PRESS RELEASE - JUNE 2014

Why families should still consider booking Villa holidays

Before the digital age, villa rental agencies were one of the mainstays of the UK holiday industry.

Nowadays, they seem to have fallen out of favour with holidaygoers, for a whole host of reasons. Cases of occasional over-pricing might be a stopping point for some jet-setters, while the sheer wealth of choice in tourist destinations, along with the allure of city breaks are surely other contributing factors.

Furthermore, with horror-stories of families having to cancel entire holidays due to agencies not paying rent owners and going bust, you can perhaps see why villa rental companies have developed a fairly shadowy reputation.

However, Karen Lippitt, Managing Director of Brighton-based company The Villa Agency argues otherwise, stating that there are still plenty of reasons why families should keep the faith with Villa rental companies.

Benefits:

Established villas

Karen:"In some resort destinations, such as where we operate in Portugal's Algarve region, villa and home rental services have been established for decades. In our case, we have known some of our villa owners since we started out in 1984. In that time, we've built firm relationships with the people who own the villas we actually offer. As a result, villa renters are respected and treated like honorary residents by the people who look after the villa for a living. Unlike hotel guests, where you are one of many receiving the same treatment, good villa rental companies can organise extras on request, whether it be a high-chair for your little one or a scuba diving expedition"

Choice:

"The variety of villas available across Southern Europe tends to be very diverse - there's no such thing as a bog-standard villa. In our case we offer sleek, ultra modern villas, alongside traditional homes with Portuguese décor. In most cases, we have classic and spacious villa homes fitted with modern kitchen and appliances, with Wi-Fi included. The kitchen is particularly useful as it means you don't have to rely on eating out each evening, saving you money in the process.

Another plus is the pool, which is often yours exclusively.

We have the best of both worlds in terms of accommodation, whether you're looking for a modest, stripped-bare location or if want to keep your surroundings strictly 21^st century."

Family time:

"Many of our regular clients tell us that their annual villa holiday is the only time the family are guaranteed quality time together. With the constant pressure of modern life, it is rare that families can sit down and eat together. A villa holiday gives all family members a chance to unwind together."

Privacy:

"Often, villas are private homes, where your neighbours are not just the other side of the wall, as in a hotel. Although many villas are located in towns and resorts, there are plenty of rural, secluded villas, out there too."

See the ‘real' country:

"While many opt to stay in cities or visit the tourist haunts, which tends to offer a commercialised version of a country, rural villas offer a taste of ‘real' country. The Portuguese countryside is an underrated and undiscovered place, well worth exploring. There's certainly more to the Algarve than just the beaches".

Villa Rental Companies are still trustworthy - just use your discretion:

"It is worth prospective holiday-goers doing research on the most established agencies out there, whether it be about the prices, their properties, their promises or, crucially, to find out whether they are fully bonded with agencies such as ATOL and ABTOT."

"Also, ringing them directly to get a good feel of what they offer is also a great idea, this will help you find out if they're genuine, informative and lets you make an informed decision on whether you trust them to arrange your holiday for you."

"Our staff all know the villas and the resorts and can give first hand advice on the right property for you and your family."

Karen works at The Villa Agency, a reputable Brighton-based villa rental company with over 30 years of experience in arranging villa holidays in the Algarve and Lisbon regions of Portugal. To further discuss villa rental opportunities with Karen send a message tomail@thevillaagency.co.uk, or call her on 01273 747811.