Why go self-catering and what to expect?

If you are looking for flexibility in your holiday routine, then going for a self-catering holiday is the ideal choice for you. Self-catering holidays allow you to decide when you want to eat, where you want to eat (a combination of eating in or out) as well as offering a bit more space as you have the whole apartment to yourself.

Many guests enjoy being able to cook for themselves when on holiday, as they have more time to do so and enjoy it.  Thus, having booked a holiday rental with proper cooking facilities gives you the option to eat some (or all) of your meals in the peace and comfort of your holiday home.  Self-catering is ideal for everyone and great for families to gather together whether it's for a catch-up or a special ocassion and can be much more cost effective and relaxed than booking hotel rooms and being stuck to a strict timetable as well as leaving you additional spending money for those fun activities!  A little forward planning in such areas will ensure that it is difficult to find a more cost-effective way of going on holiday.

Going self-catering allows you to get off the beaten track and find lovely walks and wee villages, many of which often have delightful and quirky cafés that you would never have found otherwise. Many of our guests tell us that by going self-catering they have discovered more about the area in which they stayed than if they had spent their holiday in a hotel complex.

Equally, if looking for a holiday in which you are guaranteed complete privacy, self-catering can be the way to go when looking to get away from everyone and everything. You can relax and feel at home in a self-catering property – having the full run of a house or apartment certainly trumps simply renting a hotel room with few amenities. Self-catered properties give you the chance to relax in your favourite manner, whether that’s sitting reading in a comfy chair, taking a long bath, or doing some baking in the kitchen with the family. Plus, the additional space is often invaluable for families with small children to entertain, or big kids who just need their space!

It is important to remember that self-catering holidays do require holidaymakers to be more self-sufficient than would be the case if they were enjoying a hotel break. Many self-catering properties no longer do the 'meet and greet' as before, and has moved onto the more efficient keysafe boxes where guests will receive access details prior to their arrival. Although maybe a bit impersonal for some, many of our guests have previously told us that they have enjoyed this much more, especially if they have been travelling from afar, to just get to the property and get in and relax.  Our properties have guest info/instruction booklets also with a contact number should there be any issues.  There are only a few of our properties where owners/property managers will meet the guests.  Most interaction nowadays is online; online booking, online email confirmation etc and whilst this can be a bit daunting, it is efficient and effective and saves lots of time when booking your self-catering holiday. As a result, it is expected that holidaymakers are respectful of the property and instructions and ensure that the property is left in the good condition that they find it (as you would with your own home!)

Self-catering holidays give you value for money, flexibility and privacy.  Provided you are happy with the fact that there will not be staff on hand to attend to your needs regularly, and you enjoy the feeling of a home rather than a hotel stay, it is highly likely that you will enjoy this style of holiday.

We have a range of self catering accommodation; from central city apartments to rural retreats perfect for the entire family. We have beautiful little hideaways in some of Scotland’s prettiest places, and something for all budgets. You can check out our range of properties here