CHECKLIST: FINDING THE PERFECT VILLA

When it comes to the marketing of villas, photos and descriptions often don’t tell the whole story. Here are some suggested ways to increase the chances of finding a dream rental that lives up to its promise. going through a villa agency or tour operator instead. Reputable ones inspect and carefully select the properties they feature. You are also more likely to sort out a problem, or get redress, if you’ve booked through an operator/ agent. In the 2018 Telegraph Travel Awards, the bestregarded villa operators were Simpson Travel (simpsontravel. com), The Thinking Traveller (thinking traveller.com) and Vintage Travel (vintagetravel. co.uk). Between them, they offer hundreds of desirable properties in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece. industrial estate; you may be able to see the property and environs on Street View. How far is it to the nearest supermarket? Do the owners live on site? (Too close for comfort for some). What’s the size and depth of the pool and, important if travelling with young children, is it fenced in? If you’re likely to cook a lot, how well equipped is the kitchen? Is there good Wi-Fi? Quiz the owner or agent on the phone about whatever isn’t clear from the website. holiday periods. Also look around for a property with flexible changeover days, enabling you to rent midweek to midweek and benefit from cheaper flights or ferries: Brittany Ferries (brittanyferries.co.uk) offers some.