Villa Finder Editorial team, Author at Villa Finder Magazine

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[Updated 1 July 2022] Phuket Covid-19 Entry Requirements

With palm-fringed beaches, colourful sacred temples and friendly people, Phuket is a dream holiday destination for many travellers. And, this paradise island is open again. In this article, we will update any information regarding requirements to enter Phuket. Current situation: As of May 1st, all fully vaccinated travelers can enter Thailand without quarantine and without PCR test.Here are the requirements as of July 1st: Fully vaccinated for more than 14 days before traveling.Unvaccinated travelers can enter if they show a negative PCR result taken maximum 72 hours before arrival.Travel insurance is no longer obligatory but it is highly recommended by the Thai government. As of 1 July 2022, 74% of the population has been fully vaccinated. 6.2% has only been partially vaccinated. (More information here) Related articles: Phuket Weather: When is the best time to travel to Phuket?10 Best Phuket Restaurants You Seriously Must TryTransportation in Phuket: Buses, Cars, Scooters. What…

Destination Guide

5 Best Ski Chalets in France: Winter Holiday in the French Alps

We love the French Alps for several reasons. In warmer months, the area is an excellent spot for hiking and camping. The endless green hills, the crisp mountain air, the way our voices got carried by the wind – everything is just so perfect and peaceful. As snow starts to fall, the area transforms into a white winter wonderland. It’s one of the best holiday destinations for skiers and snowboarding enthusiasts. There are plenty of gorgeous ski chalets to boot! Choices are aplenty, but we have selected some of the best ski chalets in France below. Check them out! 1. Chalet Moulin III Chalet Moulin III is a true luxury retreat nestled in the French Alps. In summer, you will have a breathtaking view of mountain greens and lustrous meadows as your backdrop. This 4-bedroom ski chalet boasts a stylish combination of a traditional wooden hut and modern design. You…

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APAC Villa Rental Market: Covid-19’s Impact on Asia Luxury Travel Market & Trends for 2021

An exclusive research by Villa Finder, the leader in villa rentals in Asia-Pacific, on the impact of the travel restrictions on the US$440m villa market in Asia, together with an outlook of the upcoming re-start of the vacation rentals sector in the region The Covid-19 pandemic has heavily impacted the travel industry, and the villa market in the Asia Pacific region is no exception. Border closure, social distancing, new hygiene standards and the overall uncertainty about whether it is safe to travel are some of the changes the market over the past year. In this article, we are going to share more about how the pandemic has affected the APAC villa rental market, how villa owners have coped with this and also what the future will look like for villa rental. The APAC villa rental market in 2021 Due to the total travel shutdown, the overall Asia Pacific market reduced…

Niseko Family Guide

Niseko Family Guide 2021: Your Guide to Eat, Play, Stay in Niseko

Being in the villa rental business for the past 9 years teaches us one thing: Families have very different travel needs than any other types of travellers. Whenever we expand to another destination or add a new villa into our portfolio, we always have a checklist for its kid-friendly properties. When our mom clients ask us about Niseko, we can happily say that the destination is a great choice. In this Niseko family guide, we have asked our Japan experts to share their best tips on how to travel to Niseko with kids. We will be providing some options and inspirations for you to plan your trip. Is Niseko family-friendly? The short answer: absolutely yes. We have seen enough kids in Niseko to confidently say that the destination is very family-friendly. Skiing aside, there are plenty of other things for families to do, although most of our clients come to…

Niseko Guide

Best places to eat in Niseko – Food Galore in Japan

Fresh seafood, dairy products, Japanese beers and the Genghis Khan – a grilled meat dish – are some of the highlights of Hokkaido cuisine. There are plenty of dining venues to savour these items in Niseko – from food carts, to eateries and Michelin-starred fine diners. The town’s wide-ranging dining scene also features fusion restaurants, French or Italian gourmet diners, cafes and après-ski bars. So if you don’t know where or what to start with, just have a look at our Niseko dining guide below! Where to eat in Niseko Town Located southwards of the Niseko United resorts, Niseko Town isn’t at the heart of the action at Niseko Village, but a town where many long term residents call home. You’ll find affordable accommodation and dining options here, but it’s best to rent a car as it’s harder to get out to the main ski areas. Sushi Hanayoshi – Come…

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Villa Finder Goes to Europe & Partners with Rentals United

Hello everyone, I hope 2021 has been kind to you. It’s been a while since we last updated you, and I would like to share some exciting updates regarding what we’ve been up to and our plans for 2021. Villa Finder Goes to Europe Since borders closure, admittedly, we are not able to have you in our beautiful villas. However, Villa Finder was not idle in 2020. We focused our efforts on finding amazing villas in more destinations, with the hope that when borders reopen, we can bring the Villa Finder Concierge Experience to you at your destination of choice. I’m happy to share that we now have 3000+ villas in over 14 countries. Some of our latest additions are Tuscany (Italy), Ibiza, Mallorca (Spain), Provence and the French Alps (France). If you can travel domestically, lucky you, as the holiday rentals in these destinations are simply stunning. Take a…

Hakuba Guide

Traveller’s Guide for Getting Around Hakuba

Hakuba is spread out; the ski resorts and facilities aren’t located or easily accessible by walking, and there isn’t a main gondola where you can base yourself at. Getting around the village requires some planning, if you don’t want to spend ages waiting for the shuttle bus or a ride during the winter months. Here’s where our Hakuba transport guide comes into the picture. We’ll provide an overview of the different transport options for getting around Hakuba, along with links to the shuttle service timetables and route details. Taxi We recommend making bookings in advance, particularly if you’re travelling during the peak season. Tip: opt for restaurants that run their own shuttles so that access won’t be an issue. Taxi companies in Hakuba: Alps Taxi – p. +81 261-72-2221.Hakuba Kanko Taxi – p. +81 261-72-2144.Omachi Meitetsu Taxi – p. +81 261-72-2236 Car rental If you’re travelling with family or a…

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Dreamy Zoom Backgrounds for Stay-at-Home Meetings

“Oh, you are in Phuket today.” That’s how we would like to start our weekly team meeting at Villa Finder. We can’t physically be there, unfortunately. So we change our Zoom backgrounds from time to time (more like, once a week). As we have an amazing portfolio of stunning villas, and therefore, access to gorgeous images that we can use to ease our urge to travel. We are sharing some of our favourites below. If you want, feel free to download the photos and use them for your meetings! Relaxing beach views Grand Villa Noi, PhuketWhile Natai Beach is not as popular as Patong, it is equally impressive. You can easily find restaurants and bars in the area, and the sunset show is exactly what you always imagine. Grand Cliff Nusa Dua, BaliHot of the press: Bali is amongst the top post-pandemic destinations. Well, with natural blessings like this, we…

Family

18 moms shared their top family travel tips (and real experiences with kids)

Family vacations can go very, very wrong. With little ones in tow, you have a lot more to plan for, and a lot more to consider. And with all that planning, things may go astray as well, as you may read later in this article. We’ve reached out to the best people to share about family travel tips – moms who travel frequently with their children. Join us for a little bit of giggle, some “awww” moments and a lot of good vibes when they share about the best tips for travelling with kids and memorable experiences! Top family travel tips from moms who travel 1. Don’t be put off by travelling – Karen from Missing Sleep Image from Missing Sleep Website “I would say my top family travel tip is not to be put off travelling. When our kids are little it’s tempting to delay travelling because you worry how…

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Book a villa, plant a tree- Villa Finder’s latest visit to our Mangrove forest

Since 2012, our contribution in helping the global reforestation efforts started with a simple idea; for every villa booking made, we plant a tree. Villa Finder’s growing Mangrove forest Our founders envisioned a process where Villa Finder guests would contribute to a tree planting project that didn’t involve any extra costs (to guests) and without lifting a finger. Enter ReforestAction and NGO Project Yagasu, Villa Finder’s partners in the Mangrove Reforestation Project. 8 years and counting, we have worked with our partners to plant mangrove trees in Sumatra, Indonesia. To date, 6,800 trees have been planted and are slowly but surely taking root and reaching deep into the forest soil to help to restore healthy ecosystems. Over the years, our small forest has made an impact in: Providing clean waterReplanting mangrove trees helps prevent saline water intrusion and keeps underground water sources remain clean and free of seawater. This is…