Autumn signals the end of the busy holiday letting season, with the half-term holidays finished and most of us returning to work after a refreshing break. Many owners may now be turning their attention to securing returning holiday cottage guests, as well as how to reach even more potential visitors. With so many marketing and communication […]
Is year round holiday let occupancy achievable? There’s no denying that most holidays take place during the summer months. That doesn’t mean that your holiday home should only focus on the warmest season to attract guests. In recent years there has been a marked increase in autumn, winter, and spring breaks, particularly within the British […]
Holiday homeowners will have for a long time realised the importance of guest reviews; Tripadvisor has been at the centre of where many seek guest reviews for hotel and self-catering accommodation for more than fifteen years. You’ll not be surprised to hear that 90% of guests indicate they’re influenced by what they read online. If […]
For a long time, holiday homeowners have faced a similar problem; how do you do the interior of your property justice with photography? How do you encapsulate the views, the local surrounds and everything outside your cottage? Whilst you’ll all know the importance of professional photography in promoting your holiday home, how about taking it […]
If you own an older historic holiday letting property then you’re likely to have had, and will have, plenty of questions from guests about your heritage holiday home’s history. Have you considered the benefits of integrating this information to guests in your holiday home marketing to help secure new and repeat bookings? You may have an […]
As a nation we love our history and heritage; there’s a reason National Trust properties are some of the most popular venues to visit across the country no matter what the season. A recent survey by Historic England has now revealed that the owners of listed buildings are also proud with their own stake in […]
If you’re after more space in your holiday home, then a loft conversion is a great idea. Whether you want an extra bedroom for visitors, or a fun playroom for younger guests, creating a special space at the top of the house will inevitably add value to your property. Sloping ceilings and small spaces can […]
For a long time now we’ve been told that content is king; not only does Google love it, potential guests enjoy reading it and engaging with what you’re sharing in your holiday letting blog, whether that’s information on places to go in the local area, images of the latest stunning sunset or sharing a few […]
The British weather can be unpredictable to say the least, so when inclement weather strikes you need to be prepared and have plenty of things to keep your holiday home guests happy on those rainy days. Whilst your visitors may not be having the warm and dry trip they had hoped for, that doesn’t mean […]
During the busy summer months, it’s common to have a small time frame for your holiday let changeovers between guests. With time at a premium it’s important for you to still check your holiday home to ensure it is safe, suitable for guests, and looking lovely. Catching problems or faults early can prevent potential accidents […]
With the summer season now in full swing we’ve been casting our eye back to the beginning of the year. The latest statistics from Visit England’s Great Britain Tourism Survey (released in recent weeks) has given us the initial indications of how the industry performed throughout the first quarter, a season during which many holiday […]
We believe that keeping an eye on national tourism trends allows us to better understand the holiday letting industry and as a consequence we’re able to develop our holiday home insurance offering to match changing needs. Whilst we speak to holiday homeowners and letting agents every day, taking a look at the statistics means we […]
As a holiday homeowner delivering quality in your holiday home needs to be at the heart of everything you do. It will make people want to stay with you, and also keep them coming back. In order to deliver quality in your holiday home you need to be continually committed to it; as Aristotle once […]
Twitter is a vital tool for holiday homeowners and agents to get closer to, and effectively engage with those wanting to stay in their holiday cottages. The key word in there is ‘engage’; as many will have found over the years, Twitter is far more effective as a marketing tool when interacting with other accounts, […]
The build up to a holiday can be an exciting one for your guests. In anticipation they’ll have created a number of expectations in their mind about the quality of the accommodation, the local area and the experience they feel they’re likely to enjoy. How are these expectations formed, and what can you do in […]
If you do not control or remove moss and algae it can creep up on you before you know it; so are you starting to notice green slime slowly moving up the garden path or clumps of moss protruding from the stonewalls of your holiday home? We all know how visually unpleasant green algae and […]
Are you guilty of hiding the key to your holiday home under the mat or plant pot? There is another way of keeping your holiday home secure! Whether your visitors are just ten minutes or a few days away from arrival, placing your holiday home keys in an insecure place like this can be risky and […]
Emergency Planning – what would you do if something went wrong? We set out some handy tips for preparing a holiday let emergency plan. As a holiday homeowner or letting agent you’re likely to be responsible for any issues that arise with a cottage during your guests’ stay. Whilst putting in place effective health and […]
When we discuss the tourism industry it can be easy to just think of the fantastic self-catering holiday home accommodation we have to provide our visitors. But as you’ll know, your guests will spend the majority of their time away from your holiday home enjoying the local sights and sounds. People travel to a location […]
Holiday homeowners often face a unique set of circumstances when it comes to holiday home security; you could live a good distance from your property, it may be unoccupied for periods during the year and you’ll ultimately have no control over how security conscious and diligent your guests remain when they’re in relaxation mode on […]
A combination of strong winds and salt air can create challenging conditions for growing plants in coastal gardens. If you’re wanting to add a dash of colour to brighten a dull plot or even help protect your garden from the elements with a natural windbreak, here’s some coastal gardens inspiration for your holiday cottage by […]
Destinations are the places we all fall in love with; the home to our holidays and the areas we all want to visit and experience. The word ‘experience’ is the key here; it’s not just about a holiday home, it’s a long weekend, a school holiday or a week-long retreat packed full of experiences, some […]
The devastating affect of poorly maintained tumble dryers has been making headlines across the UK recently, with figures showing they are now one of the largest causes of fires in the home. To ensure tumble dryer safety, maintenance is essential and as a holiday homeowner you’ll need to ensure that yours is regularly checked and […]
As a holiday homeowner there will be plenty for you to think about; how are bookings looking? Which letting agent do you use? Is the cottage in need of repairs and when does the next tax return need to be submitted by? With such a long list, one thing you’ll need to keep at the […]
Ofcom has reported that the time we spend on the Internet has doubled in a decade; the average adult will now spend in excess of 20 hours a week browsing billions of web pages whether for business, entertainment or information. Our thirst for access is also no longer tied to our desktops; the number of […]
Looking at selling your holiday home after years of welcoming paying guests? Whether you’re selling your treasured property to move on to pastures new or ready to retire from holiday letting, there are a few things to remember when it comes to putting your holiday home on the market as a going concern. Consider timing […]
With so much time and attention now spent on social media it can be easy to forget how effective email marketing can be for your holiday let business, or even have space for it on your ever-growing to-do list. To give you a helping hand here are our top ten tips for Holiday Let email […]
It’s turning into a very British winter; rain has battered the country in recent weeks with an estimated £1.3 billion of storm damage and flood damage already caused to domestic properties and businesses. If you’ve been lucky enough to escape storm damage to your holiday home, now is the time to increase the chances of […]
Love Cottages is the ‘new kid’ in holiday cottage rentals. As Holiday Home Insurance specialists we have long held the belief that for the majority of holiday cottage owners, the benefits of using a local holiday letting agent for letting their property has many benefits. The fact that many of these agents have now come […]
The tourism industry is now worth more than £137 billion to the UK economy and with the latest Census figures showing that more than 1.6 million people in England now own a second home, could you be ready to join the queue of people buying a holiday cottage and welcoming guests through their doors? We take […]