To think that people on holiday don't want to go for a walk?

[Notwiththeseknees]

I'm looking at buying a house as a holiday let. The house is amazing - really fab. The gardens are beautiful and we would put in a big pool. It is between 40 & 80 minutes drive of the sea, UNESCO sites, big architecturally gorgeous market towns and fantastic scenery. Village is 5 minutes away by car, bigger village 10 minutes away with restaurants & supermarket. BUT the immediate surroundings are a bit 'okay'. There doesn't seem to be anywhere to have a really nice walk, an okay walk, but not an "ooooooh, that was a lovely walk" walk.
How much does a lovely walk in the immediate vicinity add to your holiday enjoyment? Especially if you have amazing gardens to potter in and a lovely
pool....

It's really important.

Driving isn't really 'seeing' the surroundings as your eyes are on the road. Plus it's tiring and you can't do it after a few sangrias.

I need to walk around to really feel at one with my surroundings and relax properly.

I'm an avid walker, but I'd have no problem driving to a walk out every day - but I'd have a big problem with having to drive to a pub every day or stay in.

My husband doesn't drive, so it's all on me. Plus probably in quite a lot of families with a hire car in a foreign country they save money by having one driver?

Wouldn't bother me...
.but I would expect it to be cheaper as a result!

I would definitely want to be able to walk to the boulangerie and ideally to restaurants too.
I would ideally want paths for walking and jogging from the house, but the area doesn't have to be 'wow' just not scary (traffic, tresspassers will be shot signs, industrial wasteground).

I do like a nice walk but as others have said I would care more about having to get in the car to buy milk / bread / wine and even worse having to drive or get taxis to eat out.

I prefer holiday accommodation not to be walking distance to everything. Because that often means being surrounded by other people, which is exactly what I want to avoid when I'm on holiday.

You say it's only 5 minutes drive to one small village and then 10 minutes drive to a bigger village with supermarket/restaurants?

Sounds absolutely perfect to me. Our favourite holiday villa that we're going back to for the third time this summer is a beautiful villa with gorgeous pool, lovely view, no immediate neighbours, and you have to get in the car to go anywhere. That's a key reason we like it! It's 5 minutes drive from supermarket/restaurants/beach, so things are near enough to be easily accessible.

We went to a lovely villa on the Amalfi coast last summer, right on the edge of the cliff/sea. You couldn't walk anywhere from it. Brilliant. No neighbours, no noise, just peace and quiet, but 5/10 minutes drive to things you need.

Getting in a car for 5/10 minutes is no hardship at all, if you've had to hire one anyway to get there!

But it seems I am in the minority!

We own a rental property in Spain
The town is 5 minutes drive away as is the beach and marina
You CAN walk it (safe roads with wide pavements) and it’s actually a nice walk to the marina or beach for a meal or drink. Also, I don’t really drink and am happy to drive so it’s not an issue for me. We are very clear on our advertising that we recommend a car, especially with dc and we’ve had no complaints. A lot of our renters arrive by car anyway.
If we get an enquiry that asks how close we are to the amenities I am really honest
We get repeat bookings too so people mustn’t mind

As long as it is clear what is available nearby, then you will attract people who are happy with the options on offer.

Over the years my requirements have changed, so at certain times what you are suggesting would have been perfect and other times less so.

When my DC were tiny, I wouldn't have been bothered about going for a walk anywhere - as it took seven million years just to get from the house to the car - let alone walk anywhere.

As they got older, somewhere with a walk would have appealed more. Then as they got older again, less so, because as teenagers ambling around for a walk with their mother became less appealing!

I love driving around foreign countries or even in the UK when I'm on holiday, as it is an easy way to see a different area and it is so lovely not to drive at rush hour - so I wouldn't mind a drive at all.

I think it sounds like a great property.

I do enjoy a walk on holiday, but only the walks I make by choice and not of necessity, for example to get to local shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. Main aim is not to have to drive whilst there.

Amazing garden to potter in is nice for an hour or two. Wouldn't want to do it for a week at a stretch. You might as well be anywhere if you're confined to barracks.

Depends on the climate of the country it’s in. Rural UK, lots of walking; rural abroad, 30 degree heat not a lot of walking.

I see walking as a mode of transport rather than a leisure activity so I’d want to be able to walk to shops, bars etc while on holiday.

However if the property was near (as in less than 30 mins) attractions by car it could work as I’d pick up provisions while out and chill in the evening.

The property I’m staying in is not my destination it’s my accommodation. The property you describe doesn’t tick the boxes for me

I would want to walk to restaurants and shops and I wouldn't like being so far from the coast

We wouldn't be bothered about walks but would only go to area where lots to do not miles of nothing. Would travel by car to things but not with nothing local. Love swimming but would only rate an indoor pool in UK due to weather. Like a nice property with character, nice garden a nice bonus but definitely property not focus of holiday.

Middle of nowhere is fine, as long as the surrounding area is stunning. If the surroundings are a bit meh then I wouldn’t pick a nice big house over something smaller but in a good, convenient location.

Is the house abroad or in UK? Somewhere warm would rate a pool of a reasonable size that could swim in like say in south of France and further south.

I don't want to drive when I'm on holiday so it's one of the first things I look at if looking at holiday homes abroad (will happily drive in UK....well DP will!). Ideally I want somewhere close enough to walk to places OR good public transport links.

I think plenty of people don't mind being further out/driving but it does limit interest, I think.

Impossible to say without knowing what country it’s in.

If it’s in the Uk I wouldn’t waste money putting a pool in

i 100% wouldn't book a holiday let where you had to drive to get to shops/bars/restaurants. The whole joy of holiday is being able to amble to wherever you're off too. 80 minutes in the car to the beach would be a nightmare.

Critical to me is pool heating and walkable to eateries, I don’t want to cook or not be able to have a drink whilst on holiday.

We always drive everywhere when abroad, well DH does driving and would choose somewhere away from main towns but with things to do. Also would check how long to sea in summer, is it a busy route that can double travel time.

I would love this property BUT for the fact there are no restaurants in walking distance. Means you have to cook every night or drive for supper and not drink...

It's not necessarily that I like to go for a nice walk, just that I don't want to drive every day

Agree with this. I would want some walks on the doorstep, but they don't need to be amazing. I wouldn't want EVERY trip to involve getting in the car. Good to have some attractions in walking distance

My DH happily drives around on holiday but won't book anywhere you can't walk to get things like bread and basics to get breakfast etc unless pretty exceptional. I have booked one for a week of our holiday in summer like that but it is on the beach and there are seals in the sea and odd whale. He did mutter but I pointed out you could buy ice cream there.

Don’t care. Is this abroad (sounds like it, because of pool)? Ok, it would be nice to be able to walk to restaurants etc but those sorts of properties often don’t have lovely big gardens and/or swimming pool - you will find people who will settle for one or the other as the two don’t often go hand in hand. Me, I’d prefer both walking distance to stuff AND a pool, but I’d rather have the pool. I really don’t care about a “lovely walk” unless I was specifically going on a walking holiday.

I like walking, and go to the lakes etc to do just that, but I also go on holiday to locations where nice walks aren't on the doorstep, so that isn't a dealbreaker.

I do though want to be able to walk to local bars/pubs/cafes etc. I want to be able to go out for dinner, have a drink and walk home after. I'd be very unlikely to book a week (or longer) holiday where this wasn't an option, and judging by other replies this seems to be a pretty common requirement.

I'd also want a few days worth of local (less than 20minutes in the car) attractions to visit (nice walks included). A couple of longer day trips would be ok, but somewhere that the only options are stay home all day or drive 40+ minutes wouldn't appeal to me.