Satisfaction guaranteed

Pete and Jan Hodghton joined the Holiday Property Bond in 2002. The couple, from Basildon, had rented self-catering holiday accommodation before: “It would be wrong to say we’d suffered a string of disasters,” says Jan, a former market researcher. “We had some lovely holidays – but we also suffered our share of disappointments. We were at an age and stage where, frankly, we didn’t feel like taking any more chances.”

Like many others, Jan and Pete discovered the Bond more or less by accident. “I was idly flipping through a magazine,” recalls Pete, a retired engineer, “and a leaflet fell out. It transpired that HPB were staging a presentation at the Heybridge Country Club, not far from us. We went along, and were impressed enough to request a visit from an HPB representative – and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Well… not quite. “My parents had a hand in it,” says Jan. “We were 75% there, but what clinched it was that my parents went to take a look at Sibton Park, the Bond’s Kentish home. They came back very positive, told us to ‘go for it’ – so go for it we did!”

The years since then have seen the Hodghtons travel far and wide – to Sibton Park, naturally (“well, we felt we had to!”); Constant, in France’s Dordogne area (twice); Encosta Cabo Girão, in Madeira; Santa Rosa, in Lanzarote; Le Mont de St Siméon, in Île de France, close to Paris; Braithwaite Court, in Cumbria; Henllys, in Anglesey; Tigh Mor Trossachs, in Perthshire; Le Manoir du Hilguy in Brittany, north-west France; and, of course, to St Brides Castle, in Pembrokeshire; and La Reserva de Biniorella, in Majorca, where these pictures were taken.

‘Bini’ is the couple’s favourite site. “It’s a lovely location – as are they all – but what we like about Biniorella is it’s so easy to walk to places; Camp de Mar, Paguera and Andraitx are all pretty much on the doorstep,” says Pete. “Some of HPB’s homes are fairly remote – which is great, being ‘far from the madding crowd’ and all that – but this one manages to be both exclusive and conveniently situated. A win-win!”

So, what’s still on the Hodghtons’ wishlist? “Everywhere we haven’t been yet – obviously!” laughs Jan. “But El Pueblito de Alfaix in southern Spain, is near the top. Physkos, in Turkey, is another must. And we’re going to Langton House, in Dorset, next year.”

“We’ve also heard good things about El Balcón de Santa Ana, in La Gomera,” adds Pete. “Our son Paul, his wife Tracey and our two little granddaughters Robyn, seven, and five-year-old Sally have just been there, using some of our Holiday Points, and have come back raving about both the site, and that glorious Canary Island climate.”

Jan suddenly remembers. “That’s another thing: security, and being looked after. When my daughter-in-law was pregnant and we were at St Siméon she needed to go to the maternity hospital and the site manager stayed in contact and translated via the mobile phone throughout the hospital visit. This is such a special support when travelling abroad with elderly people or young children.”