I recently treated myself to a stay in a luxury villa in the Caribbean, on my island home of Jamaica. Not only was a visit SERIOUSLY overdue, but the opportunity arose and I took it.
Bear with me for the backstory: as you recall, my mother passed away last year. Six weeks later my husband was diagnosed with lymphoma in his brain. It is a rare condition, but my dear man is an overachiever, so it makes perfect sense, in a way. Yes, I jest.
As his sole caregiver, I am often quite, hmmm..."stretched" is a good word, though a gross understatement. Looking back over the decades, 2024 was the hardest year of my life.
Enter my sister and her timely desire for a family trip to Jamaica. Her plan: take her ENTIRE line of descendants, and some of my brother's, to the homeland. Some had been there before, but for others this was a new, long-awaited experience.
Of course, I had to tag along, AND drag my guy along for the trip. He had never been to Jamaica, and the best part: his daily medical visits were on a brief hiatus! We were a 14-person strong, multi-generational (ages 6 weeks to 81 years!) tribe vacationing in the blue Caribbean, in a luxury villa par excellence!
End of backstory. Now the best part.
Picture a stunning villa with it's own private gleaming white-sand beach cove, covered but open-air patio seating and dining area, inviting pool, combo basketball/pickleball court for the agile youngsters; well-stocked, covered outdoor bar with additional comfy seating perfect for leaving the family crowd behind if you needed to.
I'm not done: a jetty with a gazebo perched at the end, hung with four hammocks looking out to the blue horizon (perfect for quiet reflection or reading), and another gazebo on the beach where my sister would take her morning tea. A second dining area under the trees in front of the covered outdoor kitchen building, which was open to the sea view and air, wherein our sumptuous Jamaican meals were prepared.
The entire back of the house was open to the wafting sea breezes, with more than enough plush seating that beckoned the entire family to lounge and relax together. Indoors, enormous sofas, a third and fourth dining area, the indoor kitchen which our chef never used, a patio with a huge swing, and a lush indoor garden with a delightful waterfall (I want one of those!).
Can your mind's eye see this tropical haven?
As lovely a this was, as much needed as our visit home was, here is the importance of this tranquility - it allowed me to reset. And how timely; this was just what my psyche needed.
The call to "reset" is ubiquitous at this, the outset of a new year. Really, though, one need not wait for a new year, or anything else.
We are entitled to re-tune, re-group, re-energize, recover, re-invent ourselves whenever necessary.
Is it time for you to reconnect with your group of family and friends? A private luxury villa is a perfect location for that - away from the public, enjoying seclusion yet togetherness, beautiful scenery, delectable food, unmatched service, fun excursions and exploration when desired.
If you have been with me long enough you remember my previous articles singing the praises of luxury villas as being perfect for group getaways. There is one here.
Your luxury villa can be wherever you wish - Europe, the Caribbean, South America, in the mountains, beachfront, or near urban centrality. Your staff treats you like they've known you their whole lives, and their job is take away the daily grind, to provide spa services, to entertain the kids, to care for the household so you don't have to, to transport you (literally), and whisk you away (emotionally) to your well-deserved and much-needed happy place.
For me, it was almost like being a movie star for a few days. And isn't that why we vacation? To leave the everyday behind for a moment, and experience the new, and out-of-the-ordinary?
If 'movie-star' doesn't ring true for you, then insert the luxurious lifestyle of your choice - rockstar, sports personality, royalty, high-tech mogul.
It's okay to vacation like a VIP, and since you know someone who specializes in that realm, it will be very easy for you. I will be part of the "staff" that takes away the grind - that grind of planning the trip, locating the villa, finding the staff, protecting your investment, getting you there and getting you back home.
I do it every day for my clients, and I took the time to do it for myself and a few members of my enormous family, with the help of one of my Virtuoso partners that specializes in villas
And it was priceless!
'til next week.
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Contact Juliet: GLOBAL EXOTIC ADVENTURES
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