The growing desire for privacy and space is fueling a shift toward more exclusive vacation options. People now expect exceptional amenities, including concierge services, private chefs, housekeeping, and in-villa spas. These offerings have become standard in the luxury travel market.

In response, more luxury hotels are incorporating villa-style accommodations, also known as branded residences, into their properties. These villas offer an escape from crowded hotel environments.

According to Statista, the global vacation rental market is set to generate $105 billion in revenue this year, with expectations to reach $125 billion by 2029.

However, competition is intensifying as fractional ownership and private membership clubs grow in popularity. High-end brands like Fontenille Collection and Iconic House continue to offer luxurious, design-forward properties. At the same time, companies like Equity Estates allow investors to purchase shares in their global real estate portfolio, offering the potential for capital appreciation.

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An Equity Estates holiday home in Tuscany, Italy.

But the latest salvo at the ultra-luxe end of the spectrum comes from Exclusive Resorts, a private membership club which is majority owned by AOL co-founder Steve Case, and comprises a $1 billion portfolio of more than 400 private residences across 75 destinations.

“We operate, and control 70-plus percent of the real estate. And because we have one primary shareholder that owns the majority of the organization, we have a tremendous amount of flexibility in terms of how we strategically manage the growth of the club,” James Henderson, CEO of Exclusive Resorts, told Forbes.

Growth Requires New Tactics

So, last month the company announced it is taking a minority stake in the Onefinestay vacation rental brand, owned by the French hotel giant Accor. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it clearly enables Exclusive Resorts to cross-market across the two customer bases, and expand into new markets where it might not have a strong presence. Onefinestay lists about 3,000 homes, villas, and chalets across 40 destinations, including the gateway cities of London, Los Angeles, Paris and New York, and across the Caribbean, Tuscany, the South of France and Thailand. Both companies offer round-the-clock concierge support, airport transfers, housekeeping, and 24/7 guest assistance.

“For me, private villas and yachts are the most important kind of product out there for high net worth clients,” says Jaclyn Sienna India, CEO of Sienna Charles, a lifestyle and travel concierge agency. “Because everything in that house or boat is all about you, and can be customized to very high standards. Staff can be handpicked, from the captain to the person serving you food.”

Having complete control over the travel experience without the responsibility of maintenance and insurance of the real estate can be rather appealing. This is why Case’s company is now breaking into the branded residential business, the first of which is a development being built on Costa Rica’s Cacique Peninsula on the northwestern Pacific coast. “Many of the club’s members are not only frequent travelers—they’re also active buyers,” said Henderson. “By entering the branded residential market, we are providing our members with an opportunity to invest in homes backed by the same quality, trust, and service standards they have come to expect from the club. And for the first time, we’re introducing an extended stay option—a request we’ve heard for years.”

Inside the Lounge at Nekajui, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Costa Rica

Destination: Costa Rica

Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is the top holiday spot this year, home to new resorts like Waldorf Astoria and Ritz-Carlton Reserve, plus the established Four Seasons. Just 30-45 minutes from Liberia’s international airport, it’s a key location for Exclusive Resorts.

On the stunning Peninsula Papagayo, Case’s company manages 21 four-bedroom villas, or “jicaros,” each with a private pool, fully stocked kitchen, outdoor shower, and access to a private beach club. The area is surrounded by lush nature reserves, and guests can easily access the Four Seasons’ spa, restaurants, and golf course via golf carts.

Imagine waking up to the ocean’s sounds, enjoying sunrise coffee by the private pool, and gazing at secluded beaches and turquoise waters. Costa Rica offers adventure with its jungles, rainforests, and volcanoes. Visitors flock for yoga, surfing retreats, and guided hikes. Boat trips allow you to spot dolphins, fish for tuna, or snorkel with sea turtles and colorful fish. Pura vida!

Peninsula Papagayo Costa Rica Residence

The Villa Experience

Immediately, you get the appeal. The bar is fully stocked, there are fresh flowers in every room and there are not one, but two outdoor showers to match your private plunge pool and jacuzzi bathtub. You promptly run and jump on the made bed (vertiginous ceiling heights allow it), squealing like a toddler with delight regardless of your age.

As this is not a hotel, you can pretty much make as much noise as you want. Dance to the music. Use a megaphone to announce breakfast. Howl at the moon, like your new howler, capuchin and spider monkey neighbors! Their troops certainly won’t complain, so this is going to be great. You live here now. That’s your fridge, your espresso machine, and your brand new fluffy robe with matching slippers. Properly enrobed, you can fully embrace the fantasy that everything in the past is behind you, and you can finally just go stir that chilled martini Stanley Tucci keeps raving about.

The concept of room service seems quaint, when a specific list of groceries can be delivered and a private chef can be summoned to whip up local dishes like red snapper baked in a banana leaf, ginger rice, and savory sofrito. This being Costa Rica, the real culinary gems are also the simplest: think fresh, ripe mangoes, avocados, bananas, and coconuts fallen straight from the trees. And we haven’t even talked about the quality of their famous coffee beans.

There’s simply a lot to be said for this trendy style of travel. If you can afford the eye-watering membership fees.

The view from Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Costa Rica