If you usually go to a hotel for a holiday, then booking self-catering accommodation can seem like a lot of work. Although the rental price might be cheaper, you should factor in additional costs for either eating out, or buying food. Self-catering villa holidays do have a lot of advantages though.
Privacy
Having your own villa means you have the place to yourself, and many villas come with a private pool too. That means you don’t have to worry about dressing smartly, the kids being noisy and disturbing other guests or other guests getting drunk or behaving inappropriately. Depending on the type of villa you choose, you could be miles from the nearest neighbours – perfect for that getting away from it all holiday.
Flexibility
Hotel dining times and other restrictions don’t always suit all members of the family, especially when travelling with small children who may not want to wait until 8pm for dinner. Going self-catering and having your own kitchen means total freedom over what you eat, and when you eat it.
Space
Even the smallest villa will have separate living and sleeping accommodation – you won’t all be crammed into one room with a small balcony as is often the case in a hotel. This also allows family members to do their own thing without the feeling of living on top of one another. It also means that parents can sit in the living area and watch TV or have a few glasses of wine once the kids are in bed, without having to worry about waking them up.
Home From Home
Villa owners are competing for a limited number of renters, and in order to attract customers strive to offer a home from home experience. Most villas will supply home comforts such as DVD players, satellite televisions, wi-fi connections and baby cots for young guests, and many offer extras like coffee makers, board games and luxurious toiletries.
Cost
Because you’re not paying as standard for all the facilities and service which a larger hotel offers, booking a villa can be an extremely cost-effective option, especially when you are travelling as a larger group. Villas can also vary widely in standard and facilities offered, giving you the flexibility to find the perfect villa for you at the best price. Many villa owners and rental companies offer additional services such as cleaning, a personal chef or pool heating for an extra cost, which allows you to choose any extras you wish for your holiday.
Security
Not everyone likes spending their holidays with a group of strangers at a hotel or apartment complex, and so staying in a villa lets you relax in the company of people you know and trust. You can more easily control who is going in and out of your holiday accommodation, and many villas come with alarms and other security precautions to protect you, and your belongings. You will still need to take out travel insurance though, although if you have EHIC cover this may get you a reduction in the cost of insurance for a European villa holiday.