Alternative Aquitaine - About Us

Our Principles | Our Credentials

When we started our Aquitaine holiday rentals company in 2003, we had three very simple goals in mind:

  1. to give specialist knowledge and advice
  2. to offer a good range of quality self-catering properties
  3. to provide a professional, friendly and personal service

We believed then - and do now - that genuinely few companies deliver these benefits but that they really shouldn't be so difficult to find! Alternative Aquitaine is an independent business which we hope is seen as the antithesis of the impersonal and knowledge-less, 'call-centre culture' which we all loathe.

We've been visiting Aquitaine for many years now. Not only do we have a passion for this region, we know it intimately. This means we can offer clients good advice about where to stay and what to do when they are there. It all helps make a holiday more enjoyable.

We've identified six principles which define our approach - these are described below. We're a little cynical about using "client comments" - they can be a bit 'cheesey' - but all clients receive from us a holiday questionnaire, and we've gathered a sample of quotations which we believe demonstrate that we do deliver on our principles. We're glad to see the words 'Prompt', 'Polite' and 'Helpful' mentioned repeatedly by our clients. This makes us feel that we are delivering on our principles.

As well as browsing the quotes below, we think it's well worth looking at some of our Holiday Questionnaire feedback:

Our Principles

Our 6 Principles for Delivering a Better Holiday for You
EXPERTISE
France has so much to offer, it's impossible to be an expert on every resort in the country. Aquitaine is both our favourite region and our specialist subject.
QUALITY
CONTROL
Much of our time is spent personally inspecting accommodation. We always ask ourselves if we would feel confident sending our friends & family there – it’s a simple rule.
INFORMATION
Holidays are precious occasions and it's essential to make the best decision. We write detailed property descriptions and local information guides so that you can be confident of making the right choice.
PERSONAL
SERVICE
We are a small, independent company delivering an individual and personal service. We take the time to listen to your requirements so that we can help you choose the right place to stay.
CHOICE
Maybe you're a beach-lover or a wine-lover? Maybe you have young children or you're organising a gathering of friends and family? Whatever you are looking for, we have a range of hand-picked places to meet your criteria.
ENTHUSIASM
We want to help you to discover this alternative part of France – and come back!


Our Credentials

We are acutely aware that clients want to feel secure browsing our website & booking with us, especially if it is for the first time. To reassure clients we have:

  • Bond Plus
    Payment Protection – Bond Plus
    With Bond Plus your payments to Alternative Aquitaine are fully protected in the (very unlikely) event of our financial failure.
  • SecurityMetrics for PCI Compliance, QSA, IDS, Penetration Testing, Forensics, and Vulnerability Assessment
    Web Security
    Every quarter our web and mail servers are tested by Security Metrics to ensure they are “PCI compliant” – the security standard required by VISA and Mastercard.
  • Barclaycard
    Convenience & Peace of Mind
    We have card payment facilities with Barclaycard Business, so clients who prefer to pay using a debit or credit card can do so with peace of mind.
  • France Yes You Can
    Industry Reputation
    We have been members of ABTOF – Association of British Tour Operators to France - since we started 6 years ago. This is a respected industry body with much clout with the French Government Tourist Board.
  • France Favourites
    Specialist Network
    We are founder members of France Favourites, a network of like-minded agencies specialising in the regions of France.

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97% of clients
would recommend
Alternative Aquitaine
to friends & family*

*result of 2009 Client Holiday Questionnaires
Alternative Aquitaine does not own or manage any of the holiday properties seen on our website. We act as booking agents for the owners and/or suppliers of the accommodation which we advertise and take bookings for.
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The Aquitaine coastline at Moliets-Plage