Q&A: The man delivering dream villa holidays in Asia
Meet the entrepreneur delivering dream villa holidays in Asia.
Q: There’s a trend towards luxury villa accommodation throughout Asia. What are the attractions?
A: Firstly, space and privacy. There’s no sharing the hotel or resort pool, you don’t have to get up early to reserve a sun-lounger, and you don’t have to queue at the buffet for breakfast. Villa guests holiday to their own schedule, which is ideal for families and groups. Secondly, the staff. Every villa comes with its own manager, chef, butlers, housekeepers, gardeners and security staff.
Q: What are the villas like?
They are a mix of beachfront houses, clifftop estates with 180-degree, uninterrupted ocean views, properties looking out over terraced rice-fields and heart-of-the-action homes secreted away in urban laneways. They have swimming pools, beautifully appointed and furnished interiors that showcase exquisite artifacts and artworks, manicured tropical gardens and each has its own ‘wow’ factor.
Q: They sound expensive.
A: A villa is incredibly cost effective in comparison with a hotel or resort of the same standard. A luxury villa costs $US75 to $US300 per bedroom a night while a similar standard hotel can set a family back between $US225 and $US525. Grocery shopping (by the chef), spa treatments, nanny services and drivers are all available at local pricing.
Q: You are CEO of Elite Havens Luxury Villa Rentals, a company you have built up for years. How many villas do you have?
A: We’ve curated a collection of 200 villas in Bali, Lombok, Phuket and Sri Lanka.
Q: Who’s coming?
A: Families from all over the world, including kids – from toddlers to teenagers – and grandparents. Also groups of professional couples holidaying together, honeymooners and expats looking for long-weekend breaks. We also cater for elaborate weddings (48 of our villas cater for large events).
Q: What’s your background?
A: I’m a 20-year veteran of the online travel sector and co-founded asia-hotels.com, pioneering the introduction of guest reviews in travel in the 1990s (four years before TripAdvisor). I then started Private Homes and Villas and then bought Elite Havens.
Q: And you’re a sailor?
A: I did go sailing around Asia (including Papua New Guinea) for two years with my family. Technically, the trip could have been done in nine days!