Conde Nast Traveler, June 2010

OUR WORLD / June
'r o
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CNTRAVELER.COM
(What's best from Conde "Vast Traveler)
TRUTH.TRAVEL
(What'sfreshfrom
Conde Nest Traueier)
THE GOLD
STANDARD
LINDSEY WALLACE
VANESSA GUIBERT-HEITNER
NANCY CRAFT
Expert on: Dubai. Top pick:
A tour of century-old palaces
in old Dubai (it existsl].
Expert on: Argentina. Top
pick: A progressive meal at
Buenos Aires's hottest tables.
Expert on: Japan. Loves:
Exploring Kyoto's dazzling
artisan workshops.
CHERRI BRIGGS
DAVID WATROUS
MARY VAIRA
Expert on: Safari villas.
loves: Private homes-in an
animal-filled reserve.
Expert on: Greek villas. Top
pick: A cottage on the island
of Antipaxos (population: 20).
Expert on: Spanish villas.
Loves: Houses near Andalusia's historic white towns.
WHO YOU GONNA CALLP
It's June and you haven't plannedvour summer vacation.
(GuLp)Fear not: Help is on the way
VERY YEAR, OUR INDEFATIGABLE
CONSUMER NEWS EDITOR,
Wendy Perrin (she ofThe Perrin Post blog, at perrin
post.truth.travel),
vets countless villa rental and
travel agents around the world to come up with her
list of "Perrin's People"-the
men and women who
magically take the headache out of trip planning (see
2010's list of villa rental agents on page 62). Now getting in touch
with them-and
finding out more about how they can transform
your trip from so-so to sensational-is
as easy as visiting our new
Find Your Perfect Trip Planner sub-site on truth.travel.
Here
you'll be able to learn much more about our 126 travel specialists
and 46 villa rental agents, hear directly from them about destinations they can't get enough of, leave questions for them, and read
and post user reviews. Get ready to experience planning your next
vacation in a whole new way.
IO
YOU ONLYWANTTHE
best. We understand.
That's why the January issue features our
annual Gold List, a
celebration ofthe
SOO-plus hotels, resorts, and cruise
lines that represent
the ultimate in global travel. And now it's available as
our first-ever iPhone app, Conde
NastTraveLer: 2010 GoLd List. With
it, you can search by region to find
the most swoon-worthy properties-complete
with our exclusive
write-ups and extended slide
shows-and
the perfect hotel to suit
your interests. You can even book a
room with a mere click. Just visit the
Apple app store (apple.com/iphone).
READY
FOR MORE?
GOOD, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT IT.
Here's what else you'll find online:
~I
"'"'tt.
WORD OF MOUTH
What's new and next from
the worlds of style, deI sign, and fashion. A mustread for the trend-chasing
globetrotter-see
wom.truth.travel.
CLIVE ALIVE
When we grow up, we want to be
Senior Consulting Editor Clive Irving, our wine-sipping,
aviationobsessed nonstop traveLer. Get
Clive's take on everything from airline security to his latest delectable
meal on cliveaLive.truth.travel.
THE PERRIN POST
We'd all be lost without
Wendy Perrin, the greatest
consumer advocate a traveLer could ever have. Find
her tips on getting the most bang
for your buck at cntraveler.corn
or
perri npost. truth. travel.
CONDE
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TRAVELER
I c n r r av e l e r.c o m
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VILLA RENTAL GUIDE /20IO
~
dirt road to the property might not
have changed either (781-639-4040;
[email protected];
home
baseabroad.com).
Lake District
Andrea Grisdale,
IC Bellagio, Bel/agio, Italy
20 properties (low season, $840$23,200; high season, $1,100$29,000). Overall portfolio: $$
Grisdale knows her villas so well that
she can tell you what flowers are
planted in which part of the garden
and, if a church is nearby, how often
you'll hear the bells toll. A Brit who's
lived on Lake Como for 19 years, Grisdale fills her house books with such
terrific tips-from
local recipes to
road-sign translations-that
clients
ask to purchase them. HerWeb site is
intentionally spare: She prefers to ask
questions and, based on your answers,
selects four to eight villas and sends
photos (39-031-952-059; andrea@
icbellagio.com; icbellagio.com).
Rome
Patrice Salezze, Papavero Villa
Rentals, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania
40 properties (low season, $1,289$6,953; high season $1,486-$9,490).
Overall portfolio: $$
Salezze has stayed in everyone of her
40 Rome apartments over her multiple visits to the city every year, so she
knows them all from a guest's perspective. Her centrally located flats
(many near the Spanish Steps) are a
great base for sightseeing, and their
friendly, welcoming owners are the icing on the torta. A chat with Salezze
provides a valuable introduction to
Rome, but for a more up-close look,
she can arrange sightseeing tours
with her handpicked guides (866-7370000; [email protected];
papaverorentals.com).
SPAIN
Mary Vaira, El Sol Villas,
Wayne, Pennsylvania
200 properties (low season, $2,000$32,000; high season, $2,500-$85,000).
Overall portfolio: $$
With accommodations
ranging from
casitas to castles to cutting-edge architectural marvels, Vaira has something for everyone and will also book
day-trips and, for a fee, entire itineraries. She sends foodies to San Sebastian or Barcelona and suggests that
traditionalists consider booking one
of her conijos near Andalusia's historic white towns (610-687-9066; mary@
elsolvillas.corn, elsolvillas.com).
MULTIPLE
COUNTRIES
Marina Gratsos, Carpe Diem Luxury
Travel Ltd., London
25 properties (low season, $12,000$80,000; high season, $15,000$100,000) Overall portfolio: $$$$
Seeking an over-the-top experience
(say, an estate on a private island) or
something specific (an Austrian palace) but don't know where to look?
Gratsos is your problem solver. If
none of the 25 fully staffed gems to
which she has exclusive access are
right for you, she will use her aristocratic connections to track down the
perfect fit. Since her owner friends
demand privacy, these villas cannot
be viewed on her Web site. Contact
Gratsos and, after an initial consultation, she will select suitable properties and provide links to theirWeb
pages (44-20-7402-5330; marina@
carpediemtravel.co.uk;
carpediem
travel.co.uk).
For all the other essential
villa rental info, go to
travelpla nners. truth .travel
and cntraveler.com/villas
which includes daily housekeeping,
concierge services during your stay,
and a local host who'll provide a welcome supper and a tour of the area
(44-1242-547902; [email protected];
akvillas.com).
HAWAII
Irene Ann Aroner,
Tropical Villa Vacations, Maui
51 properties (low season, $2,450$59,500; high season, $2,450$70,000). Overall portfolio: $$$
Having spent more than a decade as
a concierge at various Four Seasons
hotels, Aroner brings an obsessive
attention to detail to her property
evaluations
and customer service.
She uses the most stringent criteria
in selecting houses and performs
regular inspections As befits her
background, Aroner offers extensive
concierge services, such as arranging
for a private dinner on the beach or
yoga instruction at your villa (888875-2818, ext. 203; irene@tropical
villavacations.com;
tropicalvilla
vacations.com).
ANOTHER 15 EXCEPTIO
VILLA AGENTS BY REGI
Brazilian fazendas and Moroceal
may not be as sought after as TI
villas and Caribbean beach hou
yet, anyhow-but
they can be J
fabulous. For dozens more drea
around the world, turn to these
vetted agents. You'll find detail
as well as reader reviews of all t
villa specialists online at travel
.truth.travel.
AI'RICA
Morocco: Edward Marquis, The
Safari Villas: Cherri Briggs, Ex
South Africa: Therese Botha, 10
TIlE AMERICAS, Il'iCLGOI
THE CARIRBEAN
Brazil: Steven Chew, Brazilian B
House Company
Carriacou: Carolyn Alexander,
Island Ltd.
Costa Rica: Timothy Roney, LaC
Villas
Grenada: Nick Hughes, Spice Is
Mexico-Los Cabos: Julie Byrd
Sea & Sky Vacations
NEW ZEALANn
Jacqui Spice, Touch of Spice
UNITED STATES
California-Palm
Springs: Pete
Cheasley, Luxury Retreats
California-Wine
Country: li
Graves, Beautiful Places
Montana: Lisa Orr, Mountain H
Washington-San
Juan Islan
Denise Mcintosh, Windermere
Doorways
WORLDWIDE
Maxine Harrison, Elysian Holiday
Sylvia Delvaille Jones, Villas and
Apartments Abroad
Adam Coats, Abercrombie & Kent
Villas, Cheltenham, England
163 properties (low season, $1,492$33,347; high season, $4,196$43,617) Overall portfolio: $$$
If Mediterranean
sun, a private swimming pool, and serious pampering are
on you r agenda, Coats's villas in
France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and
Greece will fit the bill. You'll find renovated old stone fincas in southern
Spain and more modern villas in Majorca and the Cote d'Azur, the common thread running through all of his
properties is a high standard of luxury. You can book the home only or
arrange for A&K's "hosted" service,
ONLINE TRIP-PLANNING
The six questions to ask yourself
determine if you're better off at a
a villa, plus two worksheets: "How
Identify the Right Rental Agent an,
for You' and "What You Need to K
About a Villa Before You Arrive:
o
SEASIDE
EUROPE
•
VILLA
AMELIE
Near St-Tropez: 6BR, 6BA
home set in woodlands above
the Cote d'Azur. Pool, sea
views. From $14,175/week.
Contact Adam Coats,
Abercrombie & Kent vtllas.
74
VILLA
01 ANACAPRI
Capri, Italy: Elegant 7BR, SBA neoclassical
villa filled with artwork and antiques.
Infinity pool, garden, gym, live-in full staff.
From $42,300/week.
Contact Mara Solomon,
Homebase Abroad.
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