Here's a little hint: If you're looking for an economical way to gather the entire family for an overdue reunion, or you simply want to experience what
it's like to live the local lifestyle, then a villa vacation is just the ticket for you. We've been touting the benefits of renting a private vacation home
for as many years as Hideaways has been around, and here are just a few reasons why.
Economy:
Renting a villa can be a great value for several couples or multiple generations of a family traveling together, more so than staying in a hotel. Plus, you
can save on the cost of dining out by enjoying group meals cooked together over a few glasses of local wine--part of the fun!--and shared al fresco on your
private patio.
Comfort:
You'll have all the comforts of home, including private bedrooms and bathrooms, a cozy living room--perhaps with a fireplace--a kitchen for grabbing quick
snacks, and maybe a private pool. You'll also have plenty of room to spread out.
Live Like a Local:
Renting a vacation home lets you really experience your destination. You'll greet neighbors during your morning jog, market shop where the locals do, and
find out where the best "secret" beaches and restaurants are.
Villa Vacationing Tips
All Vacation Homes Are Not Created Equal: You'll find older vineyard estates in Italy, antique-filled apartments in Paris, sprawling beachfront homes in
Jamaica, and modern condominiums in Costa Rica. The type of vacation home you settle on all depends on your needs and desires, so research your options
thoroughly.
Do Your Homework: Avoid disappointment by asking things like how far the home is from the nearest beach, market, or train station; what things like beach
chairs, linens, and kitchen condiments are supplied; and how safe the home is--e.g., is it on a steep hillside, is there a fence around the pool,
etc.--especially if you'll have young children with you.
Plan a Combo Stay: Especially in Europe, it's great fun to bookend your weeklong villa stay with shorter visits to nearby cities. In other words, start in
Florence for a few days and then head to your Tuscan villa, or enjoy the delights of a private home in Provence followed by a few exciting days in Paris.
We also can recommend city-center apartments!
Vacation with Confidence
We work with a number of the most reputable property management companies around the world--meaning you'll have a local, on-the-ground contact when you
arrive at your destination to answer any questions and make sure you have a seamless villa experience.
Hideaways
Travel Services can book your villa vacation in great locations around the world, including Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and throughout
Europe. Explore just some of our villa options online at:
Specialty Villas
These two spacious, over-the-top escapes certainly aren't for everyone. But they could be just the thing for a special celebration like an important
anniversary, a destination wedding, or even a small corporate retreat.
Sweet Bocas
The exquisite islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, spilling into the warm waters of the Caribbean from Panama's northwestern coast, are an
up-and-coming holiday spot for savvy travelers looking for unspoiled adventures. Here, a little bit of Eden sits tucked away like an island of its own, but
in reality is a gorgeous Panamanian teak vacation home "floating" over the turquoise water atop 100 cement stilts. Welcome to Sweet Bocas!
The innovative design of this 20,000-square-foot villa is the brainchild of owner Annick Belanger, who incorporated her love for water and her eye for
color and whimsical touches into every corner of the home. She also has taken to growing an array of herbs, fruiting trees, and medicinal plants on the
villa's six adjacent tropical acres, from which quality healing tea blends have been created for the welfare and enjoyment of Sweet Bocas' guests.
Your entire family can spread out over the villa's three levels, which include a clever third-floor attic space with a Nintendo Wii console, LEGO toys, and
two en-suite bedrooms designed especially for kids--though adults also might want to play in the attic's "pillow pen." The second floor has four huge,
teak-lined, en suite bedrooms that open onto outdoor lounging areas, and each has endless water views.
But the first floor is where you'll gather with friends and family to enjoy coffee on the sprawling hardwood deck before heading off on the villa's 30-foot
motorboat to visit nearby islands, or gearing up for snorkeling, diving, or kayaking. Eventually, you'll return home to dine on locally inspired cuisine
and savor sunset cocktails with views over your own piece of tropical paradise.
Nelson Mandela Centre for Reconciliation
This stunning home, located in the heart of South Africa's Shambala Private Game Reserve, was designed and built by a dear friend of Nelson Mandela's as a
place for the former president to work and relax in uninterrupted peace and solitude. The magnificent estate includes a formal living area with fireplace,
a business center, a separate staff wing, and an indoor/outdoor heated swimming pool surrounded by a viewing deck that overlooks a private game watering
hole.
Today, you can experience your own magical place in Africa by booking this retreat in its entirety--five bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a true
"Presidential" Suite--for a maximum of 12 guests. Traditional African design and materials have been woven into the very fabric of this home's essence,
from the Leadwood tree trunks that support the porte-cochère to the patterns incorporated into the plasterwork and the thatched and exposed-beam
ceilings. To top it all off, colorful African art punctuates the home's neutral-colored walls.
There's no end to the unique ways to spend your time here. Take a guided bush walk and immerse yourself in a landscape that supports an
amazing array of animals, from elephants to dung beetles. Head out on a game drive for close-up wildlife viewing--Shambala is home to all the Big
Five--with an experienced local guide and game ranger. Or explore the waters of the Douw Steyn Dam on a sundowner cruise, sipping a cocktail as you keep a
sharp eye out for hippos and watch Nile crocodiles slip from the bank with barely a splash. When finally you have to leave this idyllic corner of South
Africa, you will better appreciate the dream Nelson Mandela had for his beloved country.
We're Your Villa Experts
If you have questions about the ins and outs of villa vacationing or would like to pursue the pleasures of a private rental home for yourself, now is the
time to call. You'll still find some availability for the 2015 holiday season and for winter 2016, but the best villas in the most popular destinations
will be filling up fast. For villa options that fit your lifestyle and budget, contact Hideaways Travel Services at 800-843-4433, or email
ts@hideaways.com.
A Scottish Sojourn
By Hideaways member Bob Matheson, Boulder, CO
We thoroughly enjoyed our weeklong stay at Gamefield, a private home on a Scottish country estate just a few miles outside the town of Crieff. The home was
quite modern and bright, with plenty of room for the nine of us--my wife Ester and me, our two sons, their wives, and their three children, ages 3 to 10.
The home had four good-sized bedrooms on the second floor, each with its own nice bathroom. We rarely used the well-equipped kitchen, since we usually
grabbed meals in whatever town we happened to be in while visiting the area's castles and villages.
We also didn't use the fenced-in yard nearly to its full capacity. I think we may have lit the barbecue grill once, though everyone enjoyed climbing into
the hot tub on multiple occasions. The kids also got a kick out of jumping on the trampoline. If we hadn't been on the road most of the time, the lawn
would have been the perfect place for a family game of croquet or bocce.
A real hit with our grandson and granddaughters was discovering the two horses on the other side of the fenced yard. Of course, then we had to go
buy carrots so we could feed them. We'd come back after a day of sightseeing and there they'd be, waiting patiently at the fence for a handout. I'm afraid
we spoiled them--they're probably still looking for us at that fence!
Though it rained most every day we were there, we did see some beautiful scenery and visited lots of nice little towns. And we sampled all kinds of neat
food--of course, you've got to try haggis! One day we were at a castle and had a full feast of meats and stews, while seated at long wooden trestle-style
tables and listening to harp and flute music. The whole banquet hall was lit only by candlelight, with fires going in a couple of huge fireplaces.
I have to say, the entire trip was great fun, and a nice way to create some lasting family memories.
July/August 2015