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Pressroom & Media
Here you will find everything that is press, PR and media-related to do with Finest Retreats.
Press Releases & Latest News
Articles and press releases from Finest Retreats.
press release anchor
October 2026
The Economic Case for Holiday Lets [Updated]
What the data shows about holiday lets and their impact on communities and local economies
What a managed holiday let contributes locally, compared with a second home, and what reclassifying it would put at risk. With the debate around holiday lets often being framed as a housing problem. Reclassifying a holiday let as a second home would move it from business rates onto council tax, including the second homes premium of up to 100% now charged by around 84% of English councils, and so we have updated the data and reporting... [READ MORE]
September 2026
Photo: Julia Chapman (Head of Owners & Operations at Finest Retreats) welcoming James Woolfenden (Digital Manager, My Favourite Cottages) to the company
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August 2026
Meet the housekeepers who make your holiday happen: Finest Retreats highlights the hidden workforce behind our summer stays
This summer, Finest Retreats is introducing guests at its 800-plus holiday properties across the UK to the housekeeping team behind their stay, and giving them the.... [READ MORE]
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JUNE 2026
Finest Retreats launches AI assistant GuestAid in response to the self-serve holidaymaker
Finest Retreats, the UK's owner-first holiday lettings management company, has today launched GuestAid, an AI assistant built on a simple insight: most guests want an instant fix when something goes wrong, not a conversation.... [READ MORE]
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JANUARY 2026
Finest Retreats becomes first UK holiday lettings company to launch proprietary operations app
Cornwall-based Finest Retreats has launched the UK's first proprietary housekeeper management app built by holiday lettings experts... [READ MORE]
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NOVEMBER 2025
Finest Retreats acquires Forgotten Corner to lead Rame Peninsula holiday lettings market
Independent holiday lettings agent, Finest Retreats, has acquired Forgotten Corner Holiday Cottages based in Kingsand on Cornwall’s Rame Peninsula.... [READ MORE]
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research anchor
Research and Data
A list of key one-page items and news from Finest Retreats
The Economic Case for Holiday Lets [Updated, October 2026]
What the data shows about holiday lets and their impact on communities and local economies
What a managed holiday let contributes locally, compared with a second home, and what reclassifying it would put at risk. With the debate around holiday lets often being framed as a housing problem. Reclassifying a holiday let as a second home would move it from business rates onto council tax, including the second homes premium of up to 100% now charged by around 84% of English councils, and so we have updated the data and reporting... [READ MORE]
The Economic Case for Holiday Lets
What the data shows about holiday lets and their impact on local communities
The debate around holiday lets is often framed as a housing problem. But not all properties are the same. A second home sitting empty for most of the year contributes very little to the local community. A professionally managed holiday let is different.... [READ MORE]
Understanding The Hidden Workforce: Our Methodology
How Finest Retreats estimates the number of housekeepers working in the UK holiday let sector
Finest Retreats estimates that around 268,000 people work as housekeepers across the UK holiday let sector, none of them represented by a union or trade body [READ MORE]
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Media & Assets
Download key media kits and assets for wider press and PR purposes.
Media Kit: The Hidden Workforce
Media kit to accompany this press release
Download, 33 MB
Finest Retreats Logo Files
Last updated 15/07/2026
Download, 2.3 MB
Media Kit: Finest Retreats Housekeeper Q&A - Lottie Kington
Q&A document to couple with The Hidden Workforce press release
Download, 324 KB
people anchor
People & Biographies
Get biographies of key members of staff at Finest Retreats, who are mentioned in our media-related press and releases.
Richard Bond
Owner
Richard founded Finest Retreats in 2019, bringing almost two decades of industry experience as both a cottage owner and operator. Recognising that the sector needed more than an owner-focused service could provide, he created an agency dedicated to full-service management tailored to each owner's circumstances.
With expertise in both holiday letting and digital marketing, Richard's dual background underpins Finest Retreats' distinctive approach. Properties are maintained to the highest standards while effectively promoted to ideal guests. He continues to champion owners' interests and has been featured on BBC Breakfast Radio, in The Times, and other UK publications.
Julia Chapman
Head of Owners & Operations
Julia heads up the Operations team at Finest Retreats, bringing over 20 years of expertise in international luxury hospitality management with prestigious hotel groups including The Dorchester Collection and Rocco Forte Hotels. Her experience managing operations at five-star properties including The Dorchester London, Coworth Park, and 45 Park Lane informs her meticulous approach to maintaining the highest standards across Finest Retreats' portfolio.
A stickler for processes and methodical systems, Julia ensures a friendly and professional experience for owners alongside organised property management with strong commercial results. Having lived in Canada, the Middle East, and South East Asia, Julia now enjoys exploring the Cornish coastline with her family.
Hayley Mason
Operations Administrator
Hayley began with Finest Retreats as a Property Manager, taking care of anything operational for our owners in the South West, and her role has evolved into the newly created Operations Administrator position which involves the management of our housekeeping app and operations software which we have built in-house.
Hayley is responsible for analysing every review we receive, and assisting owners with their compliance requirements too.
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Media Contact
For continued contact about media or press, find the contact information below.
Donna Airey, HomeGrown PR, on behalf of Finest Retreats.
donna.airey@homegrownpr.co.uk / 07713 127 188
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