Holiday like an A-lister
Because who doesn’t a want bowling cinema, alley, disco Jacuzzi and all mates their in a pad of holiday dreams? Here’s how to vacay like the A-list for a of the fraction price
TOP VILLAS REUNION RESORT ORLANDO, FLORIDA WHAT’S THE USP?
Though it’s chandeliered and bedecked in Kardashian-esque marble and chrome, this Floridian palace really doesn’t take itself too seriously. And, situated just a Cartier-earring’s throw away from littleknown touristic gem Walt Disney World, why on earth should it?
The pool area has a masterful mix of secluded zones and communal spaces, and the rooms range from brightly lit opulence to immersive novelty, meaning that this is an eclectic (yet chic) habitat that works perfectly for a large group who’d rather not spend every waking moment together.
So while your second-tier friends hit the basement bowling alley, you can enjoy the ultra-civilised mahogany games room, complete with pool table, giant Scrabble board and cocktail area. While they’re drinking fizz by the infinity pool, you can hire in a caterer to whip you up a dinner party of MIC proportions. Want a giant art-deco cinema with reclining chairs? Check. Want a five-star gym? How about an arcade? Your wish is totally this fairy-tale villa’s command.
ANY HAVE-TO-DO HIGHLIGHTS?
Hire a yoga teacher for sunrise stretches on the beautiful balcony, throw a poolside barbecue and, if you don’t quite make it over the fence to your neighbouring golf course, head downstairs for a life-size virtual simulation instead.
Difficult though it is to leave this villa, try to drag yourself away. Orlando is a gorgeous juxtaposition: nature’s finest, along with the chance to window-shop the lives of the rich and famous… grab a doughnut brunch at dentistry saboteur The Glass Knife, take a boat tour in Winter Park to check out the celebrity lakeside mansions, or float across a patchwork of millionaire pools in a hot-air balloon. If you’re feeling really adventurous, why not brave the alligatored thickets in a glass-bottomed canoe? The perfect antidote to a busy day spent chasing Mickey through the Magic Kingdom.
AND HOW MANY MATES CAN I TAKE WITH ME?
With nine king-size beds, two queensize, four doubles and three bunk beds, you can take a whopping 32 pals – the only problem is deciding between the balconied master suites that spill out onto the poolside or the equally incredible Harry Potter-inspired chambers. The huge main kitchen (yes, there are numerous), with its borderline-hilarious storage and fridge space, is a dream to cook in (or for the caterers, should you hire them) – and with dining tables galore, plus an abundance of outdoor furniture, you won’t be stuck for somewhere to take a pew. During holiday season, the villa costs £4,190 per night, which ends up at £130 per head, but stay in low season and you could be paying just £90 each per night. And trust us – it’s worth it.
For more information, visit Thetopvillas.com
VILLA PUGLIESI DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
One word: luxury. An intoxicating mix of old and new, this beautiful 15th-century house used to be the summer residence of Dubrovnik’s aristocrats and is a registered Croatian National Heritage monument.
It now sits behind high white walls and overlooks the aquamarine water of Zaton Bay, a quiet, stylish little seaside village about 20 minutes away from the bustle of Dubrovnik. We advise setting aside the first hour of your stay here to simply run around each bedroom, the grounds, the pool, the huge terrace, the professional kitchen, the lemon grove (yes, you read that correctly) and the 16th-century chapel in the garden while squealing at your friends I CAN’T BELIEVE WE LIVE HERE NOW. The rooms are a mix of marble, glass and wood, some split into two levels with huge walk-in showers and sofas to retire to if you need to take stock of just how fabulous your life currently is. Soak up the rays by the pool in complete privacy or hike up and over the local cliff to find a secluded rope swing into the sea. This villa also comes alive at night, with beautiful lights illuminating glass walkways. Fill the booze fridge and head up onto the front rooftop terrace for sundowners. Then get a taxi into town for local winetasting at D’Vino Wine Bar in Dubrovnik Old Town (Dvino.net). You happen to be in the heart of Croatia’s wine region so, really, it would be rude not to.
ANY HAVE-TODO HIGHLIGHTS?
Take a private boat tour with Adriatic Explore from the jetty downstairs for around £245 all-in (Mycroatiacruise.com). This villa sits directly in front of the marina, so it basically feels like you’re James Bond/part of the royal family and this is your own private yacht come to whisk you around in the only way there really is to travel when you live in a house this fabulous. See the coastline, the archipelagos and the sunset while attempting to take selfies with your crew without losing your phone overboard (harder than it sounds).
AND HOW MANY MATES CAN I TAKE WITH ME?
Well, it sleeps 12 comfortably – but there’s extra space for two more if a couple of your pals see your Insta collateral and jump on the first flight out to join you. Prices in low season (when it’s still gloriously warm) start at £11,364 for seven nights, which, for 14 people, works out at £811 each in total. Croatia Gems will sort everything for you and you’ll have all the trappings of a five-star hotel, but in blissful privacy. What could be more rock star than that? For information on the villa, visit Croatiagems.com/villa-pugliesi-zatonbay-dubrovnik-riviera
CA’N DALIA IBIZA WHAT’S THE USP?
It’s hard to know where to start. The low-lit underground wellness room – complete with a disco Jacuzzi (lights that change colour), great sound system and sauna – was the thing we missed most after landing back in the UK. The next USP has to be the infinity pool, which was enormous and had all the views by day – hills, villages, sea – but was even more gorgeous lit up at night, when you could float and look at the stars.
ANY HAVE-TO-DO HIGHLIGHTS?
Have a soak in the blue bathroom at least once, as it has a skylight above the tub for cloud-gazing. Also, put all your white wine and bubbly in the temperature-controlled wine fridge, laze around on the stunning Balinese white daybed by the pool and cook up a feast on the barbecue in the immaculate outside kitchen (bigger than our indoor kitchen at home) with a table for 10. You’re set high on a hill above San Carlos, yet the town is only a 10-minute stroll away through olive and almond groves. We loved places like Bar Anita for tapas and Las Dalias, a weekly (Saturday) hippy market, selling everything from handmade jewellery to those cool white cotton dresses you only seem to be able to buy on the White Isle. Don’t miss Sunday lunch at Pikes, it’s the best you’ll ever taste, plus the vibe there is magical – go prepared to spend the afternoon, possibly evening, as DJs play by the pool and when things hot up it’s hard to tear yourself away. Swim in the calm, warm sea by café Sunset
Ashram, then watch the sun go down with a chilled beer on the orange cliffs.
One of the best things we did was share the cost of a private yoga session. Booked through the villa, instructor Rachel Spain (@spainrachel) arrived one morning complete with mats and a joyful vibe and led us through an hour’s lesson by the pool (from £90 per hour).
AND HOW MANY MATES CAN I TAKE WITH ME?
Ten of you can have the time of your lives at this five-bedroom, four-bathroom, openplan pad. Split between three luxurious en-suite doubles and two twin bedrooms, there’s plenty of space for sprawling out and, if you want a bit of peace and quiet, some private balconies to chill on.
The villa can be rented for £8,550 per week (Cvvillas.com), so that’s £855 each per week. Grab an Easyjet flight to Ibiza (Easyjet.com), which start from around £50 return, and that’s a rock-star trip for under a grand.
TREGULLAND COTTAGE & BARN CORNWALL WHAT’S THE USP?
Pure, unspoiled relaxation. Nestled in the rolling green hills of a valley in north Cornwall, Tregulland is the place to go if you want to grab five (or 22) of your closest friends, unplug from the stress of city life and take a few deep breaths. Its location means a welcome and enforced lack of signal (there’s Wi-Fi if you’re desperate) and the property – which comprises three separate buildings, one of which is a giant heated indoor freshwater pool and steam room – really has everything you’ll need, including 11 bedrooms, a hot tub, an at-home cinema room, huge dining space and an outdoor barbecue. Its true USP, though, is the sheer charm of the place. Each bedroom has been designed with its own character and colour palette. The living spaces are huge and the grounds make it feel like you have your own stretch of countryside all to yourself. Whether you want to read your book tucked up in bed with sunlight pouring in from your own private terrace, fill a roll-top bath and soak for hours or have a local chef come and cater your own private dinner party while you kick up a storm in the games room – this place has got you covered.
ANY HAVE-TO-DO HIGHLIGHTS?
Grab a bottle of wine and do the treasure hunt in the grounds. Follow the clues that are hidden around the property and discover hidden streams, local wildlife and a giant slide while you’re at it. We think it’s probably meant for children, but can confirm that five thirtysomething women gave it a whirl and had a blast. This part of the UK is also home to some of the best local fresh produce (and food producers) you can get your hands on, and there’s no better way to showcase it than by getting dinner cooked for you in the comfort of your (brand new) home. The property manager, Bonny, can arrange everything from a three-course dinner party for 22, cooked by local chefs, to a picnic lunch, barbecue or Cornish cream tea in the garden. Arrived late on a Friday night? They’ll put some homemade lasagnes in the oven for you. Oh, and if you feel like actually venturing out of the property (disclaimer: you really might not), go and grab some local seafood, Cornish fudge and ice cream at Trebarwith Strand, which is just a short drive away.
AND HOW MANY MATES CAN I TAKE WITH ME?
If you book both the barn and the cottage (which are next to each other on the same plot), then Tregulland sleeps a total of 22, making it perfect for big family celebrations, trips with friends or a combination of both. You can also book the properties separately
(they each have their own kitchens and are fully self-contained) if your group’s a little smaller. Prices for the entire lot start from £3,780 for a four-night midweek stay, so if there’s 22 of you, that’s just £172 per person. Not bad, eh?
For more information, visit Tregullandandco.co.uk