CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY
For Compass and Bespoke Curation only
Effective date: 15th September 2026 | Version 1.0
Important. This Policy governs cancellation and refund eligibility only for Compass and Bespoke Curation fees. Any supported third-party travel bookings exclude flight tickets and dining reservations and are governed by the Terms & Conditions, accepted booking documents and applicable Supplier Terms. Dining remains limited to recommendations and guidance, with any restaurant reservation arranged and paid for directly by you with the restaurant.
1. Scope and relationship with other terms
1.1 Covered fees. This Policy applies only to amounts paid for: (a) a Compass pre-curated digital itinerary or travel guide; and (b) Bespoke Curation.
1.2 Excluded booking matters. This Policy does not set cancellation or refund rules for third-party travel components. Flight tickets are not booked, issued or managed by The Sabah Edition or its Travel Fulfilment Partner and must be arranged directly by you with the airline or your chosen ticketing provider. No separate fee is charged for dining recommendations or guidance, and no dining reservation service is offered. Other supported travel bookings remain subject to the relevant Supplier’s Terms.
1.3 Documents forming an agreement. This Policy must be read with the Terms & Conditions, the accepted proposal or product description, the invoice or confirmation and any transaction-specific written document.
2. Definitions
2.1 Compass. A completed, pre-curated digital itinerary or travel guide supplied electronically.
2.2 Discovery Itinerary. Illustrative pre-payment material shared for a Bespoke enquiry. It is not the final paid itinerary, a booking or a promise of curation.
2.3 Bespoke Curation. Client-specific research, itinerary design and recommendations prepared to an accepted Client brief.
2.4 Commencement. After acceptance and acknowledgement of payment, we first begin Client-specific research, route design, recommended venue selection, drafting, mapping and sequencing. Commencement may occur before a first draft is delivered. We may rely on dated project records, research records, correspondence and other contemporaneous records to establish the date of Commencement.
2.5 Delivery or Access. The point at which a Compass file or access link is sent to the email address provided by you, made available through an account or secure link, downloaded, opened or otherwise made reasonably available for use.
2.6 Payment Participant. Any bank, card network, payment gateway, UPI provider, wallet provider, payment processor or other intermediary involved in processing a payment or refund transaction.
2.7 Supplier. An independent hotel, resort, cruise operator, activity provider, transfer provider, tour operator, guide or other non-flight, non-dining travel provider.
3. Compass cancellations and refunds
3.1 Before Delivery or Access. A Client may cancel a Compass purchase before Delivery or Access and request a refund.
3.2 After Delivery or Access. Once the Compass has been delivered or made available for access, its price is final and non-refundable because it is immediately usable digital content and proprietary curation. This does not affect a remedy required by mandatory law or clause 3.4.
3.3 No refund. After Delivery or Access, a change of mind, changed travel dates, cancellation of the trip, inability or decision not to use the Compass, familiarity with any information, or preference for another destination does not create a refund entitlement.
3.4 Non-supply or material defect. If the Compass is not supplied, cannot reasonably be accessed, or contains a verified defect that materially prevents its intended use, please contact us promptly. We will first attempt redelivery, restore access, or provide a corrected or replacement copy. If, despite reasonable attempts, we are unable to supply an accessible and materially usable Compass, the fee paid for that Compass will be refunded in full. No refund will be due where the issue has been successfully resolved. Nothing in this clause limits any non-waivable rights or remedies available under applicable law.
3.5 Upgrade to Bespoke Curation. If a purchaser later requests Bespoke Curation for the corresponding trip, the amount paid for the Compass will be credited against the Bespoke Curation fee. This is an upgrade credit, not a cancellation or cash refund. The purchaser must write from his/her registered email address and provide the Compass order confirmation. The credit cannot exceed the Bespoke Curation fee, be transferred to another person, or be applied to an unrelated trip, or be combined with another credit unless agreed in writing by you and us. The Bespoke Curation process will begin only after we have issued the revised scope and fee, the purchaser has accepted both in writing, and the outstanding balance has been paid in full.
4. Bespoke Curation cancellations and refunds
4.1 Pre-payment Discovery. Before payment, the Client may receive a free Discovery Itinerary and service explanation to understand the proposed direction. The Discovery Itinerary is not the paid Bespoke deliverable.
4.2 After Commencement. Once Bespoke Curation has commenced, the curation fee is non-refundable, including where the Client changes their mind, postpones or cancels the trip, requests change due to personal circumstances, books independently, fails to provide information, stops responding or decides not to use the completed or partially completed work.
4.3 Reason for non-refundability. The fee compensates reserved capacity, research time, professional judgment, itinerary development and proprietary recommendations and methods. It is separate from third-party booking amounts.
4.4 Scope changes. A change to dates, destination, traveller profile, duration, budget or the core brief does not cancel the original engagement or make the fee refundable. A material change in the itinerary may require a revised scope, fee and delivery timeline.
4.5 Failure by The Sabah Edition. If we decline the engagement before Commencement, the fee received will be refunded. If we fail to provide the agreed curation service after Commencement for reasons within our reasonable control, we will provide an appropriate remedy, which may include completion, correction, replacement service or a partial refund for the affected unprovided portion, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
5. How to cancel or request a refund
5.1 Written request. Email a cancellation or refund request from your registered address used for purchase to hello@thesabahedition.com. Include your/traveler(s) name, product or service, invoice or order reference number, payment date, amount, reason and relevant supporting documents. A Compass-to-Bespoke upgrade request may be sent to concierge@thesabahedition.com with the Compass order reference number.
5.2 Effective time and eligibility. A cancellation takes effect when received by The Sabah Edition, and we will acknowledge receipt as soon as reasonably practicable. Compass eligibility is determined by Delivery or Access status at that time. Bespoke eligibility is determined by whether Commencement occurred before receipt of the request.
5.3 Acknowledgement and review. We will review and acknowledge your request within two business days and aim to communicate a decision or request further information within seven business days.
5.4 Records. We may rely on payment records, delivery records and email correspondence to verify eligibility.
6. Failed, duplicate and unrecognised payments
6.1 Failed or uncaptured payment. If an unsuccessful or uncaptured payment is debited, the relevant Payment Participant will ordinarily process a reversal under its own timelines. A reversal of an unsuccessful payment is not a refund of a successfully captured transaction.
6.2 Duplicate successful payment. If the same transaction is successfully charged more than once, contact us with the payment or order reference number. After verification, we will initiate a refund of the duplicate amount.
6.3 Unrecognised payment. Notify us promptly and contact the issuing bank where appropriate. We may request your identity, order and transaction information to investigate.
7. Approved refunds and payment processing
7.1 Eligibility decision. A Payment Participant does not decide whether a Compass or Bespoke fee is refundable. Eligibility is determined under this Policy and the applicable law.
7.2 Original payment method. An approved refund will ordinarily be returned to the original payment method. We will not reverse the amount to an unrelated account.
7.3 Initiation. We will initiate a refund within seven business days after approval. After initiation, the bank, card network, UPI provider, wallet or other Payment Participant controls when the credit reflects in the account.
7.4 Confirmation and delay. Where available, we will provide a refund reference number. A processed Payment Participant status may precede the credit appearing in the Client account. A technical error or insufficient balance with a Payment Participant does not remove an approved refund entitlement; we will take reasonable steps to retry or arrange a lawful verified alternative.
7.5 Fees, currency and external charges. We will not impose an undisclosed deduction. A payment processing deduction applies only if clearly disclosed before payment and permitted by law. For international payments, the final credited amount may vary because of exchange rates or external bank, card-network or intermediary charges outside our control, except where law provides otherwise.
8. Payment disputes and chargebacks
8.1 Contact and investigation. A Client who believes a transaction or refund is incorrect should contact us promptly so the matter can be investigated.
8.2 Lawful rights preserved. Nothing in this Policy prevents a Client from exercising a lawful dispute or chargeback right through the issuing bank, card network, or another competent Payment Participant.
8.3 Evidence and no double recovery. We may provide relevant acceptance, payment, delivery, access and project records to the Payment Participant, subject to the applicable Privacy Policy. A Client must not knowingly retain both a completed refund and a duplicate reversal or chargeback for the same amount.
9. Policy status and contact
9.1 Incorporation and priority. This Policy is incorporated into the Terms & Conditions. In the event of any inconsistency, any applicable law that cannot be excluded or varied by agreement will prevail, followed by any specific written terms accepted for the transaction, this Policy and the general Terms & Conditions.
9.2 Updates. The version accepted for a transaction governs it. Later changes apply prospectively unless applicable law requires otherwise or the parties agree in writing.
9.3 Contact directory.
General website enquiries: hello@thesabahedition.com
Client and itinerary coordination: concierge@thesabahedition.com
Grievance Officer (Formal complaints, privacy rights and DPDP requests): grievance@thesabahedition.com
Legal notices: legal@thesabahedition.com