HouseTrip.com has launched in the UK, providing an easy and safe booking and listing experience for its one million monthly unique visitors.

Having already celebrated 1,000 per cent growth since November 2010, the site – which offers - apartments and houses in over 7,000 destinations – expects momentum to be maintained by rising consumer demand for value, comfort and ‘local’ experiences.

HouseTrip.com gives holidaymakers the chance to experience the freedom, privacy, flexibility and space offered by holiday apartments and houses.

Guests can enjoy a four or five star lifestyle at two star hotel prices.

The current average cost for a two-bedroom property is just £105 per night across HouseTrip’s entire portfolio of properties.

Since the website initially went live in January 2010, over 400,000 nights have already been booked via HouseTrip.com.

Large gains are expected in 2012 as consumers switch on to the numerous benefits in terms of both value and experience that private accommodation provides for holidaymakers.

Housetrip offers over 7,000 destinations, including Paris

Travellers who book via HouseTrip.com can enjoy a number of advantages unique to staying in private accommodation, such as cooking meals using market-fresh produce in their own kitchen, meeting and mixing with locals in neighbourhoods off-the-tourist trail and enjoying the chance to be shown secret finds from the hosts who welcome them.

Larger groups and families will especially love the savings offered by larger properties – never again will they need to book multiple rooms or sit in the dark while the little ones sleep.

Currently worth over £17.1 billion annually, the European holiday rental industry has been long overdue a shake-up, argues HouseTrip.

Traditionally, consumers have had to negotiate complex booking systems, unable to take advantage of the convenience offered by online booking in order to secure their rental.

David Norris, chief operating officer at HouseTrip.com, left, is joined by co-founders Arnaud Bertrand and Junjun Chen

HouseTrip.com aims to change the way consumers can enjoy their private holiday apartment or holiday home rentals by providing an easy-to-use, secure system where consumers can book a property in as little as six clicks.

Additionally, HouseTrip.com offers both hosts and guests ease-of-mind by giving providing a wealth of security measures, including credit card payment facilities, security deposit options and the opportunity for guests to review their experiences following completion of their stay.

The current average review score is 4.3 across all reviewed properties.

Property listing numbers continue to climb every day with over 1,000 properties coming live every week. One host has already made over £670K in bookings via HouseTrip.com since listing his properties on HouseTrip in February 2011.

In preparation for launch, HouseTrip.com has established a UK base of 35 staff, in addition to a full-time customer care team who can assist clients in any of 14 different global languages.

Total staff now number over 70 in HouseTrip’s three main offices located in London, Lausanne and Lisbon.

Housetrip has just launched in the UK market

Arnaud Bertrand, founder and chief executive of HouseTrip.com said: “I have the UK to thank for establishing HouseTrip.

“When attempting to book a holiday property in Scotland during the summer of 2008, I found the process to be so complex, that I thought there must be a better way.

“With HouseTrip, we make the experience for both guest and host easy, fast and safe to transact.

“Our team of dedicated designers, developers and dreamers are determined to revolutionise the industry and make travellers realise there is an simple and safe alternative when they are looking for a value and experience-packed holiday.”

Take a look at the website for more information.