With Travel Restrictions Loosening, Book a Private Home With Hotel-Worthy Amenities
Life has plenty of this-or-that decisions: red or white, text or call, novel or film? And for most tough choices, there’s only one option, but for others, there’s no need to even decide. One such election is booking a hotel suite with amenities galore or reserving a luxurious private home. Neither option presents many cons, and both offer so many pros that it’s impossible to lose! And now, brands like Homestead Modern, OneFineStay, and EliteLyfe (among others) are combining the best of five-star resorts and well-appointed private residences. In other words, hotel-meets-house.
Think a Joshua Tree–adjacent, open-layout modernist cabin with a private chef and in-house masseuse; a four-bedroom, two-story London penthouse offering private wine tastings and Tower of London views; and a former Vanderbilt estate on the Adirondack Mountains’ Lake Kora that includes a tennis court (and private tennis lessons), a bowling alley, and a spa house. These extravagant dwellings bring new meaning to the term all-inclusive.
Homestead Modern
Postcard-worthy natural wonders aside, the California desert is famous for its assemblage of midcentury modernist architecture and design, a movement that Homestead Modern has embraced with its 40 properties. Founder Dave McAdam says, “The inspiration behind Homestead Modern was the iconic homestead cabins that popped up all over the High Desert area near what is now Joshua Tree National Park during the 1950s.” Stretching across the desert from Pioneertown to Joshua Tree, the vacation rental homes are sizable homages to the sleek lines, earthy shades, and organic materials that defined the design movement of the mid-20th century. McAdam adds, “I wanted to create an entity that could help to not only offer simple and inspiring homes but allow those homes to be enjoyed as much as possible. Thus began our expansion into the hospitality side of the business, focused on allowing visitors to experience the beauty of the High Desert.”
Spanning a modernist cabin designed by bicoastal design and architecture firm Marmol Radziner, a circa 1968 ranch house on more than two acres of land, and a hilltop bungalow (the first one McAdam built) with classic Southwestern decor, Homestead Modern’s portfolio features all the concierge-style offerings of a five-star resort, including a personal chef, sommelier-arranged wine tastings, guided hikes and tours, spa treatments, sound baths, private yoga lessons, and pet-sitting.
Edge Retreats
When it comes to lavish vacations, Edge Retreats comes to mind. After all, the brand boasts swanky villas, exclusive estates, centuries-old châteaux, cozy chalets, and even entire private islands, all of which are spread across 50 countries, including France, Italy, Croatia, Mustique, St. Barths, the U.S., Mexico, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
Each sprawling residence is authentically representative of the chic city in which it resides. Such is certainly the case for the late Karl Lagerfeld’s former summer home on the French Riviera. The neoclassical mansion, dubbed Villa la Vigie, is elevated on a nearly 800-square-foot terrace and is surrounded by a wooded park overlooking the Mediterranean. The villa comes with freshly prepared breakfast daily, 24-hour security, and complimentary access to Monte-Carlo Beach’s private beach as well as an Olympic-sized pool.
EliteLyfe
EliteLyfe’s ethos is in the brand’s name. Each property on offer—which isn’t limited to world-class estates, villas, chalets, and châteaux; there are also quite a few superyachts that go for more than a million euros per week—is seemingly more luxe than the last. Think a 16th-century six-bedroom palazzo with original frescoes on Lake Como; a sweeping oceanfront villa on Hawaii’s Kauai island; and a private island in the Maldives, which is just a 40-minute yacht ride away from the capital, Malé.
However, one of the most impressive properties is a private island off the coast of Grenada, a charming isle in the Caribbean. This particular enclave is one deserted island on which we’d be happy to be stuck—because the amenities and services make this particular vacation spot worth the steep price tag of more than $100,000 per night. After all, can one really put a price on nightly dinners prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, personal trainers, and on-call yoga instructors and massage therapists? Not to mention: There’s also a 24-hour concierge service just in case paradise lacks anything guests may need. CEO Niko Contardi sums it up: ”We do what Walt Disney did for your one-stop playground and experience needs, but for adults craving luxury.”
Four Seasons Private Retreats
The Four Seasons is regarded as the crème de la crème of luxury hotel experiences, and the brand’s 750 private vacation homes in more than 20 countries live up to that reputation. The Four Seasons simplified the booking process by dividing their properties into three desirable categories: beach and seaside, mountain and country, and urban retreats.
Though each private vacation home is as luxurious as the next, each offers a unique experience. From a traditionally designed Balinese villa with a 24-hour butler and personal bartender to a five-bedroom ski chalet in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where the executive culinary team prepares in-residence gourmet dinners, to a two-story London penthouse that comes with private wine tastings on the terrace arranged by the hotel’s wine director, there is a Four Seasons private residence in just about every stylish city.
Inspirato
Inspirato is not like other travel-focused brands. For one thing, it’s subscription-based, and there are two options for travelers: Pay $2,500 per month and have access to more than 150,000 international vacation spots without having to pay any nightly rates, taxes, or fees; or join the Inspirato Club and pay $600 per month (on top of nightly rates) for full access to the entire Inspirato collection. To put it simply: You can’t make a wrong move.
Italy’s Lake Como is synonymous with luxury, and Villa Pliniana, part of the Sereno Hotels collection, is no exception. The 16th-century, 18-bedroom palazzo is centered on 18 waterfront acres and includes all of the indulgences of contemporary living, such as a private boat dock, helicopter landing pad, spa, vast blooming gardens, and all of Sereno Hotels’ five-star services (think daily housekeeping, a butler, dedicated concierge, and personal guest relations assistant to book excursions and activities). And, as in any lakefront villa in Europe, there’s daily breakfast and aperitivo hour out on one of the many terraces.
Homebase Abroad
With 25 years of business behind them, Homebase Abroad continues to redefine the coveted Italian escape courtesy of the stunning properties that span the country. From a townhouse in Spoleto, a lush city surrounded by hills, olive groves, and vineyards, to a Tuscan mansion perched above the Feniglia beach, the homes on offer through Homebase Abroad are the kind that make guests feel like locals.
That said, for anyone who’d rather feel more like a royal than a local, prepare to swoon over Villa Astor (named for its famous former residents, the Astor family) on the Amalfi Coast. Decorated by legendary interior designer Jacques Garcia, Villa Astor is perched on a monumental bluff overlooking the glittering sea directly below, and surrounded by lush gardens that, between the months of May and September, are in full bloom. And for this historic property, Homebase Abroad has a few unique services available, including a licensed art historian–guided tour through the villa, which is home to an immense collection of centuries-old antiques, some of them from Pompeii. Also on offer are private concerts, on-site cooking classes, pizza-making lessons, and a worldly sommelier to curate personalized wine lists.
OneFineStay
OneFineStay is exactly what it sounds like: an unparalleled vacation in the world’s most desirable cities. That said, as any globetrotter knows, the world is chock-full of gorgeous locales, so if you’re having trouble picking a destination, OneFineStay’s travel experts will hook you up. So whether you’re in the market for an impeccably decorated bungalow in the Hollywood Hills, a beachfront hacienda that comfortably sleeps 20 in Cabo San Lucas, or a five-bedroom oasis in the heart of Santorini, you’ll feel confident in your city of choice.
Plus, OneFineStay is all about tailoring the trip to your specific needs, so whether you’re crossing international borders or staying local, be sure to book every service from private chefs, table-booking, personal drivers, childcare, wellness treatments, and bespoke experiences.
Mauna Kea
Set on Hawaii’s serene Kohala coast, Mauna Kea Resort’s 30 private residences, which range from studio apartments to multi-bedroom estates, are a sophisticated nod to island living. One of the most impressive properties is an ultra-secluded four-bedroom estate with a furnished lanai on the edge of the Pacific. The manor may be utterly private, but its residents have full access to all of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Westin Hapuna Beach Resort’s amenities, including the beaches, restaurants, and tennis club. Otherwise, book a spa treatment and private fitness class to enjoy from the comfort of the estate.
Auberge Resorts
Put simply, Auberge Resorts is paradise found. The future-minded brand has partnered with 19 hotels and resorts around the world to offer travelers a vacation like they’ve never known. And the collection of properties, which includes private residences, are truly unparalleled. From a 9,000-square-foot, nine-bedroom Mexican penthouse with a private rooftop pool, ocean views, a walk-in wine cellar (that can be stocked pre-arrival), and a 24-hour butler, to a massive American Institute of Architects award-winning eight-bedroom Colorado ranch house where guests can enjoy menus executed by personal chefs, watch films in the movie screening room, and smoke in a cigar humidor room, there’s a vacation spot for everyone.
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