·

Self-catering – the new way to experience a luxury break

Can a self-catering break compare to a stay in a luxury boutique hotel? Apparently so – and at a fraction of the cost. Times have moved on from the days when holiday cottages were booked from a brochure with just the star rating system and a postage stamp-sized picture of the front of the property to go on. With holidaymakers’ expectations continually rising, most holiday cottages now offer better facilities than years gone by, but what about those seeking a luxury break or something with a real difference? Luxury-seeking holiday makers are deciding for themselves what luxury really means and as a result, are looking for certain facilities and a level of comfort which is at least on a par, or in some cases better, than at home. Moreover, discerning holiday makers are often looking for very specific facilities above and beyond fine furnishings and fabrics. For example, when getting together with friends or family, extras such as a swimming pool, hot tub, tennis courts and/or a games room are now common requests. New cottages are becoming available all the time and the quality and level of refinement seems to be getting better and better. In addition to hot tubs and swimming pools, we are seeing cottages with Turkish Baths, saunas and spa treatments. Some luxury holiday cottages have beautiful, bespoke quality kitchens with Aga’s and granite worktops. Others offer cosy bedrooms with a log fire and four-poster bed, or outside areas designed for groups of friends with high-quality furniture, fire pits and outside heating. Choosing is easy too, as owners of luxury properties tend to have professional photographs enabling the holidaymaker to see large, properly-lit photos showing the property to its full potential. A short break in a luxury holiday cottage can offer all the refinement of a luxury boutique hotel, but with the added benefit of privacy and seclusion. Many properties at the luxury end also offer outside catering for a truly tailored dining experience. So, what about the costs? Well, particularly for large groups, when you calculate the ‘per person per night cost’, it will often be far cheaper than an equivalent hotel; certainly, something to think about when booking your next break away. Steve Jarvis is the Managing Director of Independent Cottages. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Did you enjoy this article?

Receive similar content direct to your inbox.

3 Comments

  1. Fully agree with your comments – especially when you can choose little extras such as your own cook for an evening, or homemade food left in your fridge for your arrival, or have activities such as kayking, wild swimming or rock-climbing pre-booked on your behalf.

  2. As a small independently operated company that manages 25+ self-catering properties in Slovenia, we can attest to the change in holidaying habits. We offer self-catered accommodation to suit most budgets; from more basic apartments up to luxury villas. As our number of properties has grown so has the occupancy and demand for more properties. People like the freedom of being able to have control of their own living styles whilst on holiday.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *