Industrial Property Code (Legislative Decree 30/2005), and relevant international conventions.
You may view the pages and print a copy for personal, non-commercial use. Without the owner's written authorisation, the following are prohibited: reproducing, modifying, translating, distributing, communicating to the public, making available, or exploiting the content in any form, even in part; using photographs of the property on other sites, listings, catalogues or social networks; the systematic extraction or reuse of parts of the site, including through automated data-collection tools; and using the property's name and distinctive signs in a way liable to cause confusion or to suggest a non-existent partnership or affiliation.
If you believe that content published on this site infringes your rights, please let us know by writing to the email address dependancevillanita@gmail.com: we will promptly review the report and, if well founded, remove the content.
10. Limitation of liability for content
The owner takes the utmost care over the site's content and undertakes to keep it up to date and accurate. However, it does not guarantee that the information published is complete, accurate and error-free at all times, nor that the site is always accessible without interruptions, delays or malfunctions, which may also depend on external factors such as the network, the connectivity provider or the hosting provider.
The owner is not liable for any direct or indirect damage arising from access to, or inability to access, the site, from reliance on information contained in it, or from the presence of viruses or malicious code, except in cases of wilful misconduct or gross negligence and without prejudice to any mandatory statutory liability, including liability for personal injury.
Information on opening times, rates, services, tourist attractions, distances and links relating to third parties (beaches, the historic centre, museums, restaurants, public transport, airports) is provided for information purposes only and may change without notice: we invite you to check with official sources before planning your trip.
11. Links to external sites
The site contains links to external resources, including WhatsApp (domain wa.me), Google Maps and booking platforms. These links are provided solely for the user's convenience and are activated only if you click them.
The owner exercises no control over the destination sites and is not responsible for their content, availability, terms of use, or the personal data processing they carry out. The presence of a link does not imply endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation. We invite you to read the privacy notices and terms of use of each destination site.
Hyperlinks to the home page of this site may be created, provided they do not appear in defamatory or unlawful contexts, do not create confusion as to the ownership of the content, and do not use framing or deep linking techniques that conceal the origin of the pages.
12. Accessibility
The site has been designed with regard to the accessibility criteria of the WCAG 2.1 Guidelines, level AA, referenced by the European standard EN 301 549: semantic content structure, alternative text for images, a skip-to-content link, keyboard navigability, visible focus indicators, and respect for the reduced-motion preferences set in the operating system. The interface's colour contrasts meet the minimum ratio required by level AA; for text overlaid on the opening photograph, contrast may vary depending on the device. Reports of any access barriers are welcome at the contact details given in point 1.
The owner is not among the parties required to comply with law no. 4 of 9 January 2004 (the "Stanca law") and is not required to publish an accessibility statement; the commitment to full usability of the site is undertaken voluntarily. If you encounter a barrier that prevents you from accessing information, write to us at the email address dependancevillanita@gmail.com or call us on +39 340 262 1558: we will address it and, in the meantime, provide you with the information through an alternative channel.
13. Protection of personal data and cookies
The processing of personal data of site users and property guests is described in the Privacy Policy. Information on cookies and local storage tools is contained in the Cookie Policy. Both documents form an integral part of this legal notice.
14. Applicable law and competent court
This legal notice, use of the site, and the contractual relationship with the property are governed by Italian law.
For disputes with a user or guest who qualifies as a consumer under art. 3 of Legislative Decree 206/2005, exclusive jurisdiction lies with the court of the consumer's place of residence or elected domicile, if located within Italy, under art. 66-bis of the Italian Consumer Code. This is without prejudice to any mandatory protective rules of the law of the consumer's habitual residence, where more favourable.
For disputes with parties who do not qualify as consumers, the Court of Bari has exclusive jurisdiction.
15. Complaints and alternative dispute resolution
The first step is always the simplest: if something did not go as expected, write to us at the email address dependancevillanita@gmail.com or call us on +39 340 262 1558. We undertake to review every complaint and provide a reasoned response within a reasonable time, normally no more than 30 days.
Should we be unable to reach an agreement, the consumer may make use of the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) tools governed by articles 141 et seq. of Legislative Decree 206/2005, by contacting an ADR body listed in the registers kept by the competent authorities and available on the website of the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, or the Conciliation Desks of the Chambers of Commerce, or by initiating civil and commercial mediation with a body listed in the register kept by the Ministry of Justice under Legislative Decree no. 28 of 4 March 2010.
Anyone resident in another European Union member state may also contact the network of European Consumer Centres (ECC-Net), which assists consumers free of charge in cross-border disputes: in Italy the service is provided by the European Consumer Centre Italy.
European ODR platform: no longer available. For the sake of accuracy, we note that the European online dispute resolution (ODR) platform has been discontinued. Regulation (EU) 2024/3228 of 19 December 2024 repealed Regulation (EU) no. 524/2013 with effect from 20 July 2025, ending both the service and the related obligation for operators to publish a link to it. For this reason, and unlike what can still be read on many websites, you will not find any reference to that platform on this page.
Use of the tools listed above is optional and does not, in any case, deprive the consumer of the right to bring proceedings before the competent judicial authority.
16. Changes to this legal notice
The owner reserves the right to modify the site and this legal notice at any time, to reflect regulatory changes, changes to the services offered, or organisational needs. The version in force is always the one published at this address, with the date of last update shown at the top. Bookings already confirmed remain subject to the conditions in force at the time of confirmation.
Should any clause of this legal notice be held invalid or ineffective, the remaining provisions shall remain fully valid.