Once you have children, renting villas is often a much more practical and cost-effective solution for family holidays than going to hotels. We personally like to mix and match. So we generally do one week renting and one week in a hotel as we’ll do in two weeks time (yeah, can’t wait for the holidays).

Our holiday villas still have to be stylish though.  As my sister says, getting into a beautiful place is the first step to relaxation and rest!

So where do you find these places, I hear you ask? Well, fear not, my friends, here is my list of trusted rental sites. Of course, you can always scour the usual AirBnB or Homelidays, etc.. But those sites below should have a bit more of a chic stamp that I like.

I have also added those sites to my ultimate stylish holidays search so give it a go !

Kid and Coe

I mentioned them when they launched last year as I particularly liked their focus on families as well as the local insider’s tips they say they provide.

Since then, they’ve added properties on 4 continents and definitely have something for everyone.

You can also apply to rent your own property !

 

 

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Kate and Tom’s

Formerly the Big Cotage company, this site has now reinvented itself as a place to rent nice houses with a clear family focus.

They have a wide range of properties all in the UK and their search tool allows you to refine until you find the perfect place for your holidays.

 

 

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Passe-partout Homes

This site was recommended to me by Mrs O Around the World, a very resourceful luxury travel blogger.  She recently stayed in one of their houses in Puglia, with a great pool and garden.

Their properties are hand-picked and scattered around the world with lots of options for families.

 

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Unique Home Stays

Properties here are all in the UK and have been very carefully selected to match the site’s demanding criteria for luxury.

They are also often very well located.

You can add some treats such as hampers on arrival, in-house treatment or even, if you’re lazy (and rich), in-house cooking !

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Boutique homes

Lots of interesting and different rentals on this site. The curators seem to prefer modern design architecture.

That being said, you can travel all around the world and find a beach hunt in Corsica or a design house in Mexico or an ancient estate in Umbria. The prices are on a broad range as well so you can find accommodation at a decent value.

 

 

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And also, as mentioned before:

Welcome Beyond

Welcome Beyond is a German-based website but their properties are from all around the world.  They have a rather small collection (about 140) of hotels, B&Bs or self-catering houses.

What sets them apart is the personal involvement of the owners behind them and Welcome Beyond interviews all of them to get a real sense of what the property will offer you.

 

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i-escape

341 of their 1,400 properties are actually self-catering so it’s always worth checking them.

What I particularly like about i-escape is their frank reviews and in particular their section “lows” that doesn’t hide the things that could be a problem. Although most of the time, they are not that much of a problem.

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Do you have any favorite holiday rentals websites ?