Americas

Luxury villa rentals in the Americas are your chance for a real escape from the hustles and bustles of life, whether you prefer the sugar-soft beaches and crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean or the wave-battered shores of the Mexican Riviera. A luxury villa in this stunning part of the world can offer lazy days in hammocks between the palms of Anguilla, romantic sunset shows in Turks & Caicos, or whale watching in the Dominican Republic. And that's just for starters.

Antigua sits out on the eastern fringes of the Americas in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean Sea. It's a land of handsome English townships and yacht-speckled bays. Come here to trace the tale of Admiral Nelson but also to sink rum punches on the quays of lively St John's.

Only 100 miles northwest is Anguilla. This finger-thin island is home to some of the most alluring luxury villas in the Americas. They beckon with palm-sprouting gardens above the talcum sands of Maundays Bay or offer bedrooms that open straight onto the turquoise waters of Rendezvous Bay.

Further west again, and you hit the Dominican Republic. Occupying half of Hispaniola Island, it's one of the largest and most diverse destinations in these parts. The Dominican Republic ranges from mist-gathering mountains and high-up tobacco plantations around Santiago De Los Caballeros to the sandy beaches and deck chair rows of Punta Cana out east. Between that, you have whale-filled bays in Samana and the rich history of Santo Domingo, a capital founded by the brother of Christopher Columbus.

Track south towards the coast of South America, and more hidden gems arise in the Caribbean chain. We're talking long-lost paradises like Mustique, where the trade winds kiss groves of cabbage palms, and the villa rentals take the meaning of luxury to new and dizzying heights – think cascading infinity pools and breezy decks overlooking the sparkling sea.

However, luxury holidays in the Americas don't have to be about Caribbean island-hopping. Mexico sees to that with its flurry of spice-scented colonial towns and tequila-soaked beach escapes. Upscale holidays there could whisk you to villas on the cliffs of Tulum, where you'll sun yourself beside ancient Mayan temples. Or they could take you across to the roaring Pacific, where towns like Punta Mita offer sprawling properties with private yachts and the most fantastic sunset terraces.

On top of all that, the Americas are a perfect pick for honeymooners on the hunt for something truly special. Destinations like Turks & Caicos or the Pearl Cays of Nicaragua offer up get-away-from-it-all stays on private islands or sun-kissed villas that open onto the whitest sands you've ever seen. It will be just you, your other half, the sound of the swaying coconut palms, the lapping of the waves, and the buzz of the cicadas. Bliss.