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The best villas in Spain
Think of Spanish villa holidays and it’s likely that the Balearic Islands spring to mind first. But while Ibiza, Mallorca, and Menorca each have plenty to offer, so too does the mainland. From white-sand beaches and buzzy resort towns to traditional whitewashed villages and tranquil countryside, there is a destination – and rental property – for everyone. Here are the finest villas in Spain to book now.
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The best villas in Spain
Pedro Jaén1/8The Peace Bird, Marbella
A five-minute stroll from sandy Los Monteros beach on the eastern side of Marbella, this low-level Brutalist-style villa has everything you could possibly want - from a palm tree-fringed saltwater pool and cinema room to an outdoor kitchen and BBQ. Floor to ceiling picture windows and internal courtyards mean the minimalist, muted interiors (marble coffee tables, paper bedside lights, modular dark grey sofas) are flooded with natural light. The best of the seven ensuite bedrooms come with private roof terraces. Guests can pay to play tennis at the neighbouring Kimpton hotel and the La Cabane beach club is also nearby.
Sleeps up to 14 guests, from €3,300 per night (minimum five-night stay)
Cortijo Andalucia, Welcome Beyond2/8Cortijo Andalucia, near Montefrio
Searching online during lockdown for a holiday home, the owners of this Andalucian hideaway first fell in love with it from pictures alone. Finally seeing it in real life, they weren’t disappointed. At the end of a dirt track, with views across the olive tree-covered hills towards the coast, there’s virtually no light pollution at night so the stargazing is spectacular. The pared-back interiors nod to the building’s heritage, from the original wonky wooden beams to the bedside lamps made from roof tiles and decorative antique pots and baskets. There are two bedrooms upstairs, plus a pair on the ground floor; an unheated salt water pool; and terraces on both sides of the house: sunseekers can breakfast in the courtyard by the kitchen, then have sundowners on the western patio where there’s also a barbecue. A car is essential, even if only to stock up on supplies in the town of Montefrio, a 15-minute drive away.
Sleeps up to eight guests, €495 per night (minimum seven-night stay)
Ciels Table Tales3/8Villa del Valle, Callosa d'en Sarrià
Inland from the Costa Blanca and just an hour’s drive from Alicante airport, this peaceful rural finca is surrounded by the Sierra de Bernia hills. It was designed by a local architecture studio as a low-key country refuge so the inside is deliberately simple: whitewashed walls, terracotta tiled floors, arched doorways and warm rust linens that add a pop of colour in the bedrooms. The kitchen-diner has raffia lights and a wooden table for gathering around; in the living room there’s a wood burning stove for cooler evenings. Come in summer though and everything happens outside, from dips in the saltwater pool to suppers under the festoon-strung pergola. The nearest beach is sandy Playa d’Altea but closer still is Las Fuentes del Algar, a nature reserve known for its waterfalls.
Sleeps up to eight guests, from €225 per night (minimum three-night stay)
www.gabrielemerolli.com4/8Palacio de Figueras, Castropol
High on a hill above the Eo estuary in Asturias, a less-visited region in northern Spain, this 16th-century palace has been meticulously restored to its former glory by the local family behind the Vestige Collection of intimate Spanish hotels and villas (and declared an Asset of Cultural Interest for its architectural significance). Split across a central tower and pair of crenelated wings are two sitting rooms, an orangery and 11 gorgeous bedrooms where flagstone floors, beamed ceilings and limewashed walls are the backdrop for linen sofas, twinkling chandeliers, oak furniture and antiques (plus cosy spaces such as a library and games room). Outside, a landscaped garden slopes down to an outdoor pool, ideal for lazy summer days. The rental comes with a chef, housekeeper and a concierge who can arrange anything from restaurant reservations in charming fishing ports to surf lessons.
Sleeps up to 22 guests, from €5,775 per night (five night minimum stay in high season, three night minimum stay the rest of the year), including breakfast
5/8Villa Punta Paloma, Tarifa
Owned by the Marbella Club hotel but an hour’s drive south along the coast, Villa Punta Paloma sits on a bluff in the protected natural reserve of El Estrecho, just outside Tarifa – a mecca for windsurfers and kitesurfers where the Mediterranean and Atlantic meet. Although rooms are spread throughout three traditional, low-slung stone buildings, days revolve around the breezy, open-plan social space in the main house (sea green cupboards, wicker lights over the kitchen island, straw hats hung on the wall) where sliding glass doors open onto the terrace for al fresco feasting. There’s also an ocean-facing infinity pool, yoga deck, vegetable garden, playhouse for little ones and a private path that leads down to white-sand Punta Paloma beach.
Sleeps up to 10 guests, from €7,000 per night including breakfast and housekeeping (minimum four-night stay)
Salva Lopez6/8Casa Baix Empordà, near Girona
Sitting low among pine and olive trees, this striking concrete-and-stone new-build combines traditional construction techniques with contemporary, sustainable design. One length of the L-shaped layout houses the bedrooms – including the master, on an upper level, in a curving Catalan vault once typical of farmhouses in the area – the other, a series of living spaces. Of these, the dining room has the wow-factor for its folding windows that open to the elements on both sides, allowing a warm breeze to flow through. From here, there are steps down to a small pool with rural views beyond. Ideal for those who want to be surrounded by the countryside but have buzzy coastal towns such as L'Estartit, a sort hop away.
Sleeps up to nine guests, from €1,000 per night (seven-night minimum stay)
7/8The June, Benissa
The beauty of The June, other than its prime position a five-minute walk from La Fustera beach at the north end of the Costa Blanca, is that it is a trio of apartments in one, all with their own entrance – making it ideal for friends and family who want to holiday together but still have their own space. All have been decorated in earthy neutral tones, with handcrafted Moroccan rugs and a few pieces of Faye Toogood furniture: the largest is three-bedroom Fustera; the smallest, the Baladrar suite with a private terrace. Everyone gathers outside by the shady outdoor kitchen and dining area or on the stepped whitewashed terrace by the heated saltwater pool. Guests feeling more active can borrow stand-up paddle boards or hike the idyllic coastal path to Calpe. Last summer, sister property The Joya opened 50 meters away and has the same three-apartment set-up, plus the addition of an outdoor space for yoga and a Swedish hot tub.
The June sleeps up to 11 guests, from €450 per night (minimum four-night stay)
Sleeps up to 11 guests, from €660 per night (minimum four-night stay)
8/8When Summer Comes, Benahavis
Only a 30-minute drive from Marbella’s glitzy Golden Mile yet seemingly a world away, this Scandi-inspired property lies in the charming mountain village of Benahavis (the nearest town is San Pedro de Alcantara). It sits on three levels – parking at the top, living spaces and master suite in the middle, more bedrooms below – each with a green roof that seamlessly blends into the surrounding hillside. To one end is a terrace with a covered outdoor kitchen behind an inviting infinity pool. Crisp interiors layer off-white hues, blonde wood furniture and jute rugs, while floor-to-ceiling windows bring the forest-scape in. A serene, sophisticated retreat for kicking back.
Sleeps up to 10 guests, from £1,350 per night (minimum three-night stay)
