Most people planning a big group trip go straight to hotels. It is just what they are used to. So, when the numbers come in, they will be looking to book six rooms or even more. That's pretty expensive, especially if you consider the resort fees nobody talks about. Then there’s a breakfast bill that could even feed a small village. Here is the thing, though: a private villa is a better option for large groups. It is actually cheaper for a group, and the experience is so much better on top of that.
Hotels were never really designed with big groups in mind. That’s why you end up paying separately for everything. They charge you separately for food, and you spend most of your time in a room barely big enough to open your suitcase in. A villa, however, turns all of that around. Here is where the money side of it really starts to make sense.
The math here is pretty straightforward. If you get a villa, you all agree on one price, and then split it between everyone traveling. Even the nicest st barth properties happen to be cheaper per person than a single five-star hotel room in the same location. As for money, you get a private pool, proper outdoor space, and a whole home to yourselves. No hotel room comes close to that for the same price per head.
Have you ever ordered room service at a resort? If you have, then you know that it is pretty expensive. A sandwich could cost you up to fifteen dollars, and even a glass of wine is twenty. Then there are service charges, too, on top of all of it. In a villa, you have your own kitchen, so you can pick up fresh food from a local market. It is so easy for you to cook when you feel like it, and buy your own drinks at normal prices.
Another thing that’s worth mentioning is space. If you book a hotel, it usually means you all will have to pay for somewhere to sit. A bar tab here, or a restaurant booking somewhere, you will need a bit of space as a group. In a villa, the pool deck, the living room, and the garden are already yours.
Hotels have a habit of adding things to the bill that were never part of the original price. They could charge you daily for resort fees, facility charges, and even parking costs. So, all of it spread across every room you booked. A villa is actually quite simple because you only pay the price you agreed on. All the fees are already fixed; whether it's Wi-Fi or parking, you don't need to pay extra.
If you get a hotel room, it only gives you a bed, a bathroom, and not much else. A villa, however, gives everyone their own room plus a whole property to share. You could have access to terraces, gardens, or even big living spaces. Nobody is stuck sitting on the edge of a bed because there is nowhere else to go.
Next time you are planning a big group holiday, make sure you pull up in a villa. Don’t just book those hotel rooms; instead, run the numbers honestly and see which is cheaper. Most of the time, the villa wins on price, on space, and on everything else.
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