Why a Villa Holiday?
Togetherness:
“The state of being close to another person or other people.”
Lockdown is starting to ease throughout the world and I am sure that like us your thoughts are rapidly turning towards a holiday, either one you have already booked and maybe missed or a new plan altogether—but what will holidays be like going forward?
Let's put aside the actual getting there for a moment, as international travel by air, rail or sea is going to be governed by foreign office guidelines for some time and the decision to travel will also be a matter of personal choice.
Having all experienced confinement in one way or another, we quite naturally want to get away. I'm sure that no one could have imagined that 2 months off work, or working from home with those around you would not would be so stressful. The constant daily reminders that ours and others lives could be at risk if we did not stay at home only makes us crave the opportunity to go away with our families and loved ones.
When deciding what holiday we want, our initial thought might be somewhere sunny and away from all the current stress and anxiety; blue skies, cool drinks and plates of delicious food worthy of our instagram story.
Another thought at the forefront of our minds is to feel safe. Safe in a different way to before, not the dark streets and no-go areas of some cities, but to feel safe in our health. Social distancing has become the new normal and looks as though it will be around for some time to come. So how does that fit into holidays and the world of hotels, bars and beaches?
If the last couple of months have taught us anything it is things like we all own too many clothes and shoes, and actually we only need a few favourite items. We’ve learned that we can become closer with our loved ones, and enjoy the time we spend together (most of the time at least). We’ve also discovered that we’re creative cooks when we need to be, and enjoy it more than we thought we could.
We think the answer will be villas. A villa for 2, 4 or 10 is a home from home that is self contained and private. A villa gives us the chance for a romantic getaway or to reconnect with loved ones who we have had to keep at a distance, safe in the knowledge that it is just us. It’s our own private space.
Throughout the world there are more tailored options than you might expect, offering properties to suit most needs from private pools and beachside locales to stunning scenery. If you’re thinking "Hold on! I've just had 2 months of doing everything for myself. I want a break”, then you should consider a villa hotel. Many hotel groups offer properties that have individual villas with pools that are completely self contained. It’s the best of both worlds— hotel service in a private setting. Many of these properties are small and have one or two restaurants, so distancing will be easy for them to achieve, plus hoteliers the world over will be only too aware of the emphasis that holiday makers will be putting on cleanliness. A villa will offer things that we have never considered important before, the same sun-bed every day and only your own fellow travellers in close contact, with these same people being the only ones using the pool.
If the thought of a restaurant is a step too far just now then most resorts will happily arrange in villa dining. This can be as simple as the room service burger or a chef cooked barbecue to a full restaurant tasting menu experience served at your own poolside. Truly personal and discrete service without the worries of contact and no clearing up at the end.
Look at your options and balance the pros and cons of a villa holiday, maybe it's time to view the world differently and make the most of this strange situation. A holiday that is a real break from the day to day and not just a move to a different routine in another location. A retreat where there are no meals at set times and where any hour is happy hour because one thing we have all mastered in lockdown is "social drinking”. Stay well, stay safe and enjoy looking for and planning your next holiday.
