Haute Retreats Research · Published December 2025
The Billionaire Villa Index 2026
Where the world’s wealthiest travellers are staying — and what they want when they get there.
The Index
Top 10 ultra-luxury villa destinations for 2026
Ranked by booking interest, average nightly rates, proportion of fully staffed estates and independent market data. Based on Haute Retreats' proprietary inquiry and booking data, cross-referenced with Knight Frank Wealth Report 2026, Savills Spotlight on Wealth Trends, and villa rental market reports from leading operators. Original report published December 2025.
From the Founder
“Our clients are no longer asking, ‘Which five-star hotel has the best suite?’ They’re asking, ‘Which villa can I turn into my family’s private resort for a week or a month?’ The answer is a fully serviced estate with a chef, butler, wellness team and complete privacy — in destinations that still feel discreet, authentic and quietly luxurious.”Sabrina Piccinin Founder, Haute Retreats · Miami, Florida
Index Visualised
Destination demand index — relative scores 2026
Composite score based on booking interest, average nightly rates and share of fully staffed estates. Turks & Caicos indexed at 100 (2026 #1). Arrows show movement from 2025. Source: Haute Retreats proprietary booking data, December 2025.
Index scores are relative, with Tuscany benchmarked at 100. Scores reflect composite demand across three weighted signals: booking interest (confirmed reservations and inquiries), average nightly rate for fully staffed estates, and the proportion of properties in each destination offering private chef, butler and daily housekeeping as standard. Data covers confirmed bookings and forward inquiries for 2024–2025 stays. Full methodology available on request: [email protected]
Five Defining Trends
How ultra-luxury villa travel is changing in 2026
Billionaire workations become the new boardroom
Ultra-wealthy principals are turning board meetings, founder retreats and deal-making sessions into villa-based workations. Flagship villas in Los Cabos, Turks & Caicos, Miami and Lake Como are being configured with private offices, high-speed connectivity, media rooms and hotel-level catering — all within the complete privacy of a private estate.
“The modern family office doesn’t stop at the office door. We’re curating villas where principals can review deals in the morning, have lunch by the pool with their children and host a chef’s table dinner for partners that same evening.” — Sabrina Piccinin
Celebration compounds & multi-generational gatherings
Multi-generational and celebration travel dominate at the very top of the market. Strong demand for multi-villa compounds accommodating 20–40 guests as a single “private resort.” These estates are being programmed like boutique properties — complete with kids’ clubs, wellness schedules, private concerts and in-villa events — but with a single family or invite-only guest list.
- Tuscan wine estates for milestone birthdays
- Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic north coast for annual family reunions
- Turks & Caicos and Costa Rica beachfront compounds for festive season escapes
Quiet-luxury coastlines & discreet destinations
Quiet luxury is replacing ostentation as the ultimate status symbol. UHNW guests want to disappear into nature and thoughtful design rather than be seen in a lobby. For 2026, three destinations share the characteristics billionaire travellers prize most: privacy, authenticity and the freedom to tailor every moment.
- Costa Rica — jungle-fringed villas with wellness teams, private chefs and surf guides
- Turks & Caicos — private-island escapes on Ambergris Cay and Parrot Cay, long empty stretches of sand
- Tuscany & Lake Como — historic villas reimagined with contemporary interiors, pools, spas and full staff
Chef-led villa living
Private chefs are no longer a nice-to-have — they are the centrepiece of the stay. Guests are requesting chef-led itineraries built around the destination: truffle hunts in Tuscany followed by in-villa degustation dinners; beach barbecues in Turks & Caicos; plant-forward tasting menus in Costa Rica after a day of wellness activities.
Fully staffed villas — with chef, butler and housekeeping included — are outperforming self-catered properties across the Haute Retreats portfolio. The villa is no longer just accommodation; it is the guest’s private restaurant, bar and club.
The rise of early booking — the best villas go first
For the most coveted properties in the top-ranked destinations, UHNW families are now typically securing peak-week stays six to eight months ahead of arrival. This applies especially to festive season and New Year’s weeks, school holiday periods, and wedding, anniversary and milestone celebration dates.
“The days of last-minute villa shopping for Christmas week on a top beach are effectively over at this level. Our clients treat their favourite villas the way they treat private jets or yachts — they reserve them early, return year after year, and expect a level of service that feels completely bespoke to their family and their values.” — Sabrina Piccinin
About the Index
How the Billionaire Villa Index is built
The Haute Retreats Billionaire Villa Index was published in December 2025 as part of the 2026 Ultra-Luxury Villa Trends Report. The Index ranks the most in-demand ultra-luxury villa destinations using three equally weighted signals, drawing exclusively on Haute Retreats’ own verified booking and inquiry data across Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico and North America.
- Booking interest — Analysis of inquiries and confirmed bookings for 2024–2025 stays, forward-looking into 2026, across all Haute Retreats destinations
- Average nightly rates — Internal pricing trends for fully staffed, high-end properties catering to UHNW and HNW guests
- Share of fully staffed estates — The proportion of properties in each destination offering chef, butler and daily housekeeping as standard
- Qualitative intelligence — On-the-ground feedback from villa owners, local managers and on-site concierges in each destination
The full report, including destination deep dives and sample itineraries, is available to media, travel advisors and concierge professionals upon request. Contact Enrico Crudo (Co-Founder) at [email protected] or Angelica Crudo at [email protected]. Tel: +1 305 432 1731.
For Press & Media
Request the full 2026 report
The complete Haute Retreats 2026 Ultra-Luxury Villa Trends Report — including destination deep dives, sample UHNW itineraries and supporting data — is available to journalists, travel editors, travel advisors and concierge professionals on request.
[email protected]
+1 305 432 1731
Angelica Crudo — Communications
[email protected]
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Explore the Index Destinations
Browse curated villas in each ranked destination
Tuscany, Italy
Wine estates, hilltop villas, full staff included
Turks and Caicos Villas
Grace Bay, Ambergris Cay private island, Parrot Cay
Lake Como, Italy
Lakefront palazzi, private piers, full staff
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Clifftop terraces, sea access, chef-led stays
Dominican Republic
Punta Cana, Casa de Campo, ÀNI north coast
Los Cabos, Mexico
Desert-ocean estates, workation demand
St Barts
Quiet luxury, no resorts by law, entirely private
Mykonos, Greece
Aegean infinity pools, whitewashed estates
Costa Rica
Jungle wellness villas, surf guides, private chefs
Miami & South Florida
Star Island, Indian Creek, waterfront compounds