NEWS AWAZE BOLSTERS UK PORTFOLIO WITH QUALITY ACQUISITION One of Europe’s leading vacation rentals and holiday park business, Awaze has further expanded its UK property portfolio with the purchase of Quality Cottages and sister brand Quality Unearthed. The acquisition of what was the UK’s fourth largest independent cottage holiday provider adds an extra 671 high-end units to the selfcatering specialist’s growing UK inventory, with most of the Quality Cottages properties situated within five miles of the Welsh coast. All the newly-added accommodation will be marketed to domestic and international audiences through Awaze’s key brands – Hoseasons, cottages.com and Novasol. “We’re always excited to add regional businesses like this to the Awaze portfolio and look forward to building on the strong relationships they already have with the local communities they support,” said Henrik Kjellberg, CEO of Awaze. “In Quality Cottages we now have a significantly greater presence along the
ever-popular Welsh coast, while the acquisition of Quality Unearthed means we can continue to surprise and delight those among our three million customers a year who are looking for something a little different from their staycation.”
the local knowledge we have developed over the last 60 years. They also have the expertise and scale to deliver even better results for our owners, staff and guests well into the future, and we wish them every success.”
Quality Cottages was founded and run by Leonard and Margaret Rees. The pair started by converting farm buildings into holiday cottages before expanding the business across Wales as an agency for other holiday home owners.
Awaze’s latest acquisitions follow the recent purchase of three other holiday companies based in the UK and Denmark - Sussex, Hampshire and the South Downs specialist Amberley House, Cornwall-based Portscatho Holidays and Danish operator Bornholmtours. They also follow the creation of a new tech hub for the business in Manchester in late 2020 and the recruitment of new teams to deliver digital excellence.
Quality Unearthed specializes in quirky UK glamping accommodation, such as tree houses, eco pods, wagons and yurts, and was founded by the couple’s son Tim in 2011 - fifty years on from the beginnings of their own business in 1961. “My family and I deliberated long and hard about selling our businesses, but we are very pleased to have been bought by Awaze,” said Tim, adding: “They impressed us with their professional and personal touch and clearly appreciated the value of
“2021 has seen unprecedented demand for managed vacation rentals right across Europe and we continue to look for further opportunities to grow our business and brands,” Kjellberg added. For more information about Awaze visit www.awaze.com
ECO CABIN ENTHUSIAST LOOKING FOR HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE If you are operating or building a resort based on the concept of architecturally designed cabins – then there’s someone who would love to give you a hand in return for a learning experience. Ian Macmillan is ultimately planning his own cabin resort in Canada and would welcome the chance to work for someone else on a voluntary basis, in order to learn the ropes. “I’m ultimately looking for mentorship opportunities either in the development, construction, or operation stages,” he says. “I love to immerse myself and get my hands dirty, so it would be great to be a fly on the
wall and lend a hand where I can. “I’d likely be looking to volunteer but can also offer services in kind. I’m an accomplished cinematographer and filmmaker and an experienced photographer. So, I’d be happy to capture promotional material in exchange for the opportunity to shadow someone in the field,” he adds. Ian is particularly interested in finding a project that offers architecturally designed cabins. Examples of existing properties that spring to mind are the Treehotel in Sweden, Pedras Salgadas in Portugal, and Manshausen or the Juvet Landscape Hotel in Norway.
“In regards to my own project, I’m in the early development stages now and making a land purchase in the spring in Eastern Canada. The goal is to develop the property in conjunction with a television series that showcases eco-conscious building practises and climate positive design,” says Ian. If you think you can help – please email Ian at ian.a.macmillan@gmail.com
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