Leaving the boys at home, you are off to an exciting getaway with your favourite girls. Endless spas, massages and shopping await you and the gang. Instead of squeezing in a tiny hotel room, how about getting a place where there is ample space for all? At a villa, you don’t have to worry about breakfast time, tiny beds or lack of privacy. Simply put, it’s a home away from home with all the comfort and amenities you need. The best part? It may work out cheaper than booking several rooms! Here’s a guide to help you choose the right villa for your girls’ trip:
- Know where you want to stay
Travelling in a group calls for a harmony of everybody’s needs. While the majority of hotels are located right in the touristic districts, many villas are slightly further away, hidden in a small lane to guarantee a quiet stay. Some are located on a hill, some beachfront, some overlooking a jungle. The location affects the kind of activity you can do in the trip. For example, it’s not really convenient to stay in a mountainous area when you want to spend more time on the beach. Thus, first and foremost, know where you want to stay ore what you want to do in the trip.
- Choose the design that suits your taste
Each villa comes with its own unique design that speaks to different personalities. Far from being just an en-suite bedroom, many villas are a work of art. Some owners even invite renowned architectures and interior designers to work on the villa. Hence, these holiday homes reflect the style of its creators. When you “shop” for a villa, do take into account the group’s taste and find the right one. Nothing beats a comfortable stay in the home of your dream, doesn’t it?
- Finalise the number of people before booking
The number of people in the group greatly affects your villa choice. Unlike booking a hotel room where you can add more rooms as required, you need to pay attention to the maximum capacity of a villa. As a general rule, the bigger the villa, the higher the rent, so you don’t want to pay for unused space. If you are unsure, check if the villa of your choice has extra beds. This will allow some flexibility for last-minute decisions.
- Set aside a budget
A villa’s rate is influenced by a number of factors:
- Size
- Number of bedrooms
- Location
- Travel season
- Popularity
- Number of staff
- Value-added services
Take these into account when you decide on a budget for the stay. You may also want to take advantage of promotions such as early bird discounts or last-minute sales.
- Take into consideration special needs
You or any of the girls may have specific needs that must be fulfilled. Do you require a special meal plan? Are you allergic to anything? Or do you prefer to cook your own meals? In-villa massage and BBQ dinner? There are various ways to tailor the stay to your group’s needs. Many villas are fully-staffed to make all your wish come true. However, if always double check to confirm the service is available at the villa.
- Check the villa quality
Price isn’t the only indicator of quality. Make sure to spend some time on browsing through the website, seeing how the villas are presented and reading the reviews. A well-maintained villa will have an up-to-date website, clear description and high-quality photos. Read reviews from previous guests to get an idea of what the villa is like, and you may also want to drop an email to see the responsiveness.
- Choose a credible platform
While there are many booking platforms out there, many do not guarantee the quality of the properties they are listing. What they offer are the number of options and reviews for you make an informed decision. However, in the unfortunate event that something happens during the stay, they do not have a customer service team to help you. What’s worse than running into a problem in a foreign country and having no point of contact to get help? Furthermore, many will add a booking fee, service fee or tax on top of the villa rate, so you may end up paying more than expected. Additionally, find out more about the payment gateway. A credible company will use a trustworthy, albeit being more pricey, payment service to ensure peace of mind for both sides.
With these little tips, you are ready to book a holiday villa for your stay. Sit back, relax and enjoy the girls’ trip you’ve always wanted. Bon voyage!
Photos by Villa-Phuket.com.
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