Holiday-Rentals 2007 press cuttings

The article discusses how renting an apartment in London is a great alternative to staying in a hotel. The article reads: "Those who may find a hotel impersonal can opt instead for a luxury townhouse or secluded mews". The article also includes a quote from Holiday-Rentals's Managing Director, Alexis de Belloy, which discusses growing interest in internet travel companies. It also features a description of Holiday-Rentals and three properties featured on the website: property 14011, property 16598 and property 19192

To see the article in full please click here

Women's weekly magazine Best includes a news story about Holiday-Rentals's new HomeAway Rent with Confidence Guarantee in its regular travel section.

The article notes, "You'll worry less if you (book a holiday rental direct) at Holiday-Rentals - the website is offering extra security to those booking private homes direct from owners on Holiday-Rentals. The free HomeAway Rent with Confidence Guarantee covers them for up to £2,500 in rental fees per holiday home in the unlikely event the listing isn't legitimate. More details, plus terms and conditions on the website."

Following a review of Holiday-Rentals, Webuser, the UK's number one internet magazine, gives its views on the site and awards it a four out of five star rating. The article reads "Finding a holiday home needn't be a hassle with the help of this recently revamped site. Its improved search facility lets you find accommodation quickly and easily from a choice of more than 42,000 properties worldwide. These include ski chalets, apartments, luxury villas and country cottages, which you can browse according to price, number of bedrooms and specific facilities, as well as the date and destination of your trip. This well-organised site provides plenty of detail for each of its properties, including photos and rental rates, and invites you to email property owners directly for more information."

The review will also be published on their website, to read it click here

This article in Ryanair's in flight magazine talks about the rising interest in property in London from overseas buyers. The article reads "Holiday-Rentals (?) found that since last year London has overtaken Barcelona as the top city to visit". The article provides details about the local property market and includes several case studies, including one of Holiday-Rentals advertiser, Nico Bardon, owner of properties 16598 and 84865.
To view this article in full please click here.

Easier Travel runs a story on how Holiday-Rentals is a great resource for post-Christmas spa breaks. Among its unrivalled selection of properties, Holiday-Rentals has thousands of great properties with, or near spa facilities and the article comments, "With prices from around £60 per person per week, spa holiday rentals make a great alternative to pricey spa hotels, and also provide more space and privacy so guests can relax and unwind in total tranquillity."

The article also features a number of individual properties in Cyprus, the Costa del Sol, Bordeaux and the Algarve.

To read the article in full please click here

This article was written by Holiday-Rentals's PR Manager, Sarah Chambers, who discusses the benefits of buying a holiday home in Italy and gives tips on how to maximise rental returns. The article also includes information on the top 5 performing destinations in Italy, in terms of demand for holiday lets, and advice on factors people should consider when buying a holiday home they hope to rent out.

This article in the Property Industry News section of Knight Frank's website discusses how well-known Italian cities such as Rome and Florence are not the most common ports of call for the typical investor due to the high price of property, and how smaller towns are gaining in popularity due to lower entry prices and increasing tourism. Calabria is singled out as one such destination, and at the end of the article is it noted that "As much as 90 per cent of all overseas property investment is within Europe, Holiday-Rentals reported earlier this month".

To view this article in full click here

Comments from Holiday-Rentals are included in an article about the new joint venture by MRI Overseas Property and On Holiday Group which will market private holiday properties online and also via travel agents. In the article, Sarah Chambers, PR Manager for Holiday-Rentals points out, "We list more than 40,000 private holiday homes world-wide, so this new operation will not have much effect on us". (...) Ms Chambers also points out that many properties on Holiday Rentals are available at prices to match and even undercut those with On Holiday.

The article goes on to talk about Holiday-Rentals's recently launched Rent with Confidence Guarantee, how much it costs to list a property with Holiday-Rentals, and also lists the website address and telephone number.

This article talks about how the Montenegrin National Tourism Organisation intend to market the country as a sustainable environment due to its many natural attractions. According to the body, new initiatives to encourage nature-based tourism are currently being developed, while visitors are also to be encouraged to adopt eco-friendly practices. The article also observes; "According to Holiday-Rentals the country has experienced a surge of interest among overseas property buyers during the last year.

To read this article in full please click here

Overseas property portal Homesgofast.com reports that UK first time buyers are heading to France as means to get on the property ladder. The article references a recent report produced by Savills Research in conjunction with Holiday-Rentals which indicates that property values continue to rise in France, with French home buyers getting good returns on their investments and rental incomes. The article also notes how purchase prices of second homes in France have risen by an average of 19% a year over the past decade according to the study.

To see this article in full please click here

Following a recent Holiday-Rentals press release and the launch of Eurostar's new rail services to Bruges, Lille and Paris, The Star includes a short story on how combining travel by rail with a holiday home rental from Holiday-Rentals is a good way to enjoy an eco-friendly and authentic holiday. The article includes the web address for Holiday-Rentals and details of property 13968 in Paris.

Following the launch of Eurostar's new passenger services, Easier.com discusses how it is now even easier to have an authentic holiday with Holiday-Rentals and keep your carbon footprint low. The article discusses how long it takes to get to Brussels, Lille and Paris, exactly how much energy can be saved with rail travel, plus there is a range of properties listed which are available in the 3 destinations.

To read the article in full please click here

This article features some helpful tips, produced by Holiday-Rentals, which provide advice on how people can maximise revenue from their holiday home.

To see the article in full please click here

Based on information provided by Holiday-Rentals, aboutproperty.co.uk reports how up to 90 per cent of all overseas property owned by UK investors is within the EU.

The article goes on to report; "According to Holiday-Rentals, North America and the Caribbean are the next most popular investment destinations, representing 5.2 and 1.5 per cent of properties worldwide respectively."

To read the article in full click here

The article discusses the growing number of people who are turning away from the usual package holidays and traditional holidays in favour of renting a holiday home instead. It includes results from a survey conducted earlier this year by Savills and Holiday-Rentals which revealed that over half of the holiday home owners questioned said investment was the primary reason for purchasing a second home, but that rental potential was also one of the most important financial considerations.

To view the article in full please click here

In their regular 'special places to stay' feature, BBC Good Homes include details of property 58944. This property is a lighthouse in the Victorian seaside town of Burnham-on-Sea and as well as three photos, the article provides details of the property, how much it costs for a week's stay and how to book.

Easier Travel and Jetsettersblog feature a Holiday-Rentals press release which shows readers that it is not too late to get away this winter. Both articles read: "Holiday-Rentals still has plenty to offer. Whether it's some winter sunshine, something for the culture vultures or a city break, Holiday-Rentals has it all". Plus the article also includes links to a range of properties advertised on the website.

Travel Editor Gill Williams does a round up of various city breaks available for less than £20pp per night and highlights how you can save money by renting an apartment as opposed to staying in a hotel.

The article features three Holiday-Rentals properties; each includes a description, the location of the property and the cost per person per night, plus the average cost of travel.

To see the properties featured please click on the links below

Property 63751
Property 52890
Property 62655

Or to view the article in full please click here

In the regular 'News in Brief' column, the Editor writes about Holiday-Rentals's new standard subscription package which now provides advertisers free promotion on 12 leading international websites as well as Holiday-Rentals. The article lists some of the HomeAway websites that are included and information on how readers can find out more.

Please click here to read the news on Portugal magazine's sister website, HomesWorldwide.co.uk.

Holiday-Rentals and the owner of Casa Valhalla teamed up to create a great offer for Portugal magazine readers in the November issue. The prize was a week's stay at Casa Valhalla, which offers five bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom. The competition ran over a whole page in the magazine and included 6 photos of the property.

If you advertise your holiday home with Holiday-Rentals and are interested in offering a stay in your property as a competition prize in return for publicity in the UK press, please email the PR Team

In its regular '5 of the best' section, The Independent Traveller supplement features property 2024 as one of the top five places in the world to have a hen weekend. The article gives a description of the property along with contact details on how to book and a photo. The article can also be found on the Independent website, click here to view it in full.

This article is based on key findings of a survey which was conducted by Savills Research and Holiday-Rentals, namely that low cost airlines lead to premium house prices abroad. It observes, there is a "price and rental premium for properties located near airports served by low cost airlines according to the results of a landmark survey carried out by Savills Research with www.Holiday-Rentals..." (...)

The survey revealed that properties served by low cost airlines had higher average rents than those without low cost airlines. The difference in average rent was as much as 30% for properties within 10-20 miles of airports.

Jacqui Daly of Savills Research commented: "the potential to charge higher weekly rents is enhanced by low cost airlines- because the travel costs are lower holiday makers are therefore willing to pay higher weekly rents for a holiday property. This is clearly important to investors as these properties are higher yielding." (...) To view this article in full please click here

This article discusses how the internet has changed people's booking habits when it comes to booking a holiday home. The article writes specifically about people wanting to rent a cottage over the Christmas holidays and features several holiday rental websites including Holiday-Rentals.

Read the article in full on the Guardian Unlimited website here

This article discusses the rising number of complaints from holidaymakers who have not been satisfied with accommodation they have booked independently online. The article refers to Holiday-Rentals's Rent with Confidence Guarantee as a new concept which helps kerb the worries of potential travellers.

This double-page feature appeared following an interview with the owner of property 11391 in Tenerife. It discusses the reasons behind their purchase and the pros and cons of purchasing overseas, plus details of the property and a link of their advert on Holiday-Rentals.

Following an interview with the owners of property 82104, Lincolnshire today features a 3-page case study discussing their reasons for buying and moving abroad, plus the trials and tribulations of the move itself. The article features details of the property, how the owners market it with Holiday-Rentals and links to their Holiday-Rentals advert.

Following a recent press release about large properties to rent in the UK for Christmas and New Year, this article writes "Holiday-Rentals lists about 1,100 properties in the UK, sleeping from 10 to 30, with rates from £100pp per week."

Following research conducted jointly by Holiday-Rentals and Savills the article discusses the up rise in tourism in Bulgaria due to more budget airlines flying there.

Features Holiday-Rentals's recent news about their 'Rent with Confidence' guarantee as the article discusses the worries people have over booking their annual holiday privately over the internet.

The traveller's blog Jetsetters features the best places to go on holiday this October half-term as recommended by Holiday-Rentals

See this article in full click here.

Various websites have featured HomeAway's acquisition of "OwnersDirect.co.uk which represents more than 17,000 private holiday properties available to rent direct from owners. The acquisition means that HomeAway now owns both the largest and second largest holiday rental sites in the United Kingdom."

These websites include: Travelmole.com, e-tid.com and travolution.co.uk.

The readers of Condé Nast Traveller vote Holiday-Rentals.co.uk the seventh best Villa Rental company. Readers voted according to seven criteria such as 'range of villas' and 'value for money'.

To view this article in full please click here

Following recent statistics released by Holiday-Rentals, property-investor-news.com writes, "Montenegro is the fastest growing holiday rental market in Europe". The article observes that "the figures were based on the number of enquiries the website received for each country between January and July 2007". (?) "Total enquiries to rent a villa or apartment in Montenegro surged by 191% compared to last year"

Following Holiday-Rentals's announcement that it is to offer 12 international websites included for free in its annual subscription, A Place in the Sun features the Company in its news pages. The article details the "new online service" where owners who register with Holiday-Rentals can "now have their property's details put on to dozens of partner sites around the world".

A Place in the Sun magazine features a Moroccan town house in the holiday let of the month section. The article includes two photos and a description of the property.

To see the featured property please click here.

Various publications have featured Holiday-Rentals's latest news where travellers booking private holiday homes direct from owners on Holiday-Rentals can now do so with increased confidence and protection, thanks to the new 'HomeAway Rent with Confidence Guarantee'.

These articles include:

LifeStartsAt.com

breakingtravelnews.com

The Sunday Times

Following recent research conducted by Savills research and Holiday-Rentals, Themovechannel.com writes: "Return on investment (ROI) is the main issue that motivates people buying property in Croatia and other foreign countries".

Homesabroad.co.uk writes an article about the motivations of people investing in Croatia, following research carried out by Savills Research and Holiday-Rentals. The article states, (the research) "revealed that 53% of buyers were motivated by pure investment." It continues, "Alexis de Belloy, managing director of Holiday-Rentals, said that the Company had seen a particularly marked increase in property listings in Croatia, Morocco, Bulgaria, and other emerging tourist locations."

To view this article in full please click here

Travelbite.co.uk features Holiday-Rentals's latest news that they will offer new protection for travellers using the site . The article reads: "A leading holiday home website is launching a new payment guarantee system to give holidaymakers more protection when booking online." Holiday-Rentals "will offer free payment protection, to help reassure those with reservations about booking private accommodation online."

To view this article in full please click here

Easier Travel features a Holiday-Rentals press release which gives readers an indication of the range of properties available in winter sun destinations. The article reads, "Holiday-Rentals has thousands of holiday homes perfect for a winter sun getaway. Among these properties travellers will find reasonably priced villas and houses in destinations such as; central and south America, the Caribbean, Africa, Dubai, India?"

To see the story in full please click here

Online publication, The List, features Holiday-Rentals.co.uk in an article about the more relaxed and quieter side to Ibiza. Holiday-Rentals is described as "the best place to look for villas, which often work out as extremely good value if travelling in a larger group".

To this article in full please click here

Homesworldwide.co.uk features Holiday-Rentals's latest news that "property owners who advertise on Holiday-Rentals will also get free promotion on 12 leading international websites". The article observes that, "This will enable the growing number of holiday home owners who depend on holiday lets to maximise rental income to promote their property to travellers worldwide".

To see the rest of the article please click here

This article was the result of a press trip to Ibiza where journalists stayed in property 63210. The article details how to get to Ibiza and what to do once you're there. There is also a picture of the property.

Following an interview with Holiday-Rentals's managing director Alexis De Belloy, the Metro features an article containing tips and advice on buying a 'fly-to-let' holiday property. The article includes details on what research should be done before purchasing a property, the up-and-coming areas and details about advertising the property with Holiday-Rentals

The article also illustrates the top 5 destinations, in terms of rental demand, from January to June 2007, based on statistics provided by Holiday-Rentals.

Easier travel features a Holiday-Rentals press release about the huge variety of accommodation available for the October half-term. The article observes, "with every type of holiday home available, from activity-themed rentals, to luxurious villas and city centre apartments, families are sure to find something to suit their requirements and budget".

To see this article in full please click here

This article features property 51268, a luxury house-boat on the Seine, and discusses a different way of experiencing Paris. The article includes details of 'Where to stay' and photos of the area.

Following press trips to Holiday-Rentals property 14382 in Barcelona and 68453 in Krakow, BBC Good Homes includes details of these two properties, and property 52890 in Berlin in a feature about the benefits of self-catering city breaks in Europe.

The subtitle of the feature reads: "If you're looking for a home-from-home experience abroad, try a self-catering city break in a top European destination". The first paragraph observes that "The freedom that self-catering apartments offer has led to a steady rise in demand for this type of holiday accommodation." This is followed by the comment from Andrew Lowe of Travel Counsellors that 'City-centre, self-catering apartments offer visitors a chance to live like the locals in some of the most desirable parts of town, as well as real flexibility. Families in particular prefer to be contained in one unit rather than pay for two separate hotel rooms. This not only helps to bring the costs down, but also gives people the freedom to come and go as they please during their stay.

Descriptions, contact details and photos were included for each Holiday-Rentals property featured.

Travel website www.travelbite.co.uk bases an article in its 'destination stories' section on a recent Holiday-Rentals press release. The article talks about the great range of enchanting castles and chateaux that are available to rent on Holiday-Rentals and how these are a great way of getting away from it all and keeping the family entertained in a unique place. Read the complete story here

Following a press trip to property 74221 in Lisbon, Alaina Vieru from Handbag.com reports on the benefits of renting a private flat in Lisbon, as well as all the places not to miss on a short break. The article includes a photo and link through to property 74221. Read it in full here.

Sam Lewis from Take a Break 'Win & Go' includes www.Holiday-Rentals as a great source of information for self-catering properties in Ibiza in an article the world's best party beaches, which features Ibiza, Miami, and Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz

French magazine includes information on the guided horse treks provided by Holiday-Rentals advertiser, Tansy Forster, from her three properties in Normandy (properties 7114, 10652 and 75250) on it's regular 'Bien-Etre' page. Entitled 'Get Active', the section featuring the horse trekking states: "Picking you up from your front door and whisking you along the Chemins Verts, this is a chance to escape the car and feel the fresh air while you experience Normandy's stunning variety of landscapes including the green fields and beaches inaccessible to motorised vehicles. You don't need to worry about transport to and from the stables, or your level of riding; the horses are brought directly to your door in horse boxes and a route appropriate to your level of riding is determined in advance. Then you just saddle up and trot off after your qualified guide. Prices start from ?55 (£40) per person."

Amanda Morison talks about the how's, why's and where's of buying in Morocco in a one-page feature following an interview with Holiday-Rentals advertiser, Abby Aron, who has also written a book on the topic. Amanda includes a link to Abby's unique property, Dar Rondé, at the end of the piece, and info on her book, 'Buying a House in Morocco' (Vacation, £12,95).

Holiday-Rentals and the owner of Craven House teamed up to create a great offer for Yours readers in the 31st July edition and on the website. The prize was a week's stay at Craven House, which offers three luxury apartments available to rent right next to the historic Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, just outside London. The competition ran over half a page in the magazine, and can be seen on Yours.co.uk here.

Homes Abroad uses the Savills and Holiday-Rentals press release 'Holiday homes must pay their way' for a story in its news section. The site reports, "Investment motives are a key driver in the acquisition of an overseas second home, according to the results of a landmark survey carried out by Savills Research and Holiday-Rentals.."

"Lucian Cook Director Savills Research comments, 'purchasers are increasingly looking further afield to emerging coastal destinations where entry into the overseas homeownership market currently is more affordable."

"This investment into emerging holiday destinations has gone some way towards breaking the stronghold that France and Spain have over overseas investors."

Holiday-Rentals is listed in Times Online's 'Top 100 travel websites' feature under the 'Hot places to stay' section. See the feature here

Mark Hodson reports on how renting a city apartment gives you more freedom and space for less cash, and includes comprehensive information on Holiday-Rentals's history and offering in the 'Property-listings websites' section. You can also read Mark's feature on Times Online

Leading website for 'silver surfers', www.sixtyplusurfers.co.uk uses a press release from Holiday-Rentals as a feature in its July issue. The features talks about how the rise of gastro-tourism and travellers' desire for authenticity is feeding the appeal of private holiday home rentals, as over 60% of holidaymakers now choose self-catering accommodation.

Recognising the demand for gourmet experiences, many holiday home owners on Holiday-Rentals now offer chef services, cooking lessons, local market or vineyard tours. Five such properties are then featured. See the article (for July only) here.
Properties featured were:
Property 63662
Property 75250
Property 62237
Property 72685
Property 63583

High circulation, glossy lifestyle magazine 'Canary Wharf' announces the launch of Times Online Holiday Rentals, the co-branded area of Times Online powered by Holiday-Rentals, where users can search over 22,000 holiday rentals and browse by location, rate, property type, amenities and local activities to find the perfect getaway. A photo of property 10968 in Barbados is also included.

In a feature that advises readers on how to handle the rentals of their 'buy-to-let' property, International Homes describes the services offered by Holiday-Rentals in the section on 'Self-managing rentals'. The section reads;

Holiday-Rentals, along with its European and American sister sites, provides a solution for people looking to market their property to a global audience, while retaining control over bookings and rentals themselves. Self-managing rentals on sites like ours enables holiday home owners to cut out the middleman and save the 20% + that rental management agencies can take in commission in fees.

Due the financial benefits and control that self management provides, many are choosing to 'direct by owner' on the internet with sites like Holiday-Rentals. The company estimates that around 25% of holiday homes owners self manage the rental of their property online and Holiday-Rentals now lists over 23,000 properties: an increase of over 220% since 2004.

Advertisers simply pay an annual subscription of £155+VAT, for which they receive a listing that includes: 4 colour photos (with the possibility to display up to 12), text fields to provide a detailed description of the property and location, a list of facilities and surrounding activities / amenities, a customisable map, rental rates table (with currency conversion facility), a 12-month availability calendar, an email form so travellers interested in the property can make an enquiry direct via Holiday-Rentals, and SMS text message alert service that informs them every time they receive a new enquiry. Extra photos, special offers and listings in the ski and golf indexes can also be purchased.

In 2005, Holiday-Rentals was acquired by US-based HomeAway, Inc. a global network of industry leading 'for rent by owner' holiday home sites. When they subscribe to Holiday-Rentals, property owners also benefit from a basic listing on each of the eight, new European HomeAway sites, plus www.HomeAway.com in America.

Picking up Holiday-Rentals's regular round-up of special offers and late deals on site, The Star in Sheffield features a Disney villa - Property 77505 - that was running a special offer, meaning it worked out a bargain at just £45 per person per week, based on 10 sharing. The snippet also featured in the travel section of the newspaper's website here.

In a feature about European city breaks, major women's weekly, Woman's Own, talks about the benefits of renting an apartment, over staying in a hotel. Holiday-Rentals is listed in the column which advises readers to 'Try something a bit different' and two Holiday-Rentals properties in Amsterdam are featured, with photos. Property 54555 and Property 59281

The 'Ski Special - Snow Secrets' section of January's edition of French magazine featured the pretty French ski resort of Samoens, where Holiday-Rentals currently lists 33 properties:

SUPER SAMOENS
Samoens, one of France's prettiest and most unspoilt villages set in the Grand Massif range, provides a delightful alternative to some of the more populated and built-up resorts. There are 265km of piste to explore, ideal for all levels of skiing and snowboarding, with links to Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon and Sixt. Check out http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk for a wide variety of reasonably priced properties in Samoens, from studio apartments to six-bedroom chalets.

To read the complete article online, visit www.homesworldwide.co.uk