Florida Villas: Your Home Away From Home in the Sunshine State.

If you have ever considered a villa holiday then you will no doubt be aware that as self catering holidays go, staying in a villa is arguably the best option for a rewarding experience. Increasing numbers of holidaymakers are eschewing traditional resorts and crowded hotels in favour of finding a reputable company that offers villa rentals and making this the base for their holiday.

It is not difficult to understand why villa holidays have become so popular recently and one of the driving forces behind this marked change in attitude stems from across the Atlantic Ocean in the 'sunshine state' of Florida.

Florida has always been a popular destination for British holidaymakers. The Keys, Miami and Fort Lauderdale as well as the Gulf Coast side of this peninsula were always highly-prized holiday destinations and remain so to this day. Holidaying in Florida, however, took on a completely new meaning when the first theme parks were built just south of Orlando.

These new parks inspired a whole new breed of tourists into the area. Initially, on this annual migration, they came in their thousands, then hundreds of thousands and now millions. Many of these visitors needed somewhere to stay and many Florida homeowners, or those who had a second home in the state that lay empty most of the year, quickly realised they could rent their home out to visitors for their holiday and gain an income. Thus, the very first Florida villas to rent became available.

It is fair to say, though, that nobody could have foreseen just how popular villa holidays would become over the next 30 years.

Nowadays, Florida boasts hundreds of gated communities, many of them specifically designed to appeal to the villa rental market and as such, many top companies have quickly moved to join forces with villa owners and provide people in the UK with access to some of the highest quality villas available to rent in the area.

The first thing that will strike you as you pull up outside your new home for the next two weeks is the size. America has one natural asset that many other countries cannot boast and that is space. As such, Florida villas tend to be bigger than other villas you may find around the World. In addition, villas are situated in secure, well-maintained, gated communities, with their own private driveway to park your hire car on.

The luxurious feel you get from the outside continues when you head into the villa itself. Once you are in the front door and out of the humid Florida heat, you will be greeted by a waft of cooling air as the villa is fully air conditioned to ensure that residents are comfortable. Many villas’ living areas are designed around an open-plan theme and you will once again fully appreciate the space available to you as you walk through your new home from home. There will be a well-appointed kitchen available, complete with accessories and mod-cons to ensure that those who enjoy cooking are able to cook up plenty of gastronomic delights.

The living area will contain enough seating for all your party and your villa will also boast at least one dining area, usually situated just off the kitchen area. Other larger villas may also include a more formal dining table which is ideal if you are having a major family reunion. There will also be at least one bathroom downstairs and a utility room with a washer and dryer installed, meaning that you can get clothes clean and dry quickly and easily with a minimum of fuss.

It has also become something of a tradition in many Florida villas to transform the garage into a games room. In some villas, the owner has decided to transform this space for the comfort of their guests. Some will have installed a television screen or a stereo to allow you to listen to music or watch television while you play. An assortment of games, including full-sized American pool tables, table football, table tennis and electronic darts are also widely used by some owners to make their guests stay even more enjoyable. For families with children of all ages, such a room is an absolute boon as it provides hours of entertainment for the whole family.

Of course, the focal point of any Florida villa has to be the pool. When you travel, the thought of relaxing either in or beside the pool is the one thought that keeps us going during the cold winter evenings back here in the UK and thankfully, most Florida villas now come with their own superbly designed pool area.

The pool will be checked and cleaned once a week to ensure it is of the highest quality and will have safety features installed to protect younger family members. The pool will be deep enough to swim in but also have a shallower end to allow easy access to the pool. Many also come fitted with their own outdoor spa to relax in while poolside in the lanai, there is plenty of space available for sun beds and tables and chairs allowing you to eat alfresco if you desire.

The whole pool area is also covered by a mesh framework which allows the sunlight in but keeps the Florida wildlife out of the pool area, ensuring that you are not troubled by mosquitos and can enjoy your pool area safely and in utter peace and quiet.

The crowning glory of a villa holiday however, despite all the fabulous mod-cons, is freedom. Florida is so much more than a state filled with theme parks. There really is something for everyone in this varied and beautiful part of the World. A self catering villa holiday is the best way to experience this beautiful, balmy state in all its glory.

A Florida villa holiday not only affords you luxury, peace and quiet, enjoyment and space, but also the freedom to see this magnificent state, precisely as you wish and at your own pace. As self catering holidays go, Florida sets a particularly high standard.