There is something about the experience of splashing around in your own private pool that has #travelgoals written all over it. Whether you're looking for privacy, romantic time with a partner, or simply the opportunity to float around on the inflatable of your choice without annoying other guests, private pool life is indisputably glamorous but — you might reasonably assume — usually very expensive.
Well, pack your swimsuit and get ready to dive in, because we’ve found 10 gorgeous private-pool villas around the world, from Puerto Rico to Phuket, that will suit virtually every budget — even yours.
Under £75: Blue Lime, Cambodia
At the end of a quiet alley, behind the Royal Museum in bustling Phnom Penh, a tropical garden wraps around boutique hotel Blue Lime. Lined with inviting lounge chairs, the hotel’s pool is an attractive place to sip a cocktail on a hot day. But, why share your space when rooms with their own private pools go for as low as £75 per night?
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Lime.
Under £75: Palm Villas, Cyprus
Affordable private-pool villas are not too common in Europe, but the Mediterranean island of Cyprus delivers. Just 10 minutes from the resort town of Protaras — developed and touristy, but quieter than nearby nightlife hub Ayia Napa — Palm Villas offer three- and four-bedroom villas with private pools and gardens. To keep costs down, visit outside of summer. From November through April, three-bedroom villas start at £62.
Photo: Courtesy of Palm Villas.
Under £125: Las Brisas, Acapulco, Mexico
While recent years have not all been good to Acapulco, Las Brisas still manages to exude the glamour of the Pacific coast beach resort’s midcentury heyday. Set on a hilltop overlooking crescent-shaped Acapulco Bay, Las Brisas is surrounded by 40 acres of hibiscus gardens and — should you wish to leave your very own private pool — is home to three big swimming pools. Private-pool casitas start at £120 per night.
Photo: Courtesy of Las Brisas.
Under £125: Twin Island Villas, Bali
On the island of Nusa Lembongan, a 30-minute speedboat ride from Sanur, Twin Island Villas offer a respite from the overly touristy parts of Bali. Villa Kecil and Villa Cinta both offer an intimate setting, overlooking the sea and surrounding tropical gardens, but their private plunge pools may be the main draw. Rates at both villas start at £85 per night, including breakfast.
Photo: Courtesy of Twin Island Villas.
Under £250: Sofitel Luang Prabang, Laos
Situated in the heart of the ancient royal capital of Laos, Sofitel Luang Prabang is housed in a French colonial mansion originally built as the French Governor's residence in the 1900s and surrounded by landscaped gardens. The Pool Villa is enchantingly decorated with Lao silk and opens into a garden with a private plunge pool. Rates for the Pool Villa begin at £210 per night.
Photo: Courtesy of Sofitel Luang Prabang.
Under £250: Capella Ixtapa, Mexico
On the southwest coast of Mexico, easygoing Zihuatanejo is the dream paradise that Tim Robbins’ character escapes to at the end of The Shawshank Redemption. You can create your own private sanctuary at the breezy Capella Ixtapa where all 59 suites face the Pacific Ocean and have private plunge pools. Oceanfront Junior Suites start at £180 a night.
Photo: Courtesy of Capella Ixtapa.
Under £300: An Lam Villas, Vietnam
Situated in Vietnam’s breathtaking Ninh Van Bay, An Lam Villas offers an eco-chic resort experience on a serene stretch of beach, accessible only by boat. Bamboo-roofed Hill Rock Pool Villas, which are spread over three levels, come with balconies overlooking the rainforest and ocean, as well as 24-hour complimentary butler service. Rates begin at £250 a night.
Photo: Courtesy of An Lam Villas.
Under £300: Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, Thailand
In the Andaman Sea, off Thailand’s west coast, the island of Phuket is a popular and well-developed destination, but you can still find pockets of quiet refuge. The 91 private pool villas at the Anantara are spread across a prime stretch of Mai Khao Beach, while the lush Sirinath National Park lies to the back. All pool villas come with their own hardwood sun deck and deep terrazzo soaking tubs. Rates begin at £260 a night.
Photo: Courtesy of Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas.
Under £400: Royal Isabela, Puerto Rico
Perched atop a cliff, high above the surf on Puerto Rico’s northwest coast, the main draw at Royal Isabela may be its immaculate golf course. But we’d happily skip the green for a dip in the private pool at our own 1,500-square-foot eco-conscious casita. We would be tempted out of the water for farm-to-table cuisine at the Restaurant at La Casa, however. Weekday rates during the summer and shoulder seasons start at £385 and go as low as £310 from August to November (but you’ll have to add on a £39 daily resort fee).
Photo: Courtesy of Royal Isabela.
Under £400: Ladera St. Lucia
The Caribbean island of St. Lucia is a land of ultra-luxurious resorts catering to flush honeymooners, so what a thrill to find Ladera, where romance and glamour are not sacrificed just because the rates are reasonable. The resort’s Gros Piton suites feature open-air bedrooms with four-poster beds, as well as private pools from which you can take in spectacular views of the Piton mountains and Caribbean Sea. Nightly rates start at £350.
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