Javea villa holidays

• Is it cheaper to book villas directly with owners?

  Thu 10th March 2011

  No, not necessarily.

  We highlighted the benefits of booking with reputable agents in our blog, Agent or owner: Why book your villa with an agent like VillaSpain?

  Book villas in Spain

  Pick an agent like VillaSpain and you can be confident in:

  • the accuracy of the villa description
  • the safety, cleanliness and suitability of your villa and pool
  • expert, local support throughout your stay
  • alternative accommodation if something goes wrong
  • the protection offered by credit card bookings.
  But say, peace-of-mind isn't crucial for you and you were willing to take a chance. Would you bag an unbeatable bargain by going direct?

  Not if the following example is anything to go by.

  We identified two similar villas: both located in idyllic Moraira, both with heated pools, furnished to a good standard with three bedrooms and several bathrooms (our so-called rivals had two, ours had three).

  Booking with VillaSpain would save holidaymakers money each and every week of the year, making a substantial saving of £10,208 over one year's worth of bookings.

  Who was the competition in this example? HomeAway Holiday-Rentals, the American-owned DIY portal, allows owners to advertise their own villas. They claim customers can save up to 40% on agents' prices.

  Yet, our weekly price beat theirs, each and every week, saving customers well over £500 each week at peak times in July and August. When booking for two weeks or more with VillaSpain, the savings even increase with the waiving of the single week surcharge.

  Period	Owner's rates pw	Totals	VillaSpain rates pw	Totals	Difference
  Jan-Mar	12 weeks x £500	£6,000	12 weeks x £287	£3,444
  April -May	9 weeks x £668	£6,012	9 weeks x £477	£4,293
  June	5 weeks x £966	£4,830	5 weeks x £737	£3,685
  July	4 weeks x £1,513	£6,052	2 wks x £887 + 2wks x £987	£3,748
  August	4 weeks x £1,513	£6,052	4 weeks x £987	£3,948
  Sept	4 weeks x £966	£3,864	4 weeks x £737	£2,948
  Oct	4 weeks x £735	£2,940	4 weeks x £477	£1,908
  Nov-Dec	8 wks x £483 + 2 x £651	£5,166	8 wks x £287+ 2 wks x £477	£3,250
  			Single week surcharge 52 wks x£35	£1,820
  			Average added linen at 4 x £8pp x52 wks	£1,664
  Totals	52 weeks	£40,916	52 weeks	£30,708	£10,208

  Villas used in this example were:

  HomeAway Holiday-Rentals' villa: three bedrooms/ two bathrooms with heated pool

  VillaSpain's villa: three bedrooms/ three bathrooms with heated pool

  Discrepancies can occur for a number of reasons:

  • Owners tend to love their villas, understandably. But sometimes love is blind. Without an honest, professional appraisal, it can be all too easy to overvalue a property.
  • There could be a ‘suck-it-and-see' approach to renting, in order to see how high prices can be pushed.
  • The owner may be unperturbed if the villa remains empty, as it can be made available for family and friends.

  Whatever the reason, it makes sense to book villas in Spain where location, facilities and furnishings have been assessed impartially to determine the correct market value. Look at our transparent pricing policy.

  Plan your Spanish holiday now and check out our stylish, luxury villa collection. They're honestly rated and fairly priced.

  How do you book your Spanish holiday? Do you book villas in Spain first? Check our cheap flights later? Or wait for late availability deals and book on impulse?

  Leave your comments here.

  Posted by Bruce Gibson

• Enjoy some unspoilt beaches during your Javea villa holiday

  Tue 04th January 2011

  From Cabo de San Antonio to Cala Granadella, Javea has 25 Km of varied coastline typical of the Costa Blanca. Apart from the golden sandy beaches with promenades, bars and restaurants, there are also some virgin coves that are sure to delight visitors.

  
  

  One such delight is Cala Ambola, a small gravel cove approx 300 meters, located south of Cabo de la Nao, along the coast of Javea, within the province of Alicante. A pleasant unspoilt bay with beautiful crystal clear water and from this charming beach you can see beautiful landscapes such as the small islet of the Discoverer. Cala Ambola is one of the best nudist beaches in the province of Alicante, perfect for those seeking a little peace of mind while enjoying the nature. It is also very good for diving, as it houses some beautiful seabed.

   

  For holidaymakers who don't want to see “that much” scenery, try Cala Granadella a lovely cove with pebbles and rocks with gentle waves which make swimming a pleasure and a Blue Flag status guaranteeing its water quality and services. This cove is ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling.

  
  There are many more beautiful coves of all sizes to be explored, some off the beaten track that make you feel like its your own personal beach.