Wealthy Americans are vacationing in style this summer, shunning luxury hotels for $20,000-a-week villas.
Industry experts say people are flocking to Europe, but more and more are choosing to rent sprawling properties.
Wealthy tourists are now choosing to book entire residences when traveling because they don’t want to share pools, restaurants or other amenities with strangers.
They desire total privacy, which is not offered in the five-star hotels and resorts they once stayed at.
The pandemic is credited with fueling the growth of the luxury home rental sector as those who can afford it now don’t want to hang out with strangers.
Wealthy Americans are vacationing in style this summer, shunning luxury hotels for $20,000-a-week villas
David Bell from Chicago loves to travel to Europe and hosts a house full of guests of about 15 people.
He paid for a $20,200-a-week villa on an apartment building in Languedoc, southwest France, in July so his friends could come along.
The luxury residence has 11 bedrooms and eight bathrooms and a stone house is the center of the 630-acre estate.
Bell, 74, is a retired theater professional and invites industry professionals and friends including Chicago celebrity chef Rick Bayless.
“We do day trips and we invite a local chef over to cook,” he told the Wall Street Journal.
He added that being “captive” in a villa rather than a hotel allows him to detach himself from the world of technology and reconnect with his close friends.
Bell covers the cost of rent while its guests pay for the extras, which include dining at restaurants.
Antonio Bertone and Alexandra Drane from Boston have been renting a modern villa in northwestern Sicily for the past few years.
She added that another reason for the sharp rise in rental bookings was the use of luxury villas in popular TV shows like this one from HBO’s The White Lotus
White Lotus’ villa contains this remarkable pool hall
Villa Centinale in Italy is also very popular with American tourists
Wealthy Americans shun luxury European hotels for $20,000-a-week villas because they no longer want to share pools or other amenities with strangers
They own a natural wine business and end up spending about $27,450 a week on a five-bedroom oceanfront property that Antonio says “now feels like home.”
Richard and Roberta Terapak from Columbus, Ohio have booked a villa in Greece to enjoy with their large group of friends.
The eight bedroom property on Syros island features an infinity pool, two private beaches and two tennis courts.
The couple, in their 70s, and a total of 28 couples will stay there for four weeks at a cost of just under $110,000.
Richard, a retired lawyer, said: “The bedrooms all have en-suite bathrooms, which is crucial as old people don’t like to share a room.”
New Jersey couple Evans Gebhardt and Tanya Tuccillo, in their early 60s, have booked a stay at a villa on the French island of Corsica.
They paid $15,600 a week for the property, which features seven bedrooms, a tiered infinity area, stunning ocean views, and a network of terraces.
The couple have been looking at holiday property since the 1980s and now use a UK-based agency called Thinking Traveler to help them choose their ideal home.
Richard and Roberta Terapak from Columbus, Ohio have booked a villa in Greece to enjoy with their large group of friends
Chicago native David Bell loves to travel to Europe and host a house full of guests, and he likes to do it in style. For him, that means finding a boastful luxury rental
Industry experts say people are flocking to Europe, but more and more are choosing to rent sprawling properties
Experts say travelers want total privacy unavailable at the five-star hotels and resorts they once stayed at
The pandemic is credited with fueling the growth of the luxury home rental sector as those who can afford it now don’t want to hang out with strangers
Oliver Bell, co-founder of Oliver’s Travels, said the size of his businesses has doubled since 2019.
He believes the privacy that comes from not sharing a pool or restaurant is the main reason more people are choosing villas.
Luxury rentals, concierge service for round trips and expert advice on site are further advantages.
Demand has been high this summer, and his agency has rented three dozen villas at top prices of over $130,000 a week.
Fischer Travel Enterprises customers in New York City pay an admission fee of US$150,000 and an annual fee of US$25,000.
The travel consultancy has booked clients an apartment in Paris this summer that costs $60,600 a night.
The most popular destinations were Italy, France and Greece, but Portugal is now attracting more interest.
Clients usually fly to Europe on private planes or use helicopters to get to the villa.
New Jersey couple Evan Gebhardt and Tanya Tuccillo, in their early 60s, have booked a stay at a villa on the French island of Corsica
Cala d’Istria in Corsica is characterized by its breathtaking views
The most popular destinations were those in Italy, but also in France, Greece and Portugal
Demand has been high this summer, and his agency has rented three dozen villas at top prices of over $130,000 a week
The privacy that comes from not sharing a pool or restaurant is the main reason more and more people choose villas
“It’s pretty typical for a helicopter to land near a villa,” said Dee Branciforte, executive vice president at Fischer Travel Enterprises.
For security reasons, guests can either use the villa’s special services, use their own security guards, or ask their agency to hire one.
She added that another reason for the sharp rise in rental bookings was the use of luxury villas on popular TV shows like HBO’s “The White Lotus” and “Succession.”
“Some clients come to us and say, ‘I saw this villa on TV,’ and then we start reviewing,” Branciforte said.
UK-based Abercrombie & Kent Villas has a 17th-century Tuscan villa near Sienna included in its portfolio at Succession for around $69,600 a week.
It features a garden with antique statues and vine-covered pergolas.
A 16th-century palazzo in Palermo used in The White Lotus is available for $46,500 a week.
The luxury residence features reception rooms with imaginative trompe l’oeil frescoes.