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Villa Rentals Are Critical to the Local Economy!!

Javea is renowned for being one of the preferred towns on the Costa Blanca in which to rent a villa. Villa holidays really can deliver on their promise to relax you and provide that peaceful haven that you and your family are seeking.

There is an abundance of choice of different sized villas and most are well equipped. During the peak season of July through to August it can get expensive, but by booking ahead and doing some research, there are many villas that are good value for the money. As 'villa tourists' are a big revenue earner for the town due to the quality and volume of tourists they attract, the quality of service on offer tends to be quite high. Many of the villas available are owned by expatriates that travel away during the peak season, but live in their villas the rest of the year. So these tend to be well looked after. Some villas though are pure owner investments and the quality of furnishing can sometimes be a little basic.

Officially, renting out a villa out is a controlled activity overseen by the regional tourist authorities. However, many villas get rented out or loaned by familes, friends and through advertising in the UK, that are not registered. This does not necessarily mean, however, that the holiday makers are in an immediately risky situation. The registration process is more about tax on rental income than anything else. However, knowing whether the villa is registered for letting does give you a little insight into 'who' you might be dealing with.

Points to Consider When Renting a Villa

Rental Agencies: There are some really excellent rental companies offering properties in and around Javea. However, it is not absolutely necessary to use them as many private individuals rent out their properties directly. Its basically down to your own choice and about how confident you feel about the property and the owner. Don't be afraid ro ask for references or to talk to someone you know that has been before. Recommendations are the principal way villas here get booked!

Location: There are two vital reasons for considering the location, beyond what may be obvious. Firstly, some parts of Javea really do require you to have your own transport. Cabo de la Nao, Montgo and Cap Marti are all popular with renters, but without a car you will struggle to get to supermarkets or the main restaurant areas, and taxis here are not as cheap as they once were. Secondly, the further away you are from the hub of civilization, the more vigilant you need to be. Again Javea is 'relatively' safe compared to many parts of the Costa Blanca, but burglaries do happen. Now and again gangs will watch an area of properties and wait for villa renters to arrive, dump their bags and head off to the supermarket. This is their preferred target as everything is still packed and very often tourists will leave valuables on display through windows leftin order to to air the rooms. In all the years we and our friends have rented or lived in villas in Javea, none have ever experienced this directly. But we have read about it in the local press and we do think you can take precautions that will result in a very relaxed holiday in Javea.

Air Conditioning: This is only really needed during the peak summer months and even then our family always argues as to whether or not we should put it on! So if you are worried about the heat at night, select somewhere that offers air conditioning in the bedrooms.

Swimming Pools: If you have younger children, try to get a pool with a shallow end. It really takes the pressure off! Villa owners in Javea tend to take good care to maintain the cleanliness of the their pools and the vast majority of these outsource the bi-weekly pool maintenance. Nevertheless, the most common cause for complaint are ear infections from using the pool. This is easy to avoid by ensuring that ears are rinsed out when getting out of the pool, or using cotton buds carefully to dry the ears. Alternatively, for a very small sum, all the chemists will sell you a set of ear plugs. Pools are fantastically refreshing in the summer months, even for those that don't swim, so if you are considering a property without one, be aware that temperatures can reach upper thirties during August!. Lastly, the most common cause of seriousr injury and death amongst tourists in Spain is due to people diving 'head first' into pools that are too shallow!

Insect Life

Its funny that when British tourists come to Spain they worry a great deal about ants, mosquitos and the different bugs they encounter, completely forgetting that their gardens back home are full of a great deal more varieties and quantity of creepy crawlies! There are three things to remember about bugs here: Firstly, if the villa does not have air conditioning in the bedrooms, try to get a villa with mosquito nets over the bedroom windows. Secondly, ants will only come into the house if food is left out for them. Our routine after every meal is the same. ie, wash dishes and glasses throroughly, wipe all worktops, sweep up under the table and put food packets that arein the fridge. The result is that the only ants we ever see are the individual scouts looking for food. Lastly, you must remember that your best friend are the geckos. These little lizards live on any little insect they may find, so treat the geckos nicely!

Travel Packages Verses Booking Independently

Yes, it is often very convenient to to book a package that includes the villa, flights, car hire and insurance. There is one form to fill out and you don't suffer from any anxiety while you try and book the separate components individually. If you are booking through a bonded tour agent, you will also have some financial protection if the package tour operator goes bust. However, you can save yourself an awful lot of money if you are prepared to book each component individually. 'How much less' is down to your flexibility. Typically though, savings of between 25% and 50% are not uncommon. Most companies and individuals that rent out villas in Javea will hold a villa reservation for you for up to 24 hours to allow you to book up flights to match the rental dates. You will find this really useful. So do your research!

Here Are A Few Villa Companies That Our Friends and Family Have Used Over the Years With Great Success: