Language
Currency
There are times in life when we just need to stop what we’re doing and take time to celebrate the simple pleasures of being with the people we love.
Never is that truer than when marking a milestone birthday, a wedding anniversary, celebrating the birth of a child or launching into your retirement. For those looking to go all out for their wife’s 50th birthday or to celebrate their son’s engagement, a trip to a special destination in a luxury villa might be the perfect gift.
At Villanovo, our dedicated local concierge teams have plenty of experience in helping to put together a blow-out holiday or two, providing first-class service and organising bespoke activities ideal for treating your loved ones, whatever the celebration. From Marrakech and Ibiza to Provence and the Costa Brava, our concierge team explain a little about how they can help you give someone special a celebration they’ll never forget.
There is a special romance about Morocco and Marrakech in particular. Perhaps it’s the otherworldliness of it all: the ornately decorated riads, the majestic monuments and charming gardens, the unusual desert landscapes and the kaleidoscopic sensory delights of the souks and the old Medina. Whatever it is that lends Marrakech its unique ambience, it is a wonderful destination for those looking to take some time for themselves and their loved ones while exploring a new culture. We believe that the Red City’s blend of tradition and renewal is the perfect metaphor and the ideal destination for a wedding anniversary.
“My husband and I were getting ready to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and we wanted to take the kids somewhere that would open their minds a little. The youngest is still in his early teens and it sometimes takes a little extra effort to separate him from the screen (of his tablet). But we thought that in Morocco, with all the cultural differences and different smells and so on he would have plenty to entertain him.
Villanovo really helped to make the holiday something special. They organised for us to go on an excursion to the desert, where the boys could ride quad bikes over the dunes, and they organised for us all to go for a ‘posh picnic’ in a desert camp. We stayed in a gorgeous villa with a tennis court which helped to keep the boys entertained. They also arranged for babysitters one day, and for my husband and I to enjoy a bit of pampering in a real hammam followed by a wonderful Moroccan meal at a rooftop restaurant. So we were able to feel at least a little romantic one of the days! We had the feeling that there was much more to see and do and would love to go back.”
As anyone who’s visited the island can tell you, the ‘white isle’ of Ibiza has more than one face. While it is, indeed, home to some of the best clubs in the world and can therefore represent something of a Mecca for hedonists during the summer months, to characterise it as merely a party capital is to do it a disservice, and potentially to miss out on one of the most magical, peaceful islands in the Mediterranean. Away from some of the main towns in the south and the west, the rugged, romantic side of Ibiza comes to the fore, where idyllic coves, hippy markets and family-friendly beach clubs are the order of the day. For those reaching the watershed of their 40th year, no destination could be more appropriate to mark it.
As our local concierge, Emily, explains:
“We’ve had a number of requests from groups of friends between the ages of about 30 and 40 for a luxury villa in Ibiza to mark a special occasion. It’s actually a great choice, because for those still with the energy for a big night out, they couldn’t ask for a better place. Then, for others whose tastes or lifestyles have changed, they can enjoy the slower pace of the north of the island, which is really beautiful, and offers yoga retreats and things like that. We have taken plenty of requests for boats to take the group out, where they can have a private chef and bar staff line up the cocktails and mejillones, while they watch the sun set over the sea… Ibiza is surprisingly romantic actually! We have some great villas for weddings, which are very popular.”
>>> Take a look at our handpicked selection of luxury villas in Ibiza
After 40-odd years of sweat and toil, it’s important that you mark it and treat yourself to the best that life has to offer. For many, an idyllic farmhouse or luxury villa in Provence is the perfect place to celebrate their golden years. It’s a region synonymous with exceptional cuisine and pastoral beauty, with the timeless splendour of its villages and days of gentle leisure.
As François, our villa specialist for Provence, explains, the region is ideal for savouring the simple pleasures of life:
“It has a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere and a pace of life that suits grandparents and younger children alike. When people contact us looking for ideas for their parents’ 70th birthday or a holiday they can take 3 generations on, we’re always happy to recommend Provence. Our concierge team know the region really well, so they always have something to suggest: a wine-tasting session, cooking classes with the kids, bike rides, a boat trip, even helicopter rides!... It’s always really nice to see the photos they send us afterwards.”
At Villanovo, we take special pride in helping to create experiences that are sure to create lasting memories. We promise a lot and always seek to exceed those expectations. Our dedicated concierge team has acquired great knowledge and experience of their regions over a number of years, building relationships with the best, most trustworthy partners in order to give our clients exactly what they want.
If you have a milestone celebration coming up, be it a birthday, anniversary, retirement party or something else, speak to us today and see how we can give you and your loved ones the celebration you all deserve.
