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Special Escapes: Self-catering in the UK

Special Escapes pricing details

Prices start from as little as £199 per year* - that's £3.83 per week! No commission, no hidden extras.

To apply to become a Special Escape, please print out and complete our Application Form (PDF document) and post it, with a joining fee of £100 (including VAT), to: The Editor, The Old Farmyard, Yanley Lane, Long Ashton, Bristol BS41 9LR.

We will get back to you as soon as we can with details of our decision and the precise subscription fees.

For details about how we work, what to expect and why we do what we do, please see our FAQs. If this doesn't answer everything, please register your interest and we will get in touch with you.

Your entry fee will include:

  • Strong brand: we have a widely trusted brand that is synonymous with authenticity, integrity and genuinely special experiences
  • Full inspection by the Special Escapes team
  • Descriptive copy written by our experienced writers
  • Processing and hosting of four high resolution photos
  • The opportunity to appear on the Special Escapes homepage as a 'Latest escape' or an 'Editor's pick'
  • A regular position on the Special Escapes home page, via our revolving, random property selection.
  • Promotion of www.specialescapes.co.uk to 55,000 monthly e-newsletter subscribers, and the chance to appear as a selected property
  • Entry on the detailed Special Escapes maps, as well as on the map pages of www.sawdays.co.uk (130,000 unique visitors per month)
  • Press coverage: Alastair Sawday receives huge amounts of publicity from magazines and broadsheets, and is a favourite of journalists who find our approach and content both refreshing and of unusually high quality
  • Direct contact with guests: our owners manage bookings themselves. Many other websites withhold your website address, forcing guests to deal with an impersonal booking engine, and preventing you from knowing who is booking your property
  • 85% of our owners renew their entries after two years
  • Ongoing support by email and telephone from the Special Escapes team

* Minimum subscription is for two years. Price shown does not include VAT.

Read on

What our owners say about us

"It has been a delight being part of the Alastair Sawday Special Escapes and we have met so many wonderful and like minded people through this association the priority for them and for us is quality - to provide something different and see guests fully appreciate the location, the aesthetics and the tranquillity our little haven offers, gives us great satisfaction and combines to give our guest a memorable break. Being selected as a Special Escape destination has undoubtedly contributed to the success of our business."

Mair, Special Escapes owner, Glamorgan

"I would like to thank Special escapes for the great website they run which works brilliantly well for us. It seems to attract the type of people who really appreciate what we have here and feedback we get is that generally Special -Escapes , once found, offers visitors real credibility in that they know that booking a holiday featured will bring certain standards of qulity ,care and service to them ' - Thanks again"

Valerie, Special Escapes owner, Cornwall

"We are ecstatically happy with SE - and don't advertise anywhere else. About 80% of our booking come from SE and the rest is word of mouth. Many couples come back again and again - we have to disappoint SO many poor people by saying we're all booked up!"

Jilly, Special Escapes owner, Devon

"We have been on the Special Escapes website for a couple of years and have found our bookings have increased greatly. From the beginning, we have found the Alistair Sawday team a pleasure to deal with and a great support. They put a wonderful entry together on the website and we liked the fact that there was a flat rate for the entry rather than a commission taken."

Special Escapes owner, Edinburgh

"Just wanted to thank you and everyone at Sawdays for a very successful year. Special Escapes seems to be more and more popular - I have had a fantastic response in the past 6 months - more than last year - It is such a joy being able to change and update with news oneself..."

Fiona, Special Escapes owner, Norfolk

"We have been delighted to be with Sawdays and get a lot of people through you. We find that in Google Analytics your site is consistently near the top of our referrers. - We're grateful!"

Marion, Special Escapes owner, Derbyshire

"...we should like to renew our membership for another two years - it has been very good for us and we have had some nice visitors who have sent us some glowing letters of appreciation."

Mrs Walker, Special Escapes owner, Cornwall

"We thought you might like to know we have already had one couple to stay and two other confirmed bookings. So thank you very much, we are really pleased with our start with Special Escapes."

Peter, Special Escapes owner, Conwy

"We're getting so much business through your site, I just can't thank you enough."

Vanessa, Special Escapes owner, Cumbria

"We are pleased to say that much of our business this year has come through Sawdays - so thank you for the good job you do in promoting us."

Andrew and Kit, Special Escapes owners, Cumbria

"...we've had our best season ever and our subscription paid for itself in the first month of working with you!"

Sarah, Special Escapes owner, Yorkshire

What our readers say about us

"In this packaged, global world, what a joy it is to meet genuine people, to honestly benefit local economies and spend an entire week free from tourism and its trappings. We marvel again that the Alastair Sawday club has remained so loyal, and so true to its original ideals.

We are, as ever, unsure whether to share our delight with friends, or to guard yet another collection of Alastair Sawday secret places."

Christopher & Judie Welsh, Worcester

What the press say

"Alastair Sawday's Special Escapes: in Top Ten links for affordable UK Holidays. Alastair Sawday’s travel guides (see www.sawdays.co.uk) have a reputation for finding exceptional places to stay in the UK and abroad, and this offshoot specialises in self-catering in Britain. These are no ordinary holiday cottages, but “quirky, comfortable, independent places run by people who care."

The Telegraph online, January 2009

"British 'place to stay' guru, AS recommends the UK and Europe's cosiest, prettiest self-catering properties."

Ideal Home, March 2008

"AS's brilliant travel guides are also online. This one has beautiful self-catering ideas across Britain but also visit Sawdays.co.uk for other ideas from the same excellent company."

Easy Living, 2006