The six points that decide a seaside stay

1. Orientation, and what time the shade arrives

This is the first criterion, and it appears on very few listings. A due-south terrace becomes hard to use during the hottest hours. A pool that tips into shade at four loses exactly the slot when you want to be in it.

The question to ask: "What time do the pool and the main terrace fall into shade in July?"

An owner who lives on site answers to the half hour. A remote manager rarely knows. That in itself tells you what is waiting for you.

2. What is actually outside, and at what scale

Exterior photographs are taken wide-angle, late in the day, with nobody in them. They say little about the usable shade, the number of people who can sit at the table, or whether there is shelter when the wind gets up.

The questions to ask: "How many people can eat outside, seated, at the same time?" and "How much usable shaded area is there between 1pm and 5pm?"

A hectare of pine grove and a twenty-square-metre terrace with a parasol offer two different things, even if the photograph looks similar.

3. Real dimensions, rather than adjectives

"Large pool", "spacious living room", "close to the sea" gain from being translated into numbers, every time.

A 12 x 5 metre pool lets you swim. A 6 x 3 metre pool is for cooling off, which is fine, and it is another promise. The difference shows poorly in a photograph taken from the right angle.

The question to ask: "What are the exact pool dimensions, the floor area of each house, and the number of bathrooms?"

4. Noise, and what is on the other side of the hedge

This is the most frequent omission and the hardest to recover from. A main road, an adjoining campsite, a shared access track, a beach bar below: these rarely appear in the photographs, and they decide your evenings.

The questions to ask: "What is immediately around the property?" and "Can you hear anything from the bedrooms at night in August?"

A simple way to check for yourself: open satellite view on a map and look at what borders the plot. Five minutes are enough.

5. How many journeys an ordinary day requires

A beautiful house twelve minutes from everything means twenty-four minutes of driving per round trip, several times a day, multiplied by the number of drivers. After three days it becomes the main subject of the holiday.

The questions to ask: "How many parking spaces on site?", "How far is the nearest bakery and small supermarket?" and "Is the water access on the property, or do you need the car?"

A slipway at the end of the garden and a beach fifteen minutes away produce two different holidays, even though both are described as "access to the water".

6. Who replies to you, and how quickly

The last point is the most revealing. Write a precise, slightly technical question and look at what comes back. The delay, the precision, and whether it is a person or a template say a great deal about what will happen if something unexpected comes up during your stay.

The questions to ask: "Who will be my point of contact during the stay?" and "What exactly are the cancellation terms and the security deposit conditions?"

Cancellation terms deserve to be read in full, in particular the cut-off date and what happens if part of the group cancels. That is the kind of clause worth knowing in advance.

The list, all at once

To copy into your first message:

1. What time the pool and terrace fall into shade, in July.

2. Number of seats outside, and usable shaded area in the afternoon.

3. Pool dimensions, floor areas, number of bathrooms.

4. Immediate surroundings of the property and any noise.

5. Parking spaces, distance to shops, water access.

6. Point of contact during the stay, cancellation and deposit terms.

Six questions, one message. The answers you get, and the way they reach you, will spare you most unpleasant surprises.