Archive for February, 2021

Get Winter Fit in Miami

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021

Whatever time of year you choose to visit Miami, you won’t be disappointed with the amazing sports facilities available. Whether you choose to rock up to a one-off yoga class, or want to bench-press in five-star surroundings, you can rest assured that the city has it all.

Many who visit during the winter months, want to keep their exercise regimes up, while visiting on vacation, business or often times – a bit of both.

Within easy reach of all the leading Miami villa rentals, here’s our pick of some of the finest winter sports within the city confines.

Swimming
As a popular outdoors destination, Miami has plenty of inspiration for swimming enthusiasts. Sure, you can choose to dip into the Atlantic Ocean on the South Beach shoreline, or equally you can indulge in the heated pool of your luxury home rental, to get a few laps in before brunch.

But if you’re looking for something more special, more… Miami, then there’s nothing quite like the Venetian Pool in the Coral Gables. Perfect for those into wellbeing and rejuvenation, the aquatic facility was founded in 1923 developed from a coral rock quarry, hence its name. The 820,000 gallon pool boasts fresh spring water which is refilled daily. And when you’ve completed your laps, there’s a waterfall for hanging out. Bliss!

Yoga
When it’s time to say ‘namaste’ there’s plenty of choices for yoga enthusiasts throughout the city. From early morning beachside yoga, to free outdoor yoga to enjoy. But, for all those Miami feels, why not treat yourself to a private tutor for a one-on-one experience at your Miami luxury villa rental. It’s the best way to enjoy the views across the bay from the comfort of your home, plus an instructor can work around your schedule. When staying with Villazzo, you can call upon our concierge team to recommend and book a local yogi for your stay.

Running and working out
If you want to go running in the winter months, Miami is the perfect canvas with beautiful beachside views intermingled with city living for an upbeat workout. If you’d rather take it indoors, there’s plenty of pay-as-you-go gyms, where you can use the indoor running machines and more. At Solidcore, you can pay per class, or for a weekly pass, to make the most of their excellent facilities. With daily classes to make you sweat, there’s something for all level and skill.

Personal training
When you’re away from home it’s important to keep up with your usual fitness routine. If you don’t have time for a gym visit, or if the winter weather is holding you back, a personal trainer might just be the answer. There’s plenty of excellent personal trainers in Miami, that the Villazzo concierge can book on your behalf. This allows you to make the most of your time in your Miami luxury vacation rental, as many are able to come to your residence for personalized sessions.

Ice-skating
It’s one of our favorite winter sports as a nation. No matter what standard you are, there’s plenty of ice-rinks in Miami to take all the family. For all the throwback vibes, Basement Miami is the go-to place for some retro fun. As well as ice-skating, there’s a two-lane bowling alley, packed with special effects, for letting the good times roll… or should that be bowl!? One of the more light-hearted of all the sports facilities, it’s a fun place to visit with friends.

Book your luxury villa home through Villazzo and gain access to our world-class concierge team to enhance your stay.

The New ‘Workcation’ Trend for 2021

Wednesday, February 10th, 2021

With each new year comes a new buzzword or trend in the travel industry. For instance in recent years sustainable travel and eco luxury villas have been growing in popularity, as conscious consumerism becomes more prominent.

However, with the recent turn in events, the focus has shifted somewhat. And the ‘workcation’ trend is pipped to be big for 2021.

What is the ‘workcation’ trend?
As its name suggests, a ‘workcation’ is a vacation that allows you to mix business with pleasure. It has become a popular option in the ‘nomadic’ community, as it accommodates freelance working, with all the benefits of luxury living. After all, why would you work in a grey office, when you could be situated in a luxury vacation home instead!? Plus, it can even make you more productive, and committed to the company you work for, so it’s win-win for everyone.

The new work-life balance
With our working lives greatly impacted in recent months, the working-from-home revolution has affected all our personal lives too. Because of this, in the coming year we will see a greater focus on ‘nomadic’ living – something that has impacted the hospitality sector greatly.

Remote working has been on the rise over the past few years, however the impact of Covid-19 has accelerated its growth. During the pandemic, 42 per cent of Americans worked from home, a change that experts believe will continue for many years.

With an estimated 4.7 million nationals remote working, it’s no surprise that this has also changed the face of business travel.

The rise of the digital nomad
If you’re enjoying a ‘workcation’ it’s likely that you are a digital nomad. This is an employee who works from no fixed address. That means they can be typing away from the pool in their luxury villa, or ‘zooming’ into meetings from the comfort of their local coffee shop. While they may be office based, they have the choice of basing themselves anywhere.

Although the term mainly refers to freelancers and those in the gig economy, today it also applies to a growing number of people in full-time employment. And this means that the hospitality industry must adapt.

Workcation demands
For the business traveller, this means that rental properties, must be equipped with all the necessary amenities.

As industry leaders in luxury villa rentals, we have long accommodated the needs of digital nomads. Here’s just some of the ways we cater to ‘workcationer’ needs…

• WiFi
Connectivity is an absolute must wherever you’re based in the world. From the jungle of Costa Rica, to the chic boltholes of Ibiza, all our properties are equipped with high-speed WiFi throughout. Rather handy when you fancy taking your Zoom call on your rooftop terrace (even if your co-workers hate you for it!)

• Study rooms
Many ‘workcationers’ travel with their loved ones. Great for after-hours, not so great during work hours! For this reason, many of our properties have home offices or libraries with printers, computers and scanners, and are situated in study rooms for that added layer of privacy.

• Facilities on hand
When you’re in between meetings, you need to be surrounded by all the necessary comforts. All our luxury villas are fully kitted out with the facilities you need. This ranges from coffee-making machines through to concierge on call. Need to organise an office meeting with catering at a moment’s notice? No problem, our concierge team can take care of it.

• Tranquil surroundings
Probably the number one requirement for a productive day ‘in the office’ is tranquil surroundings. Just as well then, that Villazzo properties are situated in some of the most stunning locations in the world, in tranquil settings. Yet, they remain close to all the nearby essentials. You’ll notice that our properties tend to be within reach of local shopping malls, golf courses and airports, to make your (nomadic) life, that bit easier!

So there you have it – the workcation trend has arrived. Will you be part of it?

Ready for your next workcation? Come check out the luxury properties Villazzo has to offer.