Why a Villa Might Be the Best Holiday You’ve Never Considered

There’s no place like home – even when you’re on holiday. So, let’s combine the two and hand you the keys to the door to your very own holiday home.

Imagine swapping your home for a glorious property in the sun? A property that you can call home for a week or two (possibly even three)? This is a home with all the amenities and comforts you could ever wish for, but none of the usual hassles that come with home ownership.

Welcome to your very own villa. 

You’ll be handed the keys to the door for your entire stay. You can come and go as you please. Cook your favourite meals in your fully-equipped kitchen if, when and how you choose. Laze on the sofa in your own lounge. Have the run of the garden and your very own pool. You don’t have to dress for dinner, sit next to strangers, fight for a sun bed or queue for a buffet. 

With your own villa you can make out like a local and immerse yourself in the area – a perfect way to see first-hand how the destination ticks and have a more authentic experience. 

Chances are you’ll also rent yourself a car, giving you the freedom to get around and really explore in your own time. First stop is likely to be the local supermarket to top up on your favourite ingredients, the freshly picked local produce and regional delicacies.

You can go ‘out-out’ whenever you want, or stay at home. You call the shots. A night in takes on a whole new meaning when you’ve got your own ‘place’.

Sound good? OK, so let’s look at the options. No need to trawl the local estate agents, your holiday home is just a phone call away. In this case, I'll not only be your travel expert, but also your estate agent. 

It takes just one conversation to let me know who’s going, what you all want and the type of destination you all fancy. Give me a while to do the research and I'll come up with some perfect pads. Whether in Florida or France, Spain, Greece, Bali, Portugal – frankly anywhere you like – all you need to do is take your pick. And hey presto, the keys are yours! 

Whether you’re a family of four or more, a group celebrating a milestone anniversary or a couple wanting total privacy, we’ve got a villa for you. Off the beaten track, in the heart of the action, a pad with a pool, a room with a view or something quirky – I have got a villa with your name on it. 

So let’s go house hunting:

As a family, the joy of a villa is that everyone can have their own space. 

Parents can ensure that babies and toddlers are kept in a routine. Come the evening, they can pop the little ones into bed in their own bedrooms, allowing mum and dad to stay up for a few night caps relaxing beside the pool. 

On the flip side, parents of teens can retire early leaving the ‘kids’ to chill in the lounge until the early hours and (should you allow them) sleep in until midday? Basically anything goes. There’s no hotel schedule to stick to. There’s no need to make it down to the hotel dinning hall by ten before the kitchen closes.

Family-friendly villas always come with fully-equipped kitchens. Cooking on holiday may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but families tend to love the self-catering option. Not only does it usually work out more cost effective, it ensures everyone gets what they want. 

Perhaps you might choose to have your breakfasts at ‘home’, pack up a picnic for lunch and venture out to a local taverna after dusk for dinner? A kitchen on tap means that every choice is on the menu. 

Many family villas come with smart TVs – so the kids can stream their movies; private pools; board games and BBQs. 

I have got villas dotted across the entire Med. The Greek islands, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus are hugely popular with families. 

Further afield, in the Sunshine State of Florida, villas near Orlando are well placed for families visiting the famous theme parks.

For a more cultural experience, Provence in France offers charming family villas surrounded by lavender fields and picturesque villages.

This restored stone-built family home is on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. Just 200 metres from the centre of Kalives and the sandy beach of Mistraili, it’s well placed for families with three separate bedrooms. 

A well-equipped kitchen makes self-catering easy, and the proximity to the town centre means there’s a choice of authentic bars and tavernas close by. 

When not on the beach, the villa’s private pool awaits. 

Imagine hosting a group dinner on a scenic terrace, playing team games in the evening or simply lounging by the pool with your closest friends? A villa is a great option for larger groups. 

Nine times out of ten, a villa works out to be great value. If everyone chips in, the bigger budget allows you to get a far better property than you could ever afford were you going it alone. 

Vast kitchens allow you and your mates to cook up a storm, while spacious lounges, dining rooms and terraces are perfect for parties. And if anyone wants time out, they’ve all got their own rooms and possibly bathrooms to retreat to.

The bigger the pad, the more facilities. Pools need to be big enough so that everyone staying can make a splash. Some large villas come with hot tubs, home theatres, fully-equipped gyms, games rooms and beautiful gardens. We’ve even got villas in Turkey that come with their own spa and hamman.

This six-bedroom, four-bathroom villa sleeps 12 and sits on the outskirts of the beautiful town of Imotski in southeast Croatia. The views across the Croatian countryside are jaw dropping – making the perfect backdrop to watch the sun set from the vast terrace. 

This villa comes with several large-screen TVs, a sound system, a private pool and a terrace complete with a sheltered outdoor kitchen and even a football table. 

A grocery store is within a five-minute walk, with large supermarkets easily reached within a 10-minute drive. The centre of Imotski is just an eight-minute drive, or 25-minute walk away, where you’ll find plenty of traditional bars and restaurants. It’s a top pick.

Want something with a bit of pizzazz? I have got the keys to some truly jaw-dropping villas. 

Think expansive mansions, grand châteaux or ultra-modern, architectural masterpieces designed to impress. 

Featuring opulent amenities such as infinity pools, private cinemas, spa facilities and even helipads, these villas redefine the meaning of indulgence.

In the French Riviera, glamorous hillside mansions offer sweeping views of the Mediterranean and feature lavish interiors fit for royalty. 

For a regal experience, Tuscany’s historic châteaux provide guests with a blend of old-world charm and modern luxury. 

In Dubai, I have got uber-sleek, palatial villas on glamorous Palm Jumeirah and in the States, why not make out like a celeb in a villa within the extravagant estates of Beverly Hills?

These high-end properties promise an unforgettable experience for those who crave the extraordinary.

With its archetypical turrets and towers, you’ll struggle to get more French than this 19th-century renovated chateau. The scene is simply breathtaking. Set in 40 acres of woodland, the estate features its own vineyard – from which it produces three of its own wine labels. 

Inside the chateau, the living spaces and eight bedroom suites – featuring hand-printed wallpapers and rare fabric prints – all centre around a magnificent spiral staircase. Each suite boasts beautiful countryside views through oversized windows and vintage free-standing bath tubs complete the sense of indulgence. Two suites even have their own private sauna.

Alongside the games room, which comes with a full-size snooker table, you’ll have a fully-stocked library and gym at your disposal. 

Outside is a luxurious swimming pool and a private tennis court. You can choose to dine al fresco on the covered terrace or for fine dining why not request the services of the personal chef and dine in the grand dining room? 

The chateau is enveloped in glorious countryside. Three miles away is medieval Créon, with a restaurant and boulangerie and a farmers’ market every Wednesday in its 14th-century arcaded square.

Love all the home comforts and the privacy that a villa offers, but miss socialising? You should consider a villa complex. 

These complexes are a collection of individual villas located within one ‘estate’. They offer a mix of privacy and community. 

Some complexes provide access to shared amenities such as a central pool, a restaurant and a gym, and often feature beautifully landscaped grounds and communal areas where guests can meet and mingle.

The complexes differ in size. Some complexes might have as few as four villas, in which case they could be ideal if several families are going away together. These complexes give you the chance to holiday together, yet apart. 

Each family will have their own private villa then come together when they choose. Perhaps all the ‘neighbours’ might congregate at one villa for dinner and drinks each night?

The Spanish Balearic and Canary Islands boast well-equipped villa complexes, as do the Greek islands. 

This Village is a complex of three, four and five-bedroom villas, located on the Costa Teguise on the volcanic Canary island of Lanzarote. Each comes with its own private pool. The villas sit within communal gardens that come with a barbecue area, children’s playgrounds and a large outdoor dining space where the ‘residents’ can congregate. 

Are you torn between wanting all the facilities of a hotel resort, yet crave the privacy and space that a villa provides? Perhaps the group is split – one prefers a villa while the other favours a hotel? Or perhaps you’ve never stayed in a villa before and want to dip your toe into the villa experience without throwing yourself in fully for the first time? Well, here’s the deal: you can have both at the same time. 

Hotel rooms are not only found behind closed doors along long corridors. Many hotels boast glorious villas, beautifully secluded within enclosed gardens. They come with their own private pools, kitchenettes, BBQs, lounges and sundecks – basically everything you need for your stay. But there’s more. 

Beyond your villa, you can tap into all the additional hotel facilities: the various restaurants, the hotel pools, the beaches, the spa, the entertainment and bars. 

Together it’s a combo that ticks every box. 

The 10 two-bedroom and 17 three-bedroom villas at this luxury, five-star resort sit within their own private, tropical gardens complete with their own private pools. 

A fully-equipped kitchen gives you the option to cater for yourself if you wish, but all villa guests can enjoy breakfast delivered direct to their room every day, as well as a platter of fruit. You’ll have your own BBQ, but also, should you wish, you can invite the chef in to create a typical Mauritian or Indian meal for you. And to top it off, a maid will pop in each day for a quick tidy up and clean. 

The villas come with spacious living areas, outdoor showers and deep-soak bath tubs. 

Beyond the villa, the hotel sits on one of Mauritius’ best beaches from which the hotel offers all manner of watersports. It even has its own glass-bottomed boat. Each day you can take your pick from six restaurants or treat yourself to a pampering session in the hotel spa or a knock about on the hotel tennis courts. 

For some people the very last thing they want to do when they’re on holiday is cook. So determined to relax, they don’t even want to make their own cup of tea or pour their own wine. 
This is when a catered villa is called for. 

You’ll move into your luxury holiday home and alongside all the home comforts you’ll have the added bonus of staff on tap. For the duration of the holiday you’ll play the part of Lord or Lady of the manor. With housekeepers, cooks, gardeners and sometimes even drivers and butlers at your beck and call, there’s no need to lift a finger. 

This Downton Abbey-esque experience will allow you to fully relax and savour every moment of your luxury surroundings. 

We’re talking extravagant villas and converted palazzos, to magnificent castles and premium party pads.

Imagine yourself sipping a Bellini from the terrace of this majestic, clifftop mansion overlooking the Amalfi Coast – Bellini prepared and served by your very own butler of course. 

Villa Stella di Praiano comprises not only a main house, sleeping 12 guests, but also a fairytale historic tower, a pool house, plus a beach house, each sleeping two guests. 

You can arrive at the villa by private speedboat, disembarking at the foot of the cliff before making your way through the manicured gardens to the villa itself. Don’t panic, the porters will carry your bags. 

The villa is sumptuously furnished and comes with an outside gym, heated pool, hot tub and massage room.

Plus, it comes fully staffed – in fact, the kitchen is the reserve of the staff. Alongside an in-house maid, you’ll have a cook, private chef and on-site concierge to grant you your every wish.

I have got the keys to thousands of villas across the globe. Whether it’s a pied-à-terre for two, a palatial mansion or anything in between, I have got a shape, size and design to suit you. 

I can take our pick from more than 450 trusted suppliers, many of which only sell via travel agents. Plus, I get exclusive trade-only deals. 

This means we can find the perfect pad just for you. 

And the best part? My time-saving, stress-busting service won’t cost you a penny— travel companies pay me. So what’s to lose? I take away all the stress, so booking your holiday feels like a holiday. 

Plus: don’t forget I can arrange car hire for you too. 

I can ensure your car is waiting for you as soon as you land. Combine the keys to your car with the keys to your villa on the one bunch and you’re completely independent and ready to go. 

Contact me today (see details below) for a chat through the options. There’s no obligation to book but you can discover if a villa holiday is for you and, if so, where might suit you down to the ground.