Helpful Holidays Takes Top Place in Which? Survey again!

We're absolutely thrilled to have been awarded first place in the Which? travel magazine member survey of holiday cottage and villa companies for the second year in succession achieving a very high score of 91%.

We were awarded five out of five stars in all but one category; this included a top rating for properties matching their descriptions – we were the only company to achieve this.

Which? members were asked to rate any holiday cottage or villa that they had used in the past year on everything from customer service to value for money. The panel of 2,377 members named hundreds of different agencies and listings websites. We achieved the highest score impressing members with our customer service, quality of information, ease of booking and comprehensive range of properties. Our advanced online search facility with 42 handy filter options from pianos to pools also achieved five stars.

Our General Manager Moray Bowater said: “Everyone knows Which? endorsements are truly unbiased and trustworthy. To achieve its members top rating two years in succession is a pleasing recognition of the diligence and attention to detail our team puts into practise with every booking we take. Ultimately, trust is the currency that really counts and earning that of our customers has been our purpose for the last 30 years.”

Lorna Cowan, Editor of Which? Travel, added; "Helpful Holidays has proved to be a continued hit with Which? members after being voted the best holiday cottage company in our annual satisfaction survey for the second year running. Its impressive customer score and maximum five star rating in six out of the seven featured categories, including customer service and ease of booking, shows just how well members rate the company and the cottages it offers.”

We have more than 600 places to stay in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset ranging from romantic retreats for two up to big country houses sleeping a maximum of 48 guests. All the properties are regularly and carefully inspected and star rated by the our own team so we can advise holidaymakers honestly through first-hand experience. Holidaymakers can always speak to someone who has visited any property and get answers to questions the website or brochure might not answer. Many of the places are exceptionally plush and we have a reputation for offering big and beautiful houses.

Every property on www.helpfulholidays.com has a map showing attractions, activities, events and eateries nearby plus a full and frank description, several images and, in some cases, a video or audio tour; most also have a number of independent reviews by holidaymakers so guests know what to expect and can plan their holidays with confidence.

We're delighted to receive this recognition from Which? - but we'll be sure not to rest on our laurels. We'll be working harder than ever to ensure a third award next year!

First place in Which? holiday cottages and villas customer satisfaction survey!

Good news! We’ve swept the board in the recent Which? Travel magazine member survey of holiday cottage and villa booking companies, beating both national and West Country specialist booking agencies in the process.  

The panel of 2,678 Which? members who had booked a villa or holiday cottage in the past two years were asked to rate the companies they’d used. Helpful Holidays came out top, achieving a customer score of 92% (based on overall satisfaction and the likelihood to recommend) and the highest marks in each of the categories covered by the survey:

"Nearly 3,000 members gave us feedback on cottage and villa booking companies - Helpful Holidays stood out, receiving an outstanding customer score overall, with members impressed by the excellent customer service   and easy-to-use website."

Lorna Cowan, Editor, Which? Travel

Thrilled to receive this unbiased endorsement, our General Manager, Moray Bowater, said, "Which? is the UK’s pre-eminent and most trustworthy barometer of consumer attitudes and opinions and we couldn’t be more delighted to get this feedback from them. The values of honesty, integrity and attention to detail that Helpful Holidays puts into practice every day are recognised and appreciated by customers in this report. Ultimately, trust is the currency that really counts and earning that of our customers has been the purpose of Helpful Holidays for the last 30 years."

This recognition is all the more noteworthy since it follows hot on the heels of our recent Silver Award in the Best UK Cottage/Self Catering Booking Company (UK Properties) category in the prestigious British Travel Awards.

We won’t rest on our laurels. This is great news for the whole team and will spur us on to continue the careful work we do.

76% of Which? members surveyed booked their holiday online. We recognise the importance of having an easy to use website with a fast search facility. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve our website, we'd love to hear your feedback.

(Which? Travel is a subscription only magazine, so the full article is only available to subscribers.)