Christmas holiday cottages are undoubtedly the best way to make the most of the festive period. Enough space to get everyone together under the same roof. Excellent kitchen and dining facilities for all those festive feasts. Not to mention luxury facilities like games rooms or indoor swimming pools to keep the whole family happy.
But when is best to book a Christmas cottage? In this post, we’ll weigh up the options and provide a general rule of thumb.
Booking a Christmas cottage
There are two polar opposites when it comes to booking Christmas cottages – getting in early and leaving it late. While some people fall somewhere in the middle, you’d be surprised just how many bookings can be grouped in the early bird and latecomer categories.
So, which is best? Many people like the late option because of its impulsiveness and festivity. Searching for a cottage in November or December means you’ve already started your Christmas shopping, your booking will be just around the corner, and you can even enjoy a warm mug of mulled wine to celebrate.
It also seems easier to get people’s confirmation, as they know exactly what they’re doing in a few weeks’ time (more on this later). But is there a better way? Here’s what you can expect when booking earlier…
Ample availability
The first thing to consider is availability. Christmas is renowned as the most wonderful time of the year – and that makes it the most popular time of the year for holiday cottages.
When you book late on, you’ll find it much harder to get a winter holiday cottage that’s big enough for all your guests or available for the entire festive season. The result is some people missing out or a shorter getaway that ends too soon.
By booking early, you can take your pick with excellent availability and avoid any compromise for your Christmas getaway.
Extra-special features
It’s not just availability that’s better early on. There’s also the features and locations on offer. Let’s say you tick the main boxes in the build-up to Christmas, with a house that’s big enough and available when you want it.
You’ll probably have a great time. But it would be even better with some extra-special features to make your stay truly unforgettable. Whether it’s a hot tub or swimming pool, the best facilities see certain houses snapped up even quicker. The same is true for cottages in sought-after locations, from the Cornish coast to the quintessentially Christmassy villages of the Cotswolds.
Searching simplicity
Then there’s the search itself. Finding a Christmas cottage should be an exciting, enjoyable process. That’s far from the truth when you book last minute, and you have to frantically scour the web with multiple tabs open and your phone buzzing away. By the time you’ve waited for everyone’s approval, the house you found has already gone.
Now compare that to booking early. Everyone has their attention on their summer holidays, leaving you to peacefully pick out your favourite holiday cottage in an amazing location. You can spend as much time as you want mulling over the different options to make sure you get the features that will make your festive getaway truly perfect. And it still won’t take anywhere near as long as the plight of the latecomer.
Everyone can make it!
We mentioned earlier that it can seem easier to book nearer the time as you know what people are doing. However, that’s not necessarily a good thing. People know what they’re doing because they already have plans. Even with the lure of a beautiful Christmas cottage, they won’t want to ditch other friends and family at Christmas.
Being an early bird means ensuring that all your nearest and dearest can make it for the dates you’re booking – not least the big day itself. You’ll thank yourself when everyone’s around the same table or opening presents together.
Don’t forget the cost
But wait – what about the last-minute deals? In truth, these rarely come to fruition. It’s hard to overstate just how in-demand Christmas holiday cottages are. As availability gets eaten up, the remaining cottage owners are unlikely to see it as a sign to slash their prices. Quite the opposite in some cases. Would you offer a deal in December if your cottage was the last one available for Christmas?
So what about booking early? At the very least, you’ll benefit from prices based on quality, rather than just high demand. With more availability, you can shop around for a cheaper deal too, if required. Booking a few months in advance also means you can spread the cost.
Just how early should you book?
When you’re booking Christmas cottages, it’s definitely a case of the earlier, the better. One of the easiest options is broaching the subject exactly 12 months before. With everyone (or most people) in the same place, planning a Christmas getaway for the following year can make things much easier.
That said, we understand the difficulties in booking a Christmas break too early – after all, a lot can change in a year (or more). A happy medium for most people is around 4-6 months before Christmas. That way, you can still get booked in while people are enjoying their summer holiday.
Don’t delay on your Christmas cottage
From finding the best house to making sure everyone can make it, booking early is always the best option for a festive escape. At kate & tom’s, we make things easier with a selection of Christmas holiday cottages that have been hand-picked by our team of experts.
With us, you benefit from the best locations, state-of-the-art facilities, and fully stocked kitchens every time. Quite simply, we’ve done the searching, so you don’t have to. While that could even take some of the stress out of last-minute planning, we’d still recommend getting in early!
If you have any questions about our Christmas cottages or would like hand planning the ultimate festive getaway, don’t hesitate to contact us on [email protected].
