About Oliver's Travels

Where did it all start?

In 2003, my best mate Ravi and I spent a week at a crumbling chateau in the Dordogne with a group of our closest friends. It was one of those holidays you never forget. The chateau was stunning, the wine was flowing and the weather was pretty much perfect. Best of all, we had the whole place to ourselves.

As it turns out, that holiday was the start of something pretty special. Before we’d even got back to England, Ravi and I had come up with the basic idea for our first business, Simply Chateau: a website where people could find and book exclusive, luxury villas without having to shell out a fortune.

Where are we today?

We’ve grown a bit since then. We’ve now got a team of people who love travelling just as much as we do. Between us, we’ve handpicked every one of the properties you’ll find on the site.

Our emphasis is still on quirky, lavish, one-of-a-kind places to stay, but we now offer villas, castles, stately homes, beach huts and cottages, as well as chateaux – not just in France, but across Europe and the Caribbean.

You may have noticed we’ve changed our name too. Ravi took a bit of persuading, but in the end we agreed on Oliver’s Travels!

Why choose ordinary?

So whether you want to treat the family, get together with friends or spend a romantic weekend somewhere special, why choose ordinary... when you can have exceptional?

If you are looking for a bit of inspiration, why not take a look at our latest recommendations, where you’ll find a list of our own favourite places to stay? The Inspire me page is also a good place to start your search. And if you still haven't even decided on where to go, head to Oliver's Journal - our pretty awesome blog!

Happy travelling,