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Top 5 destinations for villas with a view

Though thereÂ’s no guarantee of the perfect holiday, choosing somewhere to stay with a stunning outlook is a good way to start. Fortunately youÂ’ll no longer have to spend hours trawling the Internet for just the right place, since the launch of Beach TomatoÂ’s new offering of online bookable villas & holiday home rentals, all within striking distance of the beach. Beach Tomato is an online lifestyle magazine dedicated to all things beach. Widely recognised as the leading editorial voice on the best of beach culture, the new villas site features over 3,000 hand picked properties, perfect for those who enjoy a luxurious beach lifestyle. Ranging from stylish apartments right through to your very own private island, the unique blend of properties on offer caters exactly for beach-lovers needs. Here Beach Tomato round-up their top five villas with a view. From medieval towns to tropical gardens, these knockout lodgings are guaranteed to make your friends green with envy. All these properties and more, can be booked through the Beach Tomato site. Mychloe, Canary Islands – Gran Canaria If an oasis of calm sounds like the kind of place you want to take a holiday then look no further than the luxurious Mychloe villa situated just a five minute drive from the largest town in the Canary Islands, Maspalomas. Located on the southernmost tip of Gran Canaria, and only an hourÂ’s drive from the capital of Las Palmas, Maspalomas really is dream destination. Mychloe Not only does it have all the usual plus points of a holiday destination – miles of beautiful coastline, white sandy beaches and calm shallow waters – it also happens to have 400 acres of rolling dunes smack bang in the middle of it. You can travel on foot or by camel across them, taking in the exotic landscape and the large number of rare plants and birds that are native to the Canaries. A stop off at El Oasis, a sea-water lagoon surrounded by palm trees, is a jawdropping location perfect for a photo opportunity. The Mychloe villa is perched right on the edge of the dunes, which form part of the National Park. Its south-facing garden provides sweeping views of the dunes and the nearby town. Or you might prefer to enjoy the view while dining al fresco or taking a dip in the private pool. Serra Carbonera, El Port de la Selva, Costa Brava – Spain They say the best places are known by the locals, and if thatÂ’s the case then for local Barcelonians, El Port de la Selva is the place to be. Each summer Italians descend on this beautiful medieval village, along with many French visitors, due to its proximity to the border. Primarily known as a seaside village, the port is in the comarca (traditional region) of the Alt Empordà in Catalonia, along the Costa Brava in Spain. Though the name Costa Brava means ‘Wild CoastÂ’, El Port de la Selva remains a haven of calm. The Serra Carbonera villa is positioned atop a hill overlooking the main bay of the village, where you can watch the hustle and bustle of the local fisherman on their boats, all from the comfort of the infinity pool. Serra Carbonera The main beach, Platja Perabeua, is considered one of the best in Catalonia due to its crystal clear water and soft sand. The surroundings of the beach are majestic, with rugged rocks and cliffs on both sides. With such varied landscapes, friendly locals and fantastic cuisine, itÂ’s easy to see why locals and tourists alike return to El port de la Selva year after year. Les Rochers, Cote d’Azur – France When A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney have dipped their celeb toes in the water on the Cote DÂ’Azur, you know youÂ’re in good company. Situated on a stretch of coastline between Nice and Monaco, this really is the land of the rich and famous. The VilleFranche villa has a dramatic position on top of the cliffs of Monaco, where you can dine al fresco while looking out over St Jean Cap Ferrat and the Bay of VilleFranche. Large glass windows make this stylish villa even more chic and only enhance your ability to take in the stunning panorama. Les Rochers In the evening you can enjoy the unusual mix of Italian and French cuisines, which make for some exceptionally tasty dishes, followed by a stroll along the promenade des Anglais in Nice, or alternatively get all dressed up and have a flutter at the Casino in Monte Carlo. On Fridays you can even head over the border to nearby Italy to visit the huge market at Ventimiglia. Villa Lelant, St. James, Barbados – Caribbean A golf-lovers paradise, the Royal Westmoreland Golf Resort is set near the exotic location of Mullins Bay, in the Caribbean. The Lelant Villa is super stylish and literally a stoneÂ’s throw away from the 16th fairway of the golf course. On the villaÂ’s upper floor, the master bedroom opens out on to a private balcony where you and your posse can unwind with some drinks and watch the action on the fairway or look further out to views of the Caribbean Sea. Larger groups can make full use of the villas main floor, home to a large, sumptuous patio where you can dine surrounded by palm trees. If you get too hot you can walk the few steps to the private pool for a refreshing dip. Villa Lelant You can effortlessly trade your pool and deck for the soft sands and blue waters of Mullins Beach where you can snorkel or swim with a whole host of lively tropical fish or even spot some sea turtles. Alternatively you can sit back and do a spot of celeb watching – the West Coast of Barbados is known to attract celebs as varied as Rihanna, Simon Cowell and Mariah Carey. Atlantis, Crete – Greece If Greece hasnÂ’t yet tickled your fancy as a holiday destination, then this knockout villa in Crete might just change your mind. The elegant Atlantis has all the comforts of home, and then some. It has a great balance of traditional and modern that few holiday villas really get right. The rooms are all huge and each bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom. The master suite even has its own Jacuzzi and dressing room (in case you brought enough clothes to fill it). The patio, which perches on the top of the residence, has uninterrupted views of the sea and the islands ahead. Around dusk the view really comes into its own, when sat on the periphery of the deck, you can take in a truly spectacular sunset. Atlantis, Crete Venturing into the nearby town you can sample the fresh produce and distinct Cretan cuisine. Local specialties include Dakos, traditional dried bread topped with grated tomato, olive oil, cheese and oregano and Dolmades, grape leaves stuffed with rice, herbs and meat.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.

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