3 things you should look for in an exclusive Provence vacation rental.
Just Provence prides itself in having a portfolio of luxury rental properties built up over a number of years with ever higher expectations. To this effect we have agents in Provence always looking to add properties of the standards we have set for our discerning clientèle. One might wonder what are these standards? What differentiates an exclusive rental property from your run of the mill villa with pool in sunny southern France?
These standards at first seemed very subjective, what can make a property stand out to be deemed worthy of the “exclusive” title ? I asked myself that question not being quite sure I could answer it precisely. Until Romuald, owner of L’Oliveraie, brought us his guest-book. His reviews answered the question for me and self-defined the “X-factor”. Yes, X stands for exclusive…
August 2012
Thank you for a wonderful, relaxing week – fabulous spot + everyone should have a massage ! I loved the massage.
(In child’s writing) I really enjoyed all the sports.
There are lots of good restaurants near the villa and lots of activities to do at the villa. Rom, thank you for a great week. Regards.
The Goods, UK
L’Oliveraie will be our case study so to speak, this review by the Good family (it is their real name) clearly states three factors that made the property stand out for the whole family. First thing mentioned is the great location, second come the activities at the house and third are the services provided by a friendly owner, affectionately called “Rom” by this family. It seems to me this simple review sums up “Rom’s” recipe for success. And this same recipe will ensure our portfolio only includes such properties and applying these principles in your choice of a holiday rental will ensure you pick exactly the right property for you and your loved ones.
Location, Location, Location !
Where is L’Oliveraie? The villa is situated near the beautiful perched village of Le Barroux. The village itself has a good selection of restaurants, nearby towns of Malaucène and Caromb ( 5 minutes away) both complete this selection with more shops, cafés and restaurants. The area has plenty to see within a 15 minutes drive radius, with two monasteries, a castle, the natural sites of Dentelles de Montmiral and Mont Ventoux and the various perched villages (Lafare, Suzette, La Roc Alric…) hidden behind the hills that dot the area. But don’t just take my word for it another review was all about the location :
13 – 27th Aug 2011
Dear Romuald, thank you so much for letting us stay in L’Oliveraie. We had a wonderful holiday, enjoyed Le Barroux and many of the Provence villages. We leave with many happy memories. All good wishes.
The Hobbs family (Michael, Ingrid, Tom and Adam)
Services available “sur place”*
But as you and I know Provence is full of such jewels and travellers nowadays need more to entice them into venturing into this location rather than the hundreds at hand. I asked Romuald what were those massages the guest were mentioning and the answer I got was very detailed.
” My wife offers oriental massages for our guests’ well being.”
These massages include the use of essential oils: argan, jasmine, orange flower, rose, ylang ylang and frangipani.
The lady of the house also offers beauty treatments on demand ( pedicure, facial care, manicure…).
And while you are relaxing from your day discovering the area your children and/or friends can relax in the pool, playing table tennis and other activities made available on the premises.
I sit in the stone house considering fans of lavender and the small basket of blushing apricots given to us by Romuald. Cicadas sing still, morning to night. The “sanglier” maybe will visit, the clear moon will keep us awake. (…) What delightful memories.
Oleander, black blood cherries. The tick tock of our ping pong game. Maybe the dog’s instant ownership- a blessing and a curse for poor Romuald.
I’m looking forward to finding out. Merci à la prochaine fois.
Krystall (Canada)
A truly bespoke service.
Finally, what really makes a luxury holiday rental stand out is the little services at your disposal that aren’t really customary but will make your life so much easier. Romuald and his wife truly understood that. They offer a welcoming dinner to their travelling guests who can just pick from a menu he sends them once they have booked their week online. He even goes that step further by offering to do their grocery shopping prior to their arrival so the only thing they have to worry about the next day is whether to bask in the sun or go sightseeing. The couple also has a listing of babysitters, chauffeurs and even a yoga teacher should the need arise.
Do all Just Provence properties fit exactly in this mould? The answer is yes but in their own ways. But do all visitors to Provence wish these exact services or types of locations? The answer is no.
That is why it is important you define what you need and want for your vacation in the South of France. You can look for destinations you’ll enjoy more, a village like Le Barroux might not be the right choice for you if you enjoy going to the theatre/concert every night. If you’re more the autonomous type who likes to handcraft this vacations from start to finish then you should look into a more “independent” property. But you will benefit from Just Provence’s services along the way to making your choice.
So what truly makes a vacation rental exclusive? As mentioned above a great location that will suit your tastes, services that match your needs and a bespoke service that will answer any question.
As always you can contact me at [email protected] with any questions or requests concerning the blog, our services or Provence in general. All comments are welcome.
Dylan
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* sur place means on site in French
J’adore the photos you’ve put here on your blog today, Dawn, they are so Paris, so chic and of cosure, so you! Well, I am dreaming of Venice for quite a long time now…Italy, but I am in the office, trying to finish the work until 6 o’clock and run home for some sleep as my last 3 days were so full. Kisses!