The dreamiest private villas to rent in Europe

Searching for a have-the-place-to-yourself holiday with room for everyone? These villa-style stays are stylish, spacious, and ever so secluded, with all the added extras of boutique hotel service included. Read on for some standout addresses to bed down in this summer, from Greek island hideaways to Tuscan farmhouses.

Family & Friends Seaside Villa – Casa Del Mar, Mykonos, Greece

A beautiful beachfront villa and spa resort, Casa del Mar Mykonos overlooks Glifadi private cove in sun-kissed Aleomandra. Gather loved ones for alfresco meals around the sea-facing table of the Family and Friends Seaside Villa, which sleeps up to six guests across three spacious whitewashed bedrooms (each with its own bathroom). Your doors will open onto the Aegean Sea, creating a soothing soundtrack for your stay just three miles from Mykonos town.

Villa Agave – Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik, Croatia

Hotel Excelsior’s three-bedroom Villa Agave is perched on a private clifftop overlooking the postcard-perfect Lokrum Island, with 24-hour butler service, five charming stone terraces, and a spotlit pool area with Dubrovnik Old Town views.

Surrounded by glorious gardens leading to a secluded beach and the sparkling waters of the Adriatic, historic Villa Agave rests on the remains of the 16th-century chapel of St. Lazarus (two of the original walls now form part of the meditation room), within walking distance of Dubrovnik’s medieval fortress walls.

Pool Villa – Quinta da Comporta, Portugal

From the sun-bleached woods to the sandy furnishings, Quinta Da Comporta – Wellness Boutique Resort blends seamlessly with its surfer-chic surroundings of rice fields and swaying palms. Inspired by Comporta’s traditional beach bungalows, the three-bedroom Pool Villas are the epitome of rustic relaxation – and come with round-the-clock butler service. The open lounge and dining areas, fireplaces, and terraces encourage indoor-outdoor living, with a large private pool to cool off in and sundeck to bask on.

Villa Oleander – Casa Delfino, Crete, Greece

High on a hilltop with the Cretan countryside stretching out in all directions, Villa Oleander enjoys easy access to the pretty beaches on the Akrotiri Peninsula and the buzzing harbour town of Chania, where sister property and restored 17th-century Venetian mansion, Casa Delfino Hotel & Spa, takes up prime position in the historic Old Town.

Sleeping up to 14 guests in the seven light-filled bedrooms, Villa Oleander makes the perfect holiday home for multi-generational families or those travelling with friends. The large salt-water swimming pool is wrapped up in fragrant gardens filled with olive trees and aromatic herbs, while the open-air barbeque area and pergola-shaded dining table are made for balmy summer evenings beneath the stars.

Villa Clémence - Le Vallon De Valrugues & Spa, France

Set on the edge of the Alpilles Natural Park, Le Vallon De Valrugues & Spa is as tranquil as its Provençal surroundings. There’s a cluster of honey-hued villas to take over, like the four-bedroom Villa Clémence with its traditional shutters, private pool, and fully equipped kitchen. Explore nearby Saint-Rémy-de-Provence’s sprawling countryside, which inspired Van Gogh to paint over 150 canvases, then head back to your villa for dinner in the fragrant gardens – with chirruping çicadas and clinking glasses of rosé as your summer soundtrack.

Previous

On the road in Provence

Next

How to spend a short break in Syros, Greece

Latest stories

Menorca on film: a guide to the wild Balearic isle

Discover Menorca, the wild Spanish isle that’s one of the best-kept secrets on the Mediterranean, where those in the know are casting off to embrace sun, sea, and art.

Sun-kissed, self-care stays await at Teranka, Formentera

All trips to Formentera begin by boat and the lack of airport on the quietest and wildest Balearic Island adds to its castaway charm. For a hideaway with a luxurious, barefoot feel, Teranka ticks all the boxes with its proximity to the island’s azure waters, a gallery-worthy art collection, and

10 luxury hotels worth reserving for spectacular rooftop terraces

The ‘gram loves a good rooftop, doesn’t it? Infinity pools teetering over a city’s edge, open-air bars and sky-high restaurants to drink in those bird’s eye views and sip cocktails in the clouds. Now that summer is almost here, these are the best boutique hotels to book for rooftop access

12 of the world’s most photogenic hotel pools

Sure, some of us love to get a few early morning laps in, but for most travellers, the hotel pool is a place to stretch out and sunbathe beside — in full holiday mode. Ice-cold drinks delivered to your poolside lounger or cabana throughout the day, and only having to