Looking for villas to rent in Skopelos used to be a much simpler task - not anymore
We’ve seen a huge increase in rental properties in Skopelos over the past decade. When we first started out there were approximately 20 villas for rent on Booking Platforms. Admittedly, it was much simpler to choose one property over another for your visit to Skopelos.
This type of holiday accommodation skyrocketed to over 150 villas in the last 10 years. This doesn’t take into account the various Tour Operators that offer villas to their exclusive clientele.
If you combine the search results with other types of accommodation, the number grows to over 400 rental units. Start searching within more than one platform or individual property websites, and you may quickly give up.
It will be easy to just go with the first Google ad you’ll see and hand over the fate of your holiday to an International platform. This is where you’ll end up paying much more on booking fees and commissions for a villa in Skopelos (or anywhere you may be looking).
Choosing villas to rent in Skopelos can be made easier with the following tactics
There are certain reasons and benefits for choosing a villa vs a hotel for your upcoming holiday in Skopelos. Your experience will be drastically different if you decided to rent a different type of unit instead.
Here are 4 tips to have in mind when you start the process of finding your villa. They will assist you in saving some of your holiday budget and secure a better nightly rate.
1.Having Date Flexibility will often Secure a Better rate for your villa rental
Having flexibility with your holiday dates will have a direct impact on pricing too. If your preferred dates are not available, be prepared to arrive a few days earlier or later. Depending on the kind of flexibility you have, this can sometimes be next month too.
Remember that arriving from mid-July through the end of August will mean that you’d pay high season prices. This is true for 99% of rental businesses.
What is the benefit of having such flexibility with your holidays?
Aside from not losing your chance to visit Skopelos, more often than not, it can get you a better deal.
It works for both you and the villa owner. In most cases, I will be able to give you a holiday perk if you are willing to adjust your dates.
This way, I can fill in the calendar of my holiday rentals, and you can also get a discount or perk.
2. That last-minute booking spontaneity - is it a myth?
Finding a villa for rent in Skopelos is not an easy task, to begin with. When you decide to book somewhere last minute, it can have both a positive and a negative impact on your precious holiday:
The Pros of last-minute villa rental in Skopelos
You may truly stumble upon a treasure. Remember the staggering number of villas for rent in Skopelos?
It can be hard to fill in all these properties scattered all over Skopelos.
Competition and high demand will create occupancy gaps throughout the season, (May through September). You may find a great property to rent due to either a last-minute cancellation or because it hasn't been rented.
This is when you can negotiate the final rate for your villa rental. No owner wants to deal with an empty property in the middle of the season.
The Cons of last-minute villa rentals in Skopelos
You will be relying on mere luck to find a suitable villa for rent in Skopelos. Last-minute deals, often come with drawbacks.
Not having much choice over your Skopelos holiday rental, often results in renting properties that are less than ideal.
A rushed research can jeopardise your holiday experience. You don't have the luxury to choose your favourite villa in Skopelos because time is running out.
Booking last-minute for your villa may have the opposite effect of a bargain too. Prices can soar higher due to limited availability. Similar pricing schemes exist in the Airline industry. Are you willing to risk it?
If you leave everything for the last minute, you're not only risking your holiday but your family's precious holiday break too.
3. Stay away from big international Online Booking Engines if possible
You know which ones I'm referring to - we all do! We tend to use them all the time. They're internationally acclaimed and have a massive database of hotels, houses, apartments, etc. all over the world. They're simple to use, convenient and offer you tons of SECURITY! Don't be a victim of this Security bait, though. It's all in their best 'interest' because you will get charged a lot more for booking through their 'safe-ecosystem'.
The convenience and ease of their services come with a hefty price tag. A tag that 9 out of 10 people don't realise they're paying.
I have dedicated a whole article on how to avoid international booking engines on "Forget Everything you Know About Renting Skopelos Villas"
You may think you're getting a free service and direct booking with an owner like myself, but this is very far from reality
So far from being true, that I will dedicate a whole other article on the 'In's and out's of Online Booking Engines' from an owner's perspective. A post that will shed some valuable light on what goes on behind the scenes of this process. How a whole mechanism is activated the minute you sign up to them and start sending multiple messages to multiple villa owners in Skopelos. The least you will pay for is 'Booking commissions' and 'Service fees'.
In some cases, some villa owners will have inflated rates to make up the hefty commission fees. This, of course, is undetectable to you. If these rates look fair, ensure to check directly with the owner first. You will find that some owners will offer reduced rates if you book directly with them.
4. Sign up to Newsletters before you start to search for villas to rent in Skopelos
Quite a few owners of villa rentals in Skopelos have their own website in addition to other, third-party advertising channels. Owners that are professionals in this trade and serious about their business should definitely have their own site. Not having your own space in the 21st century is similar to not having your own voice, your own identity.
Visit these sites well before your villa journey begins. Look for a button that usually prompts you to "Sign up to our Newsletter" or a similar call to action. By signing up to a Newsletter service will give you the privilege of being among the first few select individuals to hear about special offers. Offers that will come in handy when you start your booking process.
You are essentially becoming our best friend. I am always thrilled to receive a new subscriber through our Newsletter sign up. I feel privileged that you are allowing me to occupy some real estate of your inbox. These Newsletters are usually pretty informative. They consist of not only special offers throughout the year but interesting posts. Articles like this you'd be missing on otherwise.
Valuable information that we have poured our hearts and souls over to share with you. Ideas and tips to help you make better decisions when it comes to one of the most important decisions of your year - that of your holidays in Skopelos
Wrapping it up - points to take away
Be flexible with your holiday dates if you can help it. You can almost always be flexible, and if you're not, you haven't planned something right. Trust me on this one, being flexible will reward you with either holiday perks, better rates or both. I will always reward potential guests who are able to 'bend time and space'.
Booking your villa in Skopelos at the last minute will have its pros and cons. While you may be able to score a better deal by renting someone's property, some villa owners will take advantage of your indecision and will inflate the rates. What's worst is that you may not even find any villas to rent in Skopelos during the high season. Are you willing to take the risk?
Use Online Booking Engines as search tools. Try to not book through them as you will almost certainly end up paying more for your Skopelos villa rental. By booking directly with an owner, you're not only ensuring an honest rate, but you're helping a small business survive.
Signing up to website Newsletters will grant you exclusive access to special promotional offers for villas to rent in Skopelos. These Newsletters are explicitly designed to help you make better-informed decisions for your holidays in Skopelos. Apart from special seasonal offers for your favourite villa rental, they often contain resources that will help you explore the beauty of Skopelos island.