Imprint

1. Who these terms are between

These Terms & Conditions form part of the contract between grounds Nora Al-Kassab & Nieves Simon GbR, Am Strandkai 17, 20457 Hamburg, Germany ('grounds', 'we', 'us') and each individual participant who books a grounds retreat ('you', 'participant'). grounds is the organiser of every retreat we offer - we are not a travel agency booking services on behalf of a third party.

2. How a booking works

Our booking process is intentionally personal, not a self-service checkout. It works like this:

1. You join our waitlist via the website. This is entirely free and creates no contract or obligation of any kind, for either side.

2. We personally review waitlist applications. grounds reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to accept or decline any applicant, without needing to give a reason.

3. If selected, you receive a personal invitation together with further information about the specific retreat.

4. We send you an invoice for the full retreat price.

5. You confirm your acceptance and pay the full amount by bank transfer.

6. Once we have received your payment and confirmed your booking in writing, a binding contract is formed between you and grounds for that specific retreat.

No contract exists, and no place is reserved, until grounds has issued this written booking confirmation. An invitation or invoice alone does not guarantee a place — for example, if full payment is not received within the requested timeframe, we may offer the place to another applicant.

3. Price and payment

The retreat price is the amount stated on your invoice, in the currency stated there. Unless we tell you otherwise in writing, payment is due in full, by bank transfer, before your place is confirmed. We do not currently offer instalment plans.

• The retreat price covers what is described as included for that specific retreat (see Section 4).

• Any additional services you book directly with third parties (e.g. optional excursions, spa treatments, or transfers not covered by your package) are your own responsibility and are not part of this contract.

• All prices are quoted in good faith based on costs known to us at the time. In the rare event of a significant, unforeseeable cost increase beyond our control before your retreat (for example a major currency shift or a supplier's own price change), we will contact you before making any adjustment, and you will always be informed in writing.

4. What is included, and what is not

Unless otherwise stated in your specific retreat invitation, a grounds retreat includes accommodation, meals, and a curated programme such as yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound baths, workshops, and group activities, together with community support in the run-up to arrival. Some retreats may also include optional volunteering or community engagement activities arranged with local partner organisations at the destination.

The following are never included unless explicitly stated otherwise: flights, visas, travel insurance, airport transfers, personal expenses, alcohol, additional activities not listed in your retreat itinerary, and anything else not explicitly confirmed in writing.

5. Cancellation

Cancellation terms are set out in full in our separate Cancellation Policy, which forms part of these Terms & Conditions. In short: the waitlist is always free to leave; confirmed bookings are generally non-refundable, though we may, at our sole discretion, offer a partial refund if we are able to fill your place from the waitlist.

6. Minimum participant numbers and retreat changes

Each retreat is planned around a target group size. If a retreat does not reach the minimum number of participants required to run it responsibly, grounds may cancel or reschedule the retreat. In that case, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible and offer you the choice of a full refund or a place on an alternative date.

grounds also reserves the right to make reasonable changes to the programme, itinerary, accommodation, or facilitators after booking, where necessary due to circumstances beyond our control or genuine operational need, provided the overall character and quality of the retreat is not materially diminished. Where a change is material, we will inform you promptly.

7. Force majeure and events beyond our control

grounds shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations where this is caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disasters, extreme weather, volcanic activity, pandemics or other public health emergencies, war, terrorism, civil unrest, political instability, government action or travel restrictions, strikes, or the failure of third-party suppliers caused by any of the above.

Where such an event prevents a retreat from taking place as planned, grounds will work with you in good faith on rescheduling, credit toward a future retreat, or another fair solution, in each case taking into account the costs grounds has already reasonably and irrevocably incurred.

8. Health, safety, and participation

Retreat activities can be physically and emotionally engaging. By booking, you confirm that you have read our Health & Participation Disclaimer and completed our Medical Disclosure Form honestly and completely, and that you will let us know promptly of any change to your health circumstances before arrival.

grounds relies on the accuracy of the information you provide. We may, at our discretion and always with your wellbeing in mind, adapt activities, decline to include you in a specific activity, or in serious cases decline or discontinue your participation, where we reasonably believe this is necessary for your safety or that of the group.

9. Participant conduct

All participants are expected to follow our Code of Conduct, which forms part of this contract. grounds reserves the right to remove a participant from a retreat, without refund, in cases of serious misconduct — including violence, harassment, discrimination, illegal drug use, or behaviour that materially endangers the safety, dignity, or wellbeing of others.

10. Alcohol and illegal substances

Where alcohol is available during a retreat, participants are expected to consume it responsibly and in accordance with local law. The possession or use of illegal substances is strictly prohibited at all grounds retreats and will result in immediate removal from the retreat without refund, and may be reported to local authorities where required by law.

11. Property, belongings, and damage

Participants are responsible for their own personal belongings throughout the retreat; grounds does not accept liability for loss, theft, or damage to personal property, except where caused by our own intentional or grossly negligent conduct. Participants who cause damage to accommodation, equipment, or third-party property during a retreat will be responsible for the reasonable cost of repair or replacement.

12. Intellectual property

All content created by grounds — including retreat concepts, itineraries, workshop materials, branding, photography, and website content — remains the intellectual property of grounds Nora Al-Kassab & Nieves Simon GbR, or of the third parties who created it, and may not be copied, reproduced, or used commercially without our prior written consent.

13. Liability

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes grounds' liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for intentional or grossly negligent breaches of duty, or for any other liability that cannot be limited or excluded under German law (including under the German Product Liability Act).

For all other cases, grounds is liable only for the breach of material contractual obligations (Kardinalpflichten) — meaning obligations whose fulfilment is essential to properly carrying out the contract and on which you may reasonably rely — and in such cases only to the extent of foreseeable, contract-typical damage.

grounds works with independent facilitators, chefs, venues, and local partners who are not our employees. Where permitted by law, our liability for the acts of such independent contractors is limited to our own fault in selecting and briefing them.

14. Assumption of risk

Retreat activities such as yoga, breathwork, movement, hiking, or cold exposure carry inherent physical risks, as does travel generally. By participating, you acknowledge and voluntarily accept these inherent risks, to the extent permitted by law. This does not affect grounds' liability for death, personal injury, or grossly negligent or intentional conduct as described in Section 13.

15. International participants

grounds welcomes participants from around the world. Each participant is individually responsible for ensuring they hold valid travel documentation, meet visa requirements, and comply with the laws of the destination country, as set out further in our Travel Information & Participant Responsibilities document.

16. Electronic communication

You agree that grounds may communicate with you electronically, including by email and messaging apps such as WhatsApp, for all purposes relating to your booking and participation, and that such communication satisfies any requirement for communication 'in writing' between us, unless mandatory law requires a different form.

17. Severability

Should any provision of these Terms be or become invalid or unenforceable, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid provision that comes as close as possible to the economic intent of the original.

18. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms, and any contract concluded on their basis, are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). Where you are a consumer, this choice of law does not deprive you of the protection afforded by mandatory provisions of the law of your habitual residence.

Where permitted by law, the courts of Hamburg, Germany shall have jurisdiction over any dispute arising from or in connection with these Terms.