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 | A tropical paradise: Wimco's plush Villa VGM becons with an expansive terrace and private pool on the très chic island of St. Bart's.
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it takes a villa
Savvy travelers know that renting a villa is one of the best ways to connect to a destination — and to the people they love.
By LAURA VOGEL
I was sitting on the terrace of the late Liz Claiborne’s palatial home on St. Bart’s, listening to Edith Piaf and watching the waves roll into the exquisite St. Jean Bay. I felt as fortunate as the fashion icon herself and sensed her presence and impeccable taste everywhere. I was never lucky enough to meet the legendary designer — Ms. Claiborne was a pioneering American entrepreneur, the first woman in the Fortune 500, as well as an exceedingly generous philanthropist — yet I was a guest in her home all the same. Such is the alchemy of renting a villa, Wimco’s Villa VGM, in this particular case.
“You get to dream with a villa,” said Renaud Rippert of the enchanting process, “you get to put on the lifestyle of someone else.” A transplanted Parisian who adores America, Rippert works as a sales agent for Sibarth, a St. Bart’s partner of Wimco, one of the world’s top purveyors of private villas-for-hire.
What Rippert says is spot-on; one great charm of this type of vacation is the sense of stepping into a local’s existence — and discovering a destination in a way you never would otherwise. You get to go to the local boulangerie on St. Bart’s and get your Paris-worthy morning croissants from the same baker year after year. In Tuscany, you wake up surrounded by the vineyards that create the Chianti you’ll drink with dinner that evening. You, and your family and friends, gain an unparalleled sense of place.
 | | Good night, indeed. (Top) An Amanyara Villas' bedroom and private terraces in the Turks and Caicos, and (bottom) Altamer's architectural wonder on Anguila. |
Villas were once the exclusive perk of being exceedingly wealthy or famous (usually both) or having an ancestral family home in Provence. But increasingly, vacationing in a villa — a luxury home, usually with a staff, its own kitchen, and plenty of space for relaxing, either a private dwelling or a house on the property of a hotel or resort — is gaining popularity in leaps and bounds. The Europeans popularized this style of getaway long ago, but Americans are now fueling the fire, especially in the Caribbean.
Michel Neutelings, chief operating officer of Amanyara Villas in the Turks and Caicos, is thrilled by the growth in this type of escape. “I have been behind the villa trend for many, many years, and in the past 10 to 12 years, it’s grown explosively. People’s time off is very precious. We get CEOs, celebrities — people who want no hassles, they just want to come down and instantly relax.” The quick downshift into relaxation mode is another distinct advantage to renting your own place — if you want to pop open a bottle of bubbly and go skinny-dipping as soon as you walk in the door of your villa, who’s to stop you?
Doing what you want, exactly when you want to, in utter privacy — that’s the definition of privilege, and it’s growing in demand. A recent poll of American Express Platinum Travel Service specialists shows that the number of Americans requesting a villa getaway is at an all-time high, and Italy, France, and the Caribbean (St. Bart’s particularly) are the most desirable destinations for villa vacationers.
“In a villa, you decide what kind of lifestyle you want,” says Robert Bacon, a veteran St. Bart’s vacationer. A Chicagoan who is quite familiar with American Airlines first-class cabins, Bacon and his wife have been renting the same St. Bart’s villa for the same week every year for 15 years. “A lot of people on St. Bart’s have barbecues and entertain a lot, but we go more for the solitude.”
 | Dive in: (Top) Four Seasons Punta Mita's private villas have infinity pools and a long list of luxury amenities. (Bottom) Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates can arrange for your stay in perfectly restored Italian farmhouses.
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Love has a lot to do with it, villa industry experts say. Mike Minchin, the director of residential marketing for Four Seasons resorts, has noticed that villa travel is, increasingly, a family affair. “There’s more intergenerational travel than ever before,” he says, adding that vacationing at a private or resort villa brings “people together in a relaxing setting.” The Four Seasons, always in tune with the needs and desires of luxury travelers, has had a residential aspect to their hotels since 1982.
Families are indeed traveling as a unit. Isaac Coutry, senior vice president of The Ritz-Carlton, says the demand for children’s programs in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America has skyrocketed since 2002.
Howard Nussbaum, president and CEO of the American Resort Development Association, agrees: “People have come upon the idea of ‘togethering.’ Instead of vacationing as a couple, increasingly people will go as a family or with groups of friends. The first baby boomers are turning 60, and they have more leisure time and the greatest transfer of wealth in history … they want to see the world, and they want to be with multiple generations.”
And as Nussbaum points out, it’s profoundly relaxing to be able to work with no one’s schedule but your own. “The great thing is having at-home- like amenities — and you can have casual meals whenever it suits you,” he says. “Perhaps you’ll go out to dinner every night, but you don’t want to have to schedule 21 meals for a week — that’s not relaxing.”
| This quaint English abode is an exquisite example of Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates' impressive portfolio of villas.
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The Four Seasons’ Minchin has spotted a novel trend among his guests: male-bonding villa trips. “We really try to tailor the residence to the vacationers, and, lately, we’ve gotten more and more requests from groups of guy friends who want to get together, say, to do a golf outing,” he says. “The best thing is that they don’t have to do any shopping. We do pre-arrival calls before they get to the villa: All of the equipment is there. We’ll stock the fridge, so that when they get there, the beer is in the fridge, we’ll deliver the steaks, and a chef to cook them.” Minchin adds, “The comforting thing for guests is that you know what the level of quality and service is going to be before you arrive. And how easy is it? It’s as easy as renting a hotel room.”
Luxury hotel companies like Four Seasons, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Amanresorts, and Mandarin Oriental are increasingly adding villas to their hotel inventories in response to customer demand. Most of the villas are private residences owned by individuals and placed in a rental program that is managed by the company.
“In all of our new resorts — the Turks and Caicos, St. Lucia, Rose Island in the Bahamas, and in Costa Rica — we are building significant numbers of villas. In our Grand Cayman property, we have two- to three-bedroom properties with 3,000- to 4,000-square-foot interiors and 1,500-square-foot terraces,” says The Ritz-Carlton’s Coutry.
This residential/rental program model appears to be a win-win for the hotel and the private owner. Coutry adds, “It does make sense financially for the company and the client. For them, it is an investment that requires very little worry — we take care of the villa while they are away.”
Four Seasons’ villas are all in non-urban upscale destinations like Bali, Costa Rica, Jackson Hole, Nevis, Whistler, Exuma, and Punta Mita — all popular among the vacationing elite. “Luxury travelers want all the privacy they would get in a private home along with all the services and amenities of a five-star hotel,” Minchin notes. “You have access to the gym, restaurants, room service, and the same housekeeping as in a hotel. It’s an unrivaled combination.”
| The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman's finely furnished two- and three-bedroom villas are some of the company's newest examples of luxury rental properties.
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More villa-rental options are becoming available in major high-end residential developments as well, as a result of people investing in second or third homes and placing them in a rental pool when not in residence themselves. In Punta Mita, Mexico, for example, travelers have a large selection of villas for rent through DINE, the owner and developer of Punta Mita, and Mita Residential rental agency, with access to a private Residents’ Beach Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, and other luxury amenities including in-residence spa treatments and private chef service.
classified education
To some, “villa” still means a centuries-old farmhouse in the European countryside. It’s possible to get top quality and service — the language barrier and the currency differences just make the arrangements a bit more complex than a villa in the U.S. or most of the Caribbean (though it’s a French island, for example, most everyone on St. Bart’s speaks English, and shops accept U.S. dollars).
To enjoy an old-school Tuscany or Provence villa experience, it’s wise to work with a booking company that specializes in the region you’re interested in — they’ll take a lot of the guesswork out of the process and will weed out iffy properties. Suzanne Cohen, of Suzanne B. Cohen and Associates in Maine, specializes in renting captivating villas throughout England and Italy.
Cohen explains that, even with a wealth of photos on the Internet available, there is no substitute for an agent who’s actually been to the destination you’re considering. “Often it’s what you can’t see that can be a problem,” says Cohen. “If a house is too close to a narrow road, every car that passes is going to honk its horn. An experienced agency will be able to anticipate such issues and will listen carefully to a client’s needs before matching them up with a rental.”
 | Privacy, please. Enjoy a stay at Mick Jagger's hideaway on the small but sexy Caribbean island of Mustique.
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One should also be aware that the amenities of some Old World villas, charming as they are, are not up to the standards of those in the U.S. or the Caribbean islands. Some lack en suite bathrooms, pools, and air conditioning, but the thrill and distinction of staying in a historic and charming home generally make up for the dearth of luxuries.
independent types
For intrepid travelers who prefer to do it themselves, there are a growing number of websites where one can rent villas and homes without a middleman.
A popular (and well-respected) site is called Vacation Rentals by Owner, and it’s easy to navigate and find the perfect place for a weekend, a week, or a month. VRBO.com lets you search by geographical destination, then town, then by individual houses — the site allows owners to post multiple photographs and even links to their own websites. A key bonus is that VRBO has a comment section where previous renters can comment on their experiences — positive or negative — and the owners can respond to the bad, but can’t delete them. This type of service makes a villa vacation wonderfully personal, as you often are greeted by the proprietors themselves, and the homes are filled with hand-selected antiques, family photos, and the quirky touches of a real household.
The downside to renting without an agency can be the lack of a staff, daily maid service, and resort-type amenities. Also, there is no one to run interference if the accommodations aren’t up to your expectations. Departing from Liz Claiborne’s villa in St. Bart’s was bittersweet. Who knew if I would again live in such understated elegance, feel such a sense of place and a connection to the people around me?
I knew. It wouldn’t be long. I was already plotting out the next villa vacation in my mind.
create your own villa lifestyle
Here is a selection of topvilla rental companies and a look at some of their offerings, whetheryour needs include a landing pad for your helicopter, a rental yacht,or just a quiet cottage in the countryside.
ABERCROMBIE & KENT
This venerable internationaltravel service provides some of the highest-quality tours, safaris,and, yes, villa rentals. Important to note: A&K guarantees therental price, in U.S. dollars, to American clients at the time ofbooking — not all companies do this, so be aware of currencyfluctuation. (800) 554-7094, www.abercrombiekent.com
BIGGER IS BETTER: Near Lucca,one of the greatest food towns in Italy, Villa Controni will let youindulge your Under the Tuscan Sun dreams. Set on a huge estate, this19th-century villa sleeps 22 (there are 11 en suite bathrooms), has agorgeous pool, hand-painted frescoes in each room, a billiard room, anda huge kitchen. There’s even a chapel — perfect for weddings — on thegrounds. Rates start at about $43,800 per week.
LESS IS MORE: La Limonaia,also near Lucca, is a pair of lovely restored farmhouses (perfect fortwo families that want to vacation together) with super-clean-linedwhite interiors. The two villas sleep up to 16 and both boast theiroriginal terracotta floors and beamed ceilings. Between the houses liefig, plum, and peach orchards as well as a fenced pool. Rates fromabout $7,000 per week.
ALTAMER
A group of eye-popping modern-designed villas on the British Virgin Island of Anguilla. (264) 498-4000, www.altamer.com
BIGGER IS BETTER: The“Brazilian Emerald” is a 12,000-squarefoot adult playground with fivebedrooms, a grand piano, a Jacuzzi that fits 12 of your nearest anddearest, an in-home gym, and a lighted private tennis court. $30,250weekly.
LESS IS MORE: For teens,staff, or just for those on a budget, try Altamer’s pieds-à-terre. Withan adequate 1,000 square feet, including one bedroom and one bath, it’sperfect for those who care more about spending time on the beach thanindoors. $4,000 per week.
FOUR SEASONS
This top hotelier alsomanages rentals of villas in exotic locales like Bali, Costa Rica,Exuma, Jackson Hole, Nevis, and Punta Mita. (800) 819-5053,www.fourseasons.com/rental
BIGGER IS BETTER: In PuntaMita, a private peninsula north of Puerta Vallarta, a five-bedroomhillside villa with more than 8,000 square feet awaits. The villa’slarge terrace opens to amazing ocean views, and amenities include aninfinity pool, whirlpool, and beautiful outdoor living and diningareas. Access to the Four Seasons Punta Mita resort itself ranks as oneof the top amenities of this villa. $40,000 to $50,000 per week.
LESS IS MORE: For a lovelyFour Seasons two-bedroom Palm Grove villa with its own private plungepool on the idyllic Caribbean island of Nevis, you’ll pay around $2,000per night during the high season.
SUZANNE B. COHEN & ASSOCIATES
This Maine-based pro has akeen eye for quality and specializes in British and Italian villas.(207) 622-0743, www.villaeurope.com
BIGGER IS BETTER: Set at thefoothills of the North Pennines mountains, Melmerby Hall (in northwestEngland) makes its visitors feel like royalty. The Hall dates back tothe reign of Edward II (1307- 1327), sleeps 16, and the walled groundsinclude an archery lawn. About $8,900 per week in high season.
LESS IS MORE: Tuscany’s CasaL’Aia, at a mere $2,450 per week, is a relative bargain. This quaint250-year-old stone cottage is the epitome of the rural good life. It’ssurrounded by rosebushes and great views; sleeps six.
TUSCANYITALY
A terrific source for classicvillas in its namesake Italian region. The website has gorgeous photosand clear pricing. 011-39-33-837- 46803, www.tuscanyitaly.it
BIGGER IS BETTER: VillaFerragamo is an ancient Tuscan villa tucked within woods and vineyards.The stately villa is furnished with period antiques and a beautifulpool. A full staff and a cooking class are included in the rental.About $60,460 per week in high season.
LESS IS MORE: The verydefinition of charm, La Rocca is a little three-bedroom stone cottageset between Umbria and Tuscany that dates back to 1600. It’s surroundedby lush, peaceful gardens and boasts an incredible pool. Just $3,600per week in high season.
VACATION RENTALS BY OWNER
This is a respected global site through which you can rent homes directly — as the name says — from the owner. www.vrbo.com
BIGGER IS BETTER: To trulyimpress your guests, rent this massive, 5,000-square-foot villa in theCosta Brava region (40 miles north of Barcelona). It has anOlympic-size swimming pool and tennis courts and views of the sea thatwill take your breath away. Houses up to 10 guests; it’s yours forabout $10,850 per week.
LESS IS MORE: It sounds toogood to be true, but you can rent your own island, upon which sit threethatched bungalows, in Bora Bora in French Polynesia for about $260 pernight per person. And did we mention that it includes three home-cookedmeals delivered each day? Paradise indeed.
VILLAS BY LINDA SMITH
The eponymous owner of thisMaryland-based company is a Jamaican-villa turnaround artist — shetransforms neglected estates and trains the staff members who will keepthem running like clockwork. (301) 229 4300, www.jamaicavillas.com
BIGGER IS BETTER: Ajust-built home on a wonderful peninsula, Fortlands Point on DiscoveryBay is a home where you’d go to celebrate something phenomenal. It hasan infinity-edge pool with a waterfall and a whirlpool, a full staff,and complimentary sea kayaks. This six to seven-bedroom villa rents for$21,000 a week.
LESS IS MORE: More modest,but just as lovely is the River Cottage at Good Hope. Filled with18th-century antiques and fine paintings, this charming villa sleepssix and has a kick-back-and-relax front porch with sweeping mountainviews. $4,400 per week.
VILLAS OF THE WORLD
These pros represent 3,000luxury houses worldwide — including Mick Jagger’s hideaway on Mustique.(888) 728-4552, www.villasoftheworld.com
BIGGER IS BETTER: A GoldlineVilla (a Villas of the World proprietary line of luxury homes served byan on-site concierge, private chef, and specially trained staff), thisfabulous Maui property at Kaanapali Beach boasts eight bedrooms, 10baths, and awesome extras like a yoga pavilion, billiard table, and anentire acre of beachfront property. $54,950 per week.
LESS IS MORE: For a Thailandseaside villa, try the Phuket Villa that sits on the headland of KamalaBay. It sleeps six and offers direct beachfront on one of the mostpristine beaches on earth. $5,000 per week.
WIMCO
This Newport, RhodeIsland-based company holds the keys to luxury villas in the Caribbean(250 on the island of St. Bart’s alone), France, Greece, Italy, andMorocco. (866) 850-6140, www.wimco.com
BIGGER IS BETTER: If Neptune,God of the Sea, built a villa, it would probably be a lot like theWimco-represented BTR villa on St. Bart’s. With hand-paintedocean-themed tiles, gorgeous shells, and coral everywhere, it is apainstakingly decorated wonder. The furniture is French antique, thetoiletries are Ligne St. Barth (the fantastic local soap and perfumemaker), and the view from the Pointe Milou location is breathtaking.This six-bedroom beauty rents for $25,000 a week.
LESS IS MORE: On the otherside of the world, but just as nautical, is the Stone House inSantorini, Greece. It’s a simple one-bedroom cottage in the village ofMegalochori clad in local volcanic stone — hence the name. Clean-linedinteriors and loads of charm at about $3,780 per week.
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