Sometimes when you want to get away, you would like to bring your friends or extended family with you to enjoy the perks that come with a luxury villa. You want options for dining in the immediate area, other than being limited to a private chef in your villa. And perhaps you do not really favor constant privacy and enjoy the resort atmosphere. You want an exquisite experience, but you also want the option of mingling with your other guests. You are in luck. The choice now remains… which to choose?
The Dunes by Grace Bay Club | Turks and Caicos
Each of the villas have breathtaking vistas, a contemporary-style, an oasis-like pool area featuring a “floating” outdoor dining palapa, and a bold fire feature. Multi-zone air-conditioning systems, solar water heating, and gray water recycling provide the utmost comfort, while utilizing advanced technologies carefully selected to reduce the villas’ environmental footprint.
Nearby: Princess Alexandra National Park, downtown Providenciales, Provo Golf Club, and Long Bay Beach.
Amenities: Daily housekeeping; round-trip private SUV airport transfers; personal concierge; complimentary American breakfast presented daily in-villa; welcome drink; reservations for any restaurant, excursion, boat trip, activity or spa treatment via your personal concierge; and a complimentary shuttle for dining to Grace Bay Club or West Bay Club.
Availability: Year-round
Rates: Weekly rentals begin at $25,200 for 3-bedroom, $30,100 for 4-bedroom, and $32,900 per week for 5-bedroom. No monthly rates.
Website: www.villasofdistinction.com
The Villas at AYANA | Jimbaran
The Villas are designed as a “resort within a resort” to ensure maximum seclusion for every guest. AYANA’s 78 freestanding, cliff-top luxury villas are spread around the property and set in traditional Balinese compounds with private pools surrounded by tropical gardens. The design features a thatch-roofed Balinese-style pavilion that can be fully enclosed or opened to the elements. Some of largest one-bedroom villas to be found on the island, the Cliff Villas, reflect a blend of Japanese zen and modern Balinese design.
Nearby: Wander the colorful Jimbaran Market and do some shopping, or enjoy the beach.
Amenities: 24-hours butler service, mobile phone upon check-in for convenient communication with butler, dedicated check-in, complimentary golf putting and tennis, and daily breakfast served at Dava Restaurant. Unique experiences can be arranged to include a Floating Champagne Brunch, candle-lit dinner served in your garden by your butler, spa treatments and priority access to Rock Bar.
Availability: Year-round
Rates: Begin at $1,100 per night, based on double occupancy.
Website: www.ayana.com/bali/the-villas-ayana
Soneva Jani Water Villas | Medhufaru Island, Republic of Maldives
These over-water villas offer the ultimate in desert island living in Noonu Atoll, located within a 3.5 mile lagoon of crystal clear waters with uninterrupted 360° views of the Indian Ocean. Every water villa has a private pool, and opens to its own stretch of lagoon – some villas even feature slides going directly from the top deck into the lagoon below. The highlight of the water villas are the retractable roofs in the master bedrooms that slide back at the touch of a button so guests can lie in bed and stargaze, and the resort includes all of Soneva’s popular features including a spa, dive center, over-water observatory, children’s den, organic gardens and an outdoor cinema, and the first “silent cinema” in the Maldives using Bluetooth earphones.
Nearby: Guests come to stay on the property and relax.
Amenities: Mr. or Ms. Friday personal butlers; non-motorized water-sports: paddle boarding, catamaran sailing, windsurfing and canoeing; snorkeling with resident marine biologist; introduction to astronomy with resident Astronomer at our Observatory; yoga and meditation; and tour of the Eco-Centro Waste-to-Wealth center and organic vegetable gardens where you can learn about the best practices in sustainability.
Availability: Year-round
Rates: Begins at $1,870 per night, based on double occupancy.
Website: www.soneva.com/soneva-jani
Kata Rocks | Phuket, Thailand
Utilizing the natural topography of the site, including its impressive rock features, Kata Rocks is in harmony with its surroundings and an outstanding example of luxurious modern tropical design. The shops and restaurants of Kata town are just a short stroll away and there’s a host of activities available locally. There are 34 beautifully appointed luxury ‘Sky Villas’ with one to four bedrooms. All villas feature large terraces with private pools ranging from 7 to 14 meters in length boasting uninterrupted ocean views and Phuket’s most beautiful sunsets.
Nearby: Activities vary from temple tours and visiting the Big Buddha, to boat trips to the magical Phi Phi islands in Phang Na Bay or romantic sunset dinners ‘On the Rocks’ right on the Andaman oceanfront at Kata Rocks. Kata Beach and Kata Town are both less than five minutes away walking, and Nai Harn Beach, Chalong Temple, Big Buddha, Old Phuket town and Promthep Cape Viewpoint are all within a half hour of Kata Rocks.
Amenities: Rental stays include service from Kata Rocks colleagues and daily breakfast in the oceanfront restaurant. Some promotional offers include airport transfers, yacht trip, mooring etc.
Availability: Year-round
Rates: Daily rentals begin at $850.00
Website: www.katarocks.com
Casa Palopo | Carretera a San Antonio Palopó, Guatemala
Perched on the shore of Lake Atitlán in the Guatemalan highlands, Casa Palopó offers an exclusive, high-end getaway for sophisticated travelers who value a rich dose of culture with their vacation experience. A private home turned luxury boutique hotel overlooking Lake Atitlán, Casa Palopo is the first property in Guatemala – and only the second in Central America – to become an official member of the esteemed Relais & Châteaux collection, joining a distinguished group of hoteliers, chefs and restaurateurs that have set the standard for excellence in hospitality. Programming like yoga on the hotel’s helipad amidst volcano views, boat rides to explore the indigenous towns around the lake, and Mayan Shaman blessings around a fire pit for a happy life, offer a complete cultural experience to the luxury escape.
Nearby: Casa Palopo offers boat transfers for guests who’d like to explore Lake Atitlán’s 12 colorful Mayan villages, each with its own personality, and only a short boat ride away from one another. For example, in mood to mix & mingle? Then head to San Pedro, known as the party town. Prefer the ultimate relaxation vacation? San Marcos de La Laguna is a great pit stop to find your zen, with meditation and yoga lessons throughout. San Juan de Laguna is great for cultural art murals and textiles, Santiago Atitlan for its shops and cathedrals, and so on.
Amenities: Helipad. Full staff. Boat transfers (fee). In-house restaurant (famous Lake Atitlan). In-room Spa Treatments. Pool on main property, private pool in villa. Picture worthy locations. Library. Bar.
Availability: Year-round
Rates: Weekly rates from $7,420 to $11,375
Website: www.casapalopo.com