When I think about going on holidays with friends some of my best memories happens to involve luxury villas and sharing it with them.
Don’t get me wrong I’m rather partial to a luxury hotel or three, but if there’s a few of you travelling together not only can it make more financial sense to share a villa, you also get a whole different kind of experience.
There’s no finding out you just missed the breakfast cut off time, no one telling you the bar has closed because you’re the one pouring the last drinks, and no rushing to get a good spot by the pool only to find all of the sun loungers have been covered with towels by people who have gone for a long lunch. Or back to bed for hours.
Whether you’re planning a getaway in a villa in Ibiza, or are looking at luxury vacation rentals in Scottsdale, Arizona, a villa is your own private piece of luxury, and while some people just treat their villas like a hotel and see it as nothing more than a place to stay, others have figured out that the villa staff can help take things to the next level.
As different villa companies offer different services, it’s best to check what they can do before you book that holiday. But the trick is knowing the possibilities, so here are some of the things your villa team may be able to do for you…
Send you a driver who knows where they’re going
Great luxury villas can be hard to find. I remember the first time I stayed in one I couldn’t understand why there wasn’t a better address system so you could just say what number you were on a road. But often it’s more a case of being given detailed instructions about turning left after you see a tree that bends to the right, or looking for a sign with a cow on it.
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While taxi drivers could be as confused as you by the instructions the first time, when the villa arranges your airport pick up you get that comforting feeling that comes with seeing your name on a sign in the arrivals hall and knowing the driver has everything under control.
Stock the fridge
As much fun as it is to go shopping in a foreign supermarket for the first time (surely I’m not the only one who loves that!) you’re not really in the mood to do it after a long flight. So simply tell the villa staff what you’d like and they’ll make sure it’s there waiting for you to help with a nice soft landing.
Cocktails by the pool (without possible bill shock)
Lying by the pool sipping cocktails in a resort is rather lovely, but sometimes the bill that comes at the end is less so. Kicking back by your own pool and having delicious cocktails for the same price as the cost of groceries is both decadent and frugal.
Villa staff can help whip up those cocktails, or a healthy juice if that’s more your thing. And with total control over the music at this pool party you just know your favourite tunes are going to make an appearance.
Organise your birthday party or wedding
While most villas can arrange a poolside cocktail party or BBQ for you, some are able to organise one of the most important days of your life. Different villas have their own event guidelines for this sort of thing, and you can do your research online or reach out to a villa travel consultant at a company like Villa Finder.
All you have to do then is tell them the dream location you have in mind, a villa in Bali perhaps, along with what sort of event you want to have, how many people you’re planning on sharing the big day with, and the budget you’d like to work with and they can come back with the best options.
Set up private yoga lessons
If your villa has space by the pool or in the garden, or even its own yoga pavilion (yes, some villas do have them), the villa team can arrange to have a teacher come to you. That way not only do you get a private lesson, you don’t have to deal with traffic or the hustle bustle of the outside world when you’re in a happy post yoga glow.
Organise a massage
Massages and luxury retreats go hand in hand in my book and once again there’s no need to deal with the outside world when you’re ready for a little pampering. Most villas have their own spa menus and if there’s a certain kind of treatment you prefer and you can always ask the staff if they’re able to find the best person for the job.
Help with the kids
No, they won’t do the babysitting themselves but the staff can hire a nanny for you, make sure there’s a pool fence and baby gates to help keep them safe, and organise a car seat, stroller, baby bath, play mat or anything else you don’t want to bring on the plane.
Recommend and book a table at a restaurant
As much fun as it is to stay in your own little villa bubble, if you’re staying somewhere like Seminyak, Bali, there are world class restaurants, cafes, and cocktail bars including Mrs Sippy and Potato Head to explore. If you tell your villa staff the sort of things you like they can make a personal recommendation and book a table. They might even have special deals or discounts that they can share with you.
So there you go. There’s a lot more to luxury villas than some people realize, so when you’re planning your own just think of all the things that would make you happy and ask the villa staff if that’s something they can do before you book. Not every villa will be able to do everything, but you may be pleasantly surprised.
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