Private villa rentals just got their biggest vote of confidence yet. Condé Nast Traveller UK's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards drew more votes than ever in the villa category, and The Thinking Traveller came out on top with an overall satisfaction score of 98.55%. The company is known for a tightly curated portfolio — think Sicilian villas with Roman-style baths — and that selective approach clearly resonated with readers.
Oliver's Travels took second place at 98.14%, praised for sheer variety: if you've ever fancied a Traitors-style Scottish castle, this is the outfit that'll put you in the turret. CV Villas rounded out the top three on 98.04%.
Beyond the podium, there are plenty of reasons to scroll the full list of 20. Le Collectionist (fifth, 97.20%) earns high marks for customer service and is pointing clients towards Ibiza, Porto-Vecchio in Corsica and the Breton coast. Red Savannah (fourth, 97.26%) holds the keys to Morocco, while Abercrombie & Kent Villas (tenth, 96.34%) reports a genuine boom in summertime mountain chalets — a sign that alpine summers are no longer just a shoulder-season afterthought.
The lower half of the list is stacked with specialists worth knowing. Tuscany Now & More (ninth) and Essential Italy (20th) cover Italy end to end; Five Star Greece handles the Greek islands; Bramble Ski (18th) is the one to note for winter trips; and Vintage Travel (seventh, 97.00%) and Simpson Travel (15th) are long-standing names in the Mediterranean villa game. Plum Guide, Unique Homestays, Welcome Beyond and Onefinestay round out a list that spans everything from design-led city apartments to remote rural hideaways.
The takeaway for travellers: the private-home holiday has moved firmly into the mainstream. With record votes cast, readers are clearly choosing whole properties over hotel rooms for the privacy, space and — let's be honest — the chance to play lord of the manor for a week. Whether that means a Corsican pool villa, a Moroccan riad or a Highland castle is now just a question of which specialist you book with.
