By the Book: Lowdown on holiday villa rentals

PHUKET: When planning a holiday, location is usually the first consideration. Having chosen your destination, the next decision is accommodation. Traditionally, holiday makers would look for hotels, with the idea that they will provide the best value for money and more facilities. However, these days, renting villas has become a popular and flexible option.

A family of five with two parents and three children would have to book at least two hotel rooms. Possibly a parent would have to stay in each room if the children were small, which is not the most ideal situation. Now imagine the same family booking a villa for the same price. They now all have their own bedrooms, the security of being together, as well as indoor and outdoor space to spend time together.

Renting a villa is not only a great idea for families, it works well for friends, honeymooners and group holidays. As villas in Phuket are available with two to eight bedrooms, it is easy for everyone to find a suitable property.

Villas also boast the most stunning locations, and provide guests with complete freedom. Being detached means there are no other guests in your personal space and gardens and pools are solely for your own use.

Some villa developments are designed like resorts with tropical gardens, communal pools, spa facilities, restaurants and full management service. You can choose to be near the busy tourist areas, in a prime hillside location or in a quieter, out of the way area for a peaceful and relaxing stay. There are villas available all around Phuket, near all of the major beaches, inland amid the jungle and dotted along the picturesque east coast.

Renting a holiday villa also provides the option of self-catering, reducing the cost of dining and eliminating the restrictions of fixed restaurant hours. Some villas also provide an in-house chef. The majority of villas have security measures, such as guarded entrances, CCTV and alarm systems. Extra services including maids, laundry, babysitters and airport transfers are often available as well.

A villa owner or management will often provide more personalized services and make your stay completely stress free. A car and driver or vehicle rental is often offered and staff can provide ideas of where to go and what to do.

When looking for a villa to rent in Phuket, using an agent such as Siam Real Estate is not only better for comparison of properties, but also provides peace of mind that your booking is guaranteed. There are so many villas available that a search tool is invaluable, you can choose which features are most important to you, such as number of bedrooms, sea views, proximity to beach or accessibility.

Most villas offer high speed internet connection in the price, whereas many hotels still charge for it.
An agent will deal with the villa owner, making booking fuss free and more convenient without time difference or language constraints.

Siam Real Estate has a large selection of holiday villas to suit all tastes and budgets. Visit: www.siamrealestate.com or contact Khun Dew on 076-288 908.