Blue Chip Holidays
Blue Chip Holidays operates as a UK holiday cottage marketplace (cottages.com) under Awaze Vacation Rentals, offering 18,000+ self-catering properties across England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man to UK domestic tourists seeking staycations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersExeter, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Blue Chip Holidays does
Blue Chip Holidays (bluechipholidays.co.uk) is a legacy domain that now redirects to cottages.com, the consumer-facing marketplace of Awaze Vacation Rentals Ltd, a private limited company registered in England and Wales (Company Registration Number 00965389, VAT GB 598 22 99 77, headquartered at Trinity House, Riverside Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk). The platform aggregates over 18,000 self-catering holiday cottages across England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, including more than 11,000 dog-friendly properties, and serves UK domestic tourists seeking staycations, family holidays, coastal and countryside retreats, group gatherings, and themed breaks such as the Pub Walk Collection (developed with The Ramblers), hot tub escapes, luxury group stays, and glamping.
The platform is built on a transactional marketplace technology stack comprising a web storefront (cottages.com) and native iOS and Android mobile apps, supported by a homeowner portal for property listing and availability management. Operational differentiators include a quality-assurance program that inspects every cottage before listing, verified guest reviews, 24/7 UK-based customer support, ABTA membership (L4801), and FCA-authorised insurance intermediation via ITC Compliance Limited. Marketing is digital-first, combining SEO-optimized curated collections, content marketing (travel guides, blog), email newsletter engagement, and organic social media.
The business model is commission-based on bookings: customers pay nightly rates ranging from approximately £383 to £2,969 per stay, with bookings supported by a £25 low-deposit option, monthly payment plans, and flexible cancellation. Customer segments are hybrid, prioritising UK domestic tourists and dog owners as primary segments, with luxury seekers, adventure enthusiasts, and solo travelers as secondary personas. The company operates as part of the Awaze group of holiday rental brands, sharing infrastructure and corporate governance.
Blue Chip Holidays firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Chip Holidays
- Legal name
- Awaze Vacation Rentals Ltd
- Website
- https://bluechipholidays.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Blue Chip Holidays operates as a UK holiday cottage marketplace (cottages.com) under Awaze Vacation Rentals, offering 18,000+ self-catering properties across England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man to UK domestic tourists seeking staycations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blue Chip Holidays industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vacation Rental Marketplace
- NAICS
- Other Traveler Accommodation (72119)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Whole-Home Rentals (Houses, Villas, Cabins) (THAGANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cabins & Cottages (THAMAAAD), Family & Group-Friendly Rentals (Large Homes, Multi-Unit Compounds) (THAGANAI)
Keywords
Where Blue Chip Holidays is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Exeter
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Blue Chip Holidays business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Holiday Cottage Booking Commissions: Platform earns commissions on bookings made through cottages.com marketplace. Customers pay for cottage rentals while the platform facilitates transactions between property owners and guests.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Per booking pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Blue Chip Holidays product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Chip Holidays operates as cottages.com, an online marketplace where UK travelers search, compare, and book self-catering holiday cottages listed by third-party property owners. The platform aggregates over 18,000 quality-checked cottages across Great Britain and earns commissions on each booking facilitated through the website and mobile app. Additional offerings include themed Cottage Collections, the Pub Walk Collection curated with The Ramblers, holiday letting services for property owners, and 24/7 UK-based customer support with ABTA-backed consumer protection.
Product overview
cottages.com operates as a unified holiday cottage rental marketplace offering access to over 18,000 self-catering properties across the UK. The platform centers on its core marketplace product, supported by themed cottage collections (Dog Friendly, Hot Tub, Luxury, Coastal, Family, Group, Glamping, Last Minute), the curated James Collection of premium properties, and the Pub Walk Collection developed with The Ramblers. Additional offerings include a mobile app for trip planning, holiday letting services for property owners, flexible booking options with low deposits and payment plans, and 24/7 customer support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- cottages.com Holiday Cottage Rental Platform A UK-wide holiday cottage rental platform offering access to over 18,000 self-catering holiday cottages across Great Britain, enabling travelers to search, compare, and book accommodations directly through the website or mobile app.
- Holiday Letting Services for Property Owners A service allowing property owners to list and manage their holiday cottages for rental through the cottages.com marketplace, accessing UK domestic tourists and the platform's booking and quality assurance infrastructure.
- Mobile App (iOS and Android) A mobile application allowing users to search, save favorite cottages, manage bookings, and access app-exclusive offers while planning trips across the UK.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 18,000 holiday cottages available to book
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Blue Chip Holidays
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Blue Chip Holidays technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Blue Chip Holidays partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The RamblerscorePartnership with Britain's walking charity to develop the Pub Walk Collection, featuring hand-picked cottages paired with lesser-known walking routes and proper independent pubs. Every route is identified in partnership with The Ramblers, combining accommodation with curated outdoor experiences.
- Awaze Vacation Rentals LtdcoreCottages.com is a trading name of Awaze Vacation Rentals Ltd, a major UK managed holiday letting agency. Awaze provides operational infrastructure, technology platform, and corporate governance for the cottages.com brand.
- ABTAcoreABTA membership (Membership number L4801) provides consumer protection and ensures the company abides by ABTA's Code of Conduct. This offers customers additional confidence and dispute resolution pathways.
- ITC Compliance LimitedminorAwaze Vacation Rentals Ltd t/a Cottages.com is an appointed representative of ITC Compliance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registration number 313486) and permitted to advise on and arrange general insurance contracts as an intermediary.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Blue Chip Holidays competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sykes Cottages: One of the largest UK holiday cottage letting agencies, offering a comparable nationwide marketplace of self-catering cottages across the UK with similar customer segments and commission-based booking model.
- Oliver's Travels: UK-focused specialist in luxury villas and unique holiday homes, directly competing for the high-end segment of the same UK holiday-rental customer.
- Unique Homestays: Boutique UK holiday home collection focused on unique, design-led cottages and houses; overlaps with cottages.com's luxury and curated cottage offerings.
- Hoseasons: Sister Awaze brand operating a UK holiday lettings platform covering cottages, lodges and parks. Closest direct comparable — same parent, similar curated marketplace model and overlapping inventory.
- The Landmark Trust: UK charity operating a portfolio of unique, historic holiday properties for short stays — competes for the unique, experience-led UK cottage holiday segment.
- Sawday's: Curated collection of inspected UK and European holiday properties, including cottages, inns and B&Bs — competes on the same quality-assured, curated positioning that differentiates cottages.com.
Broad incumbents
- Tripadvisor: Travel meta-platform with a vacation rentals arm and Tripadvisor Rentals; captures UK cottage demand via content-led discovery and booking referral, competing for the same organic-search-driven customer.
- Booking.com: Largest global OTA listing hotels, apartments and holiday homes including UK cottages; competes for the same UK leisure traveller with broad inventory and aggressive performance marketing.
- Vrbo: Expedia-owned global vacation rental platform with a substantial UK whole-home cottage book — overlaps with the same customer use cases (family, group, coastal cottage holidays).
- Airbnb: Global peer-to-peer short-term rental platform listing UK holiday cottages alongside broader inventory; competes for the same UK domestic tourist bookings with significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Blue Chip Holidays social profiles
Digital presenceBlue Chip Holidays compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Blue Chip Holidays financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Chip Holidays leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Blue Chip Holidays funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Chip Holidays M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Chip Holidays
What does Blue Chip Holidays do?
Blue Chip Holidays operates as cottages.com, an online marketplace where UK travelers search, compare, and book self-catering holiday cottages listed by third-party property owners. The platform aggregates over 18,000 quality-checked cottages across Great Britain and earns commissions on each booking facilitated through the website and mobile app. Additional offerings include themed Cottage Collections, the Pub Walk Collection curated with The Ramblers, holiday letting services for property owners, and 24/7 UK-based customer support with ABTA-backed consumer protection.
Is Blue Chip Holidays a public or private company?
Blue Chip Holidays is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Blue Chip Holidays founded?
Blue Chip Holidays was founded in 2000. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Blue Chip Holidays based?
Blue Chip Holidays is headquartered in Exeter, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Blue Chip Holidays make money?
One revenue line is on record: holiday Cottage Booking Commissions.
Who are Blue Chip Holidays's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sykes Cottages, Oliver's Travels, Unique Homestays, Hoseasons, The Landmark Trust and Sawday's. Broad incumbents are Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Vrbo and Airbnb.
Does Blue Chip Holidays have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Chip Holidays.
What industry is Blue Chip Holidays in?
Blue Chip Holidays's product category is Vacation Rental Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGANAA, Whole-Home Rentals (Houses, Villas, Cabins), with a secondary code of THAMAAAD, Cabins & Cottages. Its NAICS code is 72119 and its SIC code is 7000.