by All the recent rain seems to have dampened UK holidays. Accommodation providers say bookings were slow at the start of the year, although they are gradually picking up. And Visit Britain’s latest domestic travel sentiment tracker, a survey that measures overnight trip intentions, found our weather is currently the second biggest barrier to a night out – beaten by the rising cost of living only.
A quarter of those surveyed for the report plan to move to cheaper accommodation this year, although that may be easier said than done. According to analytics firm AirDNA, the average nightly rate for a British short-term rental was £184 over the past 12 months, up 12 per cent year-on-year. In France, Italy and Spain it was €149 (£128), €172 (£148) and €171 (£147) respectively. Add a much higher chance to the sun and the idea of going abroad becomes very exciting.
Despite all this, the number of short-term lettings in the UK continues to increase. According to AirDNA, they rose 19.4 percent in the last 12 months compared to 2019, despite only reaching pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
“The market was getting too full – too many agents, too many properties – before the Covid,” says Ken Aylmer of Tregulland & Co, which owns four West Country holiday leases. “And then, post-Covid, everyone put a glamping site in their back garden or hid their stuff under the bed and rented out their house on Airbnb. I think this year has probably affected people because things have become obsolete and some people have spent a lot of money. There really is too much choice.”
With an oversaturated market and declining demand in parts of the UK, owners are being forced to up their game, adding facilities and activities designed to set them apart from the competition and turn a self-catering stay in the UK into a much more enticing prospect. Some of these have quickly become de rigueur.
“Superfast Wi-Fi will be the most commonly requested amenity in 2024,” says Andy Easton of vacation rental company Beach Retreats. He also mentions that electric car charging is important. “Travellers can be in an unfamiliar part of the country and have a devastating range of concerns”.
Clean living
British holiday homes used to be quite dusty (witness the Crow Crag i Nail & me). “It’s their home for the week, so they expect the walls to be free of scuff marks, a fully equipped kitchen and spotless bathrooms – as if they were the first people to stay there,” says Easton. .
Taking Crow Crag’s approach to interior decorating won’t cut it either. “Interiors need to be professionally designed and professionally shot as there is a lot of competition and your images are key to winning over guests,” says Ashley O’Leary of Kent-based Deal Holiday Lets.
Then there is the humble hot tub. What used to be a novelty, it can now be seen in everything from shepherds’ huts to mansions across the country. Research by Lake District specialists Lakelovers in 2023 showed a 104 per cent increase in bookings for properties with one.
Some places to stay are going even further, by adding more eccentric ways to communicate with the outside event. At Architects Holiday in Sussex, the open air sauna inspired by a Chinese Pavilion was a huge hit with guests.
Meanwhile, at Blackbird, a Tregulland & Co houseboat moored on a private lake in north Devon, Aylmer and his wife Illona have taken swimming to another level. In late 2020, they turned a lakeside cabin into a luxurious bathhouse, complete with a roll top tub.
“It’s good to have a USP and, if you’re going as a couple, having a long lazy bath is a really nice thing. We considered putting a tub on the foredeck but there wasn’t enough space. Then, when we hit on this idea, it was a no-brainer and it was very popular. No need to light a fire, just turn on the tap,” he says.
As many families welcomed the pattern of tiny paws during the lockdown, it’s now normal to accept a pet – even if it causes more damage to the floors and soft furnishings. In its research, Lakelovers claimed that 34 percent of its current bookings came from guests planning to bring a pet.
Five star service
Vacation rentals don’t just pit themselves against each other, they also have to compete with hotels. As a result, many are now offering additional things to compete – or even beat – – the local five stars.
Tregulland & Co offers cozy baths and elegant toiletries in all its bathrooms, while Deal Holiday Lets prides itself on its unexpected extras. “Some of our houses have a bread machine and guests come in to warm up fresh bread,” says O’Leary. Others get home-baked cakes.
At Westbrook Court, a country mansion near Hay-on-Wye, the long list of activities on offer runs the gamut from ax throwing to belly dancing, through spa treatments and chocolate making. Owner Kari Morgan acts as a concierge, introducing guests to the region and helping them get the most out of it.
“All the activities are a great Herefordian experience. We can book different workshops for everyone – all ages, on-site and off-site,” she says.
Price wars
Owners and agents are also adopting creative discounting to get more guests through their doors. It means there are deals to be had – especially in regions where demand is falling (AirDNA lists London and Surrey among the places with a drop in bookings).
“We had three-night weekends and four-night weeks,” says Aylmer. “But we are now doing two-night stays in our smaller properties. People don’t necessarily want Monday off work, so they might now get Friday and Saturday, and we could offer them a late checkout on Sunday.
“Then, in the larger properties, if there are only a few months before the date of the visit, we are offering under-occupancy rates. Maybe guests take two bedrooms and we leave the others undone: you get the luxury and conveniences of the big houses and the place to yourself; We get less laundry and cleaning fees and less wear and tear.”
If all the bells, whistles and discounts still don’t bring guests in, or during the shoulder season when things can be quiet, owners are finding ways to diversify. You can get married at Tregulland & Co’s largest property, and Westbrook Court is launching a group retreat for 2024.
“I started thinking about retreats last fall,” says Morgan. “I’m from Melbourne, where it’s the norm to do them, but I wanted to offer ones that aren’t just sound baths and yoga. I launched three for this October: one for creative entrepreneurs, then women and DIY and then the last one is for mother and daughter retreats.”
Morgan notes that, unlike some other areas, Herefordshire appears to have largely escaped the recession. Occupancy is also up in the Highlands, Perth/Dun Dee and Aberdeen, according to AirDNA. And, of course, some properties book up quickly regardless of the weather, trends or hot tub situation.
Lots of ensuites help, as do USPs like private paths to the beach. And there is one thing that will never go out of style according to Easton, O’Leary and Aylmer – a stunning sea view. It may be modestly furnished and free of tubs, but Sea Wall Cottage in the small Cornish seaside town is always in demand, according to Easton, thanks to its location – just meters from the sand.
