Could this be the future of holiday home ownership?

This summer, Kine Haugen enjoyed her first stay at the beautiful Villa Saint-Aygulf on the French Riviera, where she owns a share through &Hamlet. After her stay, she reached out to ask if she could publish an article about her experience with &Hamlet on the blog and website of her company, Stories by Kine. We were, of course, delighted to accept such a thoughtful gesture.

Stories by Kine is a curated universe of timeless interiors and lifestyle products, with a focus on quality and enduring design. Given Kine's expertise and eye for detail, it was especially rewarding to read her reflections. We invite you to enjoy the full article below.

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Kine's Sunday Letter: Could this be the future of holiday home ownership?

Last year, when we let our family's beloved summer house pass on to new owners, many people asked whether we would miss it. The answer is both yes and no. I miss the memories. The story our family built over so many years. The feeling of returning to a place that had been ours for generations.

But I do not miss the responsibility.

A large holiday home is wonderful when you are there. The rest of the year, however, it is a house that needs maintenance, painting, repairs, and constant expenses. It demands both time and money, and eventually we began to ask ourselves whether it truly suited the life we wanted to live.

This summer, we rented a cabin through the Danish company Landfolk, and it was a wonderful experience. At the same time, we realised we still missed the feeling of returning to a place that was, in some way, our own.

That was when I discovered &Hamlet.

I came across the company while looking for alternatives to traditional holiday home ownership. Their concept is simple: they find exceptional homes across Europe and divide the ownership between eight families. Each owner enjoys six weeks in the home every year, while all costs and practical responsibilities are shared.

For us, it struck a chord.

After all, how many of us actually use a holiday home for more than six to eight weeks each year? Yet one family carries all the costs for the remaining months.

One evening in November, their newsletter landed in my inbox with the headline "Panoramic Sea Views Within Walking Distance of the Mediterranean." I showed it to Tore and simply said:

"We have to see this."

A few days later, we were on a flight to Nice.

We met Kristian Ellertsen, Managing Director of &Hamlet, at the house located between Saint-Raphaël and Sainte-Maxime on the French Riviera. Even before the viewing was over, we felt this could be exactly what we had been looking for.

Everything happened surprisingly quickly after that.

Eight owners came together, the house was acquired, renovated, and furnished. I have to admit, I was a little nervous. I care deeply about interior design, yet I had not been involved in a single decision about how the house would look.

But when we returned in July, every doubt disappeared.

It felt almost like checking into a boutique hotel - overlooking the Mediterranean, with freshly made beds, a fully equipped kitchen, and a swimming pool waiting just outside.

We lived exactly as we love to when we are in France. Fresh baguettes for breakfast. The local market in the morning. Long lunches by the pool.

Some days we traded the pool for secluded coves along the coast. Other days were spent at a beach club, reading in the shade, or enjoying a glass of rosé as the sun set.

They were peaceful days. Simple days. Warm days, not least. And above all, the kind of days we hope to enjoy many more times.

More than once, it struck me how well this model fits the times we live in. We share the costs. We share the maintenance. We take care of a home that already exists instead of building a new one.

And we enjoy exactly the amount of time we actually have available to spend there. To us, it feels like a modern way of owning a holiday home - not because we own less, but because we have more freedom. Perhaps that is what holidays are really about.

If you would like to learn more about &Hamlet, you can find further information on their website. Perhaps this is a way of enjoying holiday home ownership that suits more people than just us.
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Have a wonderful Sunday!
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Kine Haugen

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