Loft, beach house, forest hut: 9 vacation homes and apartments for design lovers and adventure seekers from Portugal to Austria – with style and charm, without melon, but with (mostly) affordable rentals.
Where would Harvey Specter or James Bond disappear if they had to or were allowed to take a little time off? In nice hotels, sure. But is that always the only option? More privacy is promised by vacation homes or apartments. I’d have to pay in the double pass now, but I don’t think that all vacation homes are the same. Fortunately, there are accommodations that transport cool design to more remote corners. On coasts, on mountain slopes. Or over the roofs of big cities. All 8 of these extraordinary vacation home locations will not be on my bucket list, but dreaming is still allowed.
Category: Wine & Design
You’re not serious. That was my first thought when I saw the first pictures of this location. Winemaker’s Villa? Of course I was directly curious what is behind the term, which combines two cool themes. This – (may one still say vacation home?) – vacation property is located cozy in the Austrian Styria in the village Klöch, near the thermal spa Bad Radkersburg, surrounded by, you guessed it: vineyards.
You are looking for a location where you can keep your distance (family and household and so on, you know) and at the same time vacation on final stage? Here you go. The Winzervilla offers 3000 sqm of outdoor space, 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms for 8 people. And there is everything you need in toys – you wouldn’t even have to leave your property. So of course, you can go for a little hike, check out the surrounding winegrowers, visit the thermal baths – but here it’s all about the principle of skill.
Back to the entertainment. The central pool is a real eye catcher. Please: how nice is that?
A dignified pool only for itself, around it garden and terrace. There is more to it? Sure. Wellness area, billiard room and wine bar including wine cabinet in the cellar are a matter of course. Further Goodie: Sauvignon Banc, Pinot Blanc and Blauer Zweigelt from our own winery are available for free tasting. Sun, glasses, off to the pool? Yes, that’s it for now. In addition, there are conveniences such as an open fireplace with firewood, Sonos music system, games room with billiards and table football, and, very important: free WLAN.
Clean shapes and surfaces with lots of wood, black and white tones. Elegant and cozy at the same time.
As cozy as lounging: The terrace including cool details like the colorful outdoor lamps.
All indulgences are packaged in a truly charming design of new modern architecture and local building style. You have privacy, but you are still right in the middle of the action when you want to explore the surroundings.
I put the Winzervilla directly on my bucket list, let’s see when that works out. You are curious too? Then, as always, there is the question of the hook. Didn’t find one, but to be fair: At first glance, the prize is already in the category “Do I first have to have a serious dialogue with my account”. But if you allocate it well and then divide it up, it will revise itself again. And you really get a lot in your hands. And into the glass. The price is for example 3.540 Euro for 7 nights. With 8 people about 442 Euro, with a group of 5 people about 700 Euro. If you combine your purchases, have a great barbecue and treat yourself to wine, it’s just right again. You can find more information via winzervilla-klöch.de
Category: charming architecture
CASA LUUM – Faro, Portugal
Still looking for a “sun-with-privacy” travel location for 2020? New dreamy lining for un-cuddly nasty winter days? Or a fancy accommodation, sorry, villa, to privately shoot the Bachelor or Paradise Hotel in a small circle? Then let’s have a quick spin on the cinema, get on the fantasy plane, Touchdown in the Algarve and take a lascivious look at and the cute building here. Or two. Because: it’s really cute.
There are vacation homes, and vacation homes. And then there is Casa Luum in Portugal, which I recently discovered. Fortunately, its owner has created it with privacy, but not privately for himself. The bright white property is geometrically designed in such a way that you can always experience it from a new perspective. One has the feeling of always being outside somehow. And even drunk, the way home is short. I see myself immediately with cool portuguese wine at the pool, a short lunch in the courtyard, a white wine date on the roof terrace, taking pictures, pool, toilet, pool again … how nice it would be.
4 bedrooms are at the start, so enough space for the travel companion. Which is also recommended. I often fall in love with accommodations at such locations, which do not let me play in the budget league. If you are partial and fill up the bedrooms halfway, you can save the 1550 Euro weekly rate but somehow safe. I have already fed my piggy bank.
Casa Luum, overnight stays starting at 1550 Euro / week, more infos via www.theperfecthideaway.com/casaluum
Category: Beach
PAGHAM BEACH HOUSE – West Sussex, England
America, Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Austria, Denmark, Japan and Germany: The Plansmatter platform extends Airbnb by the “Suits” factor and only includes accommodations in the portfolio that are not: ordinary. Design, location, flair – everything is taken care of in the fancy vacation apartments like the one here in West Sussex in the UK.
This is not quite cheap, but still within the framework, one can share the costs after all. The beach house designed by James Wells Architects reminds me a bit of a location from “The Wolf of Wallstreet”. It’s on the British coast, not in the Hamptons – but it’s still fancy.
3 bedrooms, 6 beds (1 kingsize, 4 twinsize, 1 sofa bed), 2 bathrooms
Price 203 Euro +/night, minimum stay 3 nights, more via plansmatter.com
Category: Rural
Pures Leben – Weingartenhaus Sausal, Austria
Time again to swap the four walls here for a head cinema? Here you go! The show will be humid and cheerful today, but not for dubious reasons, but because of the combination of a view pool and vineyards. Because this much is for sure: a vacation in the Weingartenhaus Sausal will not be a dry affair.
This charming location is located in Styria in Austria and is one of eleven cool accommodations where the hosts of Pures Leben have sent old farmhouses and barns through a makeover that Heidi Klum at GNTM can only dream of.
Die charming Location liegt in der Steiermark in Österreich und ist eine von elf coolen Unterkünften, bei denen die Gastgeber von Pures Leben alte Bauernhäuser und Scheunen durch ein Umstyling geschickt haben, von dem Heidi Klum bei GNTM nur träumen kann.
Fantastic location in the middle of the vineyards. Who wants to move out again?
The design: clean, tidy, casual.
Lots of wood, lots of glass, an open fireplace: Treating yourself to fruit salad and bathing can be so easy. Larch terrace with private spa area including panoramic sauna and pool, two people will find everything they need to relax and uncork.
Bed and breakfast starts at 155 Euro in the houses, for a night with the pool here you have to stroke your account with 305 Euro. This is not a direct bargain, but you can dream about it without getting nightmares.
Price: 305 Euro / night with breakfast, more via www.puresleben.at
THE BLACK SHED, Isle Of Skye, Scotland
This vacation home, a good whisky – and the weather is a minor matter. In “The Black Shed” you treat yourself to nature and design in one.
74 square meters, 1 bedroom, 1 bed (1 king size), 1 bathroom
Price: 97 Euro +/ night, minimum stay 7 nights, more via plansmatter.com
BIRKEDAL – Rabylille Beach, Isle of Moen, Danemark
Scandinavians have good, clean design simply in their blood. Also applies to vacation homes. In this secret tip curved forms are added – round thing. Light a fire, drink into a glass, enjoy!
3 bedrooms, 3 beds (3 queen size), 2 bathrooms, Price: 110 Euro / night, more via plansmatter.com
Category: Loft
CONTAINER HOME, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Mallorca from above? You can do that. Small pool, plus a bottle of rosé – runs. And this unconventional location is also affordable.
1 bedroom (1 bed), 1 bathroom, Price: 100 Euro, more via airbnb.de
Category: Money is not important
VILLA VALS – Vals, Switzerland
The hobbit meets James Bond. What the team of architects around Bjarne Mastenbroek and Christian Mueller built in the Swiss mountains, might offer a vacation experience unique for vacation homes. The price is then also rather on agent salary level, but on cool things one saves then gladly.
4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, Price: 950 Euro + for two nights, more via plansmatter.com
SADDLE PEAK HOUSE – Topanga, California, USA
plansmatter.com
plansmatter.com
plansmatter.com
A vacation home where you feel like a sports star from the Los Angeles Lakers, Rams, Dodgers or Los Angeles Chargers. Peace, design, a pool is also there, safe – I would let myself be beamed there directly. The facts: 239 square meters, 4 bedrooms, 4 beds (1 king-size, 3 queen-size, 1 sofa bed), 3 bathrooms
Price: 848 Euro / night, minimum stay 3 nights, more via plansmatter.com
