Villa Stays, the new trend in Family Travel accommodations

During the pandemic, domestic tourism boomed, giving rise to a travel trend where families or small groups of friends began seeking more exclusive retreats to socialize with greater privacy and security.

Many private properties adapted to accommodate this type of traveler, and some hotels that already had private villas or others that were newly inaugurated, both in Brazil and around the world, jumped on this trend and are increasingly in demand.

I wrote this article to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this type of tourism and how in my agency, “Viajar com Crianças” (Traveling with Children), we select our partners and work with these properties.

In the case of private properties, first and foremost, it’s important to get to know the location, as photos alone might not give us a true idea of what it’s like. Even if there are testimonials from other people (unless it’s someone familiar who has experienced the services), relying solely on others’ opinions is always a significant risk.

Usually, this type of property lacks standardized rooms, and when traveling with children, this can become a major issue when deciding who stays where, what amenities each room offers, and so forth. This can lead to misunderstandings right from the start, especially since the group’s participants tend to split the cost equally.

Another point is that no matter how good the property’s service is, it can’t be compared to a hotel experience. Major hotel chains and smaller boutique hotels go through training, professional development, culinary excellence, and service standards. They invest heavily in their brand and customer loyalty.