9 Luxe Villas With Private Chefs Slideshow

Nido de Amor: Careyes, Mexico

Careyes is one of Mexico's well-kept secrets. A three-hour drive south of Puerto Vallarta, Careyes is a coastal town with only three resorts and a collection of brightly colored villas along the beach. With the nearest town about an hour away, all this exclusivity and seclusion offers an incredible amount of luxury, such as fully stocked and staffed homes like Nido de Amor. Even the staunchest adventurer would enjoy having fresh Mexican food cooked expertly in your villa's kitchen each day.

Moscatello Estate: Maremma, Italy

With the spectacular Cinque Terre to the north, smaller coastal towns like Maremma, get fewer foreign visitors. An hour from Pisa and a 2 ½ hour ride to Florence, Maremma is a coastal Tuscan town that is host to Moscatello, a beautiful estate with two villas, a golf course, horseback riding, tennis courts, pools, beach access, and on-site hunting. If you decide to opt in, you can choose to learn the ways of Italian cooking alongside your chef or simply practice your already honed skill for eating it.

Bolt House: Galina, Jamaica

Jamaica's fresh tropical cuisine, infectious music, and chill nature are contagious and there is no better way of experiencing them than at your own temporary Jamaican home. Guests who've enjoyed the confines of Bolt House before praise the chef on staff as reason enough to rent this villa. He makes mouthwatering local cuisine, sources the freshest produce, and it is all ready by the time you wake up.  During your stay, you have access to a private car and driver and can use many of the amenities at nearby hotels.

California Dreamin' Villa: Sonoma, Calif.

From the Russian River Valley to Healdsburg, you'd be hard pressed to find a single square foot of Sonoma that isn't gorgeous. To rent a villa there, like this California Dreamin' estate, is like signing up for an immersion course in wine-soaked relaxation. Not far from such lauded restaurants as the girl & the fig and Cyrus, the villa boasts quintessential California views, a modern feel, and a chef on staff (should you want one).

Kadju House: Tangalle, Sri Lanka

Kadju House is one of those homes that you see in a magazine and makes you wonder, wistfully, if the person living there had to sell their soul to the devil to get such a sweet deal. When you are done staring at the view from one of the four bedrooms (or the private spa room), you can join the chef on a trip to the local market to buy fresh fish, produce, and local delicacies. Or you can laze by the private beach and wait for it to be ready to eat.

Villa Orpheus: Mykonos, Greece

On the island of Mykonos, known for late nights, fresh fish, and a gleaming white and blue coastline, there stands a classic white cube villa overlooking Delos, called Villa Orpheus. Designed beautifully and for the purpose of throwing a party when the other parties in town have started dying down, the villa has a chef on call, a full-time "manager" (separate from the private concierge), and an infinity pool.  

Bali Hale Villa: Maui, Hawaii

Bali Hale Villa is situated on five lush acres of gardens and native Hawaiian landscape. The locale plays a huge role in the estate with plenty of indoor/outdoor space and constant access to the treats grown on the farm — like fresh papayas, guavas, and passion fruits. With enormous views of the ocean from the terrace (found once you pull back the 14-foot fold-away glass wall), you may want to take advantage of the traditional outdoor Hawaiian cooking pit, or you can ask your private chef to take advantage of it for you. 

Villa Nina at Eden Rock: St. Barth's

Living in luxury is not a new concept in St. Barth's. An island known for hosting the glamorous jet-set, St. Barth's is the place to go if white-glove beachside service is what you're after. The Villa Nina at Eden Rock is no different. With a full staff and a Mini Cooper to use during your stay, the two-bedroom villa has both a spa pool and a swimming pool and is fully equipped to let you host your own legendary dinner parties, with food prepared by the villa's resident chef.

Presidential Villa, Azura Retreat: Mozambique

Travelers who have spent time in Africa often describe a "nostalgia" for the African spirit. Whether it's your first trip or your fifth, staying in a place like the Azura Retreat's Presidential Villa will send you home with a heaping helping of nostalgia. The villa has two-bedrooms (and a third for "staff" you bring with you), a "wine bar," an infinity pool, and a tree house lounging area. Your private chef will make certain that you discover all that the local scene has to offer, from Mozambican cuisine on your terrace to day trips discovering the country around you.