Archive for October, 2018

MOUNTAIN VERSUS BEACH – WHICH ONE’S FOR YOU?

Wednesday, October 24th, 2018
Mountain vs Beach

From the fresh alpine air to warm sunshine shores, from the highest peaks to hidden beaches. It can be hard to choose between mountain or beach, winter or warmth, ski or swim.

Which is why our travel experts have compiled a list of the most desirable luxury vacation rentals around the world. Inspired by golden shores, rugged clifftops and mountainous ranges, there’s a destination for everyone in this contrasting list of unbeatable properties.

Magnificent Mountains

If you’re looking to change your scenery completely with outdoor adventure and total escapism, there’s no better refuge than the mountains. Calm and crisp, high and mighty, there’s something inviting about the highest peaks that beckons traveler’s year after year. Whether it’s for adventure travel, getting back to nature or just getting away, there’s many reasons why a mountain break could be the right choice.

Villa Justine
With high hilltop views, romantic wood burning fireplaces and complete isolation, head to Villa Justine in Aspen. This six-bedroom home offers complete privacy in the lap of luxury with all modern comforts, including; a wet bar, built-in barbecue grill and fire pit to wow guests. This world-famous American destination has some of the best ski runs in the world.

Villa Rayna
Conversely, if you’re looking for mountain fun in the thick of it, Villa Rayna in the popular French ski resort of Courchevel is a great spot. Up to 15 guests can stay in this magnificent chalet, perfectly placed for all the ski action, as well as local entertainment and dining options nearby. But with your own private chef, swimming pool, sauna and steam room, you’ll probably never want to leave your luxury vacation home.

Blissful Beaches

If you’re more in tune with the gentle sounds of crashing waves and sand between your toes, then a beach holiday may be more suited to you. There’s certainly no end of choice when it comes to white sands and turquoise waters – the challenge is finding somewhere unspoiled and undiscovered.

Villa Trina
If total pampering and pristine beaches is your thing, then say hello to the Turks & Caicos islands! With impossibly blue waters and endless stretches of golden sand, it offers the ultimate beach break. In Long Bay, the breath-taking mansion of Villa Trina is a stand-out property spanning 10,000sq feet. It features seven impeccably designed bedrooms, an outdoor movie theater with fire pit, hot tub, no less than two private pools, a tennis court and of a course a butler!

Villa Denise
Perhaps you’re looking for a tranquilly and beach life, with all the amenities of modern living nearby? Then the private residence of Villa Denise in Miami Beach offers a stunning luxury vacation home to unwind in. Expect total tranquilly and escape in this elegant property on the elite Sunset Island. Its heated pool and luscious gardens provide the perfect backdrop to a restful stay.

Villa Estelle
But if you can’t decide where to go, why not have it all?! High in the hilltops of St Barth, Villa Estelle perches on a mountain cliff, minutes from the famous Eden Rock and overlooking the beautiful ‘Baie de St Jean’. A luxurious retreat with six bedrooms for guests, complete with private pool and sweeping views, it delivers all the magic of the mountains with a ‘beach within reach’ for the complete package!

Whether you’re seeking magnificent mountains or beautiful beaches, Global Luxury Villas offers unrivaled luxury in some of the most desirable locations in the world.

HOW TO ACHIEVE THE PERFECT CHILL IN ST BARTH

Saturday, October 20th, 2018
St Barth

A jewel in the ever-gleaming turquoise Caribbean shores, St Barth is a truly exceptional island that should be visited at least once in a lifetime. And staying in a St Barth luxury villa is the only way to visit, for a truly memorable trip.

A popular destination all-year round, visitors come here for the tranquility, unspoiled natural beauty, world-class villas of St Barth and a warm Caribbean welcome. It’s the go-to destination for total relaxation and chill, with stylish boutique dwellings to match.

If in any doubt of its restorative qualities, or you need tempting any further, read on…

Beach Life

There are 14 pristine beaches on St Barth which are never crowded, even in peak season. These are places of sanctuary and chill, where impossibly white sands meet delightfully blue waters. When in search of total relaxation, any one of its five-star beaches lend themselves perfectly to a touch of calm and serenity.

Although Colombier Beach is the most popular, Saline beach is a favorite with locals, for its laid-back style. Here you can enjoy postcard-perfect views, brilliant white stretches of beach and a local rum punch, while enjoying the blissful weather.

Villa Estelle
For a beach within reach and stunning coastal views from every angle, Villa Estelle is made for serenity and seclusion. This six bedroom St Barth vacation rental enjoys a privileged rooftop position, with a delightfully secluded pool looking out to the sea.

Watch the World Go By

This is an island where you can sit back and watch the world go by. For total chill, the Pink Parrot Beach Bar at St. Jean Beach provides a fabulous backdrop to unwind with a good book in one hand, glass of something bubbly in the other!

Villa Liliana
But for complete decadence, Villa Liliana is the place to kick back with a cocktail from your private bar, best enjoyed on your very own luxurious sun deck. Here you can enjoy front facing beach views, sailing boats and crashing waves. If that wasn’t enough, its blissful pool invites you in for cocktails at sunset, or indeed any time of day. At Villa Liliana, it’s hard to do anything but relax!

Sail Away

There’s nothing more calming and restorative than the gentle lapping of waves. Luckily, you’re in the right place for every kind of water sport, or transport vessel imaginable! Head over to Gustavia Harbour for boat hire and catamaran tours of the island, it’s what St Barth life is all about!

Villa Violet
Position yourself in the ideal place for exploring the island by water. Not too far away, Villa Violet is situated in the west of the island, close to the famous harbor. This delightful St Barth luxury villa has room for up to 10 guests, including a semi-heated infinity pool hanging off the cliff edge. There can be no better spot on the island to watch the world sail by, while reconnecting with nature. It’s what luxury relaxing holidays are all about.

So, there you have it, three good reasons to head to St Barth for the ultimate chilled and chic holiday.

For an unforgettable vacation, Villazzo offers a wide selection of St Barth’s luxury villas to complete your stay. With outstanding customer service and an unrivaled portfolio of properties, you’re guaranteed a five-star break.

THE INTERVIEW SERIES:
CHRISTIAN JAGODZINSKI – CEO, VILLAZZO

Wednesday, October 10th, 2018
Christian

In our latest interview series, we’re delighted to provide a rare glimpse into the world of Christian Jagodzinski, founder of Villazzo and widely celebrated tech entrepreneur.

An innovator ahead of his time, Jagodzinski made a name for himself in his early twenties launching ‘Telebook’ – Germany’s first fully automated online retailer. The business was snapped up by Amazon and became Amazon Germany. After working as a Director for Amazon for a while, realizing a need to fulfil his entrepreneurial spirit, Christian took an extended sabbatical to travel the world. It was during this time he discovered an untapped niche in the market; premium luxury villas with all the trappings of five-star hotels, for the ultimate vacation. Bringing his passion for luxury travel together with his technical prowess, Villazzo was born.

Q: You grew up in Germany and now live in Miami where Villazzo is based. This isn’t your typical Silicon Valley start-up, tell us a bit about how you came to reside in Florida?

I’ve always loved Florida, especially Miami Beach. The climate is perfect, it’s a cosmopolitan city with an international vibe and ‘happening’ buzz. It feels like a small resort town with a big city in its backyard! We used to have a small office here already in the late 1990s, long before it became the big international destination it is today. All our workers loved it and still do.

Wherever you stay on South Beach, or any of its islands, you’re only ever minutes away from the water, the hottest restaurants, the beach and shops, as well as just 15 minutes from a major international airport hub. Tell me any other place in the world that has the same great set up?

Q: Sixteen years’ on since it launched and Villazzo is still going strong. How do you keep up with an ever-changing online and travel landscape?

We remain true to our core values that we launched with in 2002. These are to provide a five-star hotel service and management for select top-of-the-line vacation villas.
The business was borne out of my personal frustrations renting high end villas. The service lacked any professionalism, it was just people ‘brokering a deal’ forgetting the crucial human touch required to create a memorable vacation.

Unfortunately, this hasn’t improved with the abundance of online villa booking sites, driven by price while compromising customer service. I fear that we have come to see the same cut-throat price competition in the villa market as we have in the airline industry, where customers are willing to give up luggage rather than pay $25 extra – it’s a short-sighted approach.

You only have to look at the excellent service First-Class customers are given, to understand their loyalty to an airline. Despite fierce competition, premium flyers remain loyal to the provider they receive the best service from. That’s really our approach at Villazzo too. We deliver a First-Class experience to our customers (when booking online or with other agents), and the price difference is well worth it.

Q: Tell me a bit about your day-to-day involvement in Villazzo and what your ‘job’ involves?

At the start, I was very hands-on managing all the day-to-day operations, greeting clients and hand-picking the villas myself. I realized that in order to focus my efforts and expand the business, I needed to grow them team. Last year I was delighted to appoint Hanna Talaie as General Manager, who oversees everything now. I still care passionately about the business and work hard to uphold our high standards, so remain involved at a strategic level in my new role as Chairman.

Q: And what is the most challenging part of your job?

Two things come to mind.

First of all, the technical side (website, app, client service systems) has become increasingly important in recent years. While I have a tech background, it remains a challenge to find good developers that can continue to pioneer.

We invest a lot in new properties, this includes educating home owners on ‘the Villazzo approach’ to client and property management. It’s a skill we’ve honed over the past 16 years, which ultimately leads to a better experience for home owners and guests alike.

Q: Villazzo lists Beyonce and Jay-Z, Madonna and Cristiano Ronaldo among its clients, is it just for the super wealthy?

Villazzo-serviced villas do attract an elite customer, with the $5,000+ a night price tag they come with. Acknowledging this, we recently launched our sister company Global Luxury Villas where prices are much lower, and you have a ‘concierge’ service’ instead of a ‘VillaHotel’ service. This is sufficient for a range of clients, and still much better value than a pure online booking site.

Q: What makes Villazzo stand-out from a five-star hotel, or another luxury villa rental company?

We are completely unique. There is no other villa company in the world that offers the level of care and detail that we do. From our carefully curated list of villas and ‘VillaHotel Transformation’ process, to our dedicated service training. We have a reputation for offering the best properties with unrivalled customer service.

While there are many outstanding hotels in the world, none of them can offer the sanctuary, space and privacy or our large estates at Villazzo.

Q: What’s the most unusual request you’ve had to fulfill from a client!?

This is one of the great parts of the job, where you can really make a difference to someone’s stay.

We’ve emptied and refilled a 140ft pool (it took six days!) to ensure it was untouched. We furnished a complete villa with brand new mattresses costing $4,000 each, and once we even bought a Rolls Royce Phantom at short notice for a client, which we later shipped to his home in Europe!

The most decadent request though, goes to one delightful guest who invited us to redecorate their villa for a quarter of a million dollars – the same value as the villa itself. That was a fun weekend for sure!

Christian in Mykonos

Q: If you had to pick a destination in the world for unrivalled luxury, where would you choose?

One of the perks of the job is that Villazzo is made up of all my favorite destinations; Miami Beach, St. Tropez and Aspen.

It’s hard to choose a personal favorite, but Courchevel in France is my go-to destination for skiing, while Mykonos is quickly becoming one of our worst kept secrets! It’s really blowing up in popularity, making now a great time to visit.

Q: Do you have any insider tips for online rental bookings?

If you can be flexible with timings, you can expect less than half price rates travelling off-peak. The downside though, is that you might miss out on all the action and buzz that make these destinations so great.

Holidays are so important, and so brief, that they should be spent well. I can only advise renting luxury villas with Villazzo’s ‘VillaHotel’ service whenever possible, to guarantee an unforgettable vacation. It’s the main reason why I started Villazzo.

Q: And finally, what’s next for Villazzo?

As mentioned, we recently launched our sister brand ‘Global Luxury Villas’ by Villazzo, to offer concierge-serviced villa rentals around the world. While they don’t come with the full hotel setup and staffing as VillaHotels do, they are more affordable and in a greater variety of destinations too.

We have also opened a Villazzo Investment Fund, to acquire properties with great potential that can make money through VillaHotel rentals in the meantime.