Villa price drop caused by all inclusive popularity

Cosmos ("Monarch holidays") has re-priced the majority of villas remaining unsold during the peak school holiday period to stimulate late booking demand.

Prices now start in Menorca at £298 per person, down from £469, based on eight sharing the Villa La Roca in Son Bou departing Gatwick on August 29.

Majorca prices lead in at £489 per person, down from £569, based on 10 sharing the Villa C’an Corro in Puerto Pollensa departing Birmingham on 26 July 26 for seven nights.

The Algarve starts at £475 per person, down from £535, based on eight sharing the Villa Casa dos Cipestres departing Gatwick on August 21. Prices include the villa, flights and car hire.

Villas are also available in the Costa del Sol, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Corfu, Crete, Zante, Cyprus, Turkey and Gozo.

Mike Tyerman, head of Cosmos Villas with Pools, said: “There’s no doubt that some customers who would normally book villa accommodation have this year chosen to opt for all inclusive hotel arrangements so that they can pay everything upfront before departure and not have to budget whilst away on account of the current poor exchange rate.

“As a result, we’ve been able to go back to our suppliers in areas such as Majorca, Menorca and the Algarve where demand has been less and renegotiate rates in order to be able to put much lower priced villa deals into the lates market.”

Hotel Jungle Comment : A significant factor could also be the large number of Brits with homes abroad and the rise of the low cost airline meaning people are making their own arrangements for villa holidays.