Founded as a limited liability company in 2006, Your Holiday Matters is devoted to identifying holiday rentals and B&Bs with a singular bond: whether large or small, rustic or luxurious, every Your Holiday Matters property is backed by an “Owner who Cares.”
First we focus extensively on the owner and their attitude: “We look for people who care passionately about the experiences they deliver as we know it is people who make the difference.” says Helen Beaumont (Membership Director). You can’t buy your way onto Your Holiday Matters.
We have also created an approval process which allows us to rigorously evaluate owners and properties around the world. Rather than being limited to a handful of regions or countries, our globetrotting guests can rest assured that sub-standard accommodations will not ruin their precious holidays.
Next there’s our Application Review Team, composed entirely of holiday rental and B&B owners. Everyone who applies to Your Holiday Matters is evaluated by a highly-experienced holiday property owner: we know how to identify fellow owners who genuinely enjoy helping guests get the most out of their vacation.
Finally -- and most importantly -- we’ve created a Seal of Approval which only “Owners who Care” may display on their advertisements, providing an instantly recognisable symbol of confidence for travellers, worldwide. (If ever in doubt, a quick check of the listings at YourHolidayMatters.com will confirm you are indeed dealing with an approved Your Holiday Matters owner.)
Your Holiday Matters is the brainchild of Marcus Smith, a holiday home owner with gites in the Dordogne, France. "Infinity pools and hi-tech kitchens are not everything" is his view. "Commitment of the owner to the interests of the holiday maker, from the time of the initial inquiry, through to arrival and beyond, is what really counts".
Inspired by TV programmes like 'Holidays from Hell' and a growing awareness of what can await the unsuspecting, he felt it was time to provide a service which takes the doubt out of booking, and offers travellers the reassurance they need and deserve. Marcus created the site with 25 members of an internet forum, developed to support and disseminate information to owners of holiday rental properties worldwide. "My colleagues had previously been happily engaged in exploring the merits of fluffy towels, pool safety and yet more ways to improve the rental experience for guests" he explained. "Our project just seemed a natural progression."
Since our inception, the situation has further deteriorated with internet scams such as Morairaway becoming more common. Fortunately, with Your Holiday Matters you can be confident that your only surprises will be pleasant ones.
The Seal of Approval is a symbol of reliability when booking holiday rentals online. It identifies holiday
property owners, worldwide, who have been evaluated by our demanding review team (itself composed entirely of
experienced owners) and proven their commitment to providing exemplary customer service and comfortable
accommodations; owners who thoroughly enjoy helping you get the most out of your holiday. Put another way,
the Seal of Approval identifies the best holiday experiences available worldwide, backed by "Owners who Care.".
Once an application has been received, it is assigned to a member of our review panel. They study the application, review the owner's website and discuss any possible problem areas with the other panel members before proceeding. Having checked that all the basic criteria for inclusion have been met, the applicant is contacted either by telephone or email.
The most important question 'What makes you a caring owner?' has already been answered on the application form, providing initial insight into how the owner deals with their guests. The interview explores that in more detail and clarifies any other concerns identified in the application.
Three prior guests are then contacted. Questions range from how the owner dealt with the booking to how problems, if any, were resolved. Using the property descriptions on the owner’s website, we then cross-reference the guest’s experience with a range of key amenities, thereby completing three independent “on-site” property reviews.
At the end of the process, the entire review team – all of them experienced holiday property owners – must agree unreservedly that the applicant is an “Owner who Cares.” If so, approval is granted to display the Seal of Approval and the owner is welcomed with much rejoicing onto the Your Holiday Matters website.
Yes. We periodically review our owners and properties to ensure a continued high level of care and commitment.
Yes. To date, approximately 30% of all applications have been rejected. The most common reasons were:
We provide an international portfolio, reflective of our own global adventures. As such, from the start, we designed an approval process which incorporates multiple “on-site” inspections via interviews with guests who have stayed at the property. We also view the holiday experience as much more than just a home's physical attributes: we’ve had some distressing holiday experiences in gorgeous homes, thanks to owners who absolutely did not care!
Yes. Our Owners all subscribe to a strict policy of truth and honesty in all dealings with our guests.
Even with the best of intentions, on rare occasions things still go wrong. Should you ever have a concern about a Your Holiday Matters property or owner, we want to know. We'll contact the owner and, if possible, assist in finding an equitable resolution.
Our owners are as unique as their homes but a few examples from our applications speak loudly by way of an answer:
". . . if there have been any special requests, making them happen is integral to the holiday experience. We recently had to provide 2 fridges and freezers for religious reasons for a family it took a bit juggling but we managed it."
"I was waiting for a family of 4, with two small children to arrive and it was getting later and later. At midnight they rang to say that they'd got a bit lost so would arrive within the hour. At 1am, I got a tearful call saying that they were completely lost and were on the outskirts of a town about 15 miles away, so I drove over to meet them. The poor wife was standing next to the car in the pitch black and crying her eyes out. By 2am, they were installed in the cottage, the children tucked up in bed and a happy outcome all around.”
“We bought another 2 hens this week because our guests love fresh eggs in the morning and Alice and Gerry weren’t laying enough.”
"A guest had a car accident and knocked down a public wall in the village. We went with them to see the mayor and sorted it all out for them.”
