Looking to head out for a digital detox and get away from it all? A luxury villa holiday is highly recommended. Rent a villa in the salubrious St Tropez in France, or in the Caribbean, Asia, Australia, Europe or the US, and what you get is not just a vacation in some of the most exotic destinations across the world, but also all the accoutrements of luxury

Villa Charly

One of the biggest luxury travel trend in 2014 is likely to be ‘villa holidays’. The affluent, looking a spending a couple of days, weeks or even months in a destination, are spurring the luxury rental trends.

Many are hiring or renting a villa in some of the most exotic destinations in the world, sometimes for weeks on end. The trend has given rise to an entirely new segment in luxury travel – that of rental villas. According to a Euromonitor’s new Global Trends Report, there is likely to be a rise in specialized holidays catering to tourists who want to, well, ‘escape’ from an increasingly connected world. Euromonitor also calls these holidays as ‘digital detox holidays’ – forever connected people wanting to disconnect from work situation and from friends by renting a villa for a couple of weeks in an exotic destination.

Villa La Source

Across most of Europe, and even parts of Asia, villas equipped with all the accoutrements of luxury – private swimming and plunge pools, beautifully decorated interior spaces, helipads, and access to some of the best clubs and restaurants in the neighbourhood. And there are several companies catering to the digital detox travellers. Like the St Tropez House in the eponymous beach paradise which has 90 villas up for rent – most with fantastic sea views, stunning gardens, swimming pools and fully air-conditioned interiors. Some even have private tennis courts, fitness rooms, helipads and boat docks. Prices start at $10,000 per week. A client can rent a villa for at least two weeks and rentals always begin and end on Saturdays.

Villa Modernity

The top five villas much in demand include Villa Charly with a heated swimming pool, just steps away from the Bouillabaisse beach, which can be rented at $12,000 per week; the 4-bedroom provencal villa, Villa La Source with a vast garden at $17,000 per week; Villa Modernity, which is surrounded by a pine forest, just behind the famous beaches of Pampelonne at $27,000 per week; Villa Pampelonne Design with stunning views of the Pampelonne bay and just steps away from a cult Club55 on Pampelonne beach, at $47,000 per week and the sea-fronted Villa Amourai in the prestigious Les Parcs de St Tropez, which has a private helipad, and comes at a steep $95,000.

Much like St Tropez House, Luxury Retreats, which was founded in the United Kingdom in 1999, offers luxury villas on rent. The only difference: it does so in several destinations across the world. Interested in staying in a vineyard in Tuscany? Or even in a secluded town in Costa Rica? They have it all covered – from the Caribbean to Greece, Austria, Indonesia, Canada, Central America to Croatia, France, Hawaii, Mauritius, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa, and even Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and the United States! At every destination, there is a concierge to help you get to the right restaurants, the biggest events and all the places you should be seen.

Villa Pampelonne Design

In India, Luxury Goa Villas is among the few luxury villa companies. Each of the privately owned villas in India’s best known beach destination has their own distinct style – some are restored Portuguese houses steeped in history, with high wooden ceilings, balcaos and bedrooms with individual verandas, while others are modern chic with open spaces, contemporary furniture, terracotta flooring and objets d’art. The Goa villas, of course, can be rented at a much lower rate of £550 to £3,000 per week.

Villa Amourai

Though the global economy remains in a tumultuous state, luxury travel seems to have escaped the brunt. Though Europe will remain the most popular place for villa rental, the number of properties and interest in the US, Australia, the Caribbean and Asia will continue to grow.