As our roller-coaster ride of a year continues, leave it to travel advisor impresario Jack Ezon to come up with a creative twist to counter your boredom.
With no office to go to and no in-person school to attend, Ezon, founder of Embark Beyond, said he was seeing a significant rise in demand for long-term stays ranging from one to six months.
He notes, “Many of our successful urbanite families are seizing the opportunity to explore a new destination by literally moving into a home-style unit with hotel services to change their view and gain access to new activities, local history, and cultures.
Welcome to Embark Longer, a collection of villa-style hotels and resorts in accessible destinations that include things long-term guests need:
- Unlimited laundry
- Unlimited Parking
- Daily breakfast
- Complimentary Wifi
- Dedicated point person (butler /concierge)
- Full virtual office setup for working adults and/or kids learning virtually
For stays over two months Embark even ships luggage complimentary. With overseas travel sometimes still difficult, this week, here are 12 options all located on U.S. soil.
- Amanyara
- Four Seasons Resort and Residences
- Antilles Pearl at Altamer
- Belmond Cap Juluca
- Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort
- Hotel Le Toiny
- Belmond La Samanna
- Casa de Campo
- Eden Roc Cap Cana
- Goldeneye
1. Amanyara
Location: Turks & Caicos
Why? Amanyara’s Villas (ranging up to over 7,000 sq. ft.) offer consummate privacy and space in natural surroundings. Three to six bedrooms are set around a black infinity pool and hardwood deck.
Conde Nast Traveler’s view: “Set on the scrubby nub of the Northwest Point Marine National Park on Providenciales, the Amanyara resort in Turks and Caicos is a veritable vision. Rooms in airy gazebos made of Indonesian wood float like water lilies on the central reflecting pool, and are surrounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling sliding glass walls that lead down to sunken dining areas and bedroom floors inlaid with teak. Opt for one of the Ocean Villas—the most private of all—and enjoy an infinity-edge pool, a lush, private garden brimming with native island vegetation, and a dockside day bed, perfect for taking that much-needed catnap.”
2. Four Seasons Resort and Residences
Location: Anguilla
Why? With private pools and unparalleled beachfront access, its luxury villas are the ideal space to connect with friends and loved ones.
Forbes Travel Guide says, “Three perch-like pools offer varying, but equally mesmerizing views from each locale — the adults-only Sunset Pool is of the saltwater infinity variety, the Meads Bay Pool overlooks its namesake and the Aleta Pool offers the luxury cabanas.
If you need a break from the water, the Four Seasons has three tennis courts, full basketball and volleyball courts, a watersports shop, a clothing boutique and a Sea Centre for scuba diving.
The 8,800 square-foot spa sits in a two-story villa that provides views of the water from its 13 indoor and three outdoor treatment rooms.”
3. Antilles Pearl at Altamer
Location: ANGUILLA
Why? The villas of Altamer offer unparalleled achievement in beachfront elegance and refined architectural design. Enjoy living in a true high-end residence with 5-star hotel services.
The massive estate includes 12,000 sq. ft. of interior space with six bedroom. There is a modern lift for seamless transport between floors, a fully equipped gourmet kitchen with doors leading onto the terrace, a beautiful living room with a twenty-one-foot high ceiling. Interior design by Linda Warren Associates.
Outdoor features of the Pearl include a private beachfront, swimming pool, a 50-foot skywalk (an architectural feat that makes you feel as if you are floating above the ocean), a rooftop terrace with a barbecue for alfresco dining, plus tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts.
The Pearl features a state-of-the-art sound system that allows for unrestricted music access from anywhere on the property. There is also a full entertainment center featuring a custom-built pool table with teak wood and stainless steel finish.
4. Belmond Cap Juluca
Location: Anguilla
Why? Find your own piece of paradise in Anguilla. Luxury resort villas, each boasting an inviting private pool, offer every indulgence.
Conde Nast Traveler writes, “The villa suites are relaxed: four-poster beds, seagrass armoires, twisted-abaca chairs, linen curtains that balloon when the doors open, soft Beni Ourain carpets, and cool-grey arabesque tiles underfoot, as well as enormous bathrooms that lead onto private solariums.
Retreating to one’s room in the middle of the day feels like a cop-out at many places, but here the indoor-outdoor flow transforms a late-afternoon nap into a pleasure without the guilt. Each residence is just steps away from the beach, so close that putting on shoes would be foolish.
All the villas are at a distance from the main house—the higher the number, the farther it is—but you’re hardly stranded. You can thumb a lift from the frequently roving golf carts, beach-cruiser-style bicycles or vintage Volkswagen buses.”
5. Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort
Location: St. Lucia
At the accommodations in St. Lucia in the Caribbean, you’ll be perfectly enveloped in it all, enjoying the harmony between nature and modern living.
Travel + Leisure reports, “The 100-acre Jalousie Plantation, skirting a sleepy stretch of sand, was always lovely. And the location, wedged between the towering Pitons—a UNESCO World Heritage site—was second to none. But when British pub baron Roger Myers put $100 million into a rebranding by Viceroy, he raised the bar on an island already known for luxury.
The result: 78 bleach-white rooms and 42 hillside villas built with kiln-dried Central American hardwoods and filled with indigenous art; a tree-house spa made by a Rastafarian craftsman using 900-year-old Carib Indian techniques; and old-world uniforms for the staff (prim white cotton dresses for the housekeepers; top hats for the bellmen).
The area’s star attractions? Hundreds of triggerfish and clown shrimp that live in the nearby Anse de Pitons bay; plumb the azure waters with a diving lesson from the resort’s longtime instructor, Cocoa Puffs.
6. Hotel Le Toiny
Location: St. Barths
Why? Entirely surrounded by the ocean, imagine a mother ship ready to sail the ocean. Once you step through the door, the magic of its natural surroundings and the history of the cultural heritage takes over.
Conde Nast Traveler writes, “Each of the hotel’s 15 lateral-living villas has a private heated pool surrounded by casuarina trees, oleanders and hibiscus. The rooms are gorgeous, with oversized everything from beds to sofas and thick fluffy towels. Neat kitchenettes are hidden in armoires with hot water on tap and ice-making machines; there are tree-stump side tables filled with poured resin and glass lamp stands weighted with sand. Raise the red flag at the gate to indicate ‘do not disturb’ – but be prepared for a giant tortoise or iguana by the pool.”
7. Belmond La Samanna
Location: St. Martin, West Indies
Why? Some of the finest accommodation in St. Martin, Private Pool Villas at Belmond La Samanna are palatial yet comfortable.
Conde Nast Traveler says, “Overlooking an idyllic golden stretch of sand, Belmond La Samanna, a sparkling resort beloved by the international jet set, received a retro-chic, pastel-hued refresh of its 83 rooms and suites, eight villas and public spaces in late 2018, with fabrics and furniture inspired by shells and sea life. Located in St. Martin’s smartest neighborhood, the hotel is within easy strolling distance of the island’s diverse cultural offerings.”
8. Casa de Campo
Location: Dominican Republic
Why? Imagine waking up every morning in paradise, from the comfort of your own private villa. Wake up to the magical sound of waves gently crashing on the Caribbean coastline.
Forbes Travel Guide rates the resort with 4-stars. It writes, “Located in the Dominican Republic’s historic sugar mill town La Romana, Casa de Campo Resort & Villas has lured a long line of A-listers (Bill and Hillary Clinton, Julio Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Jay Z, and Beyoncé) to its sprawling, 7,000-acre resort. Here, peace, quiet, and privacy are important tenets and you’ll find a professional, discreet staff.
You’ll also find plenty to do — the resort is teeming with amenities, from three Pete Dye-designed golf courses, an equestrian center and a shooting center to a spa and tennis courts. Fifteen bars and restaurants provide a breadth of choices with a few standouts. Because of its size, Casa de Campo offers complimentary use of golf carts to get around the resort grounds easily.”
9. Eden Roc Cap Cana
Location: Dominican Republic
Why? The very private and posh accommodations are at the heart of the resort’s fundamental promise to its visitors: cherished intimacy for all. This is the ultimate Caribbean experience—one where families savor time together at their own pace, never seeking to leave the exquisite comfort of their own idyll.
Another 4-star choice from Forbes, inspectors of its Travel Guide report, “The Dominican Republic’s Eden Roc Cap Cana feels like a posh village rather than a traditional resort. A 15-minute drive from Punta Cana International Airport on the country’s easternmost tip, Eden Roc has a design that celebrates the aesthetics of the 1960s French and Italian Rivieras while managing to stay relatively true to its Caribbean setting.
Part of the Dominican Republic’s 30,000-acre Cap Cana enclave, Eden Roc is a Relais & Châteaux property flush with lush gardens, jewel-toned villas and one of the prettiest sugar-white sand strips on the island.
And when you need a little extra pampering, don’t forget to stop by the resort’s recently revamped Eden Roc Wellness & Spa for island-inspired treatments featuring luxury skincare brand, Natura Bissé.”
10. Goldeneye
Location: Jamaica
There’s a magnetic quality here that has, for decades, attracted creatives of all stripes. Fleming, who suffered from writer’s block, created the James Bond character while at GoldenEye—and wrote another Bond adventure during every winter.
Conde Nast Traveler writes, “Few places manage to condense the sheer joy of island living as successfully as Jamaica’s favorite hotel. Hip, friendly, respectful. Lovely trees, gently sloping sands, and a bewitching turquoise sea, cocktails muddled with lime, pineapple, and rum.
Ian Fleming bought the site for Goldeneye (as he named it) in 1946, building a utilitarian home close to the sea where he loved to skinny-dip. Thirty years later Chris Blackwell, the Jamaican founder of Island Records, acquired the property, subsequently adding more land. Barbara Hulanicki, creator of the Biba fashion store, worked on the interiors and many well-known musicians have hung out by its tranquil waters.
King-size beds and air conditioning, most with a garden shower. Families love the beach villas with their full kitchen, while lagoon cottages have their own kayak. Interiors have a cheerful feel and are well thought out, from the hand-dyed batik robes to arty boxes of matches and a personal music player with curated playlists. Fleming’s original villa sleeps 10 and still has its original sunken garden and steps down to a small private beach. Martinis and dinner jackets would seem essential.”
VIP Contact
Contact Jack Ezon at jack@embarkbeyond.com or visits EmbarkBeyond.com
