Self-catering holiday specialists scoop golden accolade at awards

A local self-catering specialist has struck gold at this year’s coveted British Travel Awards.
Luxury Coastal scooped the award for Best Small Company for UK Holiday Home Rentals 2023.
The Devon-based independent fought-off fierce competition from more established rivals and well-known holiday companies, and one of the co-founders to achieve the top spot is Brixham born and bred James Lund.
James co-founded Luxury Coastal just under five years ago and the business now employs 17 people with offices in Exeter and is one of the fastest-growing holiday providers in the south west, bringing 30,000 guests to the region in 2023.
James says: “We are committed to supporting people, businesses and organisations who want to make a difference to the place where we live. We want our success to be shared through investing in local people, businesses, and services who also put the south west first”.
The team at Luxury Coastal has 50 years combined experience in delivering holidays and strive to deliver outstanding holidays at the same time as giving back to the local area.
Luxury Coastal support several community initiatives and each member of the team is given four days off to volunteer for a local charity. The Company is a sponsor of Till the Coast is Clear, a Community Interest Company clearing the coast of plastic, and staff get to spend regular days rolling up their sleeves on beach clearance days. Boots are laced up in support of the South West Coast Path – the charity responsible for protecting and restoring the west country’s 630-mile national trail. The team completed the Cornwall Coast Mighty Hike, raising £1,235 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Staff are regulars at Six Degrees, a women’s networking group in Exeter, and the Company sponsors Surfers Against Sewage.
James added: “We pride ourselves on going that extra mile and this year has seen a 70 per cent increase in repeat bookings. Bringing home gold from the British Travel Awards is especially rewarding as these are voted for by members of the public – in essence, our guests. The British Travel Awards is the largest awards programme in the UK and to win is truly an achievement.”
James and his colleagues have recently completed a successful roll-out of a brand-new website, showcasing Luxury Coastal’s portfolio of 354 holiday rentals and a dedicated section for supporting property owners.
The self-catering specialist offers affordable chic apartments, houses, and a selection of luxury lodges throughout Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset, almost 90 per cent of which are 30 minutes of the Coast. The new website includes a popular blog and Instagram, which highlights the best local businesses, promoting local products and services they like and which their visitors will like too.
James is a big fan of life in South Devon, representing Brixham at the Scilly World Gig Rowing Championships.