5 villas with a view

Imagine relaxing in the peace and privacy of your own villa, enjoying a long, lazy breakfast out on the sun-drenched poolside terrace and soaking up the wow-factor view.

Whether it’s a romantic getaway, a celebration with friends or time out as a family, a villa holiday offers total freedom and a luxury home-from-home experience – if home has maid service and Mediterranean sunshine.

We’ve picked five of our favourite villas with a view from our sister company, CV Villas. Creating luxury villa holidays for over 45 years, their handpicked collection of stylish and unique villas can be found in beautiful destinations around the world including Corfu, the Algarve and Barbados. This is just a taster of what’s on offer; drink in the views and let us tempt you with a villa holiday this year.

Le Balconie, Neapolitan Riviera

• Sleeps up to 8
• 4 bedrooms
• Private pool
• Walk to the beach and local village

With spectacular sea and sunset views from the pool, chic and luxurious Le Balconie has a sublime position on the Bay of Naples. This restored house has tiled floors and bags of character, coupled with contemporary design. Built into the hillside, you can take the lift or stairs to access the three levels – and the top-floor living room opens out onto an amazing terrace with views across the water to Capri.

All of the bedrooms have sea views and the lower terrace is where you’ll find a barbecue, pizza oven and garden with a gorgeous pool – not many can boast a waterfall shower, hydro-massage corner and views over this iconic bay. The villa is just over half a mile from a local bar, restaurant and shops in the village of Massa Lubrense and only 100 metres from the beach. During your stay, we’d also highly recommend a trip to Sorrento, just over three miles away.

Sunset Reach, Barbados

• Sleeps up to 4
• 2 bedrooms
• Cook service included
• Beachfront villa
• Short drive to local town

Alluringly placed right by the white sands of Mullins Beach, Barbados, delightful Sunset Reach is just a five-minute drive from Speightstown’s shops and restaurants. There are four bedrooms – just the right size for a couple or small family – and the nautical chic design captures the feel of a boutique hotel by the sea. Vivid blue loungers are placed on the deck for soaking up the sun with nothing but the crystal-clear Caribbean waters ahead. And there’s a dining table set up under covered veranda for enjoying the delicious meals whipped up by your personal chef.

Both bedrooms – a twin and a queen-size double – feature en suite bathrooms. Further down the beach, there’s a bar and restaurant and plenty of watersports to try out. You’ll also find sister property Easy Reach on the beach, which can be booked together with Sunset Reach, accommodating up to ten in total.

Armonia, Crete

• Sleeps up to 6
• 3 bedrooms
• Private heated pool
• Walk to local village

Electra, Corfu

• Sleeps up to 12
• 6 bedrooms
• Private heated pool
• Cook service included

Looking out to magnificent views of lush green hills and Corfu’s harbour, Electra's effortless style lends itself to relaxed get-togethers. The villa is pristine, with a crisp, white theme throughout that feels luxuriously calming, and the sleek terrace features a glass wall for uninterrupted views of the hills and sea. There’s also a ten-metre pool, barbecue area and a dining pergola with low-hanging wicker lights for ambient al fresco dinners amid olive and cypress trees.

The island-style kitchen and open-plan sitting/dining room are made for socialising, and there’s a fireplace to gather around for the ultimate cosy night in. The villa has six bedrooms with four en suites and two additional bathrooms, as well as an annexe for the in-villa chef. Pebbled Avlaki Beach and the intimate town of St Stephano are just over a mile away, and it’s just a short drive to the busier resort of Kassiopi and sandy Kalami Beach.

Sandy Bay Cottage, Algarve

• Sleeps up to 6
• 4 bedrooms
• Private gated infinity pool
• Direct beach access

Nestled above a golden Algarve beach, the country-style Sandy Bay Cottage is a home-away-from-home that’s made for families. Everything about this villa is charmingly rustic. There’s a lovely split-level layout with the homely kitchen reached by a few steps, and the living area is full of character with blue-painted beams and terracotta tiles. A veranda runs the length of the villa and this is where you’ll find a dining table for relaxed barbecue lunches, deck chairs for afternoon naps and a view of the Atlantic Ocean and the Arade River. There’s an infinity pool on the terrace below and the villa’s winning feature is that it’s just a short walk down a slope and a few stairs to 300 metres of soft sand beach.

There are four bedrooms including two single bedrooms that are ideal for younger guests. Each room has a simple, rustic feel with distinctive metal-frame beds. There are activities including tennis, golf and watersports all within two and a half miles, and shops and restaurants are under a mile’s walk away in easy-tempo Ferraguda.