About us

Richard has almost two decades’ experience in holiday letting and has seen many changes in that time. As a holiday cottage owner he found it surprising that no company seemed to offer a service-led, owner-centric approach to the full management of properties and thus Finest Retreats was born.

Having owned holiday cottages for many years, Richard knows perfectly all the emotions involved with letting a property to guests and wanted to create a passionate agency that always tailored its services to suit each individual’s circumstances.

Having always lobbied hard for holiday let owners, Richard has featured on BBC Breakfast Radio and written thought leadership articles on the sector for The Times and other publications.

A young family with two toddler sons keeps him busy during evenings and weekends, and with what little time is left over from running a business and looking after the children he can be found playing or watching a multitude of sports.

With over twenty years of expertise in international luxury hospitality management, Julia heads up the Operations team at Finest Retreats to ensure a friendly and professional experience for owners and organised property management, with satisfying commercial results. A stickler for processes and methodical systems, Julia can usually be found in our Cornish office working with the team or on the phone to an owner advising on the current market conditions.

Julia loves to travel, discovering new cultures and has lived in Canada, the Middle East and South East Asia over the years.

Now happily settled back in England, in her free time, she enjoys exploring the Cornish coastline with her family.

As Head of Guest Experience Emma gets to deal with the quirky things that can pop up! This can be special requests for special occasions, accommodating a pet frog (yup!) or turning a bad experience back into a brilliant one. With no two days ever the same Emma enjoys the variety of guest requests and all the positive feedback we get from guests.

As one of the earliest employees at Finest Retreats, there’s not much that Emma hasn’t seen and her friendly and knowledgeable approach with guests goes down a treat.

Outside of work, as a new homeowner Emma is most likely to be found renovating her own property or in the garden at the BBQ with her partner and children over the summer months.

Joining the team in 2022, Beth currently manages the growing portfolio of our existing properties, helping owners maximize their holiday lettings, and overseeing the onboarding of new properties into the Finest Retreats collection.

Beth enjoys working with everything from quirky tree houses with compost toilets to breath-taking period homes packed with eclectic history and getting the marketing mix right to ensure lettings success. Beth is an expert in pricing, advertising and pays close (daily!) attention to bookings rates and occupancy.

A young family keeps her busy most weekends and they enjoy exploring their beautiful home in Cornwall, discovering new beaches and hidden gems.

Danielle joined the Finest Retreats team in 2023 and is responsible for processing bookings, answering queries and looking at all feedback so we can continue to improve every day.

Outside of work Danielle enjoys spending time with friends and family exploring the beautiful Cornish Coastline – either on or in the water!

Jodie joined the Finest Retreats team in 2023, where her main duties include day-to-day bookkeeping, processing of guest balance payments, paying of supplier invoices and completing monthly owner settlements.

Jodie’s superb attention to detail ensures that guests have a seamless experience from initially making their booking until they check out as well as supporting owners in gaining access to any accounting information needed for their property. Jodie is always on hand to answer any payments or financial queries.

Jodie is an AAT certified accountant and Finest Retreats have been supporting her to further advance her accounting qualifications.

Outside of work Jodie likes to spend a lot of time on the water enjoying water sports and exploring the Cornish Coast.

Hayley began with Finest Retreats as a Property Manager, taking care of anything operational for our owners in the South West, and her role has evolved into the newly created Operations Administrator position which involves the management of our housekeeping app and operations software which we have built in-house. Hayley is responsible for analysing every review we receive, and assisting owners with their compliance requirements too.

Hayley loves looking after the region as she and her family spend a lot of time exploring and holidaying there themselves with regular staycations.

Outside of work Hayley can usually found doing something football related. Whether this be playing, watching or being her daughter's number one fan on the sideline. Family beach days and lovely long walks with her two dogs are also high on the list for her days off.

As one of our Operations Coordinators, Marie’s primary responsibility is to provide a top-notch service to our fully managed owners. Marie helps ensure smooth running of properties by sourcing and supporting the finest housekeepers and service providers. Prior to joining the Operations team, Marie was a holiday let housekeeper herself, and before that was a Hotel Manager with a large UK brand so she brings with her plenty of incredible experience of how to keep properties in top condition. Having been at the sharp end of holiday letting, Marie knows well what guests are looking for and the standards expected.

In her spare time, Marie treasures her moments with her family, friends and her two spaniels. They all love beach walks, particularly on Sundays when seeking out the perfect spot for a tasty Sunday lunch.

Jo brings over 20 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industry, including hotels and a 5-star holiday park. Her background gives her a deep understanding of high standards, seamless operations, and excellent guest experiences.

Now looking after properties across the North and Scotland, Jo is the go-to for anything operational. She works closely with owners, housekeepers, and maintenance teams to keep each property well maintained, cared for, and guest-ready. Highly organised and approachable, she enjoys building strong relationships and adding a personal, supportive touch to holiday letting.

Outside of work, Jo loves nothing more than a weekend filled with fun – whether it’s dancing around the kitchen to her favourite music, cheering on a football match, or spending quality time with her husband and two daughters. For Jo, it’s all about laughter, family, and making great memories together.

Victoria is a highly organised and proactive Property Manager with a background in wedding and event management. Her ability to juggle multiple tasks, solve problems quickly, and maintain a calm, professional approach makes her ideally suited to holiday lettings. With a sharp eye for detail and a strong sense of responsibility, she ensures everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

Outside of work, Victoria enjoys spending weekends on the sidelines supporting her partner’s rugby matches, and loves cooking, especially when trying out new recipes. She’s passionate about travel and loves immersing herself in different countries and cultures, whether that’s exploring a bustling local market, learning a traditional dish, or simply getting lost in a new city.

Amanda’s main role is to be the first contact with potential new owners, explaining how we can help at Finest Retreats and how we will look after them on an individual basis. Following a call, or an in-person visit to meet an owner Amanda will type up a tailored proposal and answer any questions they may have about holiday letting. Amanda has owned a successful holiday let herself so can provide plenty of great advice for owners starting out for the first time.

Property is Amanda’s passion and has been for 25 years since leaving British Airways as a stewardess flying the world.

Amanda’s other passions are her Golden Retrievers – she has three! Her rescue dogs have required a lot of rehabilitation and love and so Amanda is most likely to be found on the beach being taken for a walk when not out on the road visiting owners and their wonderful properties.

Jonathan joined us in 2024 and brings with him a wealth of knowledge having spent the last 22 years managing luxury brands across Europe. Jonathan is the main point of contact for new owners in the North of England, on hand to discuss how we can tailor our services to meet each individual owner’s needs.

Jonathan is based in the Peak District and has a great knowledge of how to setup, price and operate a holiday let to become successful within the Peak District and Lake District national parks and surrounding areas.

In his spare time Jonathan loves to spend time with his wife and 3 children, walking his Cavapoo and Mountain Biking.

With years of experience in the holiday letting industry, Sarah works closely with property owners to ensure a smooth and supportive start to their journey with us. Sarah brings a genuine love for Wales, a strong understanding of what makes a holiday home thrive, and a real passion for helping showcase the very best the country has to offer.

She meets owners offering practical, hands-on support with everything from property setup and compliance to pricing strategy and preparing for the first guests. Sarah’s friendly, down-to-earth approach makes the onboarding process clear, stress-free, and puts owners at ease, while her keen eye for detail helps ensure every property is perfectly positioned to attract bookings.

Outside of work, Sarah loves spending time at the beach paddle boarding with her husband, children and their dog Harvey. She loves entertaining friends and when she’s not hosting or out on the water, she’s usually planning her family’s next holiday adventure.

As a member of the Guest Experience team, Evie's main goal is to ensure all our guests have a smooth check-in process and are fully prepared for their upcoming stay. Evie handles a wide range of guest queries to make sure the guests' experience is as seamless as possible. With a significant portion of her career spent in the holiday letting industry, she has encountered a wide range of enquiries!

Outside of work, Evie enjoys spending time with her friends and family, and exploring the beautiful beaches Cornwall has to offer.

Megan joined our team in 2024 where her main duties are a key involvement in the onboarding process of adding new properties into the Finest Retreats portfolio. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for visual storytelling, she organises high-quality photoshoots and crafts engaging property listings that showcases each home at its best and its most unique qualities. Megan also updates existing listings to keep them fresh, accurate, and competitive across all platforms. Bringing care and energy to everything she does, Megan loves the opportunity to work with the more unusual and captivating properties.

Away from work, Megan enjoys wandering the Cornish coast with her springer spaniel and travelling abroad to immerse herself in new cultures. Whether discovering local walking trails or exploring bustling cities overseas, she thrives on blending her love for nature with a spirit of adventure.

An experienced Marketing Manager, Thom brought his expertise to the Finest Retreats team in 2025, having previously worked with several other holiday letting agencies, finding the duty of care and level of service that Finest Retreats offers to both guests and owners a major draw.

Thom's role is to ensure all our amazing properties get the proactive marketing they deserve, and guests find the best places to stay. Working to ensure comprehensive bookings and analysing market trends, the aim is to highlight each property's stand out features for maximum exposure. He also collaborates with the wider team on all offline, social media, and digital marketing, to help bring both new and returning guests to our fabulous holiday homes.

Away from work, Thom enjoys attending music events, sport, and spending time with his family. A coach for his son's football team, he also holds a Grassroots Leaders Award from the Football Association of Wales.

As Duty Manager at Finest Retreats, Amie plays a key role in supporting guests, property owners, and housekeepers outside of standard office hours. Working weekends and out of hours, she handles a wide range of enquiries and incidents, helping to resolve issues efficiently and ensure a smooth experience for everyone involved.

Amie has been working with holiday lettings for over 10 years. She enjoys the variety that comes with the role and takes pride in finding practical solutions while providing friendly and reliable support. Since joining Finest Retreats in February, she has become a valued point of contact for both guests and owners, helping to maintain the high standards the company is known for.

Outside of work, Amie has a passion for history, books, languages and travel. She enjoys exploring historical sites, learning about different cultures and going to the theatre to watch musicals.

With eight years of experience in customer service across Australia, New Zealand and England, Maddison is passionate about creating exceptional guest experiences. In her role, she works closely with guests to help them find their ideal breaks, ensuring a smooth and seamless check-in process, answering guest enquiries, and providing support throughout their stays to create memorable holidays from arrival to departure.

Outside of work, Maddison makes the most of the outdoors and living by the coast, whether that’s exploring local places, staying active, travelling, or spending time with family, friends and her cockapoo, who is always keen to join her on new adventures.

Olivia joined Finest Retreats as Property Operations Manager, specifically overseeing properties in the South of England and our international properties in Italy. In her role, she works closely with owners, housekeepers, and all other property teams to maintain high property standards for the benefit of both owners and guests.

Having lived in Cornwall for the past seven years, she now considers it home, although she originally moved from Devon. Outside of work, Olivia enjoys keeping active through fitness and regular gym sessions. She is a keen foodie who loves discovering new restaurants, cafés, and hidden gems across Cornwall, and enjoys making the most of everything the Southwest has to offer.

Becky is our Property Operations Manager who looks after our managed properties in Wales. Becky is passionate about keeping everything running smoothly and ensuring both property owners and guests have the best possible experience. With a keen eye for detail and a friendly, approachable nature, she’s always on hand to help make things happen behind the scenes.

When she’s not at work, you’ll usually find her spending time with her husband and little boy, exploring new places on her own family staycations around the UK, getting creative with crafting projects, or unwinding with a good drama series. She also loves attending comedy shows, enjoying any opportunity for a good laugh.

Lindsay joined our guest team in early 2026 and brings with her over 20 years of customer service experience; nearly half of this time has centred firmly within the travel and hospitality industry. Whether you require advice about a property or want to discuss tailored recommendations, Lindsay will ensure you have all the information you need to make sure your stay goes smoothly from the point of booking right through to the day you depart. Lindsay prides herself on her ‘can do’ attitude, bubbly personality and ability to resolve guest queries and concerns with a caring yet professional approach.

Outside of the office, Lindsay enjoys exploring the local Cornish beaches and discovering new restaurants with her partner and two young children. She also loves to travel, with Mexico being a country that features heavily within her passport.

Charlotte has extensive experience in property management and holiday lettings, with a strong track record of delivering exceptional service to property owners and guests alike. She manages properties and owners in the Southwest, passionately building strong client relationships, maintaining high operational standards, and ensuring every property achieves its full potential.

Based in Cornwall, Charlotte combines local knowledge with a proactive and professional approach, helping clients maximise performance while delivering outstanding guest experiences. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her four children and exploring Cornwall’s thriving food scene, always keen to discover new restaurants and local culinary gems.

David is our fully employed maintenance and waste collection operative. David covers the whole of North Wales and Snowdonia and can be found out on the road every day in our Finest Retreats van providing fast and reliable maintenance to our fully managed properties in the region.

As a holiday let management specialist, we believe we are unique in having full-time, employed maintenance experts and strongly believe it helps us provide a faster, more cost effective service for our owners.

No job is too small or too tricky for David and he loves getting his hands dirty (quite literally) whether it be fixing fence panels, painting walls or mending leaking pipes.

When not driving around the scenic roads of Snowdonia, David will be found walking his German Shepherd dogs.

We simply could not provide the service we do without our ‘boots on the ground’ working tirelessly week-in, week-out to ensure properties are kept to the highest standards.

Finest Retreats has a dependable team spread across the whole of the UK – and our housekeepers are more than just ‘cleaners’. They are relied upon to check properties for issues after changeovers, maintain hot tubs, change light bulbs and do the hundreds of other small things required to prepare properties for guest arrivals each time.

It speaks volumes that our housekeepers stay with us for many years. Finest Retreats also prefers to work differently – we don’t ‘roster’ staff and the same housekeeper is responsible for each property every week. Most housekeepers are responsible for just one property each. This helps us maintain higher standards and provide owners with the peace of mind their properties are well looked after.

Every month we pay a ‘above and beyond’ bonus to all those who’ve helped a guest or owner outside the usual call of duty. It’s always a pleasure to reward those who’ve shown amazing levels of care like late night visits to lend guests their own dongles when wifi has failed, or battery-powered lamps during a power cut.