Where Exclusive Meets Inclusive 

It was to be a family celebration like no other. Cousins grown apart would come together. Friends, that were like family, co-mingling with blood relatives. Aunts and uncles living across the country would cross yet another country to reunite. Grandparents who wanted nothing more than to spoil all of their babies all at once.

It was a huge undertaking and—naturally—everyone needed something different.

In a group like this, there’s much to be considered. Luxe and budget travelers; guests with limited mobility; LGBT family members with concerns about location … everyone wanted to make sure compromise didn’t mean missing out on their once-in-a-lifetime gathering. With various criteria to make sure all could attend, a hotel or resort could—and would—fit the bill, but they wanted an extraordinary venue for an extraordinary gathering.

First came the planning. Though the idea of an all-inclusive resort was tantalizing, exclusivity was key. They needed somewhere the whole family could enjoy themselves without worrying about the logistics of descending on one restaurant en masse, finding organic times and places to gather, or inadvertently breaking up into exclusive and not inclusive groups. After all, the point was to reconnect.

They quickly decided a villa rental was the perfect choice. The advantages were clear: plenty of space for the whole family, the freedom to come and go as desired, the rare luxury of being the only guests on the property … and endless ways to find themselves lost in conversation and laughter with those they don’t see often enough.

Next, they poured over the seemingly limitless options; choosing from a list of over 2,000 professionally vetted and managed properties worldwide is no small task, after all. Would it be an unforgettable vacation to Hawaii? The irrefutably romantic Amalfi Coast? Adventure through Costa Rica? Once everyone made cases for their destinations of choice, the family made the final decision the most diplomatic way: let Grandma pick.

A great perk of going with The Villa Experience by Travel Impressions and Villas of Distinction was that the family was able to customize details, even down to the staffing and service preferences. Options were available for a partial, full, or hotel-style staff for each villa based on their anticipated needs. The partial staff could be available throughout the day to serve as needed. A full staff included a chef, laundress, housekeeper (and more!), and was shown as standard for properties in Jamaica, Barbados, Anguilla, and Mexico. A hotel-style staff could provide scheduled, reliable, and unobtrusive services during the day. The best part was they could also request additional staff during the week if they were needed!

Once the villa was booked, the family was delighted to let the Villa Concierge team take care of the finer details of the trip: groceries were pre-stocked when they arrived, car rentals had been booked and pickup was seamless. Even spa appointments and golf tee times were pre-arranged so no time was wasted after arrival. The Villa Concierge team even organized private chef dinners and serviced reunion events! With everything already taken care of, the only thing left to do was relax and enjoy themselves.

Nothing brings a family together like a beautiful shared experience. At a cost per person which ended up being less than if they’d stayed at a hotel, this family gathering was as affordable as it was memorable. With this Villa Experience, a new tradition was made which would be honored regularly: explore the world, see new places, and spend time with each other. And with Travel Impressions and your agent, this story could be anybody’s.