After the driest and mildest autumn the Alps has seen in 148 years, a bleak picture was painted for the European ski season, a World Cup race in Val d’Isere was even cancelled due to a lack of snow. Two weeks later, another was cancelled because of too much snow.

This dramatic turnaround in fortunes has been the best and most astonishing start to a ski season in Europe for more than a generation with more snow falling across the Alps in 10 days than the whole of last season. Records show that four times the average snowfall for mid January is already blanketed across the Alps and so far has the potential to equal and perhaps surpass North America’s groundbreaking season last year. Experts are estimating that even if there were to be no more snow until Easter and temperatures rise as high as last years spring time highs, resorts like Tignes and St.Anton at higher altitudes could survive more than adequately on the cover already lining their pistes.

So what are you waiting for? There’s never been a better time to rent a ski chalet with resorts all over the Alps, including resorts in France, Switzerland and Austria receiving near-record levels of snow for the time of year. Courchevel 1850 has received more than a metre and a half of snow in the past seven days, whilst Chamonix has also seen a metre of snow fall during the past week.

Although it would be premature to proclaim this is the best ski season ever, we are only a quarter of the way through, the skies are set to clear this weekend meaning that any loaded slopes can be blasted to significantly reduce the avalanche risk. In most places Christmas and New Year were perfect for skiing; January is sublime so far and with clear blue skies this weekend, half term looks like a mouth watering prospect for families wanting to get away on a ski holiday this year.

The Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s most dazzling country with an infectious mix of Latin party spirit and Caribbean beach life, the contrasts of the island’s urban heartbeat Santo Domingo to the throwback fishing villages only a short drive away make it a magnificently bewitching island. However what really sets the Dominican Republic apart is it’s beaches, exotic and untouched, millions flock here every year to have a slice of paradise all to themselves.

But it’s not just us humans that are drawn in by the pristine white sands, sparkling blue seas and the bulging bevy of swaying palm trees that the Dominican Republic has to offer. If you rent a holiday villa in the Dominican Republic this January you’ll be joined by up to 5,000 North Atlantic Humpback Whales. Escaping the cold polar seas of the North Atlantic, the Humpbacks have been holidaying in the Dominican for centuries as they mate and give birth in the warm Caribbean waters.

Samana Bay is the gorgeous spot where most of the whales congregate and where most tours operate from. Found in the tranquil Peninsula de Samana, which is awash with rolling mountains, picturesque coves, and has a delectable European vibe, it’s easily one of the most beautiful whale watching spots in the world. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Samana Bay is not just the most scenic location in the world to watch whales but also one of the best and January is the perfect time to do it. With the males eager to impress and at their most animated, expect to plenty of breathtaking leaps, flippering and tailing in the outer bays whilst in the shallows you’ll be able to see newborn babies swimming alongside their mothers in one of the largest breeding sanctuaries in the world.

Whale watching really is a once in a lifetime experience and thousands flock to Samana Bay every year solely to witness these majestic creatures in their natural habitats. From January until March the humpbacks can be spotted frolicking in the shimmering Caribbean seas, so don’t miss the opportunity to join them and rent a holiday home in the Dominican Republic for an unforgettable experience in an unforgettable island.

Florida is renowned as one of the best golf destinations in the world. The climate in Florida makes it ideal for playing golf all year round on golf courses that offer a challenge to golfers of all abilities, or to match their ambitions. Florida has over 1000 courses and you don’t have to take out a second mortgage to pay the green fees either. Many of the courses are designed by golfing legends like Arnold Palmer, Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus, using all the natural features of the Florida terrain, with water hazards and sand bunkers you could have a picnic in. The courses are maintained and manicured to a fantastic standard offering an enjoyable and memorable all round golfing experience.

Enjoy fantastic hospitality, beautiful Country Club surroundings with superb restaurants and practice facilities. Ask your self why most of the American tour golfers and many from the European tour base themselves here. The answer is simple; there is not a better place to practise or play, and no better climate or lifestyle.

Florida really offers an enjoyable experience for the whole family, this is one destination that caters for every ones dream holiday with magical theme parks, pristine beaches, tremendous wildlife, stunning natural beauty and of course, the golf.

Click the links below to have a look at two of our favourite golf holiday villas in Florida. Both are found on the active retirement community The Villages, which is surrounded by nine championship golf courses as well as twenty-three, nine hole courses which are free to play on.

1956 Peachtree Avenue

859 Oviedo Road

This February proves to be one of the most exciting months of the year for Orlando with two top class sporting events wowing crowds of all ages. Both the Daytona 500 and the NBA All-Star Weekend will roll in to Orlando, media exposure and top draw sport in phenomenal abundance, providing vacationing families with an unrivalled opportunity to join in the fun and experience some of the best parts of American culture.

The NBA All-Star Weekend is a particularly glitzy event laced with the flamboyance and exuberance that only American’s can accomplish. Taking place from the 24th February until the 26th at the spectacular Amway Centre in Orlando the All-Star Weekend will see a whole host of exhibitions that are fun-filled and mind-blowing in equal measure.

The first event of the weekend is the ‘NBA Rising Stars Challenge’ showcasing the brightest talents in basketball in an exhibition match and always promises as many thrills and spills as Sunday’s grand finale. Saturday is one of the most mystifying chapters of the NBA All-Star Weekend with top NBA players taking part in four different competitions that show off their mesmeric skills. These events include the ‘Shooting Stars’ competition, the thrilling ‘Skills Challenge’, the ‘Three-Point Shootout’ and the main event of the night, the ‘Slam Dunk Contest’ which is always a good place to see some silky skills and extraordinary athletic ability. The climax of the weekend is no doubt one of the biggest sporting spectacles in the world, as the best players in the NBA face-off in an exhibition match which is as dramatic and competitive as any cup final. The All-Star Game is bursting with entertainment from some of the world’s best performers and is flooded with celebrities making it a truly enthralling extravaganza.

For motor sports fans, the Daytona 500 is akin to a pilgrimage. Known as “The Great American Race”, it is NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most illustrious race featuring 43 of the best stock car racers in the world in a star studded event unlike any other. The Daytona International Speedway itself is like the holy land of motor sports as the enormous 480 acre complex boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the planet and is well worth a visit on any day of the week as there could be anything happening, from car shows to vehicle testing. This years race will not only provide a mesmerising display of motor racing but also gives fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the Sprint FANZONE where they can take part in a question and answer session with drivers, sign the start/finish line, view the pre-race inspection of vehicles and peak into team’s garages to see their last minute preparations.

So rent a holiday villa in Orlando this February to take advantage of it’s magical theme parks and these two gigantic sporting events. Visit our micro site Villas Near Disney Florida.com which has an amazing array of fantastic holiday homes in Florida, perfect for your dream family holiday.

If you’re looking for a fun-filled family vacation this winter, then look no further than Caleta De Fuste. This charming resort is fast becoming one of the most popular in Fuerteventura with new developments popping up year upon year to cope with the demand. It’s not hard to see where the demand stems from, Caleta De Fuste is pure, unadulterated family fun at its best; a brilliant yet safe beach, plenty of activities for all ages, varied nightlife and an extensive range of services and amenities will ensure you never have to hear those two deadly words “I’m bored”.

Fronted by a lavish stretch of palm tree lined promenade, Caleta de Fuste is as pretty as it is popular with a majestic crescent shaped bay forming the epicentre of the town. The beach is one of the safest in Fuerteventura with gently sloping sands providing fantastic bathing and water sports conditions. You’ll find all the usual water sports available at Caleta de Fuste, including windsurfing and jet skiing but you can even take a boat trip, go scuba diving or have an underwater tour of the area on a submarine. You can plod along the seafront to drink in the lovely views of the marina from the 18th century watchtower or you can amble north along a picturesque coastal path up to Nuevo Horizonte with some local chipmunks for company.

The marina is swimming with some superb bars and restaurants that have lovely views out to the ocean, making it one of the most scenic spots to have dinner in the resort. However, there is an extensive variety of restaurants and bars in town and you’ll be spoilt for choice with a plethora of international cuisine available, but if they don’t take your fancy there’s always a good old fashioned English restaurant to make you feel at home. Also in town are plenty of amenities and services such as supermarkets, banks and car hire companies so your stay is as hassle-free as possible and it also gives you the chance to pepper the kids with as many buckets and spades they can manage.

The golfers in the family will be pleased to hear that Caleta de Fuste is home to two fantastic golf courses, Fuerteventura Golf Club and Golf Club Salinas de Antigua, whilst for the mini members of the family, or just the mini at heart, there are plenty of mini golf courses dotted around town. For some fresh air fun why not take a cycle, trekking or 4×4 tour of the island, you can explore Fuerteventura’s breathtaking coastline or venture inland to uncover a land of crater volcanoes and pristine landscapes.

So for a family getaway this winter which promises bucket loads of fun and constant sunshine, rent a holiday villa in Caleta De Fuste, or you can visit our micro site Villas Canary Islands.com which has a fantastic array of holiday villas in the Canary Islands. Have a look at these properties below which are a few of our favourites in Caleta De Fuste.

Villa Zante
Villa Laura
Villa Nicola

2012 has arrived and there’s only 206 days until the Olympic Games kick off in London, thrusting the capital into a global spotlight that’s never shined so bright. As such holiday accommodation in London has been hard to come by as the city revels in its ever increasing global profile, already the city is buzzing.

The Olympics will prove to be a milestone event for Britain, with an everlasting athletics legacy promising to invigorate the nation, as well as this, London has become the number one tourist destination for 2012 with a whole host of festivals and events taking place throughout the year alongside the games, including the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

London is hot property this year with the buzz of the Olympics drawing in tourists all year round, so any holiday accommodation in the city will be hard to find, However here at Perfect Getaways we have a number of holiday apartments in London as well as numerous micro sites advertising some fantastic holiday homes in London that you can rent directly from the owner. So if you have a ticket for the Olympics but no accommodation or just want to lose yourself in the hype that fills the air in London these days, then visit our micro site Apartment Breaks.co.uk to find the perfect holiday property in London for you.

Koh Samui has transformed a lot since it’s spell in the late 70’s as a backpackers paradise. Admittedly, some parts of this mega-popular tropical paradise can be a bit rowdy, however there’s still an infectiously laid back atmosphere that made it such an alluring holiday destination in the first place.

The coconut trade still remains Koh Samui’s largest industry, resoundingly displaying its credentials as a tropical getaway of the highest order, and upon comparing its prices to the expensive Caribbean rates it’s the perfect place to add an exotic twist to a dreary winter. Rent a luxurious holiday home in Koh Samui and you can make this your winter getaway with bleached white sands, shocking blue seas and swaying palm trees a welcome alternative to a dark and dreary winter in England. Koh Samui is perfect for families too, with tonnes of fun-filled activities to do and mesmerising sights to see. The island is developed enough so that if the kids are fussy eaters, there are plenty of options and the fascinating culture will leave them wide eyed simply just strolling through the street.

The beaches in Koh Samui are varied enough that there’s something for everyone. Chaweng and Lamai are as popular as they are beautiful and are littered with bars, restaurants and shops along its shores. Whilst Bo Phut and Mae Nam are two of the most tranquil and idyllic getaways on the island and retain a refreshing traditional charm. For water sports, Chaweng and Lamai are the best served with plenty of dive schools, jet ski hires and such operating the busy shores, however take a boat out to Koh Tao for some of the most stunning diving in south east Asia. Koh Tao has fewer beaches than other islands in the area but that doesn’t mean they’re any less beautiful and they make for the perfect location to sit back and relax after an eye-popping dive.

There are many alternative activities to do in Koh Samui that will provide a glimpse into the culture of the island, the dramatic landscapes of the island as well as the amazing nature on show. One of the most fascinating day trips you simply cannot miss when you rent a villa in Koh Samui is the kaleidoscopic Ang Thong National Marine Park which is littered with forty tropical islands, magnificent landforms and pristine beaches across an expanse of 250 square kilometres where each chunk of land is different from the next. Diving is also fantastic here and underneath the surface lies a world of colourful coral reefs and fish life ranging from majestic manta rays to colossal sea cows and everything in between.

So what are you waiting for, rent a holiday home in Koh Samui this winter direct from the owner and escape the winter blues in a tropical paradise half as expensive as the Caribbean.

After the warmest autumn for 148 years culminated in a dearth of snow fall across Europe’s ski resorts, a recent snow storm across vast expanses of the Alps has put the ski season back on track. However, skiers be warned as this 2 day storm has not rescued the season single-handedly.

Many low-lying resorts have not been able to use snow cannons as yet because the temperatures haven’t been cold enough and so the ground is still relatively warm which means it will take time to establish a firm base of snow. It’s for this reason that many operators and experts have implored skiers to ‘go high and go glacial’ in this early. Two of the resorts who have reaped the rewards from this week’s snowfall have been Val d’Isere and Tignes, two neighbouring resorts in the south eastern region of Savoie. 36 centimetres of new snow rained down on the two resorts this week, which already had the pick of the snow conditions throughout Europe and as such boast 82 centimetres of fresh snow at the lower slopes and 140 centimetres at the top. For some of the best snow conditions in Europe rent a ski chalet in Val d’Isere, or try a ski apartment in Tignes, one of France’s highest ski resorts with a peak elevation of 3450 metres above sea level. The two resorts form part of the enormous 10,000 hectare Espace Killy ski area, home to some of France’s best on and off-piste terrain.

The resorts of Courchevel and Meribel also benefited from the snowstorm, the resorts make up two thirds of the worlds largest fully lift interlinked ski network, The Three Valleys and recorded 30 centimetres of snow at an elevation of 1450 metres and 80 centimetres at the top of La Saulire. Rent a ski apartment in Meribel this winter which along with Courchevel benefits from over 600 kilometres of immaculate piste as part of the vast Three Valleys.

Recent trends have seen more and more families rent ski accommodation in Bulgaria, where costs are not quite as high as the French, Swiss and even Austrian resorts. Although many of the main Bulgarian resorts such as Borovets and Bansko have only recorded snow conditions of 5 centimetres at lower levels and 20 centimetres at higher altitudes. For a considerably cheaper ski holiday over Christmas and New Year, rent a ski chalet in Borovets which looks to benefit from the promising weather conditions.

The Caribbean is a tremendously popular holiday destination during winter with its islands home to exceptional natural beauty, beaches you can only dream of and a delectably laid back pace of life. Grenada, known as the ‘Isle of Spice’ is one of the Caribbean’s undiscovered gems and ticks all the boxes you want for a winter getaway.

Situated right on the idyllic Bathway Beach, Beach Comber is a luxurious two bedroom holiday villa in Grenada that is perfectly located so as you can enjoy everything that the unspoilt north coast of Grenada has to offer. Bathway beach is a stunningly tranquil slice of paradise lined with tropical coconut and sea grape trees with views of the quaint offshore islands Sugar Loaf, Green Island and Sandy Island. During the week, more often than not you’ll have this luxurious strip of sand to yourself and an in-shore barrier reef provides the perfect protection for you to just float in the glorious blue waters.

A little further north Levera Beach, part of the Levera National Park is another paradisiacal beach that’s only a stone’s throw away from Beach Comber. This gem of a beach is the perfect private getaway with the most likely gatecrashers being lobsters and nesting leatherback turtles as well as other marine life and a variety of Birds flying to and from the lagoon in the national park. Levera National Park holds the undisputed reputation as one of Grenada’s most spectacular coastal areas. The lagoon is one of the most important wildlife habitats on the island with an extensive mangrove swamp home to a variety of bird species. The marine areas of the park are equally as reputable and a variety of coral reefs and sea grass beds provide habitats for the nesting leatherback turtles and many other marine animals.

One of the most popular areas in Grenada is the breathtaking Grand Etang National Park, only thirty minutes from our fabulous holiday home in Grenada, Beachcomber. Providing somewhat of a microcosm of what the untouched regions of Grenada is like, the park is bursting with an array of waterfalls, hot springs, rainforest vegetation and spice plantations to explore. It goes without saying that the views in Grand Etang are exceptional but the star attraction of the park is Grand Etang Lake. The lake was once an active volcano and this massive crater has since been filled with water and an astonishing sense of serenity is almost tangible.

So for a luxurious Caribbean holiday this winter, visit Grenada and stay in the fabulous Beachcomber to immerse yourself in the best that the north coast of this beautiful island has to offer. For more information simply click the link above or visit or main site.

The Lombardy region of Italy is home to the cultural juggernaut Milan as well as the enchanting celebrity-studded Lakes Garda, Como and Maggiore, making it one of the most sophisticated and captivating regions of Italy. Stretching from the Alps bordering Switzerland to the lowlands of the Po valley there’s an extensive range of land to explore in Lombardy and we’ve got the perfect holiday villa from which to do it from.

Situated halfway between Milan and the Lakes, this Lovely 2 Bedroom House Near Milan can be found in the peaceful Pavese countryside and is only 20 minutes away from the alluring city of Pavia. Renting this delightful property brings with it endless opportunities, with Pavia in particular providing a charming change of pace from the bustling Milan, which is only 30 minutes away.

Pavia is a fascinatingly ancient city now dominated by its distinguished university which can name Christopher Columbus and Alessandro Volta (inventor of the electric battery) among its graduates. Also known as the ‘city of one hundred towers’, Pavia has a rich medieval legacy which is still evident today with a multitude of Romanesque and Gothic churches littered throughout the city, as well as a stunning 15th century castle and a fabulous cathedral which is actually the third largest in Italy.

The area is a major contributor to Italian cuisine with a legacy of food just as rich as its battle-plagued past. One-third of the country’s rice production comes from the Pavia region, so be prepared to be dazzled by a plethora of risotto dishes as well as salami’s, cheese’s and the famous zuppa pavese which was created by the monks of Certosa di Pavia. Certosa di Pavia, only twenty minutes away from our holiday villa in Pavia is one of northern Italy’s most lavish buildings and is a must see for any visitor to the area, this beautiful 15th century monastery was initially built as a private chapel but later became resident to some gastronomically inclined monks.

After Milan and Pavia, head north to the Lakes for a memorable day-trip, Como is only an hour away and like Garda and Maggiore, is utterly stunning and ringed by a myriad of quaint towns providing sumptuous foods and breathtaking views. On the other hand, Genoa in the south is also only an hour away and is well worth a trip, this coastal city has a vast history and fabulous sea food.

For more information about holiday accommodation in Lombardy, visit our micro site Villas Rent Italy.Com which has an array of holiday villas in Italy. Click the link for a better look at the Lovely 2 Bedroom House Near Milan which is a perfect base from which to explore all that Lombardy has to offer.