The benefits of owning a holiday home

8 reasons to become a holiday home or lodge owner

Becoming the owner of a holiday home or a luxury lodge might be something you’ve considered for several years. So, why should you make this year you choose to make your home-from-home dreams a reality?

As well as eight incredible holiday parks, we’ve got eight incredible reasons why choosing to purchase a holiday lodge is something you might want to give some consideration this year… when you choose to own, you get much more than just a holiday home!

1. The post-Brexit ‘90/180-day rule’

Many of the reasons for becoming a holiday home owner are timeless, but some are more recent. One of these is the ‘90/180-day rule’. For many, this has made lodge ownership in Britain a more attractive, hassle-free prospect.

How so? Well, following Brexit, there is now a limit on how long a British citizen can spend in European countries — if stopping in any EU or Schengen area country for more than three months in a six-month period, you now need a Schengen visa.

That’s right: non-EU citizens can only stay for a maximum of 90 days every 180 days. This 180-day period is rolling, so whenever you visit Europe, you need to count backwards to see whether you’ve been present in the Schengen area for more than 90 days.

Exceeding your period of permitted stay, whether intentionally or unintentionally, can lead to fines, deportation, difficulties returning to your holiday home — perhaps even an entry ban.

This has left many European holiday home owners tying themselves in knots — can I stay in my holiday home, or will I be breaching the regulations? Those spontaneous sojourns to Europe can now present some headache-inducing number crunching…

Of course, there’s no such limit on visiting your holiday home in Britain. You’re free to maximise it as much as you like — complete freedom and no being at the whim of bureaucracy, red tape and regulation!

2. Unlimited pet-friendly pursuits…

There’s nothing as heartbreaking as having to say goodbye to your four-legged friends as you head off on holiday. In fact, 37% of dog owners have apparently skipped going on holiday just to stay with their beloved pooch.

So, the natural solution — bring them with you! Many holiday parks offering ownership are completely pet friendly, so Rover and Fido can adventure to their heart’s content.

Whether you’re rambling the sun-dappled hills and valleys of Cornwall’s countryside or cruising its world-class coastline, those furry family members don’t have to miss out when you own a holiday home in the UK.

At our parks, we pride ourselves on being completely pet friendly, welcoming up to two well-behaved furry family members per visit — we even have a range of amenities including dog showers, snack bars, agility areas and woodland walks. These are luxury getaways for pets and their owners. They’ll love it just as much as you!

3. It’s an investment in your mental health

There’s a clear relationship between travel and health — studies have shown that tourism boosts psychological, physical and social wellbeing. Travel is good for us — it’s as simple as that.

So, given that these health benefits ‘gradually diminish’ after the vacation and that the average UK family only holidays 1.9 times per year, the more you can do, the better!

Owning a holiday home in Britain is the perfect way to maximise the frequency of getaways, escaping day-to-day life and connecting with your beloved holiday home ownership community.

A weekend retreat is the ideal way to put all those worries to one side and get out there. Given the gorgeous surroundings of Padstow, the New Forest or Newquay (we can go on!), this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Or, to reimagine things slightly, with the new tendency to work from home, you might even decide to take the office to the comfort of your lodge, perhaps on a Friday or Monday as part of an extended weekend break… for this, all of our holiday homes are complete with high-speed WiFi connectivity.

How do lunch breaks by Mawgan Porth’s golden sands sound? It’ll certainly take the edge off any work-related stresses, we think.

4. Make the most of what’s on our doorstep (and do the planet a favour)

Anyone who’s visited Perranporth, Fistral, Bude, Porthcurno or St. Ives on a fine summer’s day can vouch for their world-famous splendour — Cornwall has more than enough to rival any Mediterranean or Caribbean coastline, in our opinion!

A holiday home, therefore, is a launchpad for experiencing wildlife, gorgeous beaches, walking routes, ragstone villages, independent eateries, cosy village pubs — and so much more.

Whether it’s a day trip to beautiful Beaulieu and its National Motor Museum, a trip to one of Rick Stein’s Michelin-starred Padstow establishments or just a walking route around Sheerness (followed by the gastronomical delights on offer at Mem’s Mezze), holiday home ownership opens up absolutely everything on our doorstep.

Take our Penmarlam Lodge Retreat nestled in the hills of Bodinnick, a riverside village overlooking Fowey’s picturesque estuary. It’s a maritime panorama that never gets old. Then there’s Padstow, our park located a short stroll through farm fields from the historic harbour town it takes its name from.

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5. Love every weekend — no packing (or passport) needed

It’s an obvious benefit, but is definitely worth mentioning: holiday home owners can pop off on short holidays whenever they want!

There’s no need to count down to that one big, expensive summer holiday blowout — just escape to your holiday home at the weekend, year round and enjoy Britain’s spellbinding surroundings. Buying a holiday home is an investment in your enjoyment and lifestyle. Get away whenever you please for quality time and family fun.

Take our lovely Green Hill Farm , sitting at the beating heart of the New Forest National Park. Hop in the car from London, and enjoy the sea views, Blue Flag beach or native ponies in under an hour.

That’s a Friday evening we can all get on board with!

Many of our parks have 12-month licences (as long as you have a permanent residence elsewhere), and some even offer residential if you truly want to commit to your favourite part of the UK.

There’s no more packing, either. After all, it’s easily one of the worst parts of your overseas holiday experience: running around trying to get everything together, desperately squashing your suitcase so it closes and dragging heavy bags around, before doing it all over again when you go home.

And you just know you’ve forgotten something. It’s always the way.

This is your home-away-from-home — simply leave your holiday essentials where they are! Say goodbye to airport security, nagging concerns about the expiration date of your passport, the post-Brexit 90-day rule and any COVID-related quarantine rules — and hello to more amazing family time!

6. Friends for life, free with every purchase

While we love going on holiday and escaping the stresses of day-to-day life, it’s easy to miss friends and family (if they aren’t coming with you, that is!). Holiday home ownership changes that.

You’re immediately joining a cosy community of like-minded owners. With on-park owners’ lounges and even cafés, bars and restaurants at some parks, there’s always someone around for an early morning coffee or Sunday afternoon on-park catchup.

We all love the areas we call home from home. After all, it’s the local wildlife, landscapes, businesses and people that make these areas so amazing (we even have conservation awards and B Corp Certification to prove it).

7. You can save a pretty penny — and make a little extra on the side

Did you know that the average family holiday spends around £4,800 on holidays, each year? Taking a trip to your holiday lodge will come in at a drastically reduced price…

Not only this, but holiday home ownership also gives you the opportunity to offset a few costs with lettings. What better than giving other families the chance to experience some of Britain’s most spectacular settings? A little extra cash from letting out your holiday home can certainly help with the running costs.

Offering out your lodge as a holiday rental doesn’t need to be a complex process. Holiday parks (like ours!) will typically manage the whole process for you – you just need to decide when you want to make your holiday home available for letting.

8. It’s a more sustainable way to get away

With 87% of us wanting to travel more sustainably, holiday home ownership has another clear advantage — domestic tourism is inherently less emission-intensive than taking a long-haul flight.

Indeed, aviation is by far the most polluting form of transport per passenger-kilometre; aeroplanes belching carbon at high altitudes accounts for three-quarters of the travel industry’s greenhouse gas emissions. So, keeping things domestic is a great way of being kinder to our planet.

Of course, UK-based operators still shouldn’t be complacent. As proof of our unwavering commitment to providing eco-friendly holidays, we’ve even received the prestigious B Corp Certification, a symbol of our social and environmental commitment.

So, thinking of owning your own little escape to nature?

Can you picture your home from home by the Cornish coast? For a taste of exclusivity and luxury at Penmarlam, discover our collection of residential and holiday homes, nestled in a serene location just across the river from Fowey.

We have a range of options to suit all budgets, of course.

Explore our full range of gorgeous new and pre-loved holiday homes across Cornwall, Suffolk, Norfolk and the New Forest.

EXPLORE HOLIDAY HOMES FOR SALE

Buying a holiday home is a big decision, of course, and there’s a lot to take in. We want you to feel supported and secure throughout the process — it might even be that holiday home ownership isn’t quite for you and your family at this very moment.

Financing, in particular, can be challenging. Whichever of our luxury parks you fall in love with, the local team is there at every stage.

How we make holiday ownership simple, stress-free and fun

We have dedicated team members here to guide you through and advise you on every stage of the holiday home ownership process, right through to the handover of keys.

We have extended warranties with our manufacturers, which whilst not covering all wear and tear, should hopefully provide real additional peace of mind. Our new and pre-loved holiday homes are built to exceptionally high standards, so should require very little maintenance.

We don’t stop when you become an owner, of course.

As well as an after sales team on hand for all those queries and questions, we cherish communication on our parks. From regular newsletters to an open-door policy and updates on any changes, we always want you to have your say and feel part of your community. This also means a clear, transparent approach to annual site charges, so you know exactly what outgoings to expect and when.

To guarantee you the very best service possible, we always invest in the development of our team. Your feedback is absolutely key as part of creating this sense of community — we want you to truly feel part of the family.

For any questions about holiday lodge ownership, get in touch with our friendly team through our contact page, by emailing hello@lovatparks.com or by phoning 0333 200 1010.

EXPLORE HOLIDAY HOMES FOR SALE