This Luxe Vacation Rental Site Is Here to Make All Your Chalet and Villa Dreams Come True
It’s undeniable that Airbnb has a crazy effect on the way we travel. Many people love the local flavor of renting people’s homes in lieu of springing for a hotel room. For others, it’s a budget-friendly way to stay in an exclusive or expensive locale without having to go the hostel route (which can be totally fun too!). And recently, we’ve started to see the luxury versions of these sites pop up. First, there was Sonder, a site that offers apartments with both local charm and luxe amenities, and now, there’s the *uber* posh Le Collectionist.
A quick browse of the French site shows that it’s a veritable source of aspirational chalet inspo. But don’t worry — they’ve also got villas and tropical bungalows, if you’re into that kind of thing. What makes Le Collectionist different? Well, it’s the ultimate in crazy-fancy and ultra-huge home rentals. Almost all of the properties have space for more than 10 people and are stunningly gorgeous, down to the artwork on the walls.
Not only are the amenities way over the top, but the site offers a highly personalized concierge service, which can include anything from a private chef to housekeeping. According to the Le Collectionist site, the staff they use are “trained in the most exclusive Parisian hotels and palaces.” Fancy. Needless to say, these rentals are a little outside of most travelers’ price range (most of these spots will run you over $1,000 per night, with some as high as $20,000 per night), but it’s certainly fun to fantasize about the OMG-worthy amenities. Let’s take a look, shall we?
1. Chalet Armance, Verbier, Switzerland: This winter wonderland boasts a cinema room, fitness room and private spa — complete with an indoor pool and subterranean hammam, crafted to evoke the feeling that you’re in “a magical cave with its own underground lake.” Their velvety soft furnishings, muted color scheme and sumptuous bedding make for a cozy nest for 16 people.
2. Villa Blue Cactus, Saint-Barthelemy: This tropical home boasts four separate bungalows with individual bedrooms, daily cleaning service, a badass outdoor sound system and a fancy wine cellar. But with a sweeping view of the Caribbean Sea and lush hillside packed with coconut trees and hibiscus, this villa is all about the stylish outdoor spaces for lounging and eating.
3. Chalet Cytisus, Megève, Alps, France: Ultra-luxe services like delivery of ski equipment, four hours of housekeeping per day plus chef and butler service are included in this rental. Oh, and there’s a movie theater that turns into a nightclub. Basically, this chalet is the *ultimate* apres-ski hangout for up to 12 people. Think indoor pool, panoramic views of the mountains (including Mont Blanc) and lots of plush fur throws.
4. Villa Amantik, Amanti, Peru: Set on Lake Titicaca, this gem is on the smaller side compared to the other properties on the site, but that’s part of what makes it so charming. Even though there are only two bedrooms, this place still comes with its own private chef. It’s also an incredible spot to stargaze, and you can arrange a local guide to point out the constellations. And that daytime view too. Swoon.
5. Le Manoir du Corsaire, Île-de-Bréhat, Brittany, France: What would a fancy vacation rental site be without a castle or two? This one is truly impressive. This 16th century home sleeps up to 12 people in its six bedrooms, sits on the water (no need for that waves-crashing playlist to get you to sleep) and has a to-die-for pool situation.
6. Villa Aata, Bora Bora: Five individual suites facing the lagoon make this an awesome place to go for a couples vacay with a bunch of your friends — as long as you’re cool with shelling out between $6,500 and $13,000 per night, depending on the season.
7. Mont Rochelle, Cape Town, South Africa: This estate is pretty much a hotel (there are 28 bedrooms), and there are two on-site restaurants to prove it. But if you want to rent out the whole thing for yourself, you totally can. We’d say this would make an excellent location for a small fantasy wedding. On the menu: a cellar full of South African wines.
8. Chalet Léon, Courchevel, Alps, France: We mean, just look at that living room. It’s an all-over gray decorating scheme done so right. Aside from heavenly design chops, this place has continental breakfast every morning, fresh flowers on the reg, an unlimited supply of firewood (a chalet must!) and private transport to the nearby ski slopes for you and nine of your friends.
Which of these dream vacay spots would you most like to stay in? Tell us @BritandCo!
