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
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