I quite fancy a private villa holiday next year, some chilled out place near a small town. Anyone ever been on this type of holiday? Any recommendations? I've heard there are a lot of fake places and even know 2 families who have been caught out by it so a bit worried about using lesser known websites. I'm open to any recommendations as I've been tasked with finding the family holiday for next Summer.
Done loads of villa holidays mate. Started when the kids were young and it was great having your own space where they could play and jump in the pool etc without having the formalities of a hotel. No set meal times, you can chill on a night and light the barbie if you don’t want to eat out etc. The first couple we booked were via travel agencies who offered a package, but it’s generally much better value to book direct with the owners or via their intermediaries and then sort your own flights. Owners direct is a decent site, but there’s usually agents that specialise in specific areas, so once you’ve decided where to go have a good scoot about. Over the years we’ve had villas all over the med and one just outside Marrakesh. If you book something on the outskirts of a town, then make sure you hire a car, as you don’t want to be marooned, and it saves on transfers, as you collect at the airport.
I don't want to drive so looking for somewhere near a small town. Saying that though if it's as easy as picking up from the airport it would be easy enough. I wouldn't want to be driving a lot though.
I generally don’t drive much when we go away, but it’s handy just getting in a motor at the airport and don’t forget that self catering you’re going to need plenty of water (and ale lol) so lugging that about from a Supermarket 20 mins walk way every other day isn’t ideal. So a motor is a must for me unless you’re smack in the middle of town. Unless you’re going in August pay for the pool heating btw, as even slightly off the height of summer they can be a bit nippy and it somewhat ruins the experience.
I noticed some of the pools state they are heated and was wondering why. There's a site called James Villas that looks ok, ever used them?
Yes, we used them once. They’re expensive though (or certainly used to be) when compared to booking it yourself.
About 15 years since I last went to Villa. Great ground, areas a ****hole though. Wouldn’t want to holiday there. Hired a Gite in Brittany with the extended family one year. Brittany is beautiful, like Cornwall butvwith a lot less tourists (**** knows why the French don’t holiday there), and better food.
I’d like to do a villa holiday but Mrs Stan says she’d end up cooking and cleaning. They provide cleaners and I’ve no idea why she’d finally take up cooking when we’d gone on holiday. She just likes being pampered in a hotel.
Just women mate...I enjoy cooking on holiday but you eat out too and throw in the odd BBQ. Best bit about holidays is going to the local supermarket and realising that our produce is ****e in England. I've seen some big Spring onions in Spain raaas.
That’s one of the things I’d like about a villa holiday, doing the cooking. I get a bit bored in hotels.
What a day that was. Beattie and Ormerod with the goals, both great for us though hardly world class. Props to the Watford fans too, for helping create a fantastic party atmosphere. @Dan Starkey 2 , I believe you were there?
I've used them a few times as I'm not a massive fan of hotel resorts I don't have kids so some of them places can kinda grate me, last one was a small apartment in Douglas Isle of man for the tt races, no complaints apart from the Manx inbreds.