Villa stays have always been popular with luxury travelers but the COVID pandemic has made them even more appealing. Rather than brushing up against strangers at hotels or resorts, many families—especially multigenerational ones—want to travel with their own group to lower the risk of infection. (The appearance of new virus variants (such as XBB.1.5) are only likely to accelerate this trend.)

The intimacy of a private villa vacation allows families (or groups of friends) to be housed under one roof and to eat meals together. Yet, it offers the flexibility of being better able to meet the disparate needs of group members of different ages, stages, and activity levels. At a villa, each guest can set their own sleep schedule, and choose their own activities and itineraries (both on the premises and off).