top of page
Book your holiday | Owners Login | owners@finestretreats.co.uk

Pressroom & Media
Here you will find everything that is press, PR and media-related to do with Finest Retreats.
Press Releases
Articles and press releases from Finest Retreats.
JUNE 2026
Finest Retreats launches AI assistant GuestAid in response to the self-serve holidaymaker
Finest Retreats, the UK's owner-first holiday lettings management company, has today launched GuestAid, an AI assistant built on a simple insight: most guests want an instant fix when something goes wrong, not a conversation.... [READ MORE]
Download
press release anchor
JANUARY 2026
Finest Retreats becomes first UK holiday lettings company to launch proprietary operations app
Cornwall-based Finest Retreats has launched the UK's first proprietary housekeeper management app built by holiday lettings experts... [READ MORE]
Download
NOVEMBER 2025
Finest Retreats acquires Forgotten Corner to lead Rame Peninsula holiday lettings market
Independent holiday lettings agent, Finest Retreats, has acquired Forgotten Corner Holiday Cottages based in Kingsand on Cornwall’s Rame Peninsula.... [READ MORE]
Download
research anchor
Research and Data
A list of key one-page items and news from Finest Retreats
The Economic Case for Holiday Lets
What the data shows about holiday lets and their impact on local communities
The debate around holiday lets is often framed as a housing problem. But not all properties are the same. A second home sitting empty for most of the year contributes very little to the local community. A professionally managed holiday let is different.... [READ MORE]
Understanding The Hidden Workforce: Our Methodology
How Finest Retreats estimates the number of housekeepers working in the UK holiday let sector
Finest Retreats estimates that around 268,000 people work as housekeepers across the UK holiday let sector, none of them represented by a union or trade body [READ MORE]
media anchor
People & Biographies
Get biographies of key members of staff at Finest Retreats, who are mentioned in our media-related press and releases.
Richard Bond
Owner
Richard founded Finest Retreats in 2019, bringing almost two decades of industry experience as both a cottage owner and operator. Recognising that the sector needed more than an owner-focused service could provide, he created an agency dedicated to full-service management tailored to each owner's circumstances.
With expertise in both holiday letting and digital marketing, Richard's dual background underpins Finest Retreats' distinctive approach. Properties are maintained to the highest standards while effectively promoted to ideal guests. He continues to champion owners' interests and has been featured on BBC Breakfast Radio, in The Times, and other UK publications.

Julia Chapman
Head of Owners & Operations

Julia heads up the Operations team at Finest Retreats, bringing over 20 years of expertise in international luxury hospitality management with prestigious hotel groups including The Dorchester Collection and Rocco Forte Hotels. Her experience managing operations at five-star properties including The Dorchester London, Coworth Park, and 45 Park Lane informs her meticulous approach to maintaining the highest standards across Finest Retreats' portfolio.
A stickler for processes and methodical systems, Julia ensures a friendly and professional experience for owners alongside organised property management with strong commercial results. Having lived in Canada, the Middle East, and South East Asia, Julia now enjoys exploring the Cornish coastline with her family.
Hayley Mason
Operations Administrator

Hayley began with Finest Retreats as a Property Manager, taking care of anything operational for our owners in the South West, and her role has evolved into the newly created Operations Administrator position which involves the management of our housekeeping app and operations software which we have built in-house.
Hayley is responsible for analysing every review we receive, and assisting owners with their compliance requirements too.
bottom of page
