This year marks a major milestone for My Getaways. Ten years of providing award winning specialist holiday home management for hundreds of property owners and hundreds of thousands of guests across Brighton and Sussex.
What started as a simple idea in the garden of our founder, Steve Taggert, back in 2016 has grown into one of the South’s most respected independent hospitality and holiday home management businesses
Steve came into the industry with a background in both technology and hospitality. From day one, he believed there was a better way to manage short term accommodation. A way that used technology to automate guest communications, remove friction from bookings and give owners clear, honest transparency into how their properties were performing.
Rather than relying on off the shelf systems, Steve decided to build something different. He set about creating proprietary software designed specifically for hospitality operators. That decision led to the birth of the original My Getaways platform and laid the foundations for everything that followed.
When the pandemic hit, the hospitality industry was brought to a standstill almost overnight. Hotels closed. Leisure travel disappeared.
Many operators shut their doors, waited it out, or sadly went out of business altogether.
My Getaways took a different approach.
By working creatively and partnering with the NHS across Sussex, we were able to keep properties occupied by providing high quality accommodation for essential workers at a time when it was needed most. This not only ensured that key workers had a safe and comfortable place to stay, but also meant our property owners continued to receive income during one of the most challenging periods the industry has ever faced.
As Steve puts it, it was never just about surviving.
“It was about innovating, ensuring our owners still had a source of income through COVID and making sure key workers had a genuinely great place to stay.”
That mindset meant that when leisure travel returned, My Getaways was perfectly positioned to grow. And grow we did.
Since COVID, My Getaways has gone from strength to strength. We have been recognised as Property Manager of the Year in the South, received nominations at the internationally acclaimed Shortyz Awards and earned multiple local accolades.
For Steve, however, the proudest moment came closer to home. Being recognised by the wider Sussex business community and winning Medium Business of the Year at the Sussex Business Awards was a standout achievement and a real reflection of the team, the culture and the values behind My Getaways.
So what sits behind ten years of sustained success?
When asked, Steve is refreshingly honest.
“It’s several things coming together. Our amazing team consistently delivering award winning service for both guests and owners. Our strong local focus on Sussex and being truly on the ground here. Our cutting edge technology, which we own and build in-house. But most importantly, never forgetting that we are a hospitality business first and foremost. That combination is the key.”
Looking ahead, innovation remains central to everything we do. The next chapter includes the introduction of voice agentic AI as front line guest support, allowing us to enhance response times, improve guest experience and continue to deliver stronger returns for our owners. An owner not yet working with us? Reach out to our Brighton & Sussex holiday let management team.
The goal remains the same as it was back in that garden in 2016. To combine great hospitality with smart technology, deliver exceptional service and help guests create memories that last a lifetime.
Ten years in, we are just getting started.
Here’s to the next decade of My Getaways.
