How to enjoy the perfect family holiday | The MAD Blog Awards

Searching for the perfect family holiday? HomeAway.co.uk, sponsors of the Best Family Travel Blog, have some great suggestions on choosing the perfect property and staying safe when booking direct. Plus they?ve put together a Mum?s Holiday Guide, which you can download for free.

Finding the perfect place to stay with your family can be tricky. Hotels can be cramped and ill-equipped for kids, with set meal times and limited facilities. Renting a real ?home?, however, gives you all the space and flexibility you need, with full kitchens, individual bedrooms and living areas, plus private gardens, terraces, and even games rooms and pools.

Thanks to the thousands of Brits who own second homes in the UK and abroad, there?s a huge range to choose from worldwide. HomeAway.co.uk, the UK?s number one holiday rentals website, offers the best choice of any UK website, with more than 300,000 homes to book direct from owners and managers online. From cosy cottages and city apartments to villas with pools and country houses, you?re spoilt for choice.

Top 5 accommodation options for family holidays

1. Country cottages ? A cosy cottage with its own private garden means a secure environment for kids to play in, while parents can relax on the terrace or around the BBQ.

2. Resort apartments ? Great for those on a budget or with small children.

3. Farmhouses or farmhouse apartments with pools ? Ideal for a relaxing rural break with extended family or friends.

4. City centre apartments ? Work out cheaper per head than similar standard hotels, while at the same time providing more facilities and room.

5. Unique properties ? Unusual conversions such as converted mills, cave houses and even churches. A great base for a unique and memorable break the kids won?t forget.

HomeAway.co.uk Mum?s Holiday Guide

Mums looking for tips and advice on how to organise the family holiday without any stress can download the HomeAway.co.uk Mum?s Holiday Guide for free. Based on tips from real mums and the experts at HomeAway, it contains advice on where to go, how to choose accommodation, how to get the family involved and make the journey go smoothly. Download the guide here.

Stay safe when booking direct

HomeAway.co.uk offers added peace of mind for those booking direct in the form of guest reviews, free protection against Internet fraud and a dedicated insurance product for holiday rentals.

To enjoy greater peace of mind when booking a private rental, make sure to:

• Check the reviews on properties you like to see what past guests said about their experience.
• Ask the owner plenty of questions about the property and surrounding area. What is included, do you need a car, what is nearby and can they send more photos?
• When you are ready to book, request, review and sign a rental agreement; typically, each owner or manager has their own payment and cancellation policies and house rules.
• Before making any payment, call the owner to confirm payment details. This can help protect against phishing.
• As much as possible, try not to pay by cash or instant money transfer services. Use safer payment options such as credit card, cheque, PayPal or bank transfer instead.

HomeAway.co.uk guarantees your payment for up to 50% of the rental fee you paid, to a maximum of ?700. To further enhance your coverage purchase Europ Assistance Travel Insurance, which covers losses of up to ?5,000, misrepresentation and fraud.

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