The Thinking Traveller is the fashion set's secret to chic holiday villas
When it comes to booking a holiday, more often than not, what you are actually looking for is a “home from home”. And while there are plenty of luxury hotels that can offer this, nowhere does so better than a villa.
Whether you’re in a big group of friends on a hen do looking to go wild in peace, or on a family holiday with multiple generations juggling children and grandparents’ needs, villas are great. Everyone can have their own space while also coming together for pool time and mealtimes – with no risk of annoying other guests (unless you’re squabbling with your mother-in-law over who gets the best sun lounger).
You’re not on anyone’s schedule but your own, and can organise your day accordingly. Yet with so many to choose from these days, not to mention countless horror stories of things being missold (we’ve got visions of that hotel from The Inbetweeners film…), it’s impossible to know which actually lives up to the hype.
Enter: The Thinking Traveller. Beloved by the jet set and fashion cognoscenti alike, its stylish collection of European villas are second to none. Founded over 20 years ago by a well-travelled couple, Huw and Rossella Beaugié, its portfolio spans the Greek Islands to the Balearics, Sicily to the Dalmation Coast, with each subjected to their rigorous standards.
Rather than seeing villas you might have spotted on other websites, like Booking.com or Airbnb, instead, The Thinking Traveller are the sole keyholders, ensuring a personalised touch. As a result of this, the team have long-standing relationships with the villa owners, and have usually stayed at the property before, so they’ve got actual hands-on advice about how to turn the shower on and where the rubbish goes. This extends to having a concierge on hand 24/7 to book restaurants, boat rentals, excursions, taxis, you name it – particularly handy if you’re on a girls holiday or hen do and need to know the hottest restaurants, bars or beach clubs in town.
Oh, and there’s a daily housekeeping service plus a private chef, if you fancy. It’s basically all the convenience of a hotel with the homeliness and privacy of… home.
Of course, in 2024, the eco credentials of a holiday stay are just as important. If we are justifying travelling anywhere, then it has to be giving back in some way ideally. Happily, The Thinking Traveller has gold star credentials in this respect, employing local artisans and giving back to the community. A lot of the villas also run on green energy, such as solar panels, with organic kitchen gardens providing slow-farmed fruit and veg. As far as we can tell, the only drawback is you might never want to go home.
Here are our top 5 picks villas to book now.
Palazzo Bernardini de Pace
- Destination: Puglia, Italy
- Sleeps: 10
- Price per week: From £23,059
Why we love it: This is one to bookmark for a really special occasion. That’s because Palazzo Bernardini de Pace, with its columned facade, courtyard and grand staircases, is quite literally palatial, and its interiors have even featured in esteemed decor bible, Architectural Digest. Embrace la dolce vita by sunbathing in the beautiful grounds, swimming in the pool, or being waited on hand and foot (ish) with light meals cooked for you by the in-house chef. You can even pre-order a wine delivery of local favourites.
Noera
- Destination: Mykonos, Greece
- Sleeps: 14
- Price per week: From £18,700
Why we love it: A girls trip to Mykonos means one thing: Instagram content galore! This gorgeously designed villa, with its curved white interiors, will not disappoint as a backdrop – it’s even a perfect sunset vantage point, as it goes down over the infinity pool. If you need more to convince you (fair enough) then there’s also the infinite number of sunbathing spots, bbq, fire pit, gym space, pizza oven and poolside bar to tempt you.
Crossing Together
- Destination: Sicily, Italy
- Sleeps: 16
- Price per week: From £11,740
Why we love it: Situated in one of eastern Sicily’s most picturesque fishing villages, Santa Maria La Scala, this villa is a rare find, combining two properties in one to accommodate up to 16 guests in style. While the interiors are all glam palazzo vibes, with marble floors, antique furniture and Renaissance artworks, outside it's all about beautiful gardens and those incredible sea views. The village and its restaurants, bars and lidos are only a short stroll away, and you can access the sea here too if you fancy a salt water dip. Our favourite feature? Breakfast is made for you daily.
Sereyna
- Destination: Porto Heli, Greece
- Sleeps: 10
- Price per week: From £25,365
Why we love it: Private jetty? Check. Seafront location? Check. 18-metre long infinity pool? Check. Tennis court? Check. This chic villa on the Greek Riviera is a real gem, with an abundance of things to keep you busy on site. Start the day with a stroll through the beautiful bougainvillaea-filled grounds, have a swim in the sea on your (basically) private beach, lunch prepared by your chef and then go for sundowners on the terrace before heading out for dinner. Rinse and repeat.
Santhia
- Destination: Paros, Greece
- Sleeps: 14
- Price per week: From £11,247
Why we love it: Imagine the Love Island villa got a seriously chic upgrade, and you wouldn’t be far off. Featuring a 20-metre infinity pool with daybeds in the shallow end (our absolute favourite) as well as gated access to the beach, this seven-bedroom beauty just screams girls trip. Organised over two levels with a separate guest house, there’s plenty of space for you to spread out and also get a little privacy, too. What’s more, it’s ideally located close to Paros’s best tavernas and bars, for when you don’t want to eat on one of your multiple seaview terraces, that is.
