I've just returned from a snowboarding holiday in Chamonix, France. Unsurprisingly, I stayed in a self catered apartment booked through Mountain Base who I have no problems recommending.

There was plenty to be a bit annoyed about - the lack of snow and the price of beer definitely appearing in the top 5. But we had a fantastic time. And it was in no small part because of the place we stayed.

Here's why it was brilliant:

• Electrical problems: Before we arrived we were told there were problems with the apartment we booked. Something to do with no electricity. How is this great? Well it's not, but I know how easily things can go wrong. The fact that we were told about it in advance and were upgraded to another place gets two thumbs up from me.
• Late arrival not a problem: With people arriving on two separate flights and a one hour transfer from the airport we weren't sure what time we would arrive. It wasn't an issue. If we arrived after a certain time in the evening we needed to pay a little extra each. Knowing we could arrive late made it easy for us to relax and ensured the first few hours of our holiday wasn't spent worrying about the time.
• Location: We roughly knew the area from staying before so had a decent idea of where to stay. But being there was a great reminder that location is key. From being in our apartment to being in the centre of town took less than a minute.
• British TV: Apparently this is a good thing (my friends were impressed!). I'm yet to be convinced. ;)
• The little touches: The linen was great quality, cushions were from GANT, the sofa bed worked and was comfy, boot warmer in the hall, a great iPod dock which got plenty of use (also doubled as a phone charger!), cupboards were stocked with plenty of utensils (making staying in seem even more appealing), etc., etc. The list goes on but the point is - the little touches make a difference. They take an apartment from being a place to crash to being a place to enjoy.

Hope this helps anyone looking to book an apartment or anyone wanting to make their holiday let more than just a place to sleep.

Was pleased to see The Sunday Times yesterday telling readers that now is a good time to buy a holiday let. I can't give a link to the article on the web thanks to The Times paywall, but here's the main points:

• Demand for self catering accommodation is "soaring"
• House prices are weak
• Holiday let bookings for first two months up 20% on same period in 2010 (according to holidaylettings.co.uk)
• Bookings in certain areas in Exeter up 70% on last year
• Availability in "holiday let mortgages" is increasing (including the following building societies: Leeds, Bath, Principality and Scottish).

The article also highlights the changes in current rules:

• From Wednesday furnished holiday let owners will only be able to offset losses against their income from their holiday lets (i.e. not including salary)
• From April 2012 relief will only be available for properties let for a minimum of 105 days, and which are available to let for at least 210 days (currently 70 and 140 days respectively).

Tnooz are reporting that HomeAway are making good on tech promises by offering payment solutions to holiday home owners/managers.

This has to be good news as there is a clear hole in the process for many property managers who tend to only have the option of cheques (becoming obsolete), bank transfers (not the easiest and often expensive for foreign guests) or PayPal (need I say more?).