Planning a private escape to the coast? These handpicked villas combine comfort, design, and the one thing no hotel can sell you: the feeling that the whole place is yours.
We manage dozens of homes along this shoreline, but only a handful earn the word "private" — gated entries, pools you can't see into, and bedrooms far enough apart that early risers and teenagers coexist happily. Here are five that our guests rebook most.
1. Villa Solana — the grand gathering
Five suites, a 20-metre pool, and a cinema lawn. Solana is where three generations finally agree on something. The ground-floor master wing gives grandparents hotel-style calm while the upstairs games lounge absorbs everyone else.
2. Casa Duna — the family classic
Four bedrooms wrapped around a turquoise pool with a shallow shelf for small swimmers. The bunk room, the hammock, and a dune path to the beach make this the home families describe as "the one the kids still talk about."
3. The Drift House — the quiet hideaway
Cedar screens, a plunge pool, and a reading loft. The Drift House suits couples and small groups who measure a holiday in books finished and naps taken. Two-night minimums make it our easiest weekend escape.
4. What to look for in any private villa
Beyond our own collection, judge any rental on four things: pool privacy (can neighbours see in?), bedroom separation (en-suites matter), outdoor shade (afternoon sun is fierce), and management (a local team beats an absentee owner every time).
5. Book the setting, not just the beds
Count the places you'll actually live: the terrace at breakfast, the pool at four, the dining table at eight. A villa with generous shared spaces sleeps fewer people more happily than a cramped house with extra bunks.
Written by the Tidewater concierge team · Updated for the 2026 season
