The best villas in Spain, from Ronda to Mallorca
A Spanish villa stay conjures up several dreamy visions. Timeless terracotta homes on laidback islands, imposing sandstone relics secluded in mountain villages, or swish modern properties with pools sparkling as bright as their whitewashed exteriors. Spain is a nation which is just as glorious in the off-season as in the height of summer, and with a fast-growing reputation as Europe’s foodiest country, the cuisine is worth sampling across the sunny patchwork of mainland and archipelagic destinations.
For a comfortable base, taking over a private villa as your own is the unrivalled option when it comes to space and privacy, and with most including splendid pools, spa facilities, and family-friendly features, there’s little reason to leave. From character-packed Mallorcan fincas to mountain hideouts near Madrid, we’ve rounded up the loveliest villas in Spain to rent this summer – each hand picked for their on-the-button locations, clever design and seal of approval from tried-and-trusted experts.
More recommendations for where to stay in Spain:
- The best hotels in Spain
- The best Airbnbs in Spain
- The best villas in Mallorca
- The best villas in Ibiza
- The best villas in Málaga
- The best villas in Menorca
- The best Airbnbs in Valencia
- The best Airbnbs in Seville
- The best Airbnbs in San Sebastian
While we have not stayed in every villa featured, unless otherwise stated, these listings are vetted based on Superhost status, amenities, location, previous guest reviews, and decor.
Masia Santa Monica
Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Catalonia
What appealed to me most about the property was the sheer size; I looked at a lot of places, and it was rare to find somewhere with enough bedrooms to comfortably sleep 20 (multiple bunk beds in one room was not an option we’d entertain). I also loved the remote location — overlooking the area’s greenery and out to sea — and the private pool (cold spring temperatures will never be a deterrent to us Brits). Everything about this property matched the images and description online, from the stunning view to the large and comfortable rooms. And even organising the (admittedly quite simple) itinerary was made easy thanks to our host’s recommendations; she shared a contact who planned a nearby boat trip, and passed on details for a local food delivery service to ensure everything came to the door without us having to lift a finger. Abigail Malbon.
Read Abigail Malbon’s full review of her favourite Spanish Airbnb villa here.
Sleeps: 22
Price: From around £855 per night
Mountain villa
Robledo de Chavela, Madrid
Tucked between Madrid’s mountain ranges, yet less than an hour’s drive from the city centre, this lovely Airbnb is the best of both worlds. Arched sandstone facades rise above flourishing plots of sweet-smelling trees, ranging from almond to pomegranate, and a sun-drenched pool terrace sits on the cusp of rolling hills beside. Interiors are rustic and nostalgic, with red-chequered curtains draped across wooden shuttered windows, and handwoven chairs beside a traditional fireplace. The kitchen has both floral vintage crockery and modern amenities like a blender and microwave, and while all four bedrooms are on the simpler side, the large, lavish tubs in the bathrooms make up for it. Don’t miss the secret wine cellar either, lined with bottle shelves and beer barrels.
Sleeps: Nine
Price: From around £274 per night, with a two-night minimum stay.jpg)
Llanos Resort
Ronda, Andalucía
Greeted by an illuminated fountain on the driveway, it’s immediately clear this is no ordinary villa. Found in one of Andalucía’s prettiest ‘pueblos blancos’ (white towns), the gleaming walls of this sprawling seven-bedroom property nod towards its whitewashed neighbourhood, but the encircling acres of manicured gardens set it far apart. In the blue-walled, indoor courtyard, a glass dining table sits like a proud centrepiece among clay-pot plants and ornate tiling, a space reminiscent of Marrakech riad style. Freestanding bathtubs with golden details and four-poster oak beds pursue grandeur in the sleeping quarters, while a cinema room with projector and sound-proof walls is perfect for snug movie nights. The highlight, however, is the massive swimming pool on the lawn, with a smart jacuzzi feature at its centre accessible by a short timber bridge.
Sleeps: 14
Price: From around £1,543 per night, with a three-night minimum stay
Hacienda Tenerife
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Few villas on our list are more eye-catching than this boxy, burnt orange beauty, poised 750m above sea level in a charming rural village. The vibrant palette continues inside too, with sky-blue kitchen cupboards, plush red lounge rugs, and pastel yellow dining chairs bringing the otherwise sombre oak furnishings to life. There’s also a playful, Mexican-inspired energy dotted across the home, from sombreros on coatstands to towering cacti in the enclosed courtyard. Bathrooms rarely take centre stage in villa rentals, but the gorgeous, mosaic-tiled en suite in the master bedroom is as beautiful as it is well-equipped, with a sunken circular bathtub and state-of-the-art sauna. Move to the children’s twin room for cartoon wallpaper and piles of toys, and with poker tables, ping pong tables, and a large heated swimming pool, there’s plenty to keep all ages entertained. Even furry friends are invited to enjoy the holiday at this pet-friendly home.
Sleeps: 4-10
Price: From around £357 per night, with a seven-night minimum stay
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Almond Flower Villa
Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza
A villa with fewer bedrooms usually means a sacrifice on the size, but here, couples or small families can take over the expansive gardens, wraparound terrace, and wide open-plan living space of this villa as their own. Located in Ibiza’s untrodden north, this stay offers a glimpse into the quieter, more authentic side to the Balearic party island, with private parking on site for reaching all the local beaches and villages. A shady, zero-entry pool beneath lush palms resembles a peaceful jungle lake, for swimming which blends in with nature rather than sticks out, while a cosy day bed is sheltered by a hut-style roof beside. Simple yet elegant, the light stone interiors are embellished by dainty white decor and lofty beamed ceilings, and using only eco-friendly materials and renewable energy sources, this home is as kind to the planet as it is to its guests.
Sleeps: Three
Price: From around £563 per night, with a five-night minimum stay_Mas_Moli_Petit_October23_PR.jpg)
Albert LlorensMas Moli Petit
Figueres, Girona
Picture your dream Spanish villa, and it will probably look something like this. An hour north of bustling Barcelona, this masia is squirrelled away in a quiet corner of Figueres – the ancient town best known as Salvador Dalí’s birthplace. Perched on the edge of a private nature reserve, it's surrounded by the high gorges and vast fields of the Catalonian countryside, framed by the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees in the distance. The villa is a converted olive mill; in the depths of the house, the original stone wheel and tunnels where water would flow from the nearby streams are still intact, now functioning as a wine cellar and bodega where guests can arrange for an evening’s wine tasting. Upstairs, flagstone floors, wooden beams, stone archways and antique furnishing preserve the building’s history alongside more modern comforts – there’s a cinema room, a cosy living room with a giant fireplace and a pool table next to a well-stocked bar area. Perfect for large groups or family reunions, the villa sleeps up to 18 across the main house and garden house, with a small cottage available on request. Spend days lazing by the oval-shaped swimming pool; playing tennis on the outdoor court (there's table tennis, too); rustling up paella and barbecues in the al fresco kitchen or snoozing on a bench by the lake as you watch swallows swoop and turtles tootle about the lawn. Come evening, sip vermouth on the roof terrace as you watch the sun dip behind the mountains and fireflies light up the surrounding woodlands. Olivia Morelli
Sleeps: 18
Price: From about £1,754 per night, with a three-night minimum stay
Aquamarine Breeze
San Sebastian
About halfway up the third flight of stairs we ascended to find this villa on foot, we wondered if it could be worth it. Our calves ached, our brows were damp from the August heat, and there was still a hill to climb. But if the hike didn’t take our breath away, the view from the terrace at Aquamarine Breeze certainly did. From here, all of San Sebastian’s most iconic landmarks are visible: the bite-sized island of Santa Clara; the sweeping, sandy La Concha beach; Mount Urgull, and its Rio-like Redeemer statue watching over the city. It's a key selling point that caught the eyes of Plum Guide, the holiday home rental site with incredibly high standards – only 3% of homes pass their detailed test. Rally a group (it looks expensive, but works out as cheaper than most hotels and Airbnbs here) and don’t forget to call shotgun on the master bedroom next to the kitchen, whose giant bed comfortably fits two starfish sleepers. We arrived during Semana Grande, a week-long festival of music, dance and merriment, and watched world-class fireworks from the balcony, a two-for-one show with their reflection sparkling on the surface of the water below. Worth it? I’d say so.
Sleeps: Seven
Price: From about £1,222 per night, with a three-night minimum stay
La Quinta
Gaucin, Andalucía
Steep, wiggly backroads lead to this terracotta-pink, fairy-tale hacienda tucked away in the Andalucian hills. The owners rescued antique doors from crumbling estates, lined the walls with reclaimed Moorish tiles and added swishy curtains and floral-paisley flourishes to create the deliciously old-school, grand country-pile atmosphere. There’s more grounded grandeur outside: a lush courtyard garden filled with tumbling ivy and a tinkling fountain; emerald-green lawns and a pool, hidden from sight at the end of the garden path and flanked by a thoughtfully placed bar to keep the rosé cool. But our favourite thing about La Quinta is the mountain views: dramatic and omnipresent, framed by the villa’s string of terraces like a watercolour.
Sleeps: 10
Price: From around £500 per night, with a seven-night minimum
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Casa Serena
Playa de Migjorn, Formentera
From the team behind Margot House hotel in Barcelona, here is a next-step-up beach stay in one of the best locations in Ibiza. The villa is bordered by pine forest, but just a two-minute stroll takes you straight to the sparkling white sands of Migjorn for a morning swim followed by a paella lunch at Es Codol Foradat restaurant. The house itself is barefoot and boho, with the kind of low-key sunbleached styling that is prevalent in Formentera: white walls and pops of colour provided by blousy clouds of bougainvillaea and blue-painted doors and window frames. With lots of shaded seating areas, and each room set up separately, everyone has their own space and privacy. It’s often taken over for retreats, and it’s easy to see why.
Sleeps: 12
Price: From about £941 per night, with a four-night minimum stay
La Finca
Mallorca
There’s nothing off the peg at this head-turning Mallorcan finca, packed with interesting finds and one-off creations from independent craftspeople around the globe. There are flourishes of northern Africa in the bedrooms, dressed in cool cottons and earthy linens with hand-carved headboards and ceilings strung with rattan lampshades; touches of Greece in the chic but unfussy whitewashed sitting room; and whiffs of the tropics around the staggeringly lovely pool, flanked by palapa parasols for snoozing under in the afternoon heat. The surroundings are astonishingly quiet, with an organic garden for guests to dip into and no neighbours in sight except for the herd of white horses who share the estate. The unexpectedly charming small town of Llubí is a couple miles away; the beaches around Alcúdia a 25-minute drive further on.
Sleeps: 10
Price: From about £2,435 per night, with a seven-night minimum stay
Sa Punta de S’Aguila
Mallorca
There are three gorgeous villas on Richard Branson’s mega Mallorcan estate, and this is our favourite. Staying here feels a little like taking over your very own five-star hotel – you’ll arrive to find the poolside bar fully stocked – the concierge will have called ahead to scope out your favourite gin – and there’s a private chef ready and waiting to whip up three-course suppers each night, plus all but one of the bedrooms comes with its own suntrap terrace, with vertiginous views of the island’s rugged west coast. Outside, there’s a tennis court for afternoon knockabouts, plus plenty of quiet chill-out areas to hole up and hide away in. If you tire of the pool, pick through the olive groves fringing the estate to reach pebbly Son Bunyola beach – it’s so off the beaten track that you may well have it all to yourself.
Sleeps: 10
Price: From around £8,890 per night, with a seven-night minimum stay
Casa Angel
Sant Pere de Ribes, Catalonia
Perfectly pitched at large groups looking to blow off some post-lockdown steam, this turbo-smart hideaway combines elegant interiors with party-ready entertaining space. There’s a laidback-but-cool vibe throughout, with sunny ikat fabrics, rattan rugs and vaulted wooden beams in the bedrooms; twinkly chandeliers and fat squashy sofas in the lofty, light-filled hangout rooms; and a sociable semi-covered pool running along the edge of the outdoor courtyard. If you’re here for a full-bells-and-whistles week of pure luxury, staff are on hand to connect guests with chefs, masseurs and yoga instructors. But the real joy of this villa is its location: it’s just a 10-minute drive from the sandy beaches and drinking dens of Sitges, and an hour further to all the excitement of Barcelona – leaving you free to dip in and out of the action as you wish.
Sleeps: 28
Price: From about £4,219 per night
