If you are looking to go away in a big group next year for summer holidays, it makes sense to rent a huge villa for everyone, or a complex with 2 or 3 villas next to each other, depending on the group size. Not only is this a cost-effective way of traveling, removing the need for multiple hotel rooms, it is also a great deal more fun, all sharing the space with each other for the duration of your holiday. I have been on several of these big group holidays, so I wanted to give you some tips on how to get the planning just right.
Spain
Unless you have a particular reason to go to a certain country, I would most definitely recommend Spain as a place to look for your villa, specifically in the south of the country. The reason behind this is that you can easily fly into Spain from anywhere in the UK, for very low prices, plus the fact that Spain offers everything that most people look for in a summer break, and the villas here are far cheaper than the likes of Portugal and Greece. Keep an eye out for villas in and around Malaga, as these are some of the best that I have visited.
Car Rental
Bear in mind that in many cases, villas are in rural areas or in areas that are a little bit off-the-beaten path, so you will need a car rental for supermarket visits and meals out. Taking the Malaga example, if you rent a car when you get to Malaga, you maybe looking at higher costs, so be sure to get booked up before you leave home.
Amenities
Most people that go away in groups like this spend the majority of their time together in the villa, so you need to make sure that there is plenty for people to do. Naturally a swimming pool will be a key component of renting a villa, but also keep an eye out for pool and table tennis tables, TVs and speaker systems, a BBQ and plenty of outdoor seating space.
Money
When it comes to paying for the villa, you need to take extra special care, because you will be making a group payment on behalf of everyone. I have been on many holidays like this where someone pulled out at the last minute, which ended up driving the cost up for everyone. Once you have agreed with the group which villa you will rent and how much it will cost, make sure that you get payments from them prior to paying for the villa. If you do things like this, then should someone drop out, they can either sell their holiday to someone else, or simply lose the money, either way it will be their responsibility, and nobody else will lose out.
Group villa holidays are a great way to spend a summer break, just make sure that you get the planning right.