Luxury hospitality network Relais & Chateaux is branching out into private home accommodations with the launch of its global Villas by Relais & Chateaux program.
The platform makes its debut with a curated portfolio of more than 500 luxury villas and vacation rentals across 30 countries.
Villas by Relais & Chateaux accommodations also offer access to customizable service options, with guests able to receive “the same service they could expect if they were staying at a Relais & Chateaux hotel.” Those options include access to amenities like private chef-prepared meals, private spa treatments and babysitting.
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According to Relais & Chateaux, each rental must also meet a set of “strict criteria” in order to join the program. Villas by Relais & Chateaux homes must offer private access, a minimum of around 750 square feet of internal space with dedicated indoor dining spaces and outdoor terrace areas “big enough to celebrate on,” as well as be unconnected to any adjoining properties, unless located within a city center destination.
The Villas by Relais & Chateaux collection joins the brand’s existing network of 580 hotels and restaurants worldwide.
The platform’s launch comes as demand for vacation rental offerings surges amid the pandemic, with the sector’s luxury end enjoying particularly fast growth.