Wishing all our customers, old and new, a wonderful Christmas and happy New Year. It has been wonderful to help you with your plans again this year.
The office will be open between Christmas and New Year, so do call or email with your requirements, and we will be delighted to help you.
With our very best wishes
From Pamela, Deborah, Sarah and Anne
For some of us, it has been a while since we last travelled, and whilst we might need a reminder of how much liquid we can carry, what we can bring back, or what the Covid regulations are, did you know that there are now new rules to contend with, following the UK leaving the EU?
To avoid being turned back at customs, it is very important is that you check the validity of your passport before travel.
If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must meet the Schengen area rules.
Your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:
Check both the issue date and the expiry date in your passport. If you renewed your passport early, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. This could affect the requirement for your passport to be less than 10 years old.
Contact your travel provider or embassy of the country you are visiting if you think that your passport does not meet both these requirements. Renew your passport if you need to. Further information can be found on the government website here.
After nearly 2 years of lockdowns, border closures and travel restrictions, when we swapped holidays for staycations or daytrips, things are, at last, opening up again. It’s time to find your passport, get out the maps and guide books and start planning!
We have great availability in the early and later part of the season at many properties, and some prime weeks available during the peak school holiday season.
With France opening up to UK citizens, Italy relaxing restrictions, and most countries welcoming fully vaccinated tourists, now is the time to get in touch and let us help you plan your holiday to one of our wonderful luxury villa properties.
We wish all our customers, past, present and future a very happy Christmas and our best wishes for 2022.
The office will be operating on reduced hours during the Christmas period from Friday 24 December 2021, opening again on Tuesday 4 January 2022.
Please contact us at enquiries@ppaproperties.com or by telephone on 01423 330533, and we will respond as soon as possible.
After a short heatwave in the UK this July, the summer has been rather lacklustre since. If like us, you are still toying with the idea of a little late summer sunshine, we have some great availability in September, at properties where July and August availability is often hard to come by.
We love September; the weather is still warm, the beaches and markets are quieter, the prospect of an evening glass of rosé watching the sun go down, whilst listening to the crickets, is still possible, and all without the blankets, jumpers and down jackets necessary in the UK. Contact us for details of late availability.
After so many months of limbo, and with the sun making an appearance in the UK, we are longing for balmy evenings with a glass of wine on the terrace of one of our special properties, as are many of you!
We are following developments in the media closely, and are very much hoping that restriction free travel for the fully vaccinated will soon become a reality. In the meantime, we are receiving new availability on a regular basis, so we would be delighted to hear from you and help with your plans.
June 2021
We wanted to let you know that, despite the current restrictions, we are still open for business, helping you to find the right luxury villa for your holiday.
We are available to answer all of your questions via email or by phone, however, as there are fewer staff in the office, our response may take a little longer than normal so please bear with us.
We look forward to helping you with your holiday plans for 2021 and thank you for your continued support.
Best wishes from Pamela, Deborah, Sarah and Anne
7 January 2021
The office will be operating on reduced hours from Tuesday 22 December 2020 for the Christmas period, opening again fully on Monday 4 January 2021. Please do contact us at enquiries@ppaproperties.com or by telephone on 01423 330533, and we will respond as soon as possible.
We look forward to helping you with your holiday plans for 2021
Best wishes from Pamela, Deborah, Sarah and Anne
September 2020
After a whirlwind of activity in August, when many of our more intrepid clients ventured overseas to enjoy the splendid isolation of our private properties, we are now experiencing something of a lull in activity to take stock and review the events of the year with our Owners. This year we worked hard with each booking to find a solution to each scenario in response the ever changing travel restrictions, with many people choosing to transfer their booking to 2021, and some opting for refunds. We are very grateful to our incredibly understanding and patient Owners for their support. It is clear, that for the meantime at least, travel will be a less predictable scenario than in the past, and last minute bookings might be a more usual occurrence than we have previously experienced. The industry as a whole is having to look for a way forward to provide both clients and Owners with some security in an uncertain world, and this is something that we are keen to implement as well.
To reflect this, and to be able to respond more quickly to a changing scenario, this year, we are not producing a brochure, but will instead be focusing our activity more on our website and social media. This way we can highlight areas that are open for travel and reflect the changes to our portfolio more quickly. We are in the process of adding new properties to the portfolio, so watch this space for some fresh new destinations to enjoy a socially distanced holiday.
You can find us on facebook or Instagram. If you would rather receive updates through more traditional means, you can request to be added to our mailing list here. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you with your holiday arrangements.
What a year it has been! We have all had to make changes in our daily lives, and our holiday plans have had to adapt and change too. Whilst staycations might be one option, many of our intrepid clients have continued to travel where government restrictions have allowed, and enjoyed the splendid isolation of our beautiful properties, where social distancing and staying in your own ‘bubble’ is part of the ‘old’ normal!
For some, lockdown or health concerns meant that their trips sadly had to be cancelled or postponed until next year, and we are immensely grateful to all our Owners who were so understanding and accommodating of the many different scenarios we faced together. As a small business built on relationships and reputation, we have treated each case individually to try and find an equitable outcome for everyone.
We are likely to be dealing with the effects of COVID-19 for longer than any of us would like, however the beautiful properties we represent and their marvellous staff continue to welcome people with safety, comfort and relaxation in mind, and will do so into the autumn, as the hot summer in Europe looks set to continue.
We hope that you and your families are staying safe and well, and we look forward to helping you with your plans for your villa holiday abroad.
`It’s a great joy to plan a holiday with you, because you and your team are the epitome of efficiency. It makes such a difference, so all thanks due to you all!’
We have received such wonderful compliments this year that encapsulate to perfection the reason why we love our portfolio of special and very personal private properties in our portfolio.
As we go to press, the ‘B’ word continues to dominate and remains unresolved. We are often asked has the uncertainty had an effect on our business and of course it has unsettled many; however, will we all still want to holiday abroad? The answer is a resounding YES!
There are likely to be changes to some entry requirements such as an international driving license, travel insurance and dog passports. A benefit of the delays is that Government Departments and relevant Companies that advise are ready for any eventuality. My International driving license made us rather nostalgic for the ease of purchase from the Post Office and its simplicity – a piece of cardboard with no hidden security microchips.
In a world of on-line booking and uncertainty, our raison d’être is to provide you with a personal service. We have visited all our properties, taken copious notes and measurements, and we delight in passing this information to you in the form you prefer, whether it is by telephone, email, letter or all three….
Our small team work together with enthusiasm and our aim is to understand your requirements and help you discover a property where you will be comfortable and enjoy special time together. After the passage of 34 years we have learnt that our personal knowledge of these gorgeous houses is advice you appreciate.
Representing these lovely properties is a compliment. Our admiration is to our Owners who ensure their properties are prepared to such a fantastic standard for your arrival. This is also due to their loyal and hardworking staff who do help to make this a holiday for you and your guests.
We have always respected the GDPR set of rules to ensure your privacy. At any time it is your complete right to withdraw from one or any form of contact and we are happy to be contacted via email (enquiries@ppaproperties.com), post (South Hill, Whixley, York, UK, YO26 8AT) or via our website (www.ppaproperties.com) to remove you from our contact list.
We look forward to helping you with your holiday plans.
Deborah Bigley Pamela Nicholson
November 2019
Coronavirus – COVID 19
As the effects of Coronavirus, COVID-19, dominate all aspects of our lives, your carefully made holiday plans are potentially in disarray. It is a rapidly changing situation and here at Private Properties Abroad, we are carefully monitoring the developments both at home and internationally.
The UK Government update their Foreign travel advice for each country regularly; please follow this link https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
As of 17 March, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued the following:
As countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel and border restrictions, the FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Any country or area may restrict travel without notice.
The following link maybe helpful to US citizens and US residents: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html.
Please be assured that at Private Properties Abroad, we remain focussed on providing you with the excellent service and support you have come to expect from us. We are contacting those of you who have already booked one of our beautiful properties approximately 10 weeks before your arrival date to discuss a course of action, depending on the state of play in the weeks coming up to your holiday.
If you have any questions regarding your booking or any future plans, please call the office on 01423 330533, or contact us by email: enquiries@ppaproperties.com
Thank you for your continued support.
18 March 2020
Sarlat is a well known, attractive town in Perigord Noir in the South West of France. Each year during the month of January the Sarlat Fête de la Truffe is celebrated with a weekend-long event offering various activities.
Events include workshops on truffle identification, a large truffle market, truffle-hunting and cooking demonstrations and classes.
Did You Know…..
• The flavour and aroma of black truffles is stronger and earthier than the more delicate flavour of white truffles.
• Fresh white truffles are always served raw, usually shaved over a dish just before serving.
• White truffles are more expensive than black truffles.
• PPA’s adorable office dachshund is called Truffle too!
This year FR156 Le Bournaguet will be hosting the official Célébration de la Truffe. This secluded property is situated close to the bustling market town of Sarlat where the Fête de la Truffe is held. The area is known for its gastronomical delights and Autumn Film Festival and is one of the jewels in the Vallée de la Dordogne.
Le Bournaguet offers accommodation for twelve adults and three young and provides a superb setting to enjoy all the area has to offer.
To find out more contact the PPA team today. Tel: 01423 330533/email:enquiries@ppaproperties.com
New to our portfolio is IT519Villa Contadina, this 18th century Tuscan manor house has amazing views across the wide Val di Chiana to the Tuscan Apennines. A truly beautiful house and equally beautiful gardens, a formal parterre, swimming pool and pavilion with facilities. The accommodation is for a maximum of 12 people in 6 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + 3 shower rooms + 1 sep WC .
Situated in Cortona an ideal location to enjoy Tuscany and Umbria
