SJ Villas in the Press
News and Press from SJ Villas
10 Coolest Beach Villas
Villa Du Couchant
A new and beautifully designed house in the understated Rétais style. On the beach side of the lovely village of Bois Plage and only a couple of minutes’ walk to the beach.
The House on the Fjord
Contemporary in design and décor with modern, marble bathrooms, the house offers easy, laid back living along with a professional staff and gourmet chef.
Read the article here or have a look at Villa du Couchant or the House on the Fjord on our site.
Last Minute Villas
The Child Friendly Villa
Where: Kipseli House, Corfu
The Party Villa
Where: Azahra, Morocco
The Mountainous Villa
Where: Chalet Madeleine, Klosters
Read the article here.
And you're travelling with ... four screaming brats?
Moulin du Jardinier
Sir David Lean's restored 15-century house, with a hidden leafy pool and tennis courts.
From £8,520 a week
Read the article here or have a look at Moulin du Jardinier on our site
Luxury villas in Italy: 15 of the best
La Civettaia, Tuscany
The home of racehorse trainer Luca Cumani, La Civettaia is near the Tuscan villages of Castel Falfi and Ghizzano; Siena, Pisa and the seaside resort of Forte dei Marmi are all accessible. Once derelict, the property was restored to its original state after its 2003 purchase and its interiors feature furniture by local craftsmen and an imposing mural by artist Scott Wilson.
Sleeps: 10 adults and two children in five bedrooms
Costs: From £4,500 per week
Read the article here or have a look at La Civettia on our site
New villas in the Caribbean
By Caribbean standards, Bequia is quite large - the largest of the Grenadine islands, at least - with a wealth of restaurants and buzzy bars in the capital Port Elizabeth, two museums (one for whaling, for which the island is known), and two mountains, with walking trails.
It is still, however, a relatively wild place, with deserted bays and golden beaches protected by staggering headlands from the elements; the surf is fierce, making it ideal for water sports.
Bay View is up on the hillside overlooking Hope Bay on the east of the island. Made for entertaining, the six-bedroom villa has a professional-sized kitchen and spacious lounge. There's an infinity pool and access to the beach at Hope Bay.
From £6,600 per week for 12 people; for more information contact SJ Villas (020 7589 4390; www.sjvillas.co.uk)
Read the article here or have a look at Bay View in Bequia
Italy booking guide: 2013
Our expert guide to the best tour operators and agents offering holidays to Italy.
Read the article here or have a look at our Italian properties on our site.
Greek Retreat
If your summer plans include an escape for two to somewhere sunnyand idyllic, SJ Villas has added the beautifully relaxed Villa Iriti in Corfu to its books. This romantic retreat on the islands north-east coast has recently been renovated by its London- based owner and now offers a spacious air-conditioned bedroom, lined with French windows for beuatifiul sea views and complete with super-king sized bed. The luxury living space has a seperate kitchen and dining area, and there are several terraces, an outdoor eating area, a barbeque and swimming pool. The location is equally striking. Set in olive groves with a landscaped garden by Jennifer Gay, the villa is just a 15 minute drive to Agni beach with its excellent tavernas, and 50 minutes along the coast road to the airport.
Read the article here or have a look at Villa Iriti on our site.
Corfu
If your summer plans include an escape for two to somewhere sunnyand idyllic, SJ Villas has added the beautifully relaxed Villa Iriti in Corfu to its books. This romantic retreat on the islands north-east coast has recently been renovated by its London- based owner and now offers a spacious air-conditioned bedroom, lined with French windows for beuatifiul sea views and complete with super-king sized bed. The luxury living space has a seperate kitchen and dining area, and there are several terraces, an outdoor eating area, a barbeque and swimming pool. The location is equally striking. Set in olive groves with a landscaped garden by Jennifer Gay, the villa is just a 15 minute drive to Agni beach with its excellent tavernas, and 50 minutes along the coast road to the airport.
Read the article here or have a look at Villa Iriti on our site.
20 Secret islands in the Med.
Baron Island
Once a royal hunting estate, Baron Island is the largest of four volcanic islands inside Mar menor, a secluded lagoon near the anciant port of Cartagena. Now a private island that is occassionally available for hire, most of its 220 acres are a nature and wildlife reserve consisting of four peaks which have panoramic views, while there are several small beaches along the coastline.
Stay: There are three places to stay, which are normally hired together: a five story, three bedroom converted watch tower designed by Frank Lloyed Wright, a four-bed cottage and three-bed old Chapel. Seven nights self catering is from €10 000 for 14 people .
Read the article here or have a look at Baron Island on our site.
Vogue April 2013.
People are talking about travel...
Mythic paradise. Privacy and charm come together in a hilltop villa in Corfu.
Off the northwestern edge of Greece, Corfu has seduced everyone from Poseidon, who, so the storty goes, named the island for the nymph Korkyra, to twentieth-century writers Lawrence and Gerald Durrel...
Read the article here or have a look at Villa Iriti on our site.
The world's best beach villasAmong the Palm House's full-time staff are two masseuses, two Thai chefs, a resident barman and an executive chef. The villa sleeps up to 20, in 10 villas. Price From $5,000 (about £3,100) per night, including breakfast and daily maid service. Contact sjvillas.co.uk.
Read the article here or have a look at the Palm House on our site.
Conde Nast Traveller - February 2013
The hottest new rentals in Europe
Villa du Couchant, Ile de Ré
Sleeps 10
The French have got the right idea, taking off the whole of August and disappearing somewhere sunny and beachy - and the Ile de Ré is France's favourite holiday island.
It's not exactly short of lovely places to rent (and there are four fabulous new properties for this year), but new Villa du Couchant is something quite special: big, airy, open-plan modern spaces with cool, pared-down interiors, designed by a local architect. Oversized windows slide right back to open up the indoors to the outdoors, and it's got a big outdoor dining space plus a suspended fireplace for chillier evenings. A short walk away, along a little path through the pine forests, is Bois Plage, one of the nicest beaches on an island of very nice beaches indeed, a stretch of sand big enough to ride horses along.
The same rental company, SJ Villas, has an additional two properties on the Ile de Ré new for this summer; both also sleeping 10.
Villa du Couchant starts from £6,800 per week; for more details contact SJ Villas (020 7589 4390; www.sjvillas.co.uk)
Read the article here or have a look at Villa du Couchant on our site.
Conde Nast Traveller - February 2013
The hottest new rentals in Europe
Villa Iriti
A painter from London, on yet another trip to her beloved Corfu, found an old ruin on a hillside above the north-east coast. The walls had crumbled, the roof had fallen in; but she bought it, and spent the past two years rebuilding it and making this heartbreakingly beautiful villa just for two.
She has leant her artistic eye and the decoration is quite delightful: lots of white and natural shades, textures and touchy-feely fabrics with unusual touches - lamps made from blown-glass terrariums and organic wooden shapes, oriental carvings, antique furniture from different eras, ethnic textiles. And light, lots of light - there are three sets of French windows opening off the bedroom, and more from the sitting room to let in the light and the breeze.
The gardens - half an acre of them - have been done by landscape gardener Jennifer Gay. There's a little pool, several terraces overhung with olive trees, furniture for outdoor living - and it all overlooks the forest, with Agni beach and the hamlet of Rou below, and beyond, the Ionian Sea. As romantic as can be.
From £1,500 a week; for more details contact SJ Villas (020 7589 4390; www.sjvillas.co.uk)
Read the article here or have a look at Villa Iriti on our site.
Vanity Fair - February 2013
La Residenza, Venice
Opposite St Mark's Square, La Residenza is a a 16th century building newly converted into apartments byFrancesca Bortolotti, who transformed the Bauer Hotel on the St Mark's side and now the Palladio on the Giudecca. La Residenza, also know as Villa F, is reached through the Palladio's three acre garden of roses, lawns, trees and clematis. Francesca has used the heavenly sea-green and deep-pink colours that only Venetians can do; also silks and linens. The windows are enormous: wake and Santa Maria della Salute is virtually on your pillow (uless obscured bythe floating block of flats that is a vile cruise ship). There's a great vaporetto stop right outside. All 11 apartments, with private butler service, are independent, some interconnected, but can be taken as a whole for 38 people. (sjvillas.co.uk)
Read the article here or have a look at La Residenza
Conde Nast Traveller - February 2013
La Bergerie de Terre Blanche
There are heaps of dinky boutique boltholes in Provence, but are seven- or 17-year-olds with Hannah Montanna and Xbox games on the brain really welcome? A big-gun hotel would be a much better bet, but what if you want privacy too, and perhps - every mothers dream - a private chef? And even some golf to keep the boys happy? This newly built thriller-villa, just a 40 minute hop from Nice airport, is of grandiose proportions, with a vast amount of space for kicking back. Its in the ground of the Terre Blanche Hotel (formerly a Four Seasons), so you can expect full-throttle services and a flurry of add ons.
Expect great service and a flurry of add-ons with action on tap
Read the article here or have a look at La Bergerie de Terre Blanche
The Sunday Times Travel - January 2013
Villa Iriti, Corfu, Sleeps 2
Houses for 2 rarely come with this level of luxury. At Villa Iriti, in the northeast of the island , the pale interiors are open to the rafters and there's handmade mattresses on the super kingsize bed. Outside you'll find terraces (reached by french doors) , a pool, a pergola-covered dinning area with views of Albania . Corfu Airpot a 50 minute drive.
Read the article here or have a look at Villa Iriti
The Independent Magazine - January 2013
Villa Iriti
For a luxury villa for two in Corfu, a roofless ruin recently restored by a British artist. Villa Iriti, in the hills near San Stephano on the island's northeast coast, comes with handmade mattresses in the bedroom, a wet room, and st surrounded by landscaped gardens centred around a dramatically-set swimming pool.
Read the article here or have a look at Villa Iriti
Stylist - Holiday homes for Foodies - January 2013
Domaine de Murtoli
This traditional cottage has bohemian interiors and two kitchens but its the location that will delight culinary connoisseurs . The grounds offer veal and lamb, fruit and veg, olive oil and fresh sea bream - all avaialbel to order.
Read the article here or have a look at Domaine de Murtoli
Evening Standard - Travel 2013- January 2013
Five Islands
'Five Islands' is a large villa fronting Lipa Noi beach on Koh Samui's unspoilt West Coast, named after the Five Islands it overlooks. Contemporary open plan design fades the distinction between indoor and outdoor living, with a large main swimming pool with a bar and sunken stools, and a pull down projection screen to create an outdoor cinema visible from the pool. In addition there is a large BBQ pit and childrens pool, playroom and wooden playground. A beachside lawn edges the living area, topped off by lanscaped gardens decked out with an orchid covered walkway and lilypond. All that and the villa comes with a Thai chef and maid service, with conceirge service available.
Read the article here or have a look at Five Islands
The Times - Europe's best 50 beach villas - January 2013
Villa Tatiana, Albufeira
Villa Tatiana is a real find: it is beside the 5-mile beach Praia da Gale with paths down to the sea, and has a large heated pool, its own tennis court and a boules pitch. This beautifully restored house is large and immaculately furnished. It has 6 bedrooms, some with private terraces and sea views. The cook/housekeeper will prepare meals.
Read the article here or have a look at Villa Tatiana
Harper’s Bazaar - Travel Hot 100 - January 2013
Villa F
Francesca Bortolotto’s family owns Venice’s resplendent Bauer II Palazzo hotel on the Grand Canal and the Palladio on the Giudecca. Her Villa F, a 16th-century property also on the Giudecca, is divided into 11 private residences. Enchanting and extraordinary, it is your very own personal palazzo, a dream venue for a party or a prosecco-fuelled secret tryst. Reached through tangled roses and lush lawns, it has a contemporary Venetian aesthetic: frescoes and Rubelli silks, but also oversize baths and a meditation pool in the three-acre garden. Don’t pass up an elegant evening at Cip’s at the nearby Hotel Cipriani.
From £970 a night for a one-bedroom apartment, including a butler, WiFi and access to the Palladio and its spa, with SJ Villas (020 7589 4390; www.sjvillas.co.uk).
Read the article here or have a look at Villa F here
The Times - Saturday,
December 15 2012
Fort William, Lismore, Co Waterford
There’s more great salmon fishing at this delightful house on the banks of the River Blackwater but it’s Fort William’s interiors that really shine. An immaculate Georgian home, there are five double bedrooms, a wing of five smaller rooms, a lovely drawing room, a well-lit morning room and a games room with a cinema and a billiard table. Head outside and there is a croquet lawn and a tennis court.
Details: Seven nights’ self-catering is from £1,166 for 12 (020 7589 4390, sjvillas.co.uk).
Read the article here or have a look at Fort William
Times Luxx, December 2012
La Finca, Soller, Mallorca
Set the scene: a 17-century former olive farm located in 50 hectares of immaculate gardens.
So are we talking olde-worlde rustic chic here? Only if you think 16 rooms, your own tennis court, saline swimming pool, cinema room, ping-pong and pool tables and staff are "rustic".
Oh is it big? Yes. Very. And there are two additional apartments - perfect for the mother-in-law and nanny.
Why would you ever leave? Its tricky. Its worth taking the tram over the Serra de Tramuntana range to Palma while youre there . Also try to get to Deia to dine at El Olivo, one of the best restaurants in Spain
Read the article here or have a look at La Finca on our site.
The Times - Weekend, 8 December 2012
20 best Caribbean beaches
...with a villa attached. Inspired by balmy sands and limpid waters. Annabelle Thorpe picks the finest places to stay.
Villa Colibri in Pigeons Beach and Plantation House, Cobblers Cove are featured in this review.
Read the article here or have a look at the caribbean on our site.
Ultratravel (The Daily Telegraph) - Winter 2012 - TOP 10
The Palm House
"Among the Palm House's full-time staff are two masseuses, two Thai chefs, a resident barman and an executive chef. The villa sleeps up to 20, in 10 villas. Price From $5,000 (about £3,100) per night, including breakfast and daily maid service. Contact sjvillas.co.uk."
Read the article here or have a look at The Palm House
London Evening Standard, 26 November 2012
La Bergerie de Terre Blanche
A newly built villa has just become available for rental in the South of France. La Bergerie de Terre Blanche is set within the exclusive 750-acre five-star Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort designed in the style of a provencal village in the hillside of Tourrettes.
Read the article here or have a look at La Bergerie de Terre Blanche on our site.
The Times, October 2012
Chalet Pearl - Megève
Five minutes from the centre of Megève and close to the Rochebrune cable car, this large chalet has five bedrooms in contemporary Alpine style (think lots of wood but sleeker lines) and four granite and marble en-suites, as well as kitchen, Sitting room library, sauna and hot tub.
Read the article here or have a look at Chalet Pearl on our site.
Tatler, September 2012
Fort William, Lismore, Ireland
A most elegant house thats a little bit grand and a little bit cosy. Put your best foot forward in the drawing room, tricked out in fancy French boiseries, or both feet up in a sitting room heaped with books and board games...
Read the article here or have a look at Fort William our site.
Atolikos House, Corfu, Greece
You don't have to think here at all. When you book through SJ Villas, your brain can be left at Gatwick. Fortget about cooking - the kitchen is bijou, through brilliantly equipped, but then theres the shopping and the washing-up and all that palaver. Instead, get your lunch and supper reservations sorted tickety-boo before you arrive, and swan off to a different delicious taverna twice daily. It sounds exhausting, but its quite the opposite. Sore neck? Two masseuses will arrive before breakfast - the Indian guy gives a mean deep tissue massage, but you can request a gentle rub down too.
Read the article here or have a look at Atolikos on our site
The Times, July 2012
Summer in Scandinavia
From cabins by fjords to treehouses in forests, James Ellis picks 20 of the best waterside retreats
Read the article here or have a look at The House on the Fjord on our site.
Financial Times 'How To Spend It' Magazine
Kipseli House, Corfu
Wander woman Sophy Roberts fast-tracks international intelligence on where to be and what to see.
Read the article here or have a look at Kipseli House on our site.
Wallpaper Magazine: July travel news: editor's picks
Palm House, Koh Samui, Thailand
The latest outpost from London-based travel company, SJ Villas, is an indulgent property on the Southern coast of Koh Samui. Set over 12 acres of land with its own private beach, Palm House offers panoramic views over the island’s rolling hills and the sea beyond. Comprising 10 individual villas that sleep two people each, the elegant estate gives traditional Thai décor a modern spin. Guests can make use of the private pool on the beachfront, the clubhouse, games room, cocktail bar and restaurant with 25 members of staff, including three chefs.
Read the article online or look at Palm House on our site.
FT - June 2012
On location
By Ian Belcher
Film director David Lean’s Côte d’Azur villa is a unique summer retreat with its opulent interiors, verdant gardens and cinematic connections.
Read the complete article here.
Conde Nast - June 2012
Our experts this month - Sarah Hutchins
"Sarah Hutchins is one of the co-founders of SJ Villas. The luxury villa specialist has holiday rental properties across the world."
Read all about Sarah's recommendations here.
Or have a look at the property, The Garden House in Corfu, on our site.
Conde Nast - March 2012
Great value villas around the world.
A colonial villa in the Dominican republic.
"Our website is just the shop window' says Menier. 'We always prefer to discuss individual needs and fit clients to the villa, sometimes suggesting places people have never through of'. relaunched in 2007 with business partner Sarah Hutchins, SJ Villas showcases 200 properties on the website with hundreds more available. Among the most recent acquisitions is Casa Diana, which Menier believes to be one of the finest private houses to rent in the Dominican Republic. Built in a grand colonial style with white-coral stone, it sleeps 12 and has wonderful sea views and an infinity pool, and is furnished with four-poster beds and an eclectic collection of antiques. There is a golf course and beach club with a restaurant nearby. Flights are via Antigua.
Read the complete article here.
The Times Luxx - March 2012
Villa Mou Estate, Corfu, San Stefano
This, the unspoilt northeast corner of Corfu, is the place to be seen when the school holidays come around - David Cameron and George Osborne have dipped their toes in the water here. It's ridiculously idyllic: iridescent olive groves, melt-in- your- mouth meze and views of the Albanian mountains across the glass-calm Med.
Read the complete article here.
Telegraph's UltraTravel Magazine - March 2012
La Residenza, Venice.
USP: A 16th-century villa on the Giudecca, with views to St Mark's Square, which has been restored in classical Venetian style by its owner, Francesca Bortolotto Possati. The villa - on the rental market for the first time this year - can be booked either in its entirety or spilt into 11 apartments, sleeping from two to four, from €2,200 (about £1,842) a night.
Details: The palatial rooms are lined with original frescos and furnished with antiques, but have power-showers and Nespresso machines. The Bauer Hotel provides staff and meals, or guests can have ingredients delivered from the Rialto market. The villa's greatest triumph is a three acre garden, with mature tress, rose-beds and a contemporary pool at its centre. A private boat whizzes guests to central Venice.
Read the complete article here.
House & Garden - March 2012
Villa Tessi - Cote d'Azur.
An easy drive from St Tropez, on a stretch of the Riviera that has retained its old-fashioned charm, this property combines Jazz Age glamour with modern comforts and beyond...
Read the complete article here.
The Times - 4 February 2012
"40 coolest villas in the Med"
On the 4 February SJ Villas had three villas featured in an article in the travel section of The Times
Read the complete article here.
Bazaar Travel Hot 100 - Harpers Bazaar - January 2012
The best private villa experts.
Read the complete article here.
These property gurus with impeccable taste will help you find the holiday hangout of your dreams.
Sunday Times Travel Magazine - January 2012
Caribbean - Anguilla
Read the complete article here.
SJ Villas offers five- suite Villa Mystique on Maundy's Bay with stunning views from a roof deck: seven nights (Jan-March) £2,573pp (no meals or flights) based on 10 sharing, with concierge service.
GQ Magazine - December 2011
Chalet Madeleine
Read the complete article here.
Not only does this recntly refurbished top-of-the-range Alpine gem boast a small gym, outdoor Jacuzzi and top service (such as a driver to transfer you to the ski lifts), but Chalet Madeleine sleeps eight and includes breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner five nights a week.
Where to go
Tatler - September 2011
At your service
Utterly approachable, charming and go-getting, Sarah Hutchins worked in villas for 30 years and Judy worked in marketing before they hooked up several years ago to focus on this. They worked incredibly hard (each seems to have about 35 mobiles and can be reached day or night in both hell and high water) and focus on about 200 villas, mostly in Europe but also in the Caribbean, Bali and South Africa. Some are on the website, lots are kept in a secret drawer. They have one of Annabel Goldsmith's little villas in Southern Spain and David Lean's old house in Provence. Concierge is big for them: Top mixologists, sopranos from La Scala, local vets so the dog can have his chip checked before he comes back to the UK. If you are looking for something specific but cant find it - something wild and surfy in Costa Rica, lets say - they will fix it for you. Stay at Atolikos House, Corfu, where you'll have views that normally only vast pots of money can buy, and you won't have to make a single decision, from the restaurant bookings to the massage requests.
Read the complete article here.
Conde Nast Traveller - September 2011
The experts
"We are looking for a villa sleeping eight people over Christmas week. Key requirements are a flight no longer than 10 ours, good weather, a decent pool and privacy. Any suggestions?
Sarah Hutchins has 30 years experience in the villa business and co-founded SJ Villas four years ago. It offers luxury villa rentals worldwide.
Antigua immediately springs to mind. Direct flights from London arrive there jut in time for a swim before dinner. But which house? There are so many gorgeous views, but for your particular needs I'd recommend Villa Bleu on Proctors Point at Turtle Bay. It is up on the cliffs overlooking the entrance to Falmouth Bay, and nowhere could be more private. The house runs the length of the cliff garden, with a large master suite overlooking the infinity pool at one end and guest rooms in a series of connected 'cottages' at the other. The ensemble is surrounded by a mass of bright pink and white bougainvillea. Two pretty pavilions halfway down the cliff can be reached by a flights of steps: one is a gym, the other a 'gin and tonic' pavilion in which to watch the sunset or enjoy the sea breezes. there are views of the ocean and bay from every part of the house, with no one else in sight except the lovely housekeeper to rustle up the G&Ts. Over Christmas the villa, which sleeps 10, costs US$2,500 per night.
Evenving Standard - 13 June 2011
Basquing in the sun
Destination: French Basque Country
For family holidays in rental houses, the less places there are for sand and ice cream to hide, the better. Enter the recently renovated La Maison des Champs , which sleeps 12, in Saubrigues in the French Basque Country. A light, open-plan modern living space, the almost sparse interiors are cheerfully livened up with splashes of greens and reds. There is a home cinema, a second TV room, a snooker room and a playroom with toys and table football. The high-spec kitchen includes a large Gaggenau fridge and freezer with ice machine, induction hob, oven and steam oven. There's also the now expected wi-fi, Sky television and useful highchairs and cots. The grassy grounds hold a large, gated swimming pool, with a shallow beach, sunbathing terrace and a Boules pitch. Nearby lies the endless stretch of surfer-strewn sand, Hossegor, with Biarritz, the nearest airport, 30 minutes' drive away.
Seven nights at La Maison des Champs with SJ Villas costs £635pp (€8,750) including daily maid service.
Read the complete article here.
FT - How to spent it - June 2011
And in Ibiza, Casa Vadella has all bright white contemporary interiors, multi level terraces, and a saline infinity pool that wraps around the house. All that's missing is a DJ, of which there's no shortage on the island.
Camper & Nicholson's Sea & I - Spring/Summer 2011
If you are looking to rent a holiday property worldwide, tune your radar to the finest residences in the Caribbean and Europe.
A Château in St Tropez
SJ Villas has a distinctive selection of villas
available to rent, and is delighted to add a new
one to its books. Le Grand Château St Tropez is
situated in the heart of St Tropez within secluded
and manicured gardens. The main château has
four large suites but there is an additional house
in the grounds that sleeps another eight. The
chic boutiques, restaurants and bars are just a
walk away, and entry to them can be arranged
through the château's exclusive concierge.
A Sicilian Farmhouse Estate
Ever dreamt of enjoying long summer days on an
estate set among orange groves? SJ Villas brought
this romantic vision to reality when it recently
added a large Sicilian farmhouse to its portfolio.
The charming house, which sleeps 16, sits amid
exotic landscaped gardens and offers breathtaking
views across surrounding orange groves to
Mount Etna. Along with a swimming pool and tennis
court, the house also comes with an experienced
cook who prepares traditional Sicilian
dishes with fresh, local ingredients.
Read the complete article here.
Vogue - April 2011
A filmmakers glamorous retreat offers the perfect getaway.
"When the late British filmmaker Sir David Lean (Dr Zhivago; Lawrence of Arabia) fell in love with Moulin du Jadinier, a dilpidated fifteenth- century stone mill house in the South of France, he took the same meticulous approach to restoring it as he did to making his epic films. Now, after giving it a stylish update, its current owners are making this legendary property available for rental. Perched on seven lush acres outside the medieval village of Mouans-Sartoux, the house sleeps up to nine guests in four luxurious doubles and a single, including a spectacular master suite with an enormous canopy bed and a private patio. Guests can swim in the large green-tiled heated pool enclosed by stone walls or wander off to one of the mosaic-pebbled terraces, shaded by ancient trees and set with neatly trimmed potted plants - ideal for reading or alfresco dining. Nearby, Provence's loveliest villages await discovery by car or even on foot: Mougins, for example, is a three-mile walk along the Siagne Canal, with ravishing views of cypress trees and lavender fields en route. Rate for one-week rental for up to nine people starts at $17,000."
Read the complete article here or have a look at the
property on our site here
Vogue - April 2011
Get ahead of the hordes and book a chic summer villa.
"Ca's Pierre, in the pretty town of Fornalutx in Majorca, shares the laid-back Balearic vibe. The roof terrace has 360-degree views of the Alfabia mountains; wake up early for hikes into the orange groves, swim in the heat ofthe day and then retire to the shade of date palms in the delightfully tangled garden. Sleeps eight"
Read the complete article here or have a look at the
property on our site here.
Evening Standard - 21 February 2011
"Le Grand Chateâu St Tropez is now available for rental for the first time through SJ Villas. The listed, restored Belle Epoque chateâu in the centre of St Tropez village is comprised of the main house and La Maison d'Etoiles, also in the grounds, both sleeping eight in 4 king-sized suites with dressing rooms and marble and granite bathrooms. The entrance is fittingly grand, reached by a palm tree-lined drive set in manicured gardens with a large fibre optic-lit swimming pool. Inside are exposed beams, oak floors and heavily draped floor-to-ceiling windows, lots of glamorous white furniture and twinkling chandeliers. If all this isn't enough to entertain, there's an in-house cinema and the resort's famous nightlife nearby"
Three nights from £656pp based on 16 sharing including breakfast and the services of a housekeeper, a gardener and a concierge.
Read the complete article here or have a look at the
property on our site here
Financial Times - How to Spend it - February 5 2011
"Euro skiers, meanwhile, are still flocking to the blingest of Trois Vallées jewels, Courchevel, where Chalet Blanch is another stunning new contemporary villa in the SJ portfolio - purpose built last year with 6 bedrooms, multiple living spaces with open fireplaces spread over 5 floors, and all the expected bells and whistles.
SJ's other very desirable new-to-the-market property is in low-key Ile de Ré - an absurdly tasteful mas in the Unesco designated port of Saint- Martin-de-Ré. The centuries-old facade of the Logis St Martin hides a rigorously modern interior and state-of-the-art amenities, including a home cinema for rainy afternoons (there's a full sized boules pitch for the sunny ones)."
Read the complete article here.
Conde Nast Traveller - February, 2011
25 of the best villas in Europe
The Kassiopia Estate: Atolikos House (sleeps 6) and Cassiopeia House (Sleeps 14).
Because these two houses, a few minutes' walk from each other on a five-acre estate, can be rented individually or together (at a discount), group numbers can vary. Both are new to SJ Villas' book, and although you're paying a premium for location (the wooded north-east of this island is, of course, the plum summertime spot for the well-heeled British establishment), you're also buying stunning sea views, wraparound terraces, open-plan entertaining areas and direct access to the sea (much sort after in this area). A private jetty means you can save on car hire costs and travel everywhere by boat. The interiors are cool and sophisticated (white sofas, glass-topped coffee tables, large ceiling fans, contemporary artworks).
Read the article here.
Conde Nast Traveller - 11 January, 2011
Stay in a movie legend's French hideaway
By Tony Cross, 11 Jan 2011
This beautifully converted French mill was once the retreat of legendary British film director Sir David Lean. The film-maker, who was best known for directing all-time classic movies like Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, described it as "somewhere to lie down in the grass under an olive tree and look up through its silver green leaves and gaze at the blue sky."
The house, Moulin du Jardinier, was purchased by Lean as a ruin in 1987 and completely renovated over two years. It is now owned by a Danish couple who bought it from Sir David's widow in 2007, who have further enriched the property with Provencal antique furniture and simple Scandinavian furnishings.
The house is set in seven acres of mature landscaped gardens in the hills of Mouans Sartoux, 20 minutes from Cannes in the south of France. The impressive layout inside sleeps nine people, and includes a huge vaulted drawing room and dining room for entertaining.
In the gardens, a heated swimming pool with green mosaic tiles is nestled among the many flower terraces. There is also a pool house with a full kitchen, a barbecue and dining area.
A housekeeping couple live in a small cottage in the grounds and provide a maid service and help in the kitchen six days a week. A cook and a chauffeur can be provided on request.
A week at the Moulin du Jardinier with SJ Villas costs from £1,177 per person, based on nine people sharing, including maid service. For reservations call SJ Villas on 020 7801 4010 or visit www.sjvillas.co.uk
Read the article here.
The Telegraph - January 21, 2011
Guide to villas in Italy: holiday planner 2011
Our complete guide to booking a villa or cottage in Italy, including luxury options and cheaper accommodation ideas in Tuscany, Umbria, Sicily and elsewhere.
Summer 2010 sold better than many villa owners expected, so small price increases have crept in for high season. Villas in central Tuscany continue to command a premium of 30 per cent over neighbouring Lazio and Umbria. The real bargains are still found in the lesser-known Adriatic provinces of Le Marche, Abruzzo and Puglia. In some sections we have picked out for special mention tour operators offering programmes that we consider particularly interesting or good value.
SJ Villas (0207 801 4010; www.sjvillas.co.uk) Some of the best houses available for rent on the Amalfi coast, Lake Como and Capri. New this year is the eight-bedroom San Giorgio, overlooking Mount Etna, with cook, infinity pool and tennis court; £14,500 a week.
Read the article here.
FT.com - January 21, 2011
The hottest new trips for 2011 - The perfect Provence villa
The perfect Provence villa Sir David Lean, the late filmmaker behind classics such as Lawrence of Arabi and Doctor Zhivago, described his 15th-century French retreat as somewhere he could simply “lie down in the grass under an olive tree and look up through its silver green leaves and gaze at the sky”. This year you can do the same – the house, a converted mill set in seven acres of grounds, is available to rent for the first time. The Moulin du Jardinier sleeps nine and has a pool, a huge vaulted dining room, beautiful gardens and views over the valley below. From £10,593 per week; www.sjvillas.co.uk
Read the article here.
British Airways Highlife -December 2010
Villa Andaman, Phuket, Thailand
"End the year on a high at this breathtaking Thai villa. Based around a series of pavilions, it has every luxury you can think of, massage room, games room, a fleet of staff, and an infinty pool that overlooks the Andaman Sea. Take advantage of the nearby Andara resort and its renowned Spa. From £1,065 pp based on 12 sharing for seven nights."
Evening Standard - 17 December, 2010
Oranges and Lemons
"If snow isnt your thing book now for a spring break at the glorious San Giorgo Estate near Catania in Sicily. Set in an organic orange grove with views across Mount Etna, the house sleeps 16 and has a pool, tennis court and, most importantly, a local cook to whip up some fabulous Sicilian dinners. Seven nights from £648 per person B&B, based on 16 people sharing."
Read the article here.
The Times - 11 December, 2010
From Tenefire to Thailand.
Tropical hideaways, beach hangouts and rooms with views. Nicola Iseard picks the hotest places to stay."
Read the complete article here.
Evening Standard
Thai Style
"Why not see in the New Year in the sunshine at SJ Villas' latest property, the spectacular Tamarind House in the foothills of Kao Krating, near Pattaya, a 90 minute drive from Bangkok. Sleeping up to 32 people from as little as £52pp per night (B&B; all other meals cost from £3pp), the house boasts a swimming pool, tennis court, a white-sand beach ten minutes drive away, 15 full-time staff, including cook and a driver, as well as on-call babysitters, massage therapists and even a tennis coach."
Read the article here.
InStyle - July, 2010
Private paradise. No need to reserve a lounger - it's all yours for a week
"Holiday-home specialists SJ Villas has beautiful, high-spec houses on the islands of Mykonos, Hydra and Cephalonia. We'd line up to stay in Villa Olivia on Cephalonia, which sleeps eight and is set in a private olive estate."
From €4,900 to €8,600 (about £4,291 to £7,595) per week.
Read the article here.
First Life - May/June, 2010
Spending Power
Staying in a private villa is one of the most luxurious ways to holiday. We round up the flashiest pads available.
Villa Guiseppina, Italy
The villa on the shores of Lake Como has recently undergone a multimillion pound transformation. Designers from Milan fashion house Etno have created contemporary-classic chic interiors - there are seven bedrooms in total. There's also an infinity pool, a spa, a jacuzzi and a fully equipped gym. A fleet of staff is available 24/7 as well as a private Riva boat and chauffeur-driven car for when you want to pop over to nearby Milan for some retail therapy.
From €3,128 per week per person based on 14 peole sharing.
Read the article here.
Irishtimes.com - 3 June 2010
"One stately home that has just come on the market is Fort William, a Georgian estate on 400 acres overlooking the Blackwater Valley in Co Waterford, “available for private rental for the first time” says the press release. To let through UK company SJ Villas, it provides a ghillie, who can arrange salmon fishing on the River Blackwater, five double en suite bedrooms and a further wing of five smaller bedrooms and a self-contained flat suitable for a nanny. There is a French-panelled drawingroom, study, morning room, diningroom, kitchen (with Aga), and a games room with a cinema and billiard table. Outside there’s a croquet lawn and a tennis court.
For a week Fort William costs €16,701 (£13,944) or €1,392 (£1,162) per person based on 12 people sharing."
Read the complete article here or have a look at the
property on our site here.
The Times - 24 April, 2010
Schools out - Ideas for adventurous families.
Gulp fresh mountain air in the Swiss Alps at the resort of Crans Montana. Take mountain bikes up on ski lifts and hurtle back down, or ride easier special trails. As well as waterskiing, swimming and kayaking in lakes there is skiing on the Plaine Morte glacier plateau. Apartment Curling sleeps 6, is from £2,500 a week including maid service.
Read the article here.
Evening Standard - April, 2010
A Shore Thing.
SJ Villas features Villa Giuseppina from £626pp per night based on 14 people sharing. The price includes continental breakfast, soft drinks, daily housekeeping, a chef, a chauffeur-driven Mercedez benz GL500 and a skippered Riva motorlaunch.
Read the article here.
The Experts - your queries answered.
Condé Nast Traveller - May, 2010
Classic Question:
We want to book a really special private villa in the South of France, or possibly Italy, in July. It must have a pool and sleep at least 10 and, most importnatly, come with a chef. Any recommendtions?
Read the article here.
Financial Times - April 3 2010
"Should a respite from the swell of Fair attendees prove necessary, an 18th century villa on the shores of Lake Como has just become available to let. Vill Guiseppina sits on the lake's western shore overlooking the town of bellagio. Seven Bedrooms, two large living rooms, a dedicated family floor and a discrete spa and sauna are all the work of the design team at Etro. There's also a Riva yacht and a host in the form of Silvano Giraldin, former maitre d' and manager at le Gavroche in London".
Read the complete article here or have a look at the property here.
Condé Nast Traveller - April, 2010
Great Value European villas
Looking for a good quality holiday property to rent at reasonable price? Then you must go beyond the most popular areas, say Nick Trend.
Or have a look at Le Vieux Biac on the SJ Villas website here!
Telegraph.co.uk - March 3 2010
"SJ Villas (020 7801 4010; www.sjvillas.co.uk) is offering seven nights in the Casa Dali, a traditional house in the town of Cadaques, the Costa Brava home of Salvador Dali. The house has its own garden and pool, and overlooks the town, with views of the cathedral and the sea, and is two-minutes' walk from the beach. The villa costs £565 per person, based on nine sharing, accommodation only "
Read the complete article here.
Condé Nast Traveller - February, 2010
Big Treat in Corsica
The garden of this low-slung, modern villa, recently made available as a holiday house, slopes down to a fabulous beach edged withy rocky outcrops, which is only accessible from the house...
Or have a look at Villa Mathilde on the SJ Villas website here!
Telegraph.co.uk - January 5 2010
"SJ Villas - Some of the best houses available for rent on the Amalfi coast and Capri. Sumptuous Villa Giuseppina on Lake Como comes with chauffeur-driven Merc and skippered launch: £2,700 per person per week if 14 sharing. ".
Read the complete article here.
Evening Standard - June 10 , 2009
Have a closer look at Can Claudia
"Ibiza: SJ Villas has exclusive access to a selection of seriously dreamy properties around the world. Can Claudia near St Agnes, famed for its valley of almond trees, is an Ibizan party pad owned by composer George Solti's daughter Claudia (hence the name), who is building an outdoor cinema in the forest ths summer. Design delights include a curved infinity pool, yoga tipee, flat-screen TVs, digital projector, iPod docking stations and indoor and outdoor stereo. Three double bedrooms include a Balinese-style one with an indoor/outdoor bathroom. The property borders a conservation area with a cove where boat trips can be taken, and has views to the sea. Previous guests include fashion designer Alice Temperley and model Jacquetta Wheeler."
Condé Nast Traveller - June, 2009
Pssst... Don't tell anyone.
Can you keep a secret?
Francesca Syz has found 10 beautiful islands around the world that the locals would rather you didn't know about.
Or have a look at Isla Del Mar on the SJ Villas website here!
Condé Nast Traveller - May, 2009
Villa 9: La Galine near St Tropez, France. Sleeps 14
This villa ticks all the boxes for one or two families holidaying with teenagers, or for a group of friends who want an affordable base near the most glamorous stretch of the French Riviera. The main house sleeps eight, the guest cottage sleeps four and there's also a small single room for a cook or nanny on a lower level. Built on a wooded hillside in a couple of hectares, it has a heated pool, AstroTurf tennis court, boules pitch and table tennis.
Financial Times - April 4 2009
As demand for extraordinary villa rentals intensifies, Sarah Hutchins and Judith Menier are two names whose numbers you might care to add to your Blackberry. Their company, SJ Villas (www.sjvillas.co.uk), represents some of the most desirable privately owned holiday homes in Europe, The Caribbean and beyond.
The Sunday Times - February 15, 2009
Sarah Hutchinson, of SJ Villas, which specialises in top-end properties, tells much the same story. "Bookings are coming in much later, and, as a result, we are finding that many owners, on our recommendation, are open to negotiation." she says. "We are getting some great deals for our clients, even in peak holiday weeks.".
For more luxury villa rentals please call us on UK+44(0)20 7589 4390 or on info@sjvillas.co.uk
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