WHEN we finally get to travel again in 2021, having our own space will never be more important.
The chance to kick back and relax in the sunshine by your own private pool doesn’t have to cost a fortune, though.
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We’ve rounded up our favourite 21 fabulous villas with pools for you to escape to next year.
Travel Editor Lisa Minot suggests the best places across the globe to enjoy the ultimate holiday home.
1. Villa Helonaki, Lefkas
TUCKED into a forested hillside, three minutes’ drive from Periyali, this open-plan villa has a glorious terrace with an infinity pool and swim-up bar, stylish decor of traditional stone and brightly coloured bougainvillea plants.
Sleeping six in three bedrooms, there are fantastic views from every room out to seas dotted with neighbouring islands.
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Seven nights’ self-catering costs from £1,085pp based on six sharing and including flights from Gatwick and car hire.
2. Villa Gonos, Rhodes
THERE are stunning sea views from this modern villa on a hillside on the southeastern coast of Rhodes.
Sleeping four in two bedrooms, there is also an extra double in an open-plan room with balcony, as well as an open-plan kitchen diner.
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Outside is a lovely pool with terrace. It is close to the beach and handy for trips to Lindos and Rhodes Town.
Seven nights’ self-catering is from just £399pp, based on four sharing and including flights from Gatwick on May 5, 2021.
Book now with Tui — no deposit is payable and you have a range of payment options, including direct debit.
3. Lake House at Royal Westmoreland, Barbados
THE whole family can enjoy all the amenities of a resort at this four- bedroom villa with great views of the lake and Caribbean sea.
There’s a large private pool, pool deck and spacious sun terrace, as well as casual and formal dining areas and a built-in bar.
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Facilities include golf, tennis and a communal pool and gym. For even more luxury, the villa comes with a housekeeper and cook.
Seven nights’ self-catering is from £1,450pp, based on six sharing, and including British Airways flights from Heathrow on May 1, 2021.
4. Villa Kalypso, Kefalonia
AN infinity pool with dramatic views out over the Ionia Sea is the jewel in the crown of this chic villa on the Likas headland.
With its quiet location and footpath to a virtually private rock beach featuring a fixed ladder to access the sea, this is a good option for families with older children.
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Sleeping six in three bedrooms, the modern finish inside is immaculate and outside there are plenty of shaded terraces. Seven nights in 2021 start at £1,356 in total, excluding flights and car hire.
The villa can be booked by the night, with a minimum five-night stay, making it easier to match up with low-cost flights.
5. Villa Kekick, Kalkan, Turkey
SET high on the hillside above the coastal town of Kalkan, this large villa is in a secluded, tranquil spot and offers magnificent views across the bay, yet it’s just a 20-minute walk to the resort centre.
There’s an impressive infinity pool and Jacuzzi.
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Rates for 2021 start at £1,882 in total for a seven-night stay. Flights and car hire are extra.
6. Villa Mar Y Sol, Calpe, Costa Blanca
THIS four-bedroom villa is close to the action, with the beaches, bars and restaurants of Calpe town just a 15- minute walk away.
Inside, there’s a spacious lounge and kitchen with breakfast bar and three bathrooms. Patio doors lead out to a pool overlooking salt flats.
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Seven nights’ self-catering is from £489pp, based on eight sharing, and including flights from Stansted on May 3, 2021 with 22kg baggage allowance.
7. Windjammer Landing, St Lucia
GET the best of both worlds with a villa in the grounds of this luxury ocean-front Caribbean resort set on a hillside overlooking sandy Labrelotte Bay.
Perfect for families, there are free activities for kids aged four to 12 daily as well as a spa, and for the premium villas, your own private terrace and plunge pool.
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Seven nights’ B&B in a one-bed ocean-view villa is from £1,489pp including British Airways flights from Gatwick on selected dates in June, 2021.
8. Al Maha, Dubai
DEEP in the Dubai desert conservation reserve is this 5-star private oasis nestled among lush palm groves and rolling sand dunes with views out over the Hajar Mountains.
The resort’s individual bedouin suites all feature temperature-controlled private pools.
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Four nights’ full board in a bedouin suite is from £1,685pp including flights from Heathrow with British Airways on May 19, 2021.
9. Villa Oasivera, Sicily
THERE’S masses of space for everyone at this newly refurbished five-bedroom villa just 200 metres from the beach on the edge of the Vendicari Nature Reserve.
The huge plot features lawns, terraces and infinity pool, plus an outside kitchen.
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Ideal for two families, one week is from £2,887 in total, or £288pp, and there’s free cancellation up to 21 days before arrival. Flights to Catania not included.
10. Villa Casa Do Marco, near Albufeira, Portugal
SET in its own gardens and only a ten-minute walk to the village of Sesmarias and its bars and restaurants, this beautiful three-bedroom villa is perfect for those wanting a quiet escape but still offers the chance to explore busier towns like Albufeira.
It features a large pool, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, ample living and dining space.
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TUI has seven nights’ self-catering from £375pp, based on six sharing and including flights from Gatwick on May 2, 2021.
11. Finca Plomera, Pollensa, Majorca
AN impressive stone-built traditional finca, or farmstead, Plomera features panoramic views of the mountains and surrounding countryside.
It’s the perfect secluded escape, yet close enough to enjoy the delights of Cala San Vincente or Puerto Pollensa. The large pool sits on an extensive sun terrace.
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Inside, the four bedrooms, living room and kitchen all feature wooden beams and traditional furniture. There are also four bathrooms.
Seven nights’ self-catering is from £599pp, based on eight sharing and including flights from Stansted on May 3 with 22kg baggage allowance.
12. Bungalow Suites, Ikos Aria, Kos
SPLASH out on a two-bed bungalow suite at this luxury all-inclusive resort and you’ll enjoy your own 40m private pool with views over the Aegean Sea.
Each suite features two bedrooms and a lounge, with plenty of space for up to six people.
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As well as the pool, there’s a lawned terrace with loungers and a dining table with views across to the beautiful Kastri island, featuring a blue church on a rocky outcrop just a few hundred metres from Ikos Aria’s beach.
Chilled champagne welcomes you on arrival and you’ll get two complimentary neck and back massages at the Ikos Spa as well as the chance to enjoy the main resorts’ pools, restaurants and activities. Suites start from £477 per night.
13. Pool House, Looe, Cornwall
ARRIVE through your very own secret garden door into this wonderful, secluded space with your own private pool, which is heated during the summer months.
Set in the Cornish countryside near Looe and Polperro, the Pool House at Trefanny Hill features one bedroom, a kitchen, living room with table for two and bathroom.
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But the walled garden is the star of the show — unusual for a property with just one bedroom — and ideal for a romantic getaway, with outdoor dining table, sun loungers around the pool and lush lawns.
Seven nights’ self- catering is from £489 in total.
14. Royal River & Spa, Costa Adeje, Tenerife
THE new luxury hotel opens next month with 29 suites and 21 one- two- and three- bedroom villas, all with private pools.
The villas have a large terrace alongside the private pool, with cabana-style day beds or cocoon loungers and the luxury interiors feature a plush lounge/dining room.
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On site is a choice of pools, including a rooftop infinity pool, a spa and gym.
There are also three restaurants and two pool bars.
Seven nights’ B&B starts from £1,276pp, based on two sharing a one-bedroom villa and including flights from Gatwick on January 11, 2021 and private transfers.
15. Mega Mansion, Reunion Resort, Orlando
NOWHERE does villas quite as “extra” as Florida, and Jeeves Florida Rentals has some of the most extraordinary.
A ten-bedroom mega-mansion at the resort near Walt Disney World sleeps up to 36 people in ten bedrooms.
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It features the ultimate kids’ bedroom, Camp Morlando, centering around a life-size tree, with slides, climbing ladder and secret hideaway, plus nine bunks for up to 18 kids.
There’s another nine plush bedrooms but it’s the extras that will blow you away, including a 1,300sqft laser tag room, separate laser maze, arcade games room and home theatre.
Outside there’s a pool, with lazy river and sand island, outdoor living area with fire pit, bar and four flat-screen TVs.
All this doesn’t come cheap, a seven-night stay costing from £10,000, but it can take six or seven families. Or a four- bedroom home sleeping ten to 12 is from £3,000 a week.
16. Eagles Villas, Halkidiki
TREAT yourself to the ultimate Greek getaway with a stay in one of the 40 villas set in lush, Mediterranean gardens with breathtaking views.
Each of the villas sleeps from four to six and comes with its own private pool as well as gardens and terraces.
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The resort features five restaurants as well as in-room dining with butler service. There are pools and tennis courts, a water sports centre and a gym with spa.
British Airways Holidays has seven nights’ B&B at the 5H Eagles Villas from £999pp including flights from Gatwick between May 1 and 15, 2021.
17. Centara Grand, Krabi, Thailand
HIDDEN away in a secluded cove surrounded by emerald waters and a natural park, this resort offers the quintessential tropical paradise.
And opt for one of its ocean-view private villas and you’ll also get a large terrace with plunge pool to enjoy in glorious isolation.
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The resort has four restaurants and a unique underground bar as well as a pool and a superb beach.
Seven nights’ B&B in a pool villa is from £2,775pp including return flights and transfers.
18. Villa Isidora, Crete
COMBINING contemporary style with comfort, this three-bed villa on a hillside offers views over nearby Sitia and the sea from its terraces, gardens and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Ideal for a family with older children, all the bedrooms are en suite and the terrace is perfect for relaxed meals with a cosy outdoor kitchen with barbecue and a generous pool.
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Seven nights’ self-catering is from £573pp, based on six sharing, and including flights and car hire.
19. Villa Sky, Kalkan, Turkey
SITTING at the southern end of Kalkan bay, this villa for four features Moroccan- inspired design, with double-height ceilings and sliding doors.
Outside, the free-form infinity pool is backed by a wide sun terrace for lounging or dining. With two master bedrooms, it works perfectly for one or two couples, or a family with older children.
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Adults and teenagers alike love Kalkan’s low-key nightlife and sophisticated restaurants, and the Mahal Beach Club is directly below your villa.
Seven nights’ self-catering is from £767pp, based on four sharing, and including flights, car hire and a complimentary Hamman treatment and gulet trip.
20. Four Seasons Fairways, Quinta Do Lago, Portugal
THE only villa resort with private pools in Quinta do Lago, Four Seasons lets you enjoy stellar facilities and your own secluded outdoor space.
There are two- and three-bedroom villas available, all with private pools and large terraces and gardens.
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But it is the access to the resort’s amenities that make this such good value, with championship golf courses, pools, spa and children’s club in school holidays.
Seven nights’ self- catering at a two-bed villa with private pool is from just £810 in total, sleeping up to five people. Flights extra.
21. Paparouna Villa, Alonissos
SET just below the Old Town, this two-storey property has dramatic views from its upstairs balcony and garden terraces, down the valley to Patitiri harbour and across the open sea to the islands of Ta Theo Adelfia.
It has an infinity pool and outside dining area, while inside there are three spacious bedrooms as well as an open-plan living room, kitchen and utility room.
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Seven nights’ self-catering is from £1,113pp, based on six sharing and including flights and car hire.
To book, see gicthevillacollection.com or call 020 8232 9780.
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