Casa Valencia at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Rancho Santa Fe, California, USA
Relais & Châteaux’s collection of villas encompasses every possible kind of location – countryside or seaside, desert or mountain, even city centers – and offers a new style of stay that allows guests to effortlessly blend work, leisure and family life.
These incredible properties meet increasing demand for longer stays while giving guests personal space and a feeling of independence – with high-end hotel services whenever they need, from housekeeping to childcare or personal chefs.
The collection comprises some 600 villas globally, owned and run by our 580 member hotels–everything from intimate accommodation for couples to larger properties perfect for groups of friends and families. All are distinct from main hotel buildings, with their own entrance and private terrace or garden. Many also have their own swimming pools.
Five hoteliers talk about this new art of travel and meeting the specific needs of guests enjoying staying in these homes from home.
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, California, USA
“When it grew evident that travelers were combining work, leisure and family time in novel ways, the property sprang into action,” says Laura McIver, from Rancho Valencia in Rancho Santa Fe, California. “Even before the pandemic, we noticed that multigenerational travel was really picking up. People wanted an environment where they could have their own kitchen, their own bedrooms and their own pool.” Rancho Valencia has chosen to focus on private amenities for the villas. No more worries of not getting enough space for everyone. Some of the private homes on offer have their own golf carts or their own fitness rooms, with Cybex equipment, Peloton bikes, TRX and free weights.
Il San Pietro di Positano, Italy
Il San Pietro di Positano’s villa, Palazzo Santa Croce, is a 17th-century baroque palace, perched on a steep hillside with breathtaking view over the bay of Positano. “Our guests expect high standards,” says the hotel’s general manager Andrea Zana. “One key difference between Villas by Relais & Châteaux and other rental villas is that the staff operating in the villa comes from the hotel, and have hotel training whose touch is evident. When potential guests read that the villa is managed by Il San Pietro, expectations are very high, but all the standards required by Relais & Châteaux are guaranteed.”
Ellerman House, South Africa
The needs of different generations, from old to young, are easily met in a private villa, according to Karien Bendle, manager at Ellerman House in Cape Town, South Africa. “At 15 miles/25 kilometers from Cape Town’s airport, our villas are ideal for business travelers, with spacious working desks, ultra-modern architecture and spectacular views. Guests that need to work may do so, under favorable conditions, while the rest of the family enjoys Cape Town,” she says. “For the kids in the group, there are long days by the pool, and enough room for them to be entertained.” At day’s end, the whole group can gather for meals prepared in the villas’ fully-equipped kitchens by a private chef, served on the suspended
pool deck.
Hostellerie du Pas de l’Ours, Switzerland
Séverine Bestenheider-Reynaud, owner of the Hostellerie du Pas de l’Ours in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, points out that “nowadays, people can work from any place as long as they can be reached. They need space, separated rooms and good internet connection.” As a bonus, she says, “our unique villa reflects the mountain architecture, the ideal ambience to be productive and relax at the same time. This Chalet Villa is perfect for lively and cosy moments by the fireplace.” “People get a home-away-from-home with the luxury of being taken care of. They can work, spend time with the family and friends, and they don’t have to worry about a thing.”
Gut Steinbach Hotel and Chalets, Germany
Very often, villas feature special amenities of their own. “Our seven Country Style Chalets are nestled around a natural pond. Each between 1,600 and 2,000 square feet/150 and 185 square meters of living space and 7,500 square feet/700 square meters ground has a private spa and a living room fireplace,” says Susanne Gräfin von Moltke, co-owner with her husband Klaus of Gut Steinbach Hotel and Chalets in Reit Im Winkl, Germany. Anchored in nature, the property has a strong sustainability philosophy in the award-winning cuisine guests can enjoy even when staying in the villas. 80 percent of the food used is coming from a maximum of 50 miles/80 kilometers away.
Château de Berne, France
“Travelers appreciate the services that hotels do best. Because while all Relais & Châteaux villas offer privacy, guests are close enough to the hotels to access any of the facilities and services,” says Nouredine Fardad, General Manager of Château de Berne in Flayosc, France. “They can use everything our hotel provides,” he says. “They want to feel like the hotel belongs to them.” The Château de Berne team is available 24/7 to assist, from organizing a spa day to a wine experience in the heart of a 432-acre/175-hectare vineyard. Many villas can also arrange babysitting, butlers, or meals from the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurants.
