The Best Villas to Rent for Your Vacation in Florida

Champions Gate resort is a gated community of around 1,500 acres (607ha) that markets itself as Orlando’s premiere tourist and commercial destination. As well as being around a 10-minute drive from Disney World, it’s home to all kinds of resort-style amenities. Swimming pool, hot tub and tennis courts, of course, but also its own golf course, movie theatre and lazy river so you won’t run out of things to do. This six-bedroom villa sleeps 12 in total comfort and style – kids will love the playroom, which has a flat-screen TV, tabletop games and toys, as well as the private pool with poolside comfy seating so adults can watch over the kids while playing cards or chatting. This Florida villa is a sure-fire family holiday winner.

They say holidays with young children aren’t really holidays for their parents but at least here you can guarantee that your offspring will have a good time. It’s not only that Walt Disney World is just an eight-minute drive away – as well as all the other theme and waterparks in the Orlando area – it’s also the Westside resort facilities, like three pools, tennis courts, volleyball, gym, cinema and family dining, that make this villa so great. The eight-bedroom villa has its own perks – including a private, south-facing pool and a hot tub, as well as its own games room and themed bedrooms – Star Wars and fairy castle. What are you waiting for?

The clue is in the word Gleneagles – this villa is a golfer’s paradise. In the Florida town of Davenport, Highlands Reserve resort has its own golf course and there’s a second just a 10-minute drive away. This is one of 48 villas clustered around the Highlands course – you can even look out from your private pool and hot tub right onto the fairway. Aside from golf, you can take advantage of two resort swimming pools and a tennis court – and you’re just 11mi (17.7km) from Disney World.

This six-bedroom Florida villa is a total gem. The canary-yellow Spanish-style facade contains more than 2,000sqft (185sqm) of vacation happiness – from the games room that features foosball and air hockey tables to the lanai out back with its own private pool and spa. Part of Kissimmee’s Bella Vida Resort – close to Universal Studios, Disney World and Legoland – the villa pleases kids of every age and we include adults in this. As well as the amenities you’d expect from a Florida resort, this villa has lovely lakeside views and nature walks. Bella Vida, indeed.

If you’re traveling with a big group of friends, one of the trickiest problems can be finding villas that can sleep everyone. The answer is this giant, 12-bedroom, 10-bathroom property which hosts 26 comfortably – perfect for a multi-family stay. Located at the Solterra Resort in Davenport, this villa is minutes from Disney – plus around a 10-minute drive to two golf courses. The large lanai with a private pool and hot tub make a pleasing retreat after a day at the Happiest Place on Earth – while the living quarters are spacious so everyone can gather for a meal and toast your fantastic holiday.

When you can walk straight out of the door and onto the dunes of a 7mi-long beach, do you need much more? This villa is found on Anna Maria Island – a barrier island on the sugar-white sands of the Florida gulf coast. The vibe is high-end castaway chic – from the washed-out tones of its interiors to the double-decker sunbathing terraces, complete with padded lounge chairs. The five bedrooms all come with pillow-top mattresses and terry-towel robes – while the private outdoor pool and patio overlook the beach, making it the perfect spot to sit with a drink as the sun goes down over the gulf.

No, you’re not on the wrong coast – the Florida city of Hollywood was founded in the 1920s between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Designed as a dream city of beaches, lakes and parks, it’s been a popular vacation spot ever since. The six-bedroom chateau has an easy sense of glamour – from its ornate porch to its private pool in the backyard. Picture windows and full-width glass doors filling the sprawling ground level with sunlight – while the poolside patio makes for a gorgeous place to entertain. Welcome to Hollywood.

There’s a distinctly Southern flavor to this Jacksonville beach house, with its sky-blue clapperboard facade and wraparound porches – the latter a great spot for people-watching or apres-sun cocktails. Inside, the decor is an immaculate monochrome vision in white and grey – a style that feels both relaxed and glamorous. A room with three single beds is great for kids – while the elevator means that those with limited mobility can stay, too. As the most populous city in Florida located right on the beach, Jacksonville has plenty to offer its visitors – museums and galleries, hiking and kayaking, plus multiple shopping and dining options, too.

Cape Coral is often known as Florida’s Venice as it’s home to more canals than anywhere else in the world. Built in the 1950s from reclaimed land, it’s also a city designed entirely for pleasure seeking – filled with thousands of villas and millions of annual holidaymakers. This spacious and luxurious villa will satisfy the pickiest of the latter. Located near to Tarpon Point Marina in the south west of the cape, it’s a top choice for sailors who can moor boat rentals to your own private jetty. Inside, you’ll find high ceilings, sleigh beds and sunken baths, as well as a brand-new shiny kitchen and a large private swimming pool with a built-in oval hot tub. Lounging beside that, or on the L-shaped white leather sofa and you’ll soon feel like the bee’s knees.