What's actually booking in the UK holiday let market in 2026?

In this episode of Holiday Let Insider – powered by Host Planet and Sykes Holiday Cottages – James Varley sits down with Owen Burt to walk through the market signals UK operators need to know – including the finding that pet-friendly properties earn 8% more bookings and 16% more revenue than equivalent non-pet-friendly listings.

Owen shares Sykes' latest data on which UK holiday let locations are booking strongest in 2026, the most in-demand dates of the year, the pet-friendly premium and how to pet-proof your property properly, and what's happening in the couples' market – when they're booking and what kind of rentals they're choosing.

If you want your 2026 to be data-led rather than guesswork, this is the briefing.

1:16 The most-booked UK holiday let locations in 2026

5:48 The most in-demand dates in the UK in 2026

10:26 Why pet-friendly properties earn 8% more bookings and 16% more revenue

14:18 How to pet-proof your property

18:01 When couples are booking – and what type of rental they're choosing

22:05 More holiday let data from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Holiday Let Insider is produced by Host Planet, in collaboration with Sykes Holiday Cottages. Each episode brings UK holiday let owners the market data, booking trends, and operational insights they need to run smarter, more profitable businesses.

🔗 Sykes Holiday Cottages: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/letyourcottage

Host Planet is the UK's leading content platform for short-term rental hosts and property managers. Subscribe for weekly episodes covering revenue management, tax, regulation, design, marketing, and operations.

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🎤 Presented by James Varley, Founder of Host Planet, holiday let investor, and former corporate communications lead for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

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