The Holiday Cottages was started in 2003 in Somerset in the South West of England. We provide advertising to holiday cottage and self-catering accommodation owners all over the UK and Ireland. This is our Blog, where we will mention the best properties we can find, keep you up to date with the company and our website and give you some insight into our daily lives! You can visit our website here. We are a friendly bunch, so please feel free to comment or email with any comments to info@theholidaycottages.co.uk - otherwise, enjoy!


Wednesday 30 March 2011

New Inn House, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire


In a quiet rural location, on the Worcestershire & Warwickshire border, New Inn House offers a unique retreat for friends & families alike. With accommodation for up to 10 people in 5 superbly appointed rooms, the house offers a wide range of facilities to suit all age groups.

For more info please visit: http://bit.ly/hm0V6W  

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Overhailes Farm Cottages, Haddington, East Lothian






Corner Cottage was refurbished in 2009. It has two double bedrooms (twin), two bathrooms (one with shower, the other with bath/shower), kitchen/dinning room (with breakfast bar and dining room table) and a separate lounge with sofabed. Sleeps 6. Additional campbeds and bedding are available.

For further information please visit http://www.bitly.com/ge7tLg  

Thursday 24 March 2011

Advertise with us and you'll be advertising with a company who....

1. Gets more than 4 MILLION hits per month on their website http://www.theholidaycottages.co.uk/
2. Has lovely salespeople on the end of the phone waiting to take your call and answer any questions you may have.
3. LISTENS to what their customers tell them and acts upon feedback
4. Has a 96% renewal rate....clients keep coming back again and again!

Kelly - The Holiday Cottages

:)

Monday 21 March 2011

Thaxted Holiday Cottages, Thaxted, Essex


Totmans Farm (no longer a working farm) stands on the brow of the hill at the southern end of Thaxted. It is surrounded by beautiful Essex countryside and affords wonderful views.
Mill View and Orchard Cottage (a timber-clad farm building conversion) each sleep 4 people and are mirror images of each other. They are set well back from the road with ample car parking space. Facing west at the rear onto meadowland, guests are virtually guaranteed glorious sunsets from their own patio. If the patio gets too hot, you can relax in the shade of the small orchard, where you will find additional seating - a very relaxing place to read a book or just take a well earned rest. Views of Thaxted's cathedral-like Church and windmill can also be enjoyed in the distance.

For more information and photos of Thaxted Holiday Cottages, please visit http://bit.ly/fvItIk

Friday 18 March 2011

News - Seven people rescued from fires in Belfast and Newry



Fire fighters tackling a blaze at an apartment block in Belfast have rescued four people.

The people were rescued from Malone Mews on Sandringham Street on Saturday.

The apartments, which provide self catering for guests, are owned by the Malone Lodge Hotel.

District commander Lenny Entwhistle said they were lucky to get out safely. "The fire started on the first and second floors," he said.

"One fire was on the first floor communal area that blocked escape routes.

"Firefighters had to enter the building and carry out rescues and search 14 apartments over four floors.

"At this moment in time the fire appears to be suspicious and all indications are pointing in that direction."

In a separate incident three people have been rescued from fires at neighbouring houses in Newry.
The fires took place inside terraced houses which have been converted into apartments on St Mary's Street.

Fire crews left the first building after putting out the blaze when they were called back to deal with the second. It is not known if the two neighbouring fires are linked.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Press Release - March 2011 - The Holiday Cottages Launches on Facebook and Twitter

This month has seen The Holiday Cottages website launch themselves on Twitter and Facebook, along with starting a company Blog.   

The move had been on the cards for some time as part of the groups overall media strategy, integrating social media and other platforms.  

It is hoped that the companys presence on such social media and networking sites will enable its clients (new and existing) to be able to communicate with the company in an alternative way other than telephone and email. It will also enable greater transparency to be observed, with questions and answers displayed in a public forum.

Early success has already been achieved on both sites, and to promote the initiative, for the month of February the team offered a little something special to all new customers. Those clients who had Facebook or Twitter would get a free mention on the company Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as a write-up on their newly-launched Blog during this month.

The Holiday Cottages website offers advertising to self-catering accommodation owners. The site receives over 4 million hits per month and is listed on page 1 of all the major search engines including Google. You can view the site at www.theholidaycottages.co.uk.

Twitter: @theholidaycots
Facebook: The Holiday Cottages

Thursday 10 March 2011

Top 5 Tips to Make Your Holiday Cottage Better Than The Rest

All self-catering accommodation is different – it could be a townhouse, a cosy country cottage, a converted barn, a castle wing, a flat or a small annexe. Regardless of the type and size of property, here are some tips to ensure your accommodation will stand out from the crowd.

Top Tip Number 1 – Clean…Cleaner…Cleanest!
Never underestimate the value of keeping your property clean and tidy. Encourage occupants to leave the accommodation as they found it, and if possible ensure you always check the property before new occupants arrive. Simple things such as wiping over the coving with a damp cloth, running a mop round the bathroom floor, and ensuring there are cleaning products under the sink is a great way to ensure your occupants arrive to a nice home.

Top Tip Number 2 – Its all in the details!
You can really enhance your property even if you are on a budget. Make sure there is some fresh fruit on view and ensure there is fresh bread, coffee, teabags, sugar and in-date milk in the fridge. If there is a garden or patio area and enough space for one, a BBQ is a great idea, especially during the Summer months. Ensure you provide grilling and skewering tools however. Ensuring a good stock of toilet paper, kitchen roll and other basics would also not go amiss. Also, leave a welcoming note on the kitchen table with a contact number for any problems. You could also consider creating a ‘Welcome Pack’. These small things will help to ensure your guests stay goes smoothly and will help them to associate your property with a feeling of relaxation and calm which will make them want to return!

Top Tip Number 3 – Have a USP!
USP means Unique Selling Point. If you have something, such as a swimming pool, a state-of-the-art kitchen, or you offer stabling for horses, make sure everybody knows about it! If you don’t have a USP, make one – for example, if you have the space add a trampoline to the garden, turn the smallest bedroom into a home gym, or ensure all the cookware in the kitchen is Le Creuset. There are lots of things you can turn into your own Unique Selling Point – look around the accommodation and ask yourself what makes it different from all the others? It could even be something like the addition of black toilet paper (a la Simon Cowell!) to the bathroom!

Top Tip Number 4  - Get Rated!
Having a Star Rating will give you numerous benefits, not least a license to use the official logo on your website and any other promotional materials. It can cost from as little as £247 for one property for one year which includes the joining fee and participation fee. You will also receive an exterior sign reflecting your rating which can be displayed outside your property. Properties in England are assessed and accredited by Quality in Tourism, Scotland by Visit Scotland and Wales by Visit Wales.  There are also additional schemes available such as Pets, Families, Cyclists and Walkers Welcome, which can all be joined for an additional fee.

Top Tip Number 5 – Advertise!
This seems an obvious point but there are lots of accommodation owners who think they don’t need to advertise or they think they can’t afford it. In reality, high quality advertising can be very inexpensive. The Holiday Cottages (www.theholidaycottages.co.uk) start their rates at only £39 for one years worth of advertising including 5 photos and up to 500 words of text. To get the best from your advertising ensure you have good quality, well-lit pictures which show the property off to its best. Include an exterior shot as well as one of the garden, and avoid bathroom photos unless it is your USP! There are numerous websites out there to advertise on, as well as newspapers and specialist Trade magazines you can get involved with, but we think that The Holiday Cottages is one of the best.

By following the points above you will be well on your way to having a property that will out-shine the rest.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

The Holiday Cottages Launched on Facebook & Twitter!

We have recently launched The Holiday Cottage on popular social networking websites Facebook and Twitter

You can find us on Twitter by searching for @TheHolidayCots and on Facebook by doing a search for The Holiday Cottages.

Thanks! - Kelly

Friday 4 March 2011

Promoted Property of the Month - Kippure Estate, Blessington, Co Wicklow

Kippure Estate, Blessington, Co Wicklow
Our first Promoted Properties for the month of March are a pair on the Kippure Estate in Co Wicklow.



Situated in the grounds of our 240 acres private estate, these terraced houses command magnificent panoramic views over Wicklow Mountains National Park. Exceptionally spacious, comfortable with a rustic feel, they are ideal for a relaxing break, nature loving families, groups of friends, stressed out city dwellers, walkers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Ideal location for exploring County Wicklow and Dublin, centrally located to Glendalough, Powerscourt and the sea.

There are 8 Seefin houses in two different sizes; six 4 bedroom and two 2 bedroom.





Built within the Victorian walled garden of the estate; these superb holiday homes enjoy a peaceful and unique setting, overlooking landscaped gardens and some of County Wicklow’s highest mountains. The houses are contemporarily furnished and have their own private patio with wooden decking.

There are eight Athdown houses with three bedrooms each. Each house sleeps up to 8 people with 1 family room (double bed plus single bed), 1 triple room, and 1 twin. All bedrooms are ensuite.



Who wouldn't want this view?

Thursday 3 March 2011

March Rates - prices dropped!

On the 1st March we received our brand spanking new rates. They are as follows;

1 Year £39
2 Years with FREE GOLD Upgrade £45
3 Years with FREE GOLD Upgrade £55

For the cost you will get an advert on our website http://www.theholidaycottages.co.uk/ consisting of 5 photographs, text (up to 500 words), rates per week (lowest to highest), if you allow pets, how many your self catering accommodation sleeps and your official star rating (You do not need to have a star rating to promote your self catering with us).

Your contact details are displayed and these include : Telephone, Fax, Email, and a direct link to your own Website.

Amendments are FREE of charge throughout the lifetime of the advert - you may change photographs and text whenever you wish.

So if you own ANY type of self-catering accommodation in the UK, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, come and talk to us!

Kelly - The Holiday Cottages
You can also follow us on Twitter using handle @TheHolidayCots
Or befriend us on Facebook - The Holiday Cottages