Capitalise on the booming Florida villas market

Value for money

Thanks to a combination of renewed consumer confidence and Florida’s more relaxed stance on short-term lets compared with the rest of the US, he said the vacation home market was booming. “There’s been a lot of development on new land since the recession, and when you consider that you can rent a new eight-bed luxury home, all mod cons, near Disney, for the equivalent of $25 per person per night, there’s little comparison with a hotel – the value for money and space makes for a much more rewarding holiday.”

With tens of thousands of homes in the Disney area, Hastings said consistency and quality could be a challenge. “It’s a fragmented market – we deal with multiple management companies dealing with privately owned homes. We look for consistency and professionalism from suppliers.”

Although Ocean Beds’ HQ is in London, he said having a base in Kissimmee, Florida, gave the company a distinct advantage. “We have four inspectors on the ground, eight contractors and reservations staff, and nine front-desk staff in our welcome centre (pictured above), which is open 8am-10pm year-round. When you stay in a villa, you treat it as your home, it’s a very personal experience, so we offer a personalised service to complement that.”

Clients receive a welcome phone call the morning after their arrival and a check-out call the day they are leaving. “More issues tend to arise in villas than hotel rooms,” he acknowledged, “so we do offer that support on the ground. But often the Brits just want to know where the kettle is!”

There’s a free grocery pack on arrival in every home except the most budget, and in the newer homes, a Platinum upgrade is free of charge, offering a mid-stay clean, a barbecue, Playstation/Wii, free international calls and Wi-Fi.

Ocean Beds does not deal with agents directly as it supplies the likes of Travel 2, Gold Medal, Funway, Getabed, and Goodlife Florida Villas. “We’re a wholesaler, a receptive tour operator,” explained Hastings, “and we do our best to stick to the traditional model.”

It was common for agents and consumers to request Ocean Beds over other suppliers, he claimed, and tour operator reservation consultants would have that supplier information to hand. “If booking online, check the address of the welcome centre [for key collection],” he advised. “If it says Ocean Holidays, 3204 Rolling Oaks Boulevard, you can be sure it’s with us.”