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gites with no outdoor space to offer.....ok idea / bad idea


squidge
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what does everyone think......

is there a market for a gite with no outdoor space?

we're looking at a place this week in a large village/small town nearby that we like..... but we're unsure whether people these days expect somewhere where they can at least burn a few bits of meat on the barbie.

all views welcome!!

thanks

squidge x

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We looked at a fantastic house but the garden was a few hundred metres down the road. We discounted it as we felt holiday makers want to eat and drink outside on holiday but don't want to have to walk a long way to do it.  I certainly wouldn't book a gite without outside space attached.
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Any chance of a balcony with views. Good views! Or a roof terrace?

If someone is looking for a rental in a large village or town as opposed to a rural location, they may be willing to forgo a garden. I would only book somewhere without garden-type outdoor space if I had one of the above instead and it would have to have something in the way of location going for it. It's not our normal style but I could imagine booking a rental with a balcony overlooking a quiet, leafy town square, the harbour at Honfleur, any harbour at all in fact... you do have to have somewhere in the open air in which to sip wine. And you need something to look at while you're doing it. [:D]

Going the no outdoor space route would probably exclude lets by families with younger children.

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Yes, I think it depends on exactly where the gite is... small rural village, or some place like Antibes.  When we rented our house out, we were often asked to help rentors find another suitable place to go to after us.  Several chose a village house with no garden.  Parking was the main concern.  And, the ability to walk to fetch you croissant, etc.  Also, village houses with no gardens were less expensive, so, I think there are people who like them.

Me, it would all depend upon the vacation.  If I am taking the kids, then I would consider the village house with no garden.  If it is just me and my husband, I would book a private place with garden and no one else on site.

 

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I agree with all this but if there is nowhere private (I mean belonging to you, rather than hidden from view) to sit outside I think you are limiting the market considerably.  The place with somewhere to sit would get my vote every time, even if the alternative rental had a dishwasher or washing machine and the place with outside space did not. 

Of course these things are personal, but after a day out sightseeing I would want to be able to sit outside and relax somewhere pleasant, other than in a public bar or park.  It does not have to be a big space - a balcony/terrace is good, in the right location.

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Maybe for a couple not bothered about sitting out, but definately a no no for families especially with all the washing that entails during a holiday. Where are you going to hang wet clothes to dry especially swimming towels? Even a balcony would give problems with young children about safetywise.
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If it's in a large village/small town then, for me, it would have to have a roof terrace or large balcony at the very least.  I might stay in a city centre hotel without outside space for a couple of days, but for a weekly gite rental I'd be wanting more.
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[quote user="Russethouse"]Oddly most of the people renting my friends place are French ...perhaps they have a different perspective ?[/quote]

Or it could be the fact it is located in a seaside town - coastal locations are so popular that perhps people are more willing to compromise on the outside space in order to be near to the sea.

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I think the general consensus backs up what we thought, but the village/town in question is lovely, and the house does have a smashing view of Mont Valier, and maybe we could get approval to add a balcony to the first floor.  Don't know.  I stayed in several gites as a little nipper which had no outside space at all and remember them fondly, but I guess punters are considerably more demanding these days. 

How much would it cost to put a pool on the roof?

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[quote user="ltf"][quote user="Russethouse"]Oddly most of the people renting my friends place are French ...perhaps they have a different perspective ?[/quote]

Or it could be the fact it is located in a seaside town - coastal locations are so popular that perhps people are more willing to compromise on the outside space in order to be near to the sea.
[/quote]

Or maybe compromise on the outside space in order to be near the high mountains?  We're looking at the winter market as much as the summer one where we are, and if you're renting in February, a garden after 6pm is more or less redundant, after all, unless you're a bit weird.  And ok, global warming may be killing the downhill skiing, but there's loads of alternative winter touristy options.

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[quote user="Russethouse"]One factor in the small gite my friend has is that it is very much just for couples - its really not a good space for children and in many ways that could be thought of as an advantage ![/quote]

Yes, I bet there is, certainly there is probably a lot less cleaning to do! No yoghurt/chocolate stains on the sofa, no dirty fingerprints to wipe off everywhere, no scrabble letters left everywhere, no sticky sweets to extricate from the soft furnishings...

Mark, even in the mountains I would probably want a little terrace or south facing balcony at the very least.

Most of our bookings come from people who want a large garden, outside dining (incl barbecue) and plenty of facilities for kids.

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