The Holiday Lets Company - Archive - April
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A cottage holiday doesn’t have to be about relaxing and unwinding. How about promoting your holiday cottage to rent out for a good old-fashioned knees up?

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First and foremost, this is exactly what The Holiday Lets Company is all about: promoting the cottage holiday as a vacation that caters to any and every need. And it’s a pretty easy thing to do. After all, the beauty of the cottage holiday is that it can be as bespoke as you and your guests want it to be.

It’s true that many cottage holiday rentals have rules and regulations that don’t lend themselves to guests holding a party. But you may be surprised by the number of people who are looking for exactly that: a holiday cottage to rent out for their special occasion.

Whether it’s a gathering of girls for a hen-do, a family affair for a Golden Wedding anniversary or a 30th birthday bash with a difference, don’t rule out the idea of your cottage holiday home being used for special events. Remember not everyone wants a 24-hour party with gatecrashers and place trashers; many people – especially those looking for a holiday cottage to rent for an important do – are after a nice place that holds large-ish numbers, and offers a chance to celebrate in style. Think about it, couldn’t your cottage holiday home offer all of the above? Set the ground rules, and you’ll have a unique selling point that makes your cottage holiday stand out from the crowd.

You need to work out what your limits are: numbers, neighbours and nearby entertainment are all factors that need to be considered before you tell renters that your cottage holiday is ideal for a celebration. If your holiday cottage to rent is in the heart of a sleepy village with neighbours that could hear a pin drop, it may not be suitable for a 30th, but it could be perfect for a family gathering to celebrate Granny’s 80th. Once you’ve worked this out, let potential renters know that you’re happy for them to hold celebrations during their cottage holiday, so long as they don’t break your boundaries.

Make sure you clearly advertise the facilities that people may look for when searching out a holiday cottage to rent for a celebration. Does your cottage holiday home have a large kitchen suited to cooking for a crowd? Have you got a swimming pool or Jacuzzi outside? And how about that huge field at the back of your cottage holiday rental with the gas barbeque and plenty of space for a gathering? If you’ve got it, shout about it!

Don’t forget to ask renters if there are any special occasions being celebrated during their stay, and think about adding a deposit to your cottage holiday rental charge for anyone planning a party. That way you can rest assured that you have a safety net if any breakages occur.

It’s simple really. Don’t rule out pushing the party-suitability of your cottage holiday home. You never know, it could be good for business!

HANNAH JAMES for THEHOLIDAYLETSCOMPANY

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Truro’s markets hit the mark for cottage holidays in Cornwall

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With three rivers running through it, Truro offers a delightful base for Cornish holidays. A beautiful cathedral city, the Cornish capital has something for everyone from award-winning restaurants and spectacular architecture to arousing art and entertaining events. It’s worth saving at least one day in your Cornish itinerary to explore this on-the-surface sleep town – especially if you like to shop!

From its days as Cornwall’s busiest port in the 18th century through a period as a thriving mining town, the city has constantly adapted to local needs – seen in its array of historical architecture. However, whatever else is going on in the nearby area, the town has never forgotten its humble roots as the heart of the Cornish farming community. Long renowned for its enticing markets, modern day Truro still homes regular markets which supply the locals and draw the tourists.

As well as a weekly livestock market where bartering over prize animal can be heard, there is plenty of opportunity for visitors to gain a glimpse into rural Cornwall life. Every Wednesday and Saturday, local farmers gather to sell their fresh produce in the Lemon Quay piazza where most of Truro’s many events are held. An ideal shopping experience for visitors enjoying self-catering cottage holidays in the area, this is the place to pick up everything from meat and cheese to fruit and veg – all locally grown and produced.

If you can’t make a Wednesday or Saturday, the Pannier Market, open six days a week (closed on Sundays) is the next best thing. A selection of handy shops – from butchers, greengrocers and bakeries to antiques, hardware and ice cream parlours – should provide you with your every need.

But the crème de la crème of Truro’s markets – at least for the tourist – is the one found on the delightfully named Lemon Street. Alongside the fashion boutiques, handicraft shops and art galleries, there are plenty of coffee shops and people-watching cafes to while away some time in.

Truro is a shopper’s paradise with plenty of independent and unique shops to pick up something a little bit different on your Cornish holidays, but don’t let your credit card dictate your entire visit. Take your time as you stroll from market to market and soak up the sights of Truro. Dominating the scene, the city’s dramatic gothic-style cathedral built in 1880 draws visitors’ eyes as the 250ft spire towers over the city, while the grand Georgian houses that line the pavements of Lemon Street are on a par with those of the city of Bath.

Finally, when you’ve ran out of shopping steam, head for the Victoria Gardens created to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. Central yet peaceful, it’s the perfect place to wind down after a hard day’s spending, before heading back to your private holiday rentals.

Hannah James for theholidayletscompany

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Sink or swim for cottages, holiday homes and rentals as tax breaks are withdrawn on holiday homes under new EU laws.

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Recent announcements this month that a holiday cottage to rent, holiday homes and other properties of this nature are to lose their tax cuts, could prove pivotal in the quality of holiday homes increasing in the future. Tax incentives were introduced in the 80′s in order to boost Britain’s waning tourism industry. With the advent of cheap package holidays in Spain, seaside resorts and coastal towns across the UK, struggled to attract holiday makers. This decline in popularity saw the government subsidies many second homes, allowing landlords and second home owners to purchase and run a second property at reduced rates. Known as the furnished holiday lettings rule, it kicked British tourism into shape and  holiday destinations such as Kent, Dorset and the Cotswold’s have remained vibrant and in abundance with a variety of holiday homes and cottages ever since. Now that these incentives for second home owners will finish under new legislation, it can only mean that consistent and quality holiday properties will remain. Serious players in the market, with proven track records will prosper, spelling the end for amateur landlords. Empty promises of beautiful and idyllic properties and disappointed tourists may be a thing of the past.

 

Many tourist hotspots throughout the UK or saturated with cheap bed and breakfasts and budget options, cluttering towns and villages with empty and run down establishments, and further reducing the locality of places. The impact of the tax cuts will also mean that locals can re-establish themselves in their own communities. The British summer season has a notoriously short life-span leaving many properties virtually uninhabited for large parts of the year. Only holiday homes actively open for business for 70 days a year currently benefit from tax breaks, and this will increase to 210 days or 30 weeks from April 2012. Although this means a rocky road ahead for struggling landlords, the British holiday maker will be left with the crème de la crème in terms of holiday letting options. While expenses will also remain to be recognised under the holiday lettings rule as lesser tax deductible, the quality of persistent properties will improve even further as owners seek to refurbish, repair and maintain them in time to qualify for the shift in tax breaks. Holiday homes and cottage may thin out drastically in the next several years, and this certainly suggests that  the low budget options may vanish altogether. Aside, competition for tourists and holiday makers will hot-up and be fought out between a smaller number of establishments seeking to conduct business in the shortest of summer windows. Attractive packages and special offers will inevitably be on offer to ensure a steady flow of custom in an emulous market place with limited opening hours. As spring arrives and the nights grow longer, weekend Cornish holidays, especially the self catering cottage holidays option, has never seemed so appealing.

 

Luke Berte for theholidayletscompany
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Cottage Holiday in Looe

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Looe turns a Cornish Holiday into a unique experience. It is a small fishing port located in South East Cornwall and is in fact a town of two halves; East Looe and West Looe are connected by a single bridge that spans over the estuary of the River Looe and each opposing side of the valley is considered to be a different town.

In the spring and autumn a rolling mist often inches down towards the sea, hovering above the river and separating the two sides in the early morning with a soft white edge that only adds to the tranquillity and historical essence of the town. Evidence on the hills directly above Looe suggests that the area had settlement over 1000 years BC and the opposing churches of West and East date back to the early 13th Century, with the original tower of East Looe’s The Church of St. Mary still standing. Historically the town was a thriving port and was in fact one of Cornwall’s largest by the 1400’s, exporting tin, arsenic and granite and being home to large boatbuilding and fishing industries as well as playing host to a boom in local textile industries, Looe being their main port of export.

With such a rich history Looe is steeped in culture and to this day features on the list of top 10 places to celebrate New Years Eve because of the local tradition of dressing up and parading in the street down towards the ocean for a terrific fireworks display.However, Looe has far more to offer than tradition and picturesque town architecture,  the nearby Talland Bay became dubbed ‘the playground of Plymouth’ in the 19th century and was the catalyst to a new tradition of tourism in the area, turning Looe into one of the forefront holiday destinations in Cornwall.

In the summer Looe is a thriving tourist resort because of its scenic seascape, family friendly beaches and locality to some of Britain’s best walks and most famous attractions. There is a regular coach route to the Eden Project near St Austell and it is also widely signposted for those wishing to travel by car. On the same route lies the Woolly Monkey Sanctuary, just a few miles inland and a must-visit because of its worldwide reputation and mesmerising inhabitants. Just a few miles in the other direction out at sea lays the beautiful St George’s Island, intimately known as Looe Island. Local legend cites that Joseph of Arimathea landed on Looe Island with Jesus as a child and it has also been identified as the island of Ictis, the centre of the British Tin trade in pre-Roman times. There are regular boat tours leaving the harbour and they give you the chance to walk around the Island for a couple of hours, taking you back to Looe in time for lunch at one of its highly rated beach front pubs and restaurants.

There are a number of holiday cottages to rent both down by the sea, along the river and back up the winding streets towards the hills of East and West Looe that combine with the local attractions to make the town a perfect and affordable getaway for summer or winter.

James Greenall for the holidayletscompany

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Penzance, Holidays in Cornwall

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The most westerly town in Cornwall and positioned on the shores of Mount’s Bay, Penzance has much to entice tourists and it’s 20,000 residents. Monumental cliffs, hidden coves and a wealth of wide stretching sandy beaches integrate superbly with reluctant moors, that reside on granite promontories on the periphery of the town. Due to its jutting peninsula, it boasts sub- tropical wildlife (including palm trees) and has a considerably abstemious climate; making it one of the warmest area’s in the entire British isles. The appearance of vegetables and flowers in early spring offer a colourful twist to this most wild and invigorating of British environments, and can be witnessed right through until Autumn.

The long-standing mythology of seafaring pirates and smugglers means Penzance is riddled with heritage. So much so, that the town directly inspired the world famous and classic comedy opera, ‘Pirate’s of Penzance’. Written by Arthur Sullivan and W.S Gilbert it premièred in New York City in 1879 and was applauded by critics and fans alike, and owed much to this majestic and culturally rich borough of Cornwall. It’s primitive fishing villages, outstanding environmental landscape and crystal clear blue waters, mean it has been attracting visitors, water sports enthusiasts and boating championships for years. Life guards patrol the more popular beaches throughout the summer and their preservation and cleanliness has been recognised with various awards.

Penzance is also the major commercial centre of Land’s end, meaning there are ample shops and restaurants for visitors of all dispositions. It has an archetypal and highly exquisite promenade on it’s sea front, a pier and can bluster terraced houses of Regency and Georgian descent along with a host of  museums and art galleries. These include The Newlyn Art Gallery establishment ‘The Exchange’ which had a major face lift in 2007, and the Penlee House Gallery and Museum, which displays archaeological and societal artefacts of west Cornwall. The Penzance website claims to have more eateries per resident than New York and some 30 pubs and drinking holes; most of which are set in quintessential buildings. All demeanour of cusine can be tried and tested from Chinese to French, and the local delectation, the Cornish Meadery is never far away with three in Penzance and one in Newlyn.

The show stopper of Penzance however is St Michael’s Mount. An island located only 400 yards off the bay, it has a castle and a chapel along with a minute village made up of less than a dozen houses. The cemetry although not open to the public, harbours the graves of previous island reisdents along with drowned sailors. A point on the beach at Chapel rock marks the spot where pilgrims would worship Virgin Mary before climbing to the peak and there is also an underground railway that links the island to the harbour. Built by tin miners in the 1900′s it was used to transport materials back and forth from the mainland. Due to its steep gradient, access and viewing is not permissible to the public.

One of the longest standing towns in Cornwall, and awash with Celtic and Christian culture of the most ancient realms, the culture and history of Penzance is masterful, making it a worthy holiday destination for travellers and tourists of all persuasions.

 

Luke Berte for the holidayletscompany

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Government’s bid to improve energy efficiency of cottage holidays

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It has been on the cards for a while, but having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for holiday homes becomes a legal requirement in time for this summer season. If you rent out a property for four months or more in any 12 month period, this new Department for Communities and Local Government regulation will affect you.

 

And it’s worth taking seriously. It’s your responsibility to make sure you have the relevant paperwork in place when the regulation comes into force on June 30, 2011. If you don’t, you run the risk of incurring hefty fines of up to £200 per rental.

 

It may sound bad on the surface – another piece of paperwork for holiday home landlords to worry about, additional expense and yet more legislation to consider. But it’s not all negative. As well as being quick, easy and cheap to arrange, an EPC can help you promote your property and save money in the long-run.

 

What is an EPC?

Split into three sections, an EPC provides holiday homeowners with information on their property’s energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. The first section shows the energy efficiency rating of your property – ranging from A (high) to G (low). The second section uses the same A (good) to G (bad) rating to show the environmental impact of a property in the form of CO2 emissions. The third – and most important to you – is the recommendation report.

 

Cutting costs

From fitting low energy light-bulbs or loft insulation to installing double glazing or replacing your boiler, the recommendation report offers various energy-saving solutions split into low and high cost categories. As well as doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions, you’ll save yourself some cash at the same time. Although you aren’t obliged to follow any of the recommendations, improving your property’s energy efficiency could dramatically reduce your energy bills – particularly handy at a time when energy is getting steadily more expensive!

 

Greater appeal

And that’s not all either. Environmental protection and carbon reduction has often been top of the agenda in the media and politics over the last few years, and people are becoming ever more aware of environmental issues. You can’t have failed to notice that the demand for green consumer options is everywhere, and the holiday market is no different. Improve your EPC ratings and you could add an extra incentive with which to promote your holiday cottage to rent to potential customers.

 

Get it done

Shop around. There are numerous companies that will come and carry out an assessment for you, keeping the prices competitive. EPC assessments can be carried out for as little as £25, and certificates currently remain valid for ten years under current regulations. Watch this space though, as the validity period is set to be lowered to between three and five years when the Energy Bill comes into play in August 2012.

Find out more at www.direct.gov.uk

 

Hannah James for the holidayletscompany

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We would like to embark on a cottage holiday this year. Is a holiday cottage to rent easily booked?

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A cottage holiday is a great way to spend a summer holiday, as they offer entire properties for any kind of group that you are travelling with. If a holiday cottage to rent is your desired avenue to approach, they can cater for families, large friendship groups and couples. There is a vast array of holiday cottage to rent throughout the UK, and so researching your trip thoroughly is advisable. Many cottage holiday options are self-catering and pet-friendly, so if your looking for a more independent getaway, a cottage holiday is your best bet. All over the British isles, there are quaint and idyllic holiday homes, ranging from period and listed stately homes, to independently owned cottages to rent. Some properties can sleep up to 20 people and other’s are more suitable for couples and smaller families. If booked far enough in advance, you can dramatically reduces charges and booking fees, as landlords and property owners like to clarify and confirm time slots as soon as possible. With the early onset of good weather this year, it would be worth arranging your cottage holiday early.

 

Advice is on hand

 

With so many websites advertising cottage holidays, the competition for customers and travellers is tense. The great thing about this however, is that a lot of the sites will do all the leg work for you. Ratings and reviews are common place on cottage holiday sites and listings pages, and so finding the perfect holiday cottage to rent is no problem at all. Expert advise and opinion from seasoned travellers is available to ensure you are comprehensively informed, and up-to-speed on what’s hot and what’s not. If you want to find a cottage holiday at short notice for a weekend break, or you have a more detailed agenda and copious amounts of time, there will be options available at your disposal.

 

 

Live like a local

 

Being able to come and go as you please, is the great thing about renting a holiday cottage. Bike rides, long and scenic walks and other outdoor activities can be embarked on in your own time and at your own pace. Whether you choose a holiday cottage to rent by the seaside, or choose a cottage holiday in the Yorkshire dales, dictating the pace of your holiday is one of the main reasons why so many people continue to choose this type of holiday, year after year. Considering a cottage holiday this summer, could prove to be an experience that will be relived time and again. They allow a quintessential experience of some of the most attractive and picturesque towns and villages in Britain. You can experience life like a local and be left to your own devices on a cottage holiday.

 

 

Luke Berte for the holiday lets company

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Cornwall in the summer

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Cottages holiday homes, and holiday home rentals UK wide, will wake from their slumber during the next several months. As the summer draws closer and the nights grow longer, landlords across the country will be dusting down and spring cleaning in preparation for the influx of summer holiday makers. But, the usual flock of tourists who flee our shores in search of guaranteed sunshine else where, may want to reconsider their position. With one of the warmest and most magical spring seasons recorded in recent history, April has bought the summer holiday season forward, leaving a British summer holiday this year, more plausible than ever. Where to, I hear you ask? Well, Cornwall being at the most south-westerly tip of the country is a great starting point when considering a British holiday. It’s coastal position and jutting peninsula mean the weather is nearly always consistent. Come May, the temperature graduates to a daily maximum of around 14 to 15  Celsius, whilst June and July can boast even hotter days and cooler nights. The Spring comes early and the Autumn lingers, goes the saying in these parts of the country.

Many annual events in Cornwall begin around May, most notably the Rip Curl English Surf Championships, and the highlight being the Run To The Sun Festival, which appears at the tail end of May. This festival is a major event for the region and is held in Newquay. VW camper van and beetle aficionado’s flock to this infamous surfer’s town en mass, for the surf, weather and the car’s. It has been running since 1987 and incorporates festival culture, music, dance, DJ’s, surf and sun, to make it a dynamic and alternative festival that needs to be seen to be believed. RTHS festival commence on the 27th May and runs until 30th. For more information checkout, www.runtothesun.co.uk

Much of the surfing and festival revelling contingent will opt for camping, camper vans or the fall where they may approach when it comes to accommodation during this busy programme. Equally inviting are the seemingly ubiquitous holiday properties UK bound. Especially, in this region. Although holidays during August are often cheaper, if you can make a May get-away this year, the chances of finding holiday properties UK wide at reduced rates is a dead cert. There are a profusion of cottages holiday homes and bed and breakfasts in Newquay and the surrounding area’s to cater for all types of traveller. And with it being relatively early in the window of holiday proceedings, finding the perfect UK holiday property at the right budget, should be a walk on the beach.

Luke Berte for the holidayletscompany

Manually Edited Cornish Business Directory With Links, News, Weather and Information For Cornwall UK

,

Government’s bid to improve energy efficiency of cottage holidays

Posted by webmaster in News - (0 Comments)

It has been on the cards for a while, but having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for holiday homes becomes a legal requirement in time for this summer season. If you rent out a property for four months or more in any 12 month period, this new Department for Communities and Local Government regulation will affect you.

And it’s worth taking seriously. It’s your responsibility to make sure you have the relevant paperwork in place when the regulation comes into force on June 30, 2011. If you don’t, you run the risk of incurring hefty fines of up to £200 per rental.

It may sound bad on the surface – another piece of paperwork for holiday home landlords to worry about, additional expense and yet more legislation to consider. But it’s not all negative. As well as being quick, easy and cheap to arrange, an EPC can help you promote your property and save money in the long-run.

What is an EPC?

Split into three sections, an EPC provides holiday homeowners with information on their property’s energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. The first section shows the energy efficiency rating of your property – ranging from A (high) to G (low). The second section uses the same A (good) to G (bad) rating to show the environmental impact of a property in the form of CO2 emissions. The third – and most important to you – is the recommendation report.

Cutting costs

From fitting low energy light-bulbs or loft insulation to installing double glazing or replacing your boiler, the recommendation report offers various energy-saving solutions split into low and high cost categories. As well as doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions, you’ll save yourself some cash at the same time. Although you aren’t obliged to follow any of the recommendations, improving your property’s energy efficiency could dramatically reduce your energy bills – particularly handy at a time when energy is getting steadily more expensive!

Greater appeal

And that’s not all either. Environmental protection and carbon reduction has often been top of the agenda in the media and politics over the last few years, and people are becoming ever more aware of environmental issues. You can’t have failed to notice that the demand for green consumer options is everywhere, and the holiday market is no different. Improve your EPC ratings and you could add an extra incentive with which to promote your holiday cottage to rent to potential customers.

Get it done

Shop around. There are numerous companies that will come and carry out an assessment for you, keeping the prices competitive. EPC assessments can be carried out for as little as £25, and certificates currently remain valid for ten years under current regulations. Watch this space though, as the validity period is set to be lowered to between three and five years when the Energy Bill comes into play in August 2012.

Find out more at www.direct.gov.uk

 

Hannah James for The Holiday Lets Company

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What’s the best way to advertise my Cornish holiday home?

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Self-catering accommodation is the ideal way to enjoy Cornish holidays and the perfect way to get freedom from itineraries and schedules therefore allowing you to enjoy your holiday in the way that you want at your desired pace. One of the hardest things to do when planning Cornish holidays is to decide on the accommodation that you would like to stay in.  There is a vast amount of self-catering accommodation that is available for Cornish holidays and this sometimes makes it difficult to decide which option to go for.

It is true to say that people visiting Cornwall will be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation, simply because there are so many different options available. When it comes to advertising and promoting Cornish holiday property it is actually a very easy thing to do as the area really sells itself. In order to give the promotion a little helping hand it’s a good idea to focus on the vast array of tourist attractions that are available and also the various local hotspots that people can visit when they are staying in the area.

One selling point of a Cornish holiday is the beaches on offer. The water off the Cornish coast is some of the in the United Kingdom. During the peak summer months these beaches are patrolled by lifeguards, therefore the beaches are totally safe for families. With beautiful coves scattered around the luxurious coastline, this makes the area the perfect location for a romantic getaway.

Due to the vast amount of choice that is available there is something to suit everyone who would like to experience a Cornish holiday for themselves.

Catherine Stewart for The Holiday Lets Company

 

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The Holiday Lets Company - Archive - April
Header image

A cottage holiday doesn’t have to be about relaxing and unwinding. How about promoting your holiday cottage to rent out for a good old-fashioned knees up?

Posted by webmaster in News - (0 Comments)

 

First and foremost, this is exactly what The Holiday Lets Company is all about: promoting the cottage holiday as a vacation that caters to any and every need. And it’s a pretty easy thing to do. After all, the beauty of the cottage holiday is that it can be as bespoke as you and your guests want it to be.

It’s true that many cottage holiday rentals have rules and regulations that don’t lend themselves to guests holding a party. But you may be surprised by the number of people who are looking for exactly that: a holiday cottage to rent out for their special occasion.

Whether it’s a gathering of girls for a hen-do, a family affair for a Golden Wedding anniversary or a 30th birthday bash with a difference, don’t rule out the idea of your cottage holiday home being used for special events. Remember not everyone wants a 24-hour party with gatecrashers and place trashers; many people – especially those looking for a holiday cottage to rent for an important do – are after a nice place that holds large-ish numbers, and offers a chance to celebrate in style. Think about it, couldn’t your cottage holiday home offer all of the above? Set the ground rules, and you’ll have a unique selling point that makes your cottage holiday stand out from the crowd.

You need to work out what your limits are: numbers, neighbours and nearby entertainment are all factors that need to be considered before you tell renters that your cottage holiday is ideal for a celebration. If your holiday cottage to rent is in the heart of a sleepy village with neighbours that could hear a pin drop, it may not be suitable for a 30th, but it could be perfect for a family gathering to celebrate Granny’s 80th. Once you’ve worked this out, let potential renters know that you’re happy for them to hold celebrations during their cottage holiday, so long as they don’t break your boundaries.

Make sure you clearly advertise the facilities that people may look for when searching out a holiday cottage to rent for a celebration. Does your cottage holiday home have a large kitchen suited to cooking for a crowd? Have you got a swimming pool or Jacuzzi outside? And how about that huge field at the back of your cottage holiday rental with the gas barbeque and plenty of space for a gathering? If you’ve got it, shout about it!

Don’t forget to ask renters if there are any special occasions being celebrated during their stay, and think about adding a deposit to your cottage holiday rental charge for anyone planning a party. That way you can rest assured that you have a safety net if any breakages occur.

It’s simple really. Don’t rule out pushing the party-suitability of your cottage holiday home. You never know, it could be good for business!

HANNAH JAMES for THEHOLIDAYLETSCOMPANY

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Truro’s markets hit the mark for cottage holidays in Cornwall

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With three rivers running through it, Truro offers a delightful base for Cornish holidays. A beautiful cathedral city, the Cornish capital has something for everyone from award-winning restaurants and spectacular architecture to arousing art and entertaining events. It’s worth saving at least one day in your Cornish itinerary to explore this on-the-surface sleep town – especially if you like to shop!

From its days as Cornwall’s busiest port in the 18th century through a period as a thriving mining town, the city has constantly adapted to local needs – seen in its array of historical architecture. However, whatever else is going on in the nearby area, the town has never forgotten its humble roots as the heart of the Cornish farming community. Long renowned for its enticing markets, modern day Truro still homes regular markets which supply the locals and draw the tourists.

As well as a weekly livestock market where bartering over prize animal can be heard, there is plenty of opportunity for visitors to gain a glimpse into rural Cornwall life. Every Wednesday and Saturday, local farmers gather to sell their fresh produce in the Lemon Quay piazza where most of Truro’s many events are held. An ideal shopping experience for visitors enjoying self-catering cottage holidays in the area, this is the place to pick up everything from meat and cheese to fruit and veg – all locally grown and produced.

If you can’t make a Wednesday or Saturday, the Pannier Market, open six days a week (closed on Sundays) is the next best thing. A selection of handy shops – from butchers, greengrocers and bakeries to antiques, hardware and ice cream parlours – should provide you with your every need.

But the crème de la crème of Truro’s markets – at least for the tourist – is the one found on the delightfully named Lemon Street. Alongside the fashion boutiques, handicraft shops and art galleries, there are plenty of coffee shops and people-watching cafes to while away some time in.

Truro is a shopper’s paradise with plenty of independent and unique shops to pick up something a little bit different on your Cornish holidays, but don’t let your credit card dictate your entire visit. Take your time as you stroll from market to market and soak up the sights of Truro. Dominating the scene, the city’s dramatic gothic-style cathedral built in 1880 draws visitors’ eyes as the 250ft spire towers over the city, while the grand Georgian houses that line the pavements of Lemon Street are on a par with those of the city of Bath.

Finally, when you’ve ran out of shopping steam, head for the Victoria Gardens created to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. Central yet peaceful, it’s the perfect place to wind down after a hard day’s spending, before heading back to your private holiday rentals.

Hannah James for theholidayletscompany

Discount Flights
Enjoy great savings by booking discount flights on CheapOair.ca. With CheapOair.ca you can always grab the best discounted deals available online.

,

Sink or swim for cottages, holiday homes and rentals as tax breaks are withdrawn on holiday homes under new EU laws.

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Recent announcements this month that a holiday cottage to rent, holiday homes and other properties of this nature are to lose their tax cuts, could prove pivotal in the quality of holiday homes increasing in the future. Tax incentives were introduced in the 80′s in order to boost Britain’s waning tourism industry. With the advent of cheap package holidays in Spain, seaside resorts and coastal towns across the UK, struggled to attract holiday makers. This decline in popularity saw the government subsidies many second homes, allowing landlords and second home owners to purchase and run a second property at reduced rates. Known as the furnished holiday lettings rule, it kicked British tourism into shape and  holiday destinations such as Kent, Dorset and the Cotswold’s have remained vibrant and in abundance with a variety of holiday homes and cottages ever since. Now that these incentives for second home owners will finish under new legislation, it can only mean that consistent and quality holiday properties will remain. Serious players in the market, with proven track records will prosper, spelling the end for amateur landlords. Empty promises of beautiful and idyllic properties and disappointed tourists may be a thing of the past.

 

Many tourist hotspots throughout the UK or saturated with cheap bed and breakfasts and budget options, cluttering towns and villages with empty and run down establishments, and further reducing the locality of places. The impact of the tax cuts will also mean that locals can re-establish themselves in their own communities. The British summer season has a notoriously short life-span leaving many properties virtually uninhabited for large parts of the year. Only holiday homes actively open for business for 70 days a year currently benefit from tax breaks, and this will increase to 210 days or 30 weeks from April 2012. Although this means a rocky road ahead for struggling landlords, the British holiday maker will be left with the crème de la crème in terms of holiday letting options. While expenses will also remain to be recognised under the holiday lettings rule as lesser tax deductible, the quality of persistent properties will improve even further as owners seek to refurbish, repair and maintain them in time to qualify for the shift in tax breaks. Holiday homes and cottage may thin out drastically in the next several years, and this certainly suggests that  the low budget options may vanish altogether. Aside, competition for tourists and holiday makers will hot-up and be fought out between a smaller number of establishments seeking to conduct business in the shortest of summer windows. Attractive packages and special offers will inevitably be on offer to ensure a steady flow of custom in an emulous market place with limited opening hours. As spring arrives and the nights grow longer, weekend Cornish holidays, especially the self catering cottage holidays option, has never seemed so appealing.

 

Luke Berte for theholidayletscompany
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Cottage Holiday in Looe

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Looe turns a Cornish Holiday into a unique experience. It is a small fishing port located in South East Cornwall and is in fact a town of two halves; East Looe and West Looe are connected by a single bridge that spans over the estuary of the River Looe and each opposing side of the valley is considered to be a different town.

In the spring and autumn a rolling mist often inches down towards the sea, hovering above the river and separating the two sides in the early morning with a soft white edge that only adds to the tranquillity and historical essence of the town. Evidence on the hills directly above Looe suggests that the area had settlement over 1000 years BC and the opposing churches of West and East date back to the early 13th Century, with the original tower of East Looe’s The Church of St. Mary still standing. Historically the town was a thriving port and was in fact one of Cornwall’s largest by the 1400’s, exporting tin, arsenic and granite and being home to large boatbuilding and fishing industries as well as playing host to a boom in local textile industries, Looe being their main port of export.

With such a rich history Looe is steeped in culture and to this day features on the list of top 10 places to celebrate New Years Eve because of the local tradition of dressing up and parading in the street down towards the ocean for a terrific fireworks display.However, Looe has far more to offer than tradition and picturesque town architecture,  the nearby Talland Bay became dubbed ‘the playground of Plymouth’ in the 19th century and was the catalyst to a new tradition of tourism in the area, turning Looe into one of the forefront holiday destinations in Cornwall.

In the summer Looe is a thriving tourist resort because of its scenic seascape, family friendly beaches and locality to some of Britain’s best walks and most famous attractions. There is a regular coach route to the Eden Project near St Austell and it is also widely signposted for those wishing to travel by car. On the same route lies the Woolly Monkey Sanctuary, just a few miles inland and a must-visit because of its worldwide reputation and mesmerising inhabitants. Just a few miles in the other direction out at sea lays the beautiful St George’s Island, intimately known as Looe Island. Local legend cites that Joseph of Arimathea landed on Looe Island with Jesus as a child and it has also been identified as the island of Ictis, the centre of the British Tin trade in pre-Roman times. There are regular boat tours leaving the harbour and they give you the chance to walk around the Island for a couple of hours, taking you back to Looe in time for lunch at one of its highly rated beach front pubs and restaurants.

There are a number of holiday cottages to rent both down by the sea, along the river and back up the winding streets towards the hills of East and West Looe that combine with the local attractions to make the town a perfect and affordable getaway for summer or winter.

James Greenall for the holidayletscompany

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Penzance, Holidays in Cornwall

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The most westerly town in Cornwall and positioned on the shores of Mount’s Bay, Penzance has much to entice tourists and it’s 20,000 residents. Monumental cliffs, hidden coves and a wealth of wide stretching sandy beaches integrate superbly with reluctant moors, that reside on granite promontories on the periphery of the town. Due to its jutting peninsula, it boasts sub- tropical wildlife (including palm trees) and has a considerably abstemious climate; making it one of the warmest area’s in the entire British isles. The appearance of vegetables and flowers in early spring offer a colourful twist to this most wild and invigorating of British environments, and can be witnessed right through until Autumn.

The long-standing mythology of seafaring pirates and smugglers means Penzance is riddled with heritage. So much so, that the town directly inspired the world famous and classic comedy opera, ‘Pirate’s of Penzance’. Written by Arthur Sullivan and W.S Gilbert it premièred in New York City in 1879 and was applauded by critics and fans alike, and owed much to this majestic and culturally rich borough of Cornwall. It’s primitive fishing villages, outstanding environmental landscape and crystal clear blue waters, mean it has been attracting visitors, water sports enthusiasts and boating championships for years. Life guards patrol the more popular beaches throughout the summer and their preservation and cleanliness has been recognised with various awards.

Penzance is also the major commercial centre of Land’s end, meaning there are ample shops and restaurants for visitors of all dispositions. It has an archetypal and highly exquisite promenade on it’s sea front, a pier and can bluster terraced houses of Regency and Georgian descent along with a host of  museums and art galleries. These include The Newlyn Art Gallery establishment ‘The Exchange’ which had a major face lift in 2007, and the Penlee House Gallery and Museum, which displays archaeological and societal artefacts of west Cornwall. The Penzance website claims to have more eateries per resident than New York and some 30 pubs and drinking holes; most of which are set in quintessential buildings. All demeanour of cusine can be tried and tested from Chinese to French, and the local delectation, the Cornish Meadery is never far away with three in Penzance and one in Newlyn.

The show stopper of Penzance however is St Michael’s Mount. An island located only 400 yards off the bay, it has a castle and a chapel along with a minute village made up of less than a dozen houses. The cemetry although not open to the public, harbours the graves of previous island reisdents along with drowned sailors. A point on the beach at Chapel rock marks the spot where pilgrims would worship Virgin Mary before climbing to the peak and there is also an underground railway that links the island to the harbour. Built by tin miners in the 1900′s it was used to transport materials back and forth from the mainland. Due to its steep gradient, access and viewing is not permissible to the public.

One of the longest standing towns in Cornwall, and awash with Celtic and Christian culture of the most ancient realms, the culture and history of Penzance is masterful, making it a worthy holiday destination for travellers and tourists of all persuasions.

 

Luke Berte for the holidayletscompany

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Government’s bid to improve energy efficiency of cottage holidays

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It has been on the cards for a while, but having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for holiday homes becomes a legal requirement in time for this summer season. If you rent out a property for four months or more in any 12 month period, this new Department for Communities and Local Government regulation will affect you.

 

And it’s worth taking seriously. It’s your responsibility to make sure you have the relevant paperwork in place when the regulation comes into force on June 30, 2011. If you don’t, you run the risk of incurring hefty fines of up to £200 per rental.

 

It may sound bad on the surface – another piece of paperwork for holiday home landlords to worry about, additional expense and yet more legislation to consider. But it’s not all negative. As well as being quick, easy and cheap to arrange, an EPC can help you promote your property and save money in the long-run.

 

What is an EPC?

Split into three sections, an EPC provides holiday homeowners with information on their property’s energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. The first section shows the energy efficiency rating of your property – ranging from A (high) to G (low). The second section uses the same A (good) to G (bad) rating to show the environmental impact of a property in the form of CO2 emissions. The third – and most important to you – is the recommendation report.

 

Cutting costs

From fitting low energy light-bulbs or loft insulation to installing double glazing or replacing your boiler, the recommendation report offers various energy-saving solutions split into low and high cost categories. As well as doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions, you’ll save yourself some cash at the same time. Although you aren’t obliged to follow any of the recommendations, improving your property’s energy efficiency could dramatically reduce your energy bills – particularly handy at a time when energy is getting steadily more expensive!

 

Greater appeal

And that’s not all either. Environmental protection and carbon reduction has often been top of the agenda in the media and politics over the last few years, and people are becoming ever more aware of environmental issues. You can’t have failed to notice that the demand for green consumer options is everywhere, and the holiday market is no different. Improve your EPC ratings and you could add an extra incentive with which to promote your holiday cottage to rent to potential customers.

 

Get it done

Shop around. There are numerous companies that will come and carry out an assessment for you, keeping the prices competitive. EPC assessments can be carried out for as little as £25, and certificates currently remain valid for ten years under current regulations. Watch this space though, as the validity period is set to be lowered to between three and five years when the Energy Bill comes into play in August 2012.

Find out more at www.direct.gov.uk

 

Hannah James for the holidayletscompany

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We would like to embark on a cottage holiday this year. Is a holiday cottage to rent easily booked?

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A cottage holiday is a great way to spend a summer holiday, as they offer entire properties for any kind of group that you are travelling with. If a holiday cottage to rent is your desired avenue to approach, they can cater for families, large friendship groups and couples. There is a vast array of holiday cottage to rent throughout the UK, and so researching your trip thoroughly is advisable. Many cottage holiday options are self-catering and pet-friendly, so if your looking for a more independent getaway, a cottage holiday is your best bet. All over the British isles, there are quaint and idyllic holiday homes, ranging from period and listed stately homes, to independently owned cottages to rent. Some properties can sleep up to 20 people and other’s are more suitable for couples and smaller families. If booked far enough in advance, you can dramatically reduces charges and booking fees, as landlords and property owners like to clarify and confirm time slots as soon as possible. With the early onset of good weather this year, it would be worth arranging your cottage holiday early.

 

Advice is on hand

 

With so many websites advertising cottage holidays, the competition for customers and travellers is tense. The great thing about this however, is that a lot of the sites will do all the leg work for you. Ratings and reviews are common place on cottage holiday sites and listings pages, and so finding the perfect holiday cottage to rent is no problem at all. Expert advise and opinion from seasoned travellers is available to ensure you are comprehensively informed, and up-to-speed on what’s hot and what’s not. If you want to find a cottage holiday at short notice for a weekend break, or you have a more detailed agenda and copious amounts of time, there will be options available at your disposal.

 

 

Live like a local

 

Being able to come and go as you please, is the great thing about renting a holiday cottage. Bike rides, long and scenic walks and other outdoor activities can be embarked on in your own time and at your own pace. Whether you choose a holiday cottage to rent by the seaside, or choose a cottage holiday in the Yorkshire dales, dictating the pace of your holiday is one of the main reasons why so many people continue to choose this type of holiday, year after year. Considering a cottage holiday this summer, could prove to be an experience that will be relived time and again. They allow a quintessential experience of some of the most attractive and picturesque towns and villages in Britain. You can experience life like a local and be left to your own devices on a cottage holiday.

 

 

Luke Berte for the holiday lets company

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Cornwall in the summer

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Cottages holiday homes, and holiday home rentals UK wide, will wake from their slumber during the next several months. As the summer draws closer and the nights grow longer, landlords across the country will be dusting down and spring cleaning in preparation for the influx of summer holiday makers. But, the usual flock of tourists who flee our shores in search of guaranteed sunshine else where, may want to reconsider their position. With one of the warmest and most magical spring seasons recorded in recent history, April has bought the summer holiday season forward, leaving a British summer holiday this year, more plausible than ever. Where to, I hear you ask? Well, Cornwall being at the most south-westerly tip of the country is a great starting point when considering a British holiday. It’s coastal position and jutting peninsula mean the weather is nearly always consistent. Come May, the temperature graduates to a daily maximum of around 14 to 15  Celsius, whilst June and July can boast even hotter days and cooler nights. The Spring comes early and the Autumn lingers, goes the saying in these parts of the country.

Many annual events in Cornwall begin around May, most notably the Rip Curl English Surf Championships, and the highlight being the Run To The Sun Festival, which appears at the tail end of May. This festival is a major event for the region and is held in Newquay. VW camper van and beetle aficionado’s flock to this infamous surfer’s town en mass, for the surf, weather and the car’s. It has been running since 1987 and incorporates festival culture, music, dance, DJ’s, surf and sun, to make it a dynamic and alternative festival that needs to be seen to be believed. RTHS festival commence on the 27th May and runs until 30th. For more information checkout, www.runtothesun.co.uk

Much of the surfing and festival revelling contingent will opt for camping, camper vans or the fall where they may approach when it comes to accommodation during this busy programme. Equally inviting are the seemingly ubiquitous holiday properties UK bound. Especially, in this region. Although holidays during August are often cheaper, if you can make a May get-away this year, the chances of finding holiday properties UK wide at reduced rates is a dead cert. There are a profusion of cottages holiday homes and bed and breakfasts in Newquay and the surrounding area’s to cater for all types of traveller. And with it being relatively early in the window of holiday proceedings, finding the perfect UK holiday property at the right budget, should be a walk on the beach.

Luke Berte for the holidayletscompany

Manually Edited Cornish Business Directory With Links, News, Weather and Information For Cornwall UK

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Government’s bid to improve energy efficiency of cottage holidays

Posted by webmaster in News - (0 Comments)

It has been on the cards for a while, but having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for holiday homes becomes a legal requirement in time for this summer season. If you rent out a property for four months or more in any 12 month period, this new Department for Communities and Local Government regulation will affect you.

And it’s worth taking seriously. It’s your responsibility to make sure you have the relevant paperwork in place when the regulation comes into force on June 30, 2011. If you don’t, you run the risk of incurring hefty fines of up to £200 per rental.

It may sound bad on the surface – another piece of paperwork for holiday home landlords to worry about, additional expense and yet more legislation to consider. But it’s not all negative. As well as being quick, easy and cheap to arrange, an EPC can help you promote your property and save money in the long-run.

What is an EPC?

Split into three sections, an EPC provides holiday homeowners with information on their property’s energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. The first section shows the energy efficiency rating of your property – ranging from A (high) to G (low). The second section uses the same A (good) to G (bad) rating to show the environmental impact of a property in the form of CO2 emissions. The third – and most important to you – is the recommendation report.

Cutting costs

From fitting low energy light-bulbs or loft insulation to installing double glazing or replacing your boiler, the recommendation report offers various energy-saving solutions split into low and high cost categories. As well as doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions, you’ll save yourself some cash at the same time. Although you aren’t obliged to follow any of the recommendations, improving your property’s energy efficiency could dramatically reduce your energy bills – particularly handy at a time when energy is getting steadily more expensive!

Greater appeal

And that’s not all either. Environmental protection and carbon reduction has often been top of the agenda in the media and politics over the last few years, and people are becoming ever more aware of environmental issues. You can’t have failed to notice that the demand for green consumer options is everywhere, and the holiday market is no different. Improve your EPC ratings and you could add an extra incentive with which to promote your holiday cottage to rent to potential customers.

Get it done

Shop around. There are numerous companies that will come and carry out an assessment for you, keeping the prices competitive. EPC assessments can be carried out for as little as £25, and certificates currently remain valid for ten years under current regulations. Watch this space though, as the validity period is set to be lowered to between three and five years when the Energy Bill comes into play in August 2012.

Find out more at www.direct.gov.uk

 

Hannah James for The Holiday Lets Company

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What’s the best way to advertise my Cornish holiday home?

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Self-catering accommodation is the ideal way to enjoy Cornish holidays and the perfect way to get freedom from itineraries and schedules therefore allowing you to enjoy your holiday in the way that you want at your desired pace. One of the hardest things to do when planning Cornish holidays is to decide on the accommodation that you would like to stay in.  There is a vast amount of self-catering accommodation that is available for Cornish holidays and this sometimes makes it difficult to decide which option to go for.

It is true to say that people visiting Cornwall will be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation, simply because there are so many different options available. When it comes to advertising and promoting Cornish holiday property it is actually a very easy thing to do as the area really sells itself. In order to give the promotion a little helping hand it’s a good idea to focus on the vast array of tourist attractions that are available and also the various local hotspots that people can visit when they are staying in the area.

One selling point of a Cornish holiday is the beaches on offer. The water off the Cornish coast is some of the in the United Kingdom. During the peak summer months these beaches are patrolled by lifeguards, therefore the beaches are totally safe for families. With beautiful coves scattered around the luxurious coastline, this makes the area the perfect location for a romantic getaway.

Due to the vast amount of choice that is available there is something to suit everyone who would like to experience a Cornish holiday for themselves.

Catherine Stewart for The Holiday Lets Company

 

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