Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can a villa rental be booked for one or two nights?
A. No. Although prices are listed per night on each villa for your convenience, most villas have a minimum stay requirement of 7 nights during high season and 5 nights during low season (high & low season dates vary with every villa rental). An exception to this is during the weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year's at which time a longer minimum stay is required and prices on many villa rentals will be higher than the posted high season rates. Exceeding the minimum stay requirement at any villa rental by one or two days or one or two weeks is not usually a problem (except in Italy where most rentals are only done on a weekly basis) if the villa is available. Villa rentals are priced according to the per night cost of the villa and length of your stay.

Q. Does each villa rental have a maximum number of guests?
A. Yes. As a general rule, the maximum occupancy of a villa rental can be determined by allowing two people per bedroom. A villa for rent with 2 bedrooms, for example, would allow up to 4 guests. There are situations in which the quota for a villa can sometimes be worked around, for instance if the villa rental maintains hide-a-beds or trundle beds, or if some guests are children. It is best to check with a villa specialist if you feel your group may exceed the maximum number of occupants of any villa rental that we offer.

Q. Is renting a villa a good idea if I'm traveling with children?
A. Villa rental accommodations are excellent for a family. For the most part, a villa can make traveling with small children much less stressful and much more enjoyable; it's easier to keep an eye on your children at a villa rental than a crowded hotel. There are, however, a small number of villas for rent that will not allow children as guests. Owners may sometimes set restrictions if their rental homes include expensive furnishings, for example. Certain villas, though they do not expressly forbid children, also may not provide an ideal environment for very young children. If you are traveling with young children, contact a villa specialist who will help you make a family friendly decision.

Q. How are villas priced?
A. Villa rental prices are listed in one of two ways:
a) $xxx/night : price per night for the entire villa. This means that the price you see is how much your combined travel party will have to pay per night for the villa. A villa rental with 2 bedrooms might be listed at $250 USD per night. This cost could then be divided by the villa capacity of 4 guests (remember it has 2 bedrooms which allows up to 4 guests). Keep in mind however, that most villas require a minimum stay requirement of which is longer then traditional hotels.
b) $xxx pp/wk : price per person, per week. This means that the price you see is how much one person would pay for a week at the villa if the villa was at maximum occupancy, i.e. the lowest possible price. Normally, the more people you have in your party, the lower the costs for each person. With fewer guests, the price may be a bit higher.

Prices on villa rental listings are subject to change without notice. Please note that the maximum number of guests per room is two. Villa rates will show 1-2 people, representing 1 bedroom. A villa rental showing 3-4 people would represent 2 bedrooms, 5-6 people represents 3 bedrooms, and so on.

Q. Why do rates for each villa rental have a high and low season period?
A. The difference between high and low season is simply price. In some regions, there's a greater demand for villa rentals during certain seasons, therefore the price of travel is more expensive. Generally, the high season price for a Caribbean villa begins mid-December and continues until mid-April, and the low season lasts from mid-April to mid-December. In Europe, the villa high season is generally in the summer (July and August) when Europe is at its busiest. Booking a European villa in the spring or fall can result is significant savings while still being able to partake in the history, culture, and beauty of the region! Keep in mind that most villa rentals will post special holiday rates during the holiday season.

Q. Are there additional costs at the villa that we should factor into our trip expenses?
A. Yes. Renting a villa is no different then any other travel adventure in that it can include additional costs. So that you feel more prepared for your travel experience, let us review some of the additional costs you might encounter:

Villa rental taxes:A villa rental is subject to the tax system of the country in which it is located. This means that an additional cost of tax, usually about 7% or 8%, will be added to the cost of the villa rental.

Villa deposits: Security, damage, or telephone deposits are sometimes required on a villa rental. This is not exactly a cost, as all deposits are refundable so long as there's no damage to the villa rental or outstanding phone bills; however it will account for some initial output.

Tipping at a villa rental: Tipping is always a touchy and confusing aspect of travel. It is important to remember that tipping is always at the discretion of the traveler. If you are satisfied with the service received at your villa, a good guideline to be used at a villa is hotel-style tipping. If the villa staff exceeds your expectations, a great tip would be roughly 10% of the rental price.

Food costs at a villa rental: A villa will not always include a chef; the price of food would then be at your discretion. If you have chosen one of many villa listings that does include a chef, haute cuisine with a splash of regional flavor will be prepared for you based on the food they're provided with. In many cases, our concierge team can arrange for food delivery to a prior to a clients' arrival to the villa. Guests are encouraged to meet the head Chef and work out a custom meal plan and seating times.

How to pay for a villa rental: Payment of a deposit totaling 50% of the entire rental fee is required and must be received to confirm the reservation. The remaining balance is generally required no later than 65 days (up to 95 days) prior to the date of arrival at the villa rental. In the event that the Agreement becomes binding inside the window of the specific payment dates, 100% payment is required to secure the villa. Payment may be made via credit card (Visa or Mastercard), E-Check, certified check or through a telegraphic (wire) transfer.



Q. Does every villa rental provide a full staff?
A. Each villa always has a villa manager or representative that is on-call at all times so that if you have questions about your rental or need any help, you have someone nearby. Apart from the villa manager or representative, villa staff varies from property to property. Most villas come with maid service once or twice a week or even every day. Several villas, like villas on the islands of Barbados, Jamaica and St. Lucia will generally include a full staff in the price of the rental (cook, housekeeper and laundress). Some of the larger villa rental homes even provide the extended service of butlers, gardeners, and security personnel. Staff hours are generally from 8am till after dinner.

Q. How is reserving a villa different during the holiday season?
A. Booking a villa during the very busy holiday season generally means that prices and minimum stay requirements will peak for each villa rental. Minimum stay requirements usually extend to 10-14 nights surrounding these holidays. If you are planning on traveling in any holiday period we recommend speaking to a villa specialist to find out what conditions would apply to the villa rental you're considering.

Q. How far in advance should a villa be booked?
A. Villa rental properties are always booked well in advance, which is why we recommend inquiring up to one year before your travel date. It would be best to have all papers and details settled 6 - 8 months prior to departure in order to ensure availability of your requested villa and your requested dates. This, however, does not mean that reservations are limited to several months before departure. It has certainly happened several times in the past that clients have made a reservation for a villa rental within a day or two of departure, in which case we do our very best to accommodate them.

Q. How do we get to our villa after we arrive at the destination?
A. We highly recommend that guest transfers be arranged with the concierge team prior to their arrival. For some villas, we've made it mandatory, as some villa properties do not have addresses but are referred to only by their villa name and trying to find a villa rental without proper guidance is never a good way to begin a vacation! A few weeks before your departure, a member of our concierge department will contact you to go over all the details of your vacation and make the necessary arrangements.

Q. Is renting a villa safe?
A. As in any travel adventure, safety is a normal concern to have when considering a villa rental. All of our villas have been selected with these concerns in mind, both in terms of the destination and the villa itself, and are generally very safe. Depending on the destination, there are several features offered for your peace of mind which may include secure gated entrances, on-site staff, pools with child-safety alarms and/or safety-deposit boxes for storage of your valuables. If you have questions regarding safety of a destination or villa, please don't hesitate to discuss them with a Villa Specialist; we have personally visited these destinations and villas in order to give you the best information about them and can answer any questions you may have.