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UK: Awaze is relaunching its James Villas brand to the UK market, marking the return of the specialist villa holiday provider following its closure in October 2023.
The relaunch, which goes live on 15 December 2025, is driven by growing demand for family and multigenerational holidays, with James Villas positioned as a specialist, villa-only brand offering a curated portfolio of 5,500 quality-checked properties across key Mediterranean destinations including Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Greece.
James Villas will focus exclusively on villa accommodation, with all properties hand-picked and vetted in person by James Villas property experts. Around 80 per cent of the portfolio features private pools, reflecting demand for self-contained accommodation that offers flexibility and privacy for families and cross-generational groups.
Awaze said the relaunch responds to shifting consumer preferences, with research from ABTA indicating that nearly 70 per cent of UK families have either taken or are planning a multigenerational holiday. The brand is targeting this segment with a family-centric proposition and a renewed focus on customer service.
As part of the relaunch, James Villas will offer multiple payment options, 24/7 customer support, including a dedicated phone line and virtual chat, and pricing starting from £200, according to the company.
Founded in 1984 in Maidstone, Kent, by James and Shelagh Needham, James Villas grew to become one of the UK’s best-known specialist villa providers before being acquired by Awaze in 2018. The brand has now been revitalised as part of Awaze’s wider portfolio of self-catering brands, which includes Hoseasons, Cottages.com and Novasol.
The relaunch will be supported by a £2 million multi-channel marketing campaign, launching on 26 December 2025, with activity across linear TV and video-on-demand platforms including ITV, Sky and Channel 4. The campaign is timed to coincide with the peak post-Christmas holiday booking period.
Awaze said the relaunch builds on strong recent trading across its portfolio, with bookings up 14 per cent year on year over the Black Friday period between 14 November and 4 December 2025.
Matthew Price, chief executive of Awaze, said: “This is a comeback built on 40 years of expertise in creating holidays for families. Every element of the new James Villas brand is focused on delivering quality-assured accommodation and a seamless booking experience.”
Jennifer Day, chief growth officer at Awaze, commented: “The launch of the new James Villas proposition marks a momentous milestone for Awaze and we’re hugely excited to be able to finally reveal the new look and offering. Following the initial launch, our focus will be to bring on board our valued trade partners from early 2026, who will be an essential component of our distribution strategy. We’d encourage any travel agents keen to collaborate on this exciting chapter to get in touch.”
Travel agents interested in joining as partners should contact the Awaze Partnership Team at partner@awaze.com for more information.
Highlights:
Awaze is relaunching James Villas to the UK market, with a portfolio of 5,500 hand-picked villa properties launching on 15 December 2025.
The relaunch targets growing demand for multigenerational holidays, with nearly 70 per cent of UK families having taken or planning such a trip, according to ABTA.
Around 80 per cent of James Villas properties feature private pools, reflecting demand for family-focused, self-contained accommodation.
The relaunch will be supported by a £2 million multi-channel marketing campaign, launching across TV and VOD from 26 December 2025.
