There’s something quietly satisfying about planning a trip well in advance. The anticipation, the research, the moment you finally settle on a place that feels entirely right.
For many travellers looking ahead to 2026 luxury villa holidays, the priorities are coming into sharper focus: space, privacy, beautiful surroundings, and the freedom to experience a destination entirely on your own terms. According to recent research, relaxation remains the number one priority for UK travellers, with the majority seeking beach destinations or city breaks – and nearly 70% finding the idea of a private villa more appealing than a hotel stay.
It isn’t difficult to understand why. A private villa offers something hotels rarely can – the feeling of genuinely living somewhere, even if only for a week or two. Mornings unfold at your own pace. Meals are shared around a table that belongs to you for the duration. The rhythm of the day is yours, not shaped by check-in times or restaurant sittings.
From iconic Mediterranean coastlines to vibrant creative capitals and quieter destinations that reward those willing to look a little further, these are the places inspiring the most sought-after luxury villa holidays in 2026.
Explore our curated collection of destinations worldwide https://theluxurytravelbook.com/destinations/
Or speak to our team to begin planning your next escape https://theluxurytravelbook.com/contact-us/
Curate your luxury villa holiday experience
Choosing to rent a villa changes the way a holiday feels from the moment you arrive.
Instead of checking into a hotel, you step into a home – often one with generous living spaces, private terraces, and views that quietly become part of the experience itself. The morning coffee tastes different when you’re drinking it beside your own pool. The evening feels longer when there’s no pressure to be anywhere.
At The Luxury Travel Book, every property in our collection of luxury holiday rentals is personally selected with this in mind. Our portfolio ranges from elegant city apartments and contemporary coastal villas to historic countryside estates surrounded by vineyards or olive groves. Whether you’re planning a romantic escape for two, a multigenerational family gathering, or a longer group stay, there is a property – and a setting – to match.
You might explore:
Countryside retreats https://theluxurytravelbook.com/inspiration/countryside-retreats/
Island getaways https://theluxurytravelbook.com/inspiration/island-getaways/
Honeymoon villas https://theluxurytravelbook.com/inspiration/honeymoons/
Find your dream destination for 2026
Some destinations remain endlessly compelling. Others are quietly becoming the places travellers are most excited to discover. For those planning a 2026 luxury villa holiday, the following locations offer an inspiring combination of atmosphere, beauty, and exceptional places to stay.
London, United Kingdom
London might not be the first destination that springs to mind when thinking about a luxury villa stay – but it should be. The city offers something quite distinct: the chance to live, even briefly, inside one of the world’s great cultural capitals, in a private residence that feels nothing like a hotel.
Think a beautifully appointed Notting Hill townhouse, or a lateral apartment in Chelsea within walking distance of some of the best restaurants in Europe. For couples planning a city break, a long weekend in a well-located London apartment delivers theatre, galleries, world-class dining, and the kind of unhurried luxury that only comes from having your own front door to come home to.
It’s also one of the most popular choices for a domestic luxury stay – ideal for those who want all the pleasure of a holiday without the flight. A long weekend in the right property can feel just as restorative as a fortnight abroad, and it remains a brilliant option for a girls’ weekend, a celebration, or simply a proper reset.
Explore our luxury apartments and villas in London https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/united-kingdom/london/
For inspiration on what to experience during your stay, read: 11 unforgettable luxury experiences in London https://theluxurytravelbook.com/luxury-travel-journals/11-unforgettable-luxury-experiences-in-london/
Comporta, Portugal
Just south of Lisbon, and a world away from the Algarve, lies one of Europe’s most quietly desirable coastal destinations. Comporta is known for its vast, uninterrupted Atlantic beaches, silvery pine forests, and a particular kind of relaxed, understated sophistication – which is why it is increasingly described as the Hamptons of Europe.
What makes Comporta unusual is its refusal to be obvious about itself. There are no large hotel chains. The architecture is low-rise and considered. The rice fields that stretch inland give the landscape an almost cinematic quality – somewhere between rural Portugal and something altogether more singular. Design lovers are drawn here for exactly this reason, and the interiors of its best villas tend to be exceptional.
It is an easy hour from Lisbon, making it ideal for couples who want total coastal seclusion but the option of a vibrant city evening. Solo travellers who value calm, good food, and beautifully designed spaces will find it hard to leave.
Explore our luxury villas in Comporta https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/portugal/comporta/
Or browse all Portugal holiday villas https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/portugal/
Amalfi Coast, Italy
There is a reason the Amalfi Coast has been drawing travellers for centuries. Dramatic limestone cliffs drop to an impossibly blue sea. Pastel villages cling to the hillside with apparent indifference to gravity. The light in late afternoon turns everything golden. It is, in the truest sense, cinematic – and no photograph has ever quite done it justice.
What a private villa on the Amalfi Coast offers that a hotel cannot is perspective. Waking up to that view from your own terrace, with coffee and no particular agenda, is one of those travel experiences that stays with people for years. It remains one of the most sought-after luxury villa holiday destinations for Italian summer stays, and for very good reason.
It is particularly well suited to larger group stays – families and friendship groups who want the drama of the coastline as a shared backdrop, with the privacy and space to enjoy each other’s company without the formality of a hotel. Evenings at a long table set outside, with local wine and a view of the water, are the kind of memories that define a summer.
Explore Amalfi Coast villa rentals https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/italy/amalfi-coast/
Browse all luxury villas in Italy https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/italy/
Travelling in a larger group? https://theluxurytravelbook.com/inspiration/large-groups/
Istria, Croatia
For travellers who have already discovered Dubrovnik and are looking for somewhere with a little more substance and a little less crowd, Istria is the answer. This Adriatic peninsula in northern Croatia combines rolling vineyard landscapes, medieval hilltop towns, and a food culture that genuinely rivals Tuscany – at a fraction of the attention.
Istria has been quietly building a reputation as one of Croatia’s finest culinary destinations. Truffles are taken seriously here. The olive oils are exceptional. The wine scene is intimate and increasingly well regarded internationally. Spend a morning at a local market, an afternoon at the pool, and an evening eating extraordinarily well at a restaurant that seats twelve people – and you begin to understand what makes this place special.
It suits almost anyone travelling in 2026: couples looking for somewhere genuinely off the beaten track, families who want space and scenery without the intensity of a busier resort, and small groups who want good food, privacy, and that rare feeling of having discovered somewhere not everyone knows about yet.
Explore luxury villas in Istria https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/croatia/istria/
Or browse all Croatia villa rentals https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/croatia/
Cape Town, South Africa
Few cities combine natural spectacle and creative energy quite like Cape Town. Framed by Table Mountain on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, it offers a setting that would feel almost improbable if it weren’t entirely real. It is also, for UK travellers, one of the most compelling choices for a winter escape – when Cape Town is at its warmest, its most vibrant, and its most alive.
The city has developed a world-class restaurant scene, a genuinely exciting arts culture, and easy access to some of the most celebrated wine estates on the planet. Spend a morning at the V&A Waterfront, an afternoon on Clifton Beach, and an evening in a Camps Bay villa watching the sun drop into the Atlantic – and the appeal becomes self-evident.
Cape Town works beautifully for creative couples, groups seeking a city trip with real substance, and anyone who wants dramatic natural surroundings alongside proper urban energy. It delivers both, without compromise.
Explore luxury villas in Cape Town https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/south-africa/cape-town/
Noteworthy mentions
While the destinations above are gaining increasing attention in 2026, several timeless favourites continue to attract discerning travellers year after year. If none of the above quite fits your brief, these are well worth exploring:
Tuscany – rolling hills, vineyards, and some of the most beautiful countryside estates in Europe https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/italy/tuscany/
Mykonos – effortless Aegean style, brilliant light, and iconic island energy https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/greece/mykonos/
Mallorca – a consistently popular choice for families and groups, with a more refined side than its reputation suggests https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/spain/mallorca/
Browse all Spain villas and holiday homes https://theluxurytravelbook.com/location/luxury-villas-and-apartments/spain/
Make it yours with bespoke luxury experiences
A luxury villa holiday often becomes truly memorable not because of the property alone, but because of the experiences that surround it.
The difference between a good holiday and an exceptional one frequently comes down to the details: a private chef who sources ingredients from the local market and cooks a dinner you couldn’t have planned yourself; a massage booked for the afternoon of arrival, so the transition from travel to holiday happens in an hour rather than a day; fresh flowers, daily housekeeping, and a property that feels looked after throughout.
At The Luxury Travel Book, our concierge team works with each guest to arrange exactly this kind of layered, considered experience. We know the properties, the local suppliers, and the kind of touches that transform a stay from comfortable to unforgettable.
Private chef experiences https://theluxurytravelbook.com/service/private-chef/
Massage and beauty treatments https://theluxurytravelbook.com/service/massage-service-and-beauty-treatments/
Daily housekeeping https://theluxurytravelbook.com/service/maid-service/
Explore the full range of services and experiences https://theluxurytravelbook.com/services-experiences/
2026: your year of must-visit luxury destinations
The most sought-after properties in the most sought-after destinations rarely stay available for long. If 2026 is the year you invest in a genuinely exceptional holiday – one with space, privacy, and the kind of setting that stays with you – now is the moment to begin.
Whether you’re a couple looking for a secluded coastal escape, a family in search of the perfect summer villa, or a group of friends ready to finally make that trip happen, The Luxury Travel Book has a property to match.
Explore our villa destinations worldwide https://theluxurytravelbook.com/destinations/
Search available properties https://theluxurytravelbook.com/property-search/
Learn more about The Luxury Travel Book https://theluxurytravelbook.com/about-us/
Start planning your stay with our team https://theluxurytravelbook.com/contact-us/