Secret Villas, the Ultimate Destinations for Connected Travelers

The Four Seasons resort on the East Cape of Baja California recently launched a trio of six-bedroom properties that range in size from 7,652 to 10,000 square feet and, based on the season, can cost up to $50,000 per night. But most people will never know they exist. There’s zero mention of them (or their private pools or on-call taco chefs) on the hotel’s website. Ditto booking apps. The only way to reserve them is to contact sales director Niamh Hartel directly by phone or email. If the stars align—and you’re deemed the right kind of guest—she’ll send you a hidden URL where you can fill out a detailed stay request. 

And these aren’t the only rooms you probably didn’t know you didn’t know about. Increasingly, hoteliers are keeping mum about splashy new accommodations, reserving them for the ultra-connected who will hear about them by word of mouth. Fischer Travel’s Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal points to a pair of such properties at the French Riviera’s Lily of the Valley hotel. “They have two owners’ villas that are not publicized or visible anywhere online,” she says. “They have a very limited period of time when they’re open for guest bookings, and the owners want to keep them very discreet.” 

But the rise of secret rooms is actually as much about circumstance as about strategy. Modern hotel construction accounts both for rooms to rent and real estate to buy—and there has been an unexpected glut of the latter. “There were some buildings that couldn’t get sold during Covid, so developers thought ‘What do we do with them?’ ” says Bjorn Hanson, a longtime industry consultant and adjunct professor at NYU’s hospitality school. Framing them as the ultimate insider retreats is a smart move, but one that requires a fine balance. “The challenge will be to keep them secret enough, but not so secret that the model doesn’t work,” he says. “The other concern is the people who’ll boast about staying there—if they do a YouTube video about it, then all of a sudden the model is a problem.” Which means, better to keep the following list to yourself, just to be on the safe side. 

Hidden Hideaways

If the only place you’ll consider sleeping is somewhere that an Ordinary Joe doesn’t even know exists, we’ve got a few more suggestions for you. Perhaps you’d like to hide in plain sight the heart of New York’s Meatpacking District amid the mêlée or invite yourself over to stay with—well, at the house of—the owner of Puglia’s smartest hotel? Here are four more places for a secret stay around the world.

Casa Padronale | Borgo Egnazia, Puglia 

You can rent owner Aldo Melpignano’s 5,382-square-foot personal villa at this countryside escape—if he likes you enough, that is. From about $16,700 per night 

Private Resort | Puente Romano, Marbella 

The oceanfront resort’s seven-bedroom villa boasts an Andalusian-style walled garden and a poolside bar. The duplex penthousePenthouseA penthouse refers to a residence occupying the top floor or floors of a building, typically distinguished by superior views, larger floor plans, and premium finishes and amenities. The designationGo to Penthouse Glossary suite has its own cinema. From $30,000 per night 

The Residence | RH Guesthouse, New York City 

Chairman and CEO Gary Friedman occasionally allows guests in the full-floor penthousePenthouseA penthouse refers to a residence occupying the top floor or floors of a building, typically distinguished by superior views, larger floor plans, and premium finishes and amenities. The designationGo to Penthouse Glossary above his boutique hotel. Don’t travel with a private chef? RH will arrange one for you. From $15,000 per night 

Nobu Riad | Nobu Hotel Marrakech, Marrakech 

This six-bedroom riad with a rooftop pool sits in the heart of the medina. It has its own spa, where a therapist will conduct treatments in situ. From about $5,580 per night 

This article originally appeared in Robb Report Philippines’ Premiere Issue.