From criteria to companions – top tips for enjoying your villa holiday

These days many of our clients choose a luxury villa holiday over and above staying in a hotel both for the privacy and flexibility it affords. Having unlimited access to your own pool, a personal chef on hand and the security of a luxury villa make it the ideal choice for many planning a vacation. Here are our top tips for enjoying a successful villa holiday. 1. Use a professional villa rental company There are plenty of people who claim to be a holiday rental professional but do your homework and make sure that they are really qualified to handle your holiday. For me personal recommendations are a great way to ensure the success of your holiday. 2. Decide on your key criteria What’s important to your holiday? Peace a quiet? Somewhere where your teenagers can walk into the village? A private beach? If you decide on what’s important then you won’t waste time with the agency sending you villas that are not of interest. 3. Book well in advance These days we all assume that the later we book the better the deal. However for many of the key destinations such as the South of France then the later you book the more limited the choice. Booking early will give you a wide choice of rental villas and ensure that all your key criteria can be met. 4. Research the destination Use your villa rental agency to help you research the location. Restaurants, beaches and transportation can usually be booked well in advance and a little local knowledge goes a long way in ensuring that perfect beach front table in your chosen restaurant 5. Concierge services All the most prestigious villa rental agencies will offer concierge services along side your villa rental which can be booked before you arrive or during your stay. Use your agency like the concierge desk at a hotel for everything from babysitting to a personal trainer and you will be assured of the perfect holiday. And finally… choose your holiday companions carefully. If you are the kind of family who are still enjoying a leisurely breakfast by the pool at 11.30am and your travelling companions have already visited 2 markets and a museum by the same time then perhaps you need to re-think your travel plans. Maria McLean is Director of Communications at Burger Sotheby’s International Realty. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.