You are here: Home > Reservation > Guidelines
AAV Logo

Astronomy and the Beauty
of the Swiss Alps

Alpine Astrovillage Lue-Stailas

A Center for Astrophotography in the Alps  Lunar phase 
Val Muestair / Graubuenden
7534 Lue, Switzerland

meadows in Lue with Piz Daint

Deutsch
English                                 Home     Contact us
 

Become an AAV shareholder

Photo-Gallery
Astronomy
Nature
Regional themes
Photocontests

Local interest
Links

AAV Construction

Sponsoring
Why a sponsorship
Categories
Become a sponsor
Our sponsors

Comments
SURVEY
Questions/Suggestions
View guestbook
Sign guestbook

Advisory board
AB members

The founders
General info
Scientific papers

 

Guidelines for AAV Lue-Stailas visitors
(Specifications subject to change without notice)

You may be wondering about some of the details of your stay at AAV Lue-Stailas. Please, follow the rules listed below and if you have any further questions, we'll be glad to assist you via email or over the phone.

Minimum stay
AAV Lue-Stailas has a two-night minimum stay requirement. Of course you are welcome to stay just one night if you can pull yourself away, but our minimum charge is for two nights. This helps you to quietly settle in and gives you some time to plan your imaging sessions. We, however, suggest a longer stay, so that you and your companion or family can also take some time to explore the beautiful Val Mustair with its many recreational opportunities. Astronomers have sleeping, eating and observing needs that just don't fit the normal "hotel" type of operation. We hope that you will want to stay a week or two to enjoy the fabulous skies, natural surroundings and exceptional equipment.

Reservation and payment
We request a 30% downpayment of the accommodation rental at the time of your reservation. The balance has to be paid in full during the check-in. The rent for astronomical equipment is paid during its reservation before or after arrival.
For the time being, we do not accept credit cards.

Check-in time
You can check in from 3:00 p.m. A refundable deposit of 500 CHF for use of technical equipment is requested during check-in.

Check-out time
Check-out time is no later than 11:00 am. Accompanied check-out on use of both the apartment and the technical equipment is required.

Accommodation
Prices are per studio and night so individuals in group visits can share the expenses.

Our studios are for 2 persons. After prior arrangement, a third bed can be provided for an additional fee of 50 CHF/night. We accommodate maximally 3 person per unit.

Since AAV Lue-Stailas is primarily an astrophotography center, priority will be given to amateur astronomers renting a studio together with an observatory. It is, however, not mandatory to rent imaging equipment while staying with us.

Your unit will be made up with fresh bed linens and towels on your arrival. We do not offer daily maid service - we don't want to disturb your daytime sleep or nighttime privacy. If needed, extra towels are available from the main AAV office. Longer-term guests will be provided fresh linens on a weekly basis.

Discount for bad weather
We offer refund or a carry-over of the full costs for rented equipment towards the next visit, if the weather should not permit imaging. The judgment of the latter is at the sole discretion of the Center's Management.

Meals
In our experience, amateur astronomers vary widely in their meal requirements - both in content and timing.

All our units have therefore fully equipped kitchenettes with heating plates, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer, etc. Your will find all the necessary hardware for preparing of microwave snacks or full dinners, including dishes and cooking ware.

You may either bring your food with you or order meal packages (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) from us. This allows you to warm up your meal easily any time you need it and independently from other visitors.

There are general and grocery stores together with small traditional bakeries, butchers, and pastry shops in the neighboring villages (3-10 km).

Age limit for children
To protect our delicate electronic and astronomical equipment and to insure a quiet stay of our guests seriously interested in astrophotography, we cannot, unfortunately, accommodate guests below the age of 12 years. On the other hand, we organize thematic visual observation sessions for schools and small groups of children. These events are posted on our web page (activities) and in the local papers.

No pets
Pets are not allowed in the whole area of the AV Lue-Stailas.

No smoking
The AAV Center and the dome area provide a strictly smoke-free environment for the safety and enjoyment of all of our guests. Please, be aware that forest fires can be a serious problem in the dry local summer climate of the Val Mustair.

No camping
AAV Lue-Stailas does not have accommodations for camping units.

Andromeda galaxy

Equipment
We will make every effort to have the equipment you have rented set up and ready for you when you arrive.

To get the most out of the high-end astronomical dome setups available to you during your stay with us, experience in handling an equatorially mounted, motorized telescope and CCD astroimaging is mandatory.

Please, be also reminded that it is required for every visitor using our setups to participate in the initial introduction of the site and equipment before starting his/her observation/ imaging session. This intro is free of charge and will help you to be up and running quickly and without problems.

Additional assistance in observation and imaging is available upon request and subject to additional fees. Moreover, multi-day introductory courses into telescope choice, basic astrophotography, and digital image processing can be arranged for everybody starting out in amateur astronomy.

Each dome can accommodate maximally 3 persons.

Check out on use of equipment is required.

If you also plan on using your own equipment, please, understand that we do not provide instructions on its use.

We cannot provide telescopes or observing sites to astronomers not staying with us.

Lights
Acquisition of night vision, an essential prerequisite for visual astronomy, takes about one hour. Therefore,
no cars are allowed in the dome area after dark. You may use red flashlights that we will provide. Around and in the observatories, dim red lighting is installed.

Exploring
As you enjoy hiking in the Alps, do not remove things from their natural location or leave trash behind. Most of the plants and animals are protected by law. Especially the Swiss National Park has its own strict rules - please, respect them as well.

During summer, the pastures around Lue and the dome area are used for grazing of cows and sheep. These animals are friendly and part of the local cultural heritage. Please, treat them with respect and do not disturb them.

Cancellations
If, for some unfortunate reason, it becomes necessary for you to cancel a reservation, you will be given a full refund minus 10% handling fees until 15 days prior to your arrival and 50% until 8 days before arrival. No refunds will be issued for cancellations later than that.spacer

Disrespect to the rules above can lead to immediate termination of the visitor's stay at the center with no refund.


Related pages:   Rates    Reservations

spacer
 
Home     Site map     Contact us    Tell a friend    
© Jitka & Václav Ourednik
All rights reserved