Villa Holidays: Your Questions Answered

A villa gives you your own pool, your own pace and room for everyone you love, and I can book the whole trip for you.

I'm Claire Ritchie of Curated Travel by Claire, an independent travel consultant with Travel Counsellors, based in Northern Ireland. I adore a villa holiday: long lunches, kids cannonballing into the pool and not a single fight for a sunbed. Here are the questions people ask most, answered honestly.

Is a villa cheaper than a hotel?

Often yes, especially when two or more families share. Splitting one villa can cost the same as, or less than, several hotel rooms, and eating in when you fancy it helps too.

One villa specialist, SPL Villas, compared its own prices with package holidays for two families in August 2025. Its best case in Crete was up to £513 less per parent. That's a supplier's own comparison, so I always price both options for your dates.

What is included in a villa holiday?

It varies by villa, so check before you book rather than assume. At its simplest you're paying for the villa itself, then adding the rest of the trip.

The things I check for you are:

• Bed linen, towels and pool towels
• Cleaning and any mid stay housekeeping
• Air conditioning, Wi Fi and heated pool charges
• Damage deposits or waivers
• Check in and check out times, so they fit your flights
• Any local tourist taxes



Are villa holidays ATOL protected?

A villa booked as a package with flights can be ATOL protected, but a villa on its own is not. ATOL protects flight inclusive packages, so if the company fails you get your money back or can finish your trip.

You should receive an ATOL certificate when you pay, and it's worth checking who holds the ATOL. Villa only bookings may have other protection, such as ABTA or ABTOT cover, depending on the company. I'll confirm exactly what protects your booking.

Is it safe to book a villa online?

It can be, but private listings carry more risk than a UK tour operator. The Telegraph's Nick Trend calls a package through a UK based tour operator the most secure option, because the operator is legally responsible for your booking.

If you do book privately, these are his main tips:

• Pay by credit card, and never by bank transfer
• Keep your payments and messages on the official platform
• Reverse image search the photos, and check the location on Google Street View
• Be wary of a price that seems too good to be true

Or simply talk to me before you pay anything. I can check how your money would be protected, look for the same villa through a company I work with, and give you an honest view.

When should I book a villa for summer?

Start 9 to 12 months ahead for school holidays, so now is a great time to look at summer 2027. Most villas are one offs, so once yours is booked it's gone, and the biggest ones tend to go first.

Simpson Travel says some of its villas are already more than 70% sold for 2027, and that June and September are now as busy as July and August. If your dates are flexible, there can still be lovely finds closer to the time. 


How do two families split the cost of a villa?

Agree your budget first, then choose the villa together. You can split it equally, by the number in each household, or by bedroom, which is fairest when one family has the better suite.

I can quote flights separately for each family, as you may be flying from different airports.

Are villas suitable for babies and young children?

Yes, and they're brilliant for keeping to your usual routines, with a kitchen for bottles and a quiet bedroom for naps. Pools are the big thing to check, as many villa pools are not fenced.

Tell me your children's ages and I'll look for gated pools, fenced gardens, shallow ends and cots. Whatever the villa has, always agree pool rules and keep an adult on watch.

Do I need a car on a villa holiday?

It depends on the villa. A rural hideaway usually needs a hire car, while a villa near a town or beach may only need transfers and the odd taxi.

I'll tell you honestly which applies before you book, including how comfortable the drive will be. Check the size of the car too, as two families and their luggage take up plenty of space.

Can you get a private chef at a villa?

Often yes. Many villas can arrange a private chef, extra housekeeping, a food pack for your arrival or grocery delivery, usually for an extra cost.

It's the easiest way to make sure nobody spends their holiday doing the washing up.

Is it better to book a villa direct or through a travel consultant?

Booking with me means you have one person looking after your whole trip, and it starts with really listening to what you want. I compare many villa specialists for you, then organise your flights, car hire, transfers and excursions around your family.

If something needs sorting, you come to me rather than juggling separate companies. I also have the backing of Travel Counsellors and its network of around 2,000 experts, so there's a wealth of knowledge behind every recommendation. Tell me what you're dreaming of, and let me do the legwork.

What villa holidays can I book with Curated Travel by Claire?

I can book everything from a family bolthole in Mallorca to a chic hideaway in Puglia, a grand chateau in France or a golf villa in Barbados. Here are just some of the lovely villa specialists I work with:

• Oliver's Travels
• CV Villas
• SPL Villas
• Simpson Travel
• Sunvil
• Solmar Villas
• The Villa Agency
• The Villa Collection
• Vintage Villas
• Villa Select
• BeachVillas.com
• Goodlife Florida Villas
• Apes Hill, Barbados

and many more.



Once we've found your villa, I can package the rest of your trip:

• Flights
• Car hire and transfers
• Excursions and special extras
• ATOL protection on flight inclusive packages



Found a villa you love but want to book with more confidence?

Send it to me, as one of the companies I work with will often already list it. If so, I can book it for you and package the rest of your trip. If not, I'll find you something just as gorgeous.



Ready to find your villa?

Email me at claire.ritchie@mytc.com and I'll start looking for you. To help me find the right villa, just tell me:

• Who's coming, including the number of adults and children's ages
• Your budget
• Your dates, and how flexible they are
• Where you'd like to go, or the villa you've already found
• Your preferred departure airport
• Any special requirements, such as a fenced pool, ground floor bedroom or private chef

Sharing can make a villa surprisingly good value, so it's not just for the big budget crowd.

Prefer to chat?

Call or WhatsApp: +44 7712 489389
Email: claire.ritchie@mytc.com
Instagram: @curatedtravelbyclaire
Web: www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/claire.ritchie