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10 All-star villas
The most standout properties from around the world.
Le Pavillon de Chasse, France
Set on 650 wooded acres in Provence's Luberon region, this 17th-century hunting lodge epitomizes rustic charm. The main house has five antique-decorated bedrooms, and living and dining areas with high ceilings, exposed beams, ornate stone fireplaces and original tommettes (tile floors).
The ground floor kitchen--recently updated with a La Cornue stove and a modern dishwasher--has a wooden country table that's tailor-made for casual family meals.
Big groups will appreciate the property's additional three-bedroom guest cottage; even cool-weather guests may have trouble leaving the heated outdoor pool.
Pricing: From $9,240/week.
El Navio, Spain
With its sleek white facade, multi-layered decks and funnel-shaped chimneys, this modernist hilltop retreat in Cadiz evokes the prow of an ocean liner jutting over the sea.
Stunning vistas abound; from the huge wall of floor-to-ceiling glass, the expansive patios, and the windows in all five bedrooms, guests can look out over the coast and the rooftops of the nearby village of Zahara de los Atunes.
Two pools (one indoor, one outdoor), a pair of hot tubs, and a small gym insure that both fitness freaks and serial loungers get their fix.
Pricing: From $11,000/week.
Kreiss Estate, Palm Springs, Calif.
Just a stone's throw from Indian Canyons, this sleek Palm Springs estate has an airy, clean-lined aesthetic.
Designer Michael Kreiss's interiors include 18-foot ceilings, glass walls with views of the surrounding San Jacinto Mountains, and an ivory-and-eggshell palette that complements the colors of the desert landscape.
The living room has a slate wall inset with a fireplace for chilly nights, and the three bedrooms have walk-in closets, granite baths, and high-tech extras like room-to-room intercoms and motorized window shades.
Of course, there's a swimming pool and hot tub: This is Palm Springs.
Pricing: From $1,100/night.
Pila'a Beach House, Hawaii
Soaring, curved walls of windows give this modern, three-bedroom villa the feel of an observatory. And there's plenty to look at: the property, set on ten private acres on Kauai's North Shore, overlooks the golden sand and rolling waves of Pila'a Beach below.
The interiors here make use of gorgeous native hardwoods and stone, and include a chef's kitchen, a home theater, and a master suite with a freestanding stone tub. A screened, cane-roofed dining gazebo invites semi-alfresco meals; gas-powered tiki torches light a path that leads to a private beach.
Pricing: From $1,700/night.
Au Soleil, St. Barth
The very model of a hedonistic St. Bart's retreat, this four-bedroom villa overlooking St. Jean Baie is over-the-top luxurious.
The property is an Eden of tropical gardens with a fountain, a bi-level infinity pool, and a grand pavilion (known locally as an ajoupa) for gazing over all of it.
Inside, the gleaming gourmet kitchen comes with an in-house chef; the common areas have vaulted ceilings and terracotta floors, and the bedrooms all have carved wood queen- or king-size beds.
More sybaritic pleasures--namely, the beach and swanky shops--are just a five-minute drive away.
Pricing: From $9,500/week.
Villa Beach 921, Dominican Republic
The soaring, open-plan design of this four-bedroom property makes the most of its beachfront location on the Dominican Republic's north coast.
Inside, the amenities include a slick chef's kitchen with a wood-burning pizza oven, and baths with sunken spa tubs. Outside, there's a private palapa for yoga or meditation, an herb garden, a four-car garage, and a spacious infinity pool overlooking a slice of breezy beach.
The water-sport capital of Cabarete, just minutes away, has windsurfing, kiteboarding, and enough cafes and beach bars to keep happy-hourers happy around the clock.
Pricing: From $21,000/week.
La Koubba Villa, Turks and Caicos
A sprawling (8,000-square-foot) Moroccan-style villa just south of Providenciales in Turks & Caicos, La Koubba has ocean views from all five of its bedrooms.
The interiors are decorated with eclectic textiles and ceramics from around the world, along with hand-loomed rugs and embroidered throw pillows. An arched courtyard leads to a hammock-surrounded pool, and a summer kitchen perfect for barbecuing.
The calm waters of Sapodilla Bay are just steps away--literally, via a staircase leading into the sea.
Pricing: From $10,000/week.
Casa Tabachin, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Set on a hillside overlooking the Bay of Banderas, this four-bedroom house in Puerto Vallarta was once home base to movie director John Huston (he rented it while filming his masterpiece, "Night of the Iguana").
Though the property is still old-world opulent, it's been thoroughly modernized since then, with sleek contemporary furniture, a shiny-new kitchen, and original paintings by celebrated Mexican artists (owner Raquel Brooks also has a gallery in town). Two cooks, a housekeeper, and a handyman are on hand to cater to your every need.
Pricing: From $700/night.
Villa Cortez, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Four of the bedrooms in this 4,000-square-foot Cabo San Lucas villa have their own sweeping patios overlooking the Sea of Cortes. (The fifth, in its own casita, provides extra privacy.)
The enormous kitchen can be stocked, by prior arrangement, with all your favorite food and drinks--so guests need never leave the property with its waterfall-fed pool, hot tub, and hammocks for lazy swinging.
That would mean, however, missing a round of golf on the adjacent Jack Nicklaus--designed course.
Pricing: From $2,000/night.
Villa Galapagos, Galapagos Islands
A three-bedroom estate on Santa Cruz Island's Pelican Bay, this villa boasts a steam room and sauna, sundeck, heated infinity swimming pool, and a collection of videos and books about the Galapagos. The villa also comes with a dedicated naturalist guide who can design custom itineraries, providing travel on the villa's private speedboat.
A short walk from the villa is the Charles Darwin Research Centre in Puerto Ayora, dedicated to the conservation of the Galapagos ecosystem.
Pricing: From $10,500/night.
Set on 650 wooded acres in Provence's Luberon region, this 17th-century hunting lodge epitomizes rustic charm. The main house has five antique-decorated bedrooms, and living and dining areas with high ceilings, exposed beams, ornate stone fireplaces and original tommettes (tile floors).
The ground floor kitchen--recently updated with a La Cornue stove and a modern dishwasher--has a wooden country table that's tailor-made for casual family meals.
Big groups will appreciate the property's additional three-bedroom guest cottage; even cool-weather guests may have trouble leaving the heated outdoor pool.
Pricing: From $9,240/week.
El Navio, Spain
With its sleek white facade, multi-layered decks and funnel-shaped chimneys, this modernist hilltop retreat in Cadiz evokes the prow of an ocean liner jutting over the sea.
Stunning vistas abound; from the huge wall of floor-to-ceiling glass, the expansive patios, and the windows in all five bedrooms, guests can look out over the coast and the rooftops of the nearby village of Zahara de los Atunes.
Two pools (one indoor, one outdoor), a pair of hot tubs, and a small gym insure that both fitness freaks and serial loungers get their fix.
Pricing: From $11,000/week.
Kreiss Estate, Palm Springs, Calif.
Just a stone's throw from Indian Canyons, this sleek Palm Springs estate has an airy, clean-lined aesthetic.
Designer Michael Kreiss's interiors include 18-foot ceilings, glass walls with views of the surrounding San Jacinto Mountains, and an ivory-and-eggshell palette that complements the colors of the desert landscape.
The living room has a slate wall inset with a fireplace for chilly nights, and the three bedrooms have walk-in closets, granite baths, and high-tech extras like room-to-room intercoms and motorized window shades.
Of course, there's a swimming pool and hot tub: This is Palm Springs.
Pricing: From $1,100/night.
Pila'a Beach House, Hawaii
Soaring, curved walls of windows give this modern, three-bedroom villa the feel of an observatory. And there's plenty to look at: the property, set on ten private acres on Kauai's North Shore, overlooks the golden sand and rolling waves of Pila'a Beach below.
The interiors here make use of gorgeous native hardwoods and stone, and include a chef's kitchen, a home theater, and a master suite with a freestanding stone tub. A screened, cane-roofed dining gazebo invites semi-alfresco meals; gas-powered tiki torches light a path that leads to a private beach.
Pricing: From $1,700/night.
Au Soleil, St. Barth
The very model of a hedonistic St. Bart's retreat, this four-bedroom villa overlooking St. Jean Baie is over-the-top luxurious.
The property is an Eden of tropical gardens with a fountain, a bi-level infinity pool, and a grand pavilion (known locally as an ajoupa) for gazing over all of it.
Inside, the gleaming gourmet kitchen comes with an in-house chef; the common areas have vaulted ceilings and terracotta floors, and the bedrooms all have carved wood queen- or king-size beds.
More sybaritic pleasures--namely, the beach and swanky shops--are just a five-minute drive away.
Pricing: From $9,500/week.
Villa Beach 921, Dominican Republic
The soaring, open-plan design of this four-bedroom property makes the most of its beachfront location on the Dominican Republic's north coast.
Inside, the amenities include a slick chef's kitchen with a wood-burning pizza oven, and baths with sunken spa tubs. Outside, there's a private palapa for yoga or meditation, an herb garden, a four-car garage, and a spacious infinity pool overlooking a slice of breezy beach.
The water-sport capital of Cabarete, just minutes away, has windsurfing, kiteboarding, and enough cafes and beach bars to keep happy-hourers happy around the clock.
Pricing: From $21,000/week.
La Koubba Villa, Turks and Caicos
A sprawling (8,000-square-foot) Moroccan-style villa just south of Providenciales in Turks & Caicos, La Koubba has ocean views from all five of its bedrooms.
The interiors are decorated with eclectic textiles and ceramics from around the world, along with hand-loomed rugs and embroidered throw pillows. An arched courtyard leads to a hammock-surrounded pool, and a summer kitchen perfect for barbecuing.
The calm waters of Sapodilla Bay are just steps away--literally, via a staircase leading into the sea.
Pricing: From $10,000/week.
Casa Tabachin, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Set on a hillside overlooking the Bay of Banderas, this four-bedroom house in Puerto Vallarta was once home base to movie director John Huston (he rented it while filming his masterpiece, "Night of the Iguana").
Though the property is still old-world opulent, it's been thoroughly modernized since then, with sleek contemporary furniture, a shiny-new kitchen, and original paintings by celebrated Mexican artists (owner Raquel Brooks also has a gallery in town). Two cooks, a housekeeper, and a handyman are on hand to cater to your every need.
Pricing: From $700/night.
Villa Cortez, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Four of the bedrooms in this 4,000-square-foot Cabo San Lucas villa have their own sweeping patios overlooking the Sea of Cortes. (The fifth, in its own casita, provides extra privacy.)
The enormous kitchen can be stocked, by prior arrangement, with all your favorite food and drinks--so guests need never leave the property with its waterfall-fed pool, hot tub, and hammocks for lazy swinging.
That would mean, however, missing a round of golf on the adjacent Jack Nicklaus--designed course.
Pricing: From $2,000/night.
Villa Galapagos, Galapagos Islands
A three-bedroom estate on Santa Cruz Island's Pelican Bay, this villa boasts a steam room and sauna, sundeck, heated infinity swimming pool, and a collection of videos and books about the Galapagos. The villa also comes with a dedicated naturalist guide who can design custom itineraries, providing travel on the villa's private speedboat.
A short walk from the villa is the Charles Darwin Research Centre in Puerto Ayora, dedicated to the conservation of the Galapagos ecosystem.
Pricing: From $10,500/night.
Source: money.cnn.com |
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