England
from £74 per week
Wales
from £149 per week
Scotland
from £119 per week
Cornwall
Devon
from £89 per week
Dorset
from £155 per week
Sussex
from £136 per week
And of all the features a villa can have, a beachfront is the one that increases the price. But if you're clever and ready to negotiate the deals are there!
Go where supply exceeds demand
Try avoiding destinations where the demand for villas outweighs the supply and flights to get there can be pricey. Choose more trafficked places, where supply exceeds demand and affordable nonstop services are available from most cities. Even the obvious resorts which are sometimes overbuilt in parts, offer plenty of scenic drives, great views and hidden-gem beaches with authentic local cuisine... if you know where to go. And consider the length of the rental season: Destinations where villas are filled three to five months of the year, such as Italy, are pricier than those where the season lasts eight or nine months, ie, the Caribbean. Go where your currency is strong - it will stretch a lot further in say Thailand.
Consider sharing amenities
Another way to get beachfront value is to rent a villa that's not a freestanding house but rather a unit in a set of residences. Most unattached beachfront rentals have more than three bedrooms and represent value only if you can fill every bed but when you need just two or three bedrooms on a beach, it often makes sense to rent a residence that splits the cost of the amenities with other units. They may share a concierge desk, a gym, a parking garage and a housekeeper but have its own private pool and terrace. Sometimes there are no other buildings in sight, so you feel like your own was the only one on the beach.
Look for adjustable rates
Another tactic is to rent a property with adjustable rates, where the price depends upon how many bedrooms you occupy. With some you can pay a lower rate by renting only a portion of the rooms, yet you get the entire property to yourself. Even when adjustable rates aren't published, try to negotiate for them, they could agree depending on the season or demand. And when you're trying to snag cheap airline tickets date flexibility is key. You might manage to reduce airfares by 50% if you negotiate 5 days instead of a mandatory week!
Prioritise your wish list
Decide which features and amenities you're willing to give-up. For instance, beachfront villas are not too expensive if you're willing to do without a pool. If what matters most is a panoramic ocean view, you'll save money by renting atop a hill and driving three minutes to the beach. Or choose a house that's waterfront but requires a five-minute walk down a path to get to the beach.
So what are you waiting for..... Go for it!
Sophia - Marketing
