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For Carol and Mike, family time has always been a priority, with five children and grandchildren living across three continents, finding meaningful ways to come together has become all the more important. What began as a spark of curiosity from an article soon became a journey with August: one that offered not just beautiful homes, but the chance to create lasting memories across Europe. From sun-drenched courtyards in Mallorca to cosy alpine retreats in Megève, Carol shares how August has redefined their travel, making dream destinations feel like home.
Carol: I’m Carol and my husband is Mike, and we have five grown-up children and five lovely grandchildren. Our family is quite spread out, our daughter lives in Australia, our son is in Canada with two of the grandchildren, and our other three daughters are based here in the UK with the remaining three. Despite the distance, we’re a close-knit family, which is something we really value.
We first came across August through an article in The Times, probably three or four years ago. It piqued our interest at the time, but then it drifted off our radar. We had previously owned a property in Spain jointly with my brother and it was lovely, right on a golf course and close to skiing, which are two of our shared passions. But the reality was, since we're still working, we didn’t get to use it nearly as much as we’d hoped.
I also work in travel, which means we have other opportunities to get away, so eventually we sold the property. Still, I’ve always had a dream, particularly with Mallorca, of having a place where we can bring the kids and grandkids, somewhere to create lasting memories and build a sense of familiarity for them.
Fast forward to around two years ago, we started thinking more seriously about fractional ownership. We’d seen a small setup in Portugal involving one home shared between a few families. Then we came across another article about August, and I started diving deeper, reading more, listening to podcasts, and learning about the concept and the company’s story. That’s really what reignited our interest, and by July or August 2023, we were fully engaged and ready to take the next step.
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Carol: I think the Signature Collection just suited our family perfectly. We weren’t really interested in city stays, what we love are sun-filled holidays, and everything about the Signature homes really appealed to us. The variety within the Collection is fantastic, like the farmhouse in Tuscany and the villa in France. The diversity was something we came to really appreciate.
At first, I remember wondering why there wasn’t a villa in Mallorca, because it's such a beautiful destination. But the more we learned about the thinking behind the Collection, the more it made sense. That variety, staying in a townhouse in Mallorca, for example, which is very different from the villa in France, is actually one of August’s unique strengths.
The Signature Collection ticked all the boxes for us: the locations, the number of bedrooms, the style of homes, and even the price point. To be honest, we didn’t even look at the other Collections, this one just felt right from the start.
Carol: I think our first visit was to the Tuscany home, and we went in January with some friends. The approach to the property is down a small country road, which definitely has its challenges but when we arrived, even in the middle of winter, the home was absolutely beautiful.
Despite the cold, the moment we walked through the door was honestly a bit overwhelming. It marked the end of quite a long journey of about 16 months from when we first started looking into August so finally stepping inside one of the homes felt quite emotional.
As we walked through each room, it was just one “wow” after another. Even though we’d seen all the photos and read everything on the website, experiencing the August design and atmosphere in person brought it all to life. It completely lived up to our expectations and really ticked all the boxes for us.
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Now that we’ve seen the Mallorca home, the final one in the Collection, there’s a part of me that feels a bit sad that there are no more to discover. I’ve really invested myself in the journey and absolutely loved the whole concept of August. I’ve followed along closely, looked forward to each new property, and genuinely enjoyed seeing how each one came to life.
I suppose now, over the next few years, the focus will shift more towards refining and enhancing the existing homes, incorporating feedback from owners and making thoughtful improvements. That’s exciting too, of course, but I’ll definitely miss the anticipation of what’s next.
Carol: Yes, we were more than happy to have a Cotswolds home included in the Collection. I know some Collections don’t have one, so we feel quite lucky that ours does. We live about two hours away, and while we’ve visited the area here and there over the years, we hadn’t spent much extended time there.
We recently had the chance to enjoy a full week at the home with some friends, and we absolutely loved it. It’s such a beautiful part of the world, and we really appreciated having the opportunity to explore it properly. We're genuinely glad it’s part of the Collection.
Carol: Because each of the homes is so uniquely different, it’s really hard to pick a favourite. I know my husband had a few reservations initially, particularly watching the renovations and wondering how it would all come together, especially with the townhouse in Santanyí. It didn’t seem like the easiest project. But once you're actually there, the location is fantastic, and while the garden might look small in photos, it feels really lovely in person. We really enjoyed our time there, it’s close to the airport, beautiful beaches, and plenty of places to explore.
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The South of France is another one we really enjoyed. Tourrettes and nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence are both wonderful, and there’s a lot to see and do in the area. Palaia was a bit quieter when we went, but it was January, so we’re looking forward to seeing how it comes alive in the summer. It feels like the kind of place you go to fully switch off, more of a ‘fly and flop’ holiday with time around the pool.
Megève is probably the one I’d really like to experience in summer. We've only been in winter so far, and not for a full week. It is stunning, absolutely beautiful, but I have to say, it’s also quite expensive. We’ve heard from others that Megève is very quiet between April and early July, so we're still figuring out the best time to go and explore.
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Carol: Mallorca was a really pleasant surprise for us. The location is fantastic, being able to walk into town within just a few minutes made such a difference. We were initially a bit concerned about the parking situation, but in reality, it was absolutely fine and not an issue at all. Overall, it was a really enjoyable experience.
Carol: To be fair, it's probably because we're still working and still travel quite a bit, we enjoy sailing and skiing as well, that we haven’t previously had regular access to a property like this. I think our decision was more about looking ahead and focusing on how we want to spend our time in the years to come.
It has definitely taken up a lot of my headspace, but in a really enjoyable way. I wouldn’t say I’ve been obsessed, but I’ve definitely been deeply engaged, always interested to see what’s happening, when new Collections are launching, and exploring the details of each one.
From a lifestyle perspective, this is something we've always wanted: access to beautiful homes we can share with friends and family, in destinations we can grow familiar with. Places where you come to know the best beaches, favourite restaurants, local shops, all those things that make a place feel like a second home. That’s what we’re really looking forward to in the years ahead.
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Carol: I think the booking system is really well thought out. Staggering the points is a smart approach, it really makes you prioritise the weeks that matter most to you, whether that's Christmas, Easter, or a summer holiday, and also which property you’d prefer during those times. Overall, it feels like a fair and balanced way to manage demand.
In general, August has been very transparent, always happy to answer questions and provide clarity. While there have been occasions where we would have liked slightly different dates, the weeks we’ve ended up with have worked out well for us overall.
Carol: When we first came across August, it honestly sounded too good to be true. But the more we looked into it, the more we realised, it genuinely delivers on what it promises. Our experience has been incredibly positive, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone.
The concept is brilliant. You simply wouldn’t be able to buy even one property of this standard, size, and location, let alone have access to five across such beautiful destinations. It’s a unique opportunity.
My advice? Go for it. Life is for living, and it’s about creating memories with the people you love. You never know what’s around the corner, and we have absolutely no regrets.
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