HouseTrip is Europe’s largest holiday apartment website, offering holidaymakers and holiday apartment and homeowners a safe and easy-to-use platform to find, book and list holiday apartments, houses and villas securely online. There are currently over 55,000 properties to choose from in thousands of destinations worldwide, with more than 1,000 new listings added each week.
Founded by CEO Arnaud Bertrand and CFO Junjun Chen, HouseTrip.com went live in January 2010 and has since seen over 400,000 nights booked. There are HouseTrip offices in the UK (London), Switzerland (Lausanne) and Portugal (Lisbon.) For more information, visit www.housetrip.com.
Cheapflights: What do you always do when you travel – any routine procedures?
Bernard Arnaud: I always book a HouseTrip apartment, of course!
CF: What is your travel pet peeve?
BA: I absolutely hate airport security. I know it’s a modern-day must but it does get tiresome.
CF: What is your favourite kind of trip (preferences, romantic, city, beach etc)?
BA: I don’t care where I go, as long as it’s relaxing. As a startup, our hours are crazy so I look to unwind wherever and whenever I can.
CF: Best destination you have ever been to and why?
BA: Best destination I have ever been to is India. It’s truly authentic travel exposing you to different cultures, atmospheres, food. Amazing!
CF: Where in the world offers the best value for money?
BA: Again India. You get so much for so little and so many people are willing to help you wherever you go.
CF: Where would you pay to stay? Is there anywhere you think offers great value and a great deal?
BA: In a HouseTrip apartment! More space, lower prices – they give more accommodation bang for the pound. And our review scores prove it.
CF: What is the best airport you have flown from and is there a tip to make this airport experience great?
BA: Geneva – because they have a great smoking section. It’s a habit I find hard to break and the more time I go without a cigarette, the more anxious a flyer I can be.
CF: When you fly, is there a tip you can share to make the experience a great one?
BA: Check out seatguru.com and find the best seat on your flight. Usually, it’s the exit row seat (but not always!)
CF: If there was one travel nightmare trip, where would it be to and what would it involve?
BA: A spa trip – I can’t think of anything worse than lying down with nothing to do for an hour (but my wife loves spa trips, so I am learning to compromise.)
