Holiday lettings, villas, apartments and cottages to let

Booking your Holiday Let

Sometimes you just want to get away, relax and unwind. If you're planning a holiday, searching for accommodation couldn't be easier. Whether you're looking for a Holiday Home in England, Spanish villa, farmhouse in Italy, gite in France, villa in Thailand, or an apartment in Portugal - we can help.

Use Google Maps to view holiday lettings throughout the world. Zoom in on cities, coastlines, mountains, rivers and lakes to find your perfect property. Select refinements to narrow down your choice. List searches allow you to sort potential holiday lettings into price order. View slideshows of large images and read descriptions to get a real feel for properties before making a choice.

Bookings can be made directly with the owner or agent through the email contact form on each property advert. For more information read our Planning your Holiday page.

 
20 Reasons to find your holiday accommodation with theholidaylet.com:

1. Adventure
If you have a streak of wanderlust in you, arranging your own holiday could be ideal. Explore our site and use your imagination to transport you all over the world, discovering unusual destinations and hidden gems. Our Google maps are great for this.

Then, when you've booked your holiday home the adventure really starts. Wherever you go the journey itself can be a voyage of discovery; whether it's travelling through rural France, into the Scottish highlands or somewhere further a field. When you arrive, take time to get to know your local area. Venture off the beaten track, discover secluded beaches, picturesque villages and breathtaking scenery - go on an adventure.

2. Availability
Gone are the days when people went on holiday ‘on spec' with no accommodation booked, setting off in the vain hope that a holiday cottage or B&B would be available when they got there. These days people holiday more, and for peak periods properties can be fully booked - sometimes months or years in advance. If you don't want to be disappointed it's advisable to book as far in advance as you can to secure your holiday let.

Our website allows you to search by availability, making it easy to select a shortlist of properties for your holiday weeks.

3. Babies and Young Children
If you are going on holiday with babies and young children there are so many things to think of and to pack. To make life easier, many of our holiday lettings supply larger items such as cots, highchairs and stair gates. Some specifically cater for children, providing a selection of play equipment and toys as well as babysitting services. Such as this family gite complex.

See our holiday checklist for a handy reminder of essential baby items to take with you.

4. Beach
A beach holiday conjures idyllic images of sunny days, white sands and the smell and sound of the ocean. It is still the most popular holiday type for both adults and children alike. We have a large selection of beachside lets to choose from - everything from a quaint cottage in Cornwall to this holiday villa in the Algarve.

5. Catered
We have a selection of ever popular bed and breakfast accommodation - handy for a weekend away or if you need a stopover during a long journey. Most offer a delicious English or continental breakfast to set you up for the day.

For those of you who want to be thoroughly indulgent, why not opt for a catered holiday villa or ski chalet? Some holiday lettings offer home-cooked and regional dishes prepared by your own in-house chef. Others have an on-site restaurant.

This catered ski chalet in the Rhone Alps offers a half-board with breakfast, afternoon tea and a three-course evening meal.

6. Culture
For some people the purpose of travelling is to experience another culture, its people, food, customs, architecture and sights. Some of our holiday lettings give you the opportunity to have a real cultural experience.

Stay on a agriturismo in Tuscany and taste the olive oil, walk the rolling countryside and visit the art cities of Florence or Pisa.

Visit rural Andalucia, the southernmost region of Spain. Eat tapas, drink the local vino and visit the wonderful Moorish Alhambra palace. We have many holiday homes in this area offering a variety of accommodation from the rustic to the modern.

7. Economy
For holidaymakers who are used to package deals, it may be surprising to know that for the same price, and often cheaper, you can find superior holiday lettings by booking directly with the owner*. Booking direct cuts out hidden costs such as agents fees and combined with a cheap flight or ferry crossing can be much better value for money than a package.

Search our site and you can find holiday lettings in Spain from as little as £150 per week for a family of 4, out of season.

8. Entertainment and technology
In our everyday lives we have become more reliant on technologies such as satellite TV, computer games and the internet to keep us entertained. Many of us would feel cut off if we had to do without these things even for a day, let alone a week.

Perhaps you relish the opportunity to get away from the trappings, make your own entertainment and play a board game or read a book. However, if you can't contemplate a holiday without tuning in to the news or browsing the net, we have lots of holiday homes which come fully equipped with everything you could wish for.

9. Families holidaying together
Many families prefer to go on holiday together, giving them better value for money and a shared sense of responsibility.

Renting a villa big enough for two or three families can take a lot of stress out of going on holiday. It means there is always a spare pair of hands to go shopping, help cook a meal, tidy up or supervise the children. Added to that, the children have playmates and the adults have company in the evenings - everyone is happy! Try this gite in the Dordogne.

10. Freedom
Renting your own holiday cottage or villa allows you the flexibility and freedom to plan your own agenda - or not plan anything at all. You can be spontaneous - get up, go out, stay in, eat - whenever you want. With no time restraints, you can plan a full schedule of activities or enjoy lazy, unhurried days when you can really wind down and relax. It's your choice.

11. Golf
For the serious golfer we have a selection of holiday lettings; some located within golf complexes and others nearby, allowing you to spend as much or as little time as you want on the greens.

If you have a particular golf course in mind, use our Google map search to zoom in and find nearby holiday lettings.

12. Large groups
If you are planning large event such as a wedding reception or a reunion, why not think about renting one of our larger holiday homes?
This romantic castle in the Midi Pyrenees accommodates 27 people or this large farmhouse in the lake district, perfect for a get-together.

13. Luxury
Everybody's idea of luxury is different. It could be an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, a surround sound music system, or crisp white cotton sheets on a comfortable bed.

Modern or traditional, minimalist or quirky, we have a large selection of holiday lettings to delight and give you the wow factor.

14. Retreat
With the stresses and strains of everyday life many people see a holiday as a retreat; a chance to get away from it all, live the simple life and go back to nature. We have some holiday lettings that offer massage or yoga to help you relax. For others, the location itself is enough to let you escape for a while. Turn off your mobile phone and chill out.
This finca in Andalucia has a separate cottage devoted to meditation and yoga.

15. Romantic breaks
Are you planning your honeymoon or do you simply want time away together? We have a selection of holiday cottages and apartments for two; some tailored exclusively for couples which include extra luxuries such as a welcome basket, flowers, complimentary bath products or even a bottle of bubbly. Find your perfect property and spend quality time together.

Everything from this cute gite for two in Brittany to these honeymoon bungalows in Thailand.

16. Self Catering
The majority of our holiday homes have fully fitted kitchens; giving you the option to cook your own meals, save on restaurant prices and take advantage of local markets and fresh ingredients. This is even more cost-effective when you are catering for large groups. For children, babies and anyone who has specific dietary requirements it is ideal, enabling you to prepare suitable meals at your own convenience.

17. Skiing
Skiing combines the thrill of hurtling down the piste, with heady mountain air and some of the most stunning scenery in the world. Rent one of our ski chalets or ski apartments and visit the breathtaking landscapes of Switzerland, Austria or the French Alps. We have a selection of self catering and catered chalets to let - some actually located on the slopes themselves.

18. Space
Say goodbye to small, cramped package holiday accommodation. One of our holiday homes could give you all the space you need.

The amount of living space per person really matters and booking direct* can give you more for your money. Enough space is crucial to living together harmoniously - not enough and you may start to annoy one another. As well as living space, many of our holiday lets have their own garden, grounds and pool, allowing everyone to spread out and do their own thing. When sharing a holiday home, bigger is usually better.

This villa in Turkey is surrounded by large mature gardens and has a private swimming pool.

19. Unusual Properties
Why not try something completely different? A truly magical holiday home, this windmill on the Greek island of Santorini is a delight; with its customised interior, bean shaped pool and panoramic views of the sea.

Try bed and breakfast in this complex of lovingly restored trulli, in undiscovered southern Italy. Rooms are dotted around the huge shared swimming pool.

Or how about the Turret House, part of the original town wall that surrounded the picturesque Slovenian town of Kanal.

20. Wheelchair friendly
If you get around by wheelchair, or you have difficulty with stairs, going on holiday can be daunting. We have lots of holiday lettings with wheelchair access. Some have a ground floor bedroom with en-suite, others are fully adapted with wide doorways, ramps, handrails, a wheel in shower etc.

Please note: We cannot guarantee the advertised facilities, therefore you must double check with the owner to make sure that the holiday let is suitable for your individual needs.

See this disabled barn in Wales and this country house in Normandy

* Where we do have agents' properties on the site, this is clearly marked ‘Contact the Agent' as opposed to ‘Contact the Owner'.