Whale Watch Villa TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

Snowmen and Santas are all very well, but just once in your life, you have to take the family for Christmas in the sun. And where better than overlooking a pristine white beach and clear water? Presiding over a bluff on Middle Caicos – the largest and yet least populated of the Turks and Caicos Islands – a collection of villas is dotted across the landscape, their turquoise roofs in harmony with the waters lapping on the shores below. Designed in a New England meets-Caribbean style, the Blue Horizon resort has plenty of space, the handful of properties spread across its 20 lush hectares. Whale Watch Villa sits upon a ridge, its pale pastel wooden frame set against the sky and its old-fashioned front porch perfect for stargazing and sublime sunsets. It’s a steep walk down marked nature trails to Mudjin Harbour, one of the most spectacular beaches in the West Indies, where the bay sweeps out towards a rocky promontory backed by cavernous cliffs and sturdy dunes, the seas meeting on either side.

Whale Watch Villa has a master bedroom, twin room and superb views. During whale watching season from late December to early April, keep an eye out for breaching humpbacks – the best viewing spot is actually from the excellent Mudjin Bar and Grill. Conch Bar is the nearest village, where the Middle Caicos Co-op champions the cause of 60 local artisans. Pick up a woven hat or a sturdy conch bruiser (for tenderising the local delicacy). A visit to Conch Bar Caves is a must to see limestone stalactites and stalagmites, as well as evidence of habitation by the indigenous Lucayans. Or try a spot of bonefishing in the shallows between Middle and North Caicos.

Clifton Villas CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

The Cape Town neighbourhood of Clifton is known as the city’s most exclusive beach address, with some of the highest priced real estate in South Africa and a choice of four beaches, named First to Fourth. All are protected from the cooling south-easterly winds, which makes them popular with holidaymakers and surfers alike, despite the surrounding waters being a chilly 12˚C to 16˚C. Choose from a range of Capsol’s Clifton villas, some with direct beach access, others overlooking the sea and mountains a short stroll away. The villas have natural colours – cream and stone – with designs including louvre doors for enjoying the fresh air and glorious sea views. Take your pick from properties with sunloungers laid out by the pool or huge private Jacuzzis on the decking. All are well-appointed and have outdoor space for dining and sipping the local wines alfresco. Clifton Haven is our pick – a restful, modern beach house with three double bedrooms and just ten steps leading down to Third Beach.

The Arthouse VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

If there’s one country that has the art of beach-house living down to a tee, it’s Australia. Chic yet homely, The Arthouse is set atop dunes overlooking 35km of beach and the rolling surf of the Bass Strait, which forms the watery border with Tasmania. It’s about an hour’s easy drive from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne to St Andrews, on the sweeping Mornington Peninsula. Ocean sunsets here can be enjoyed from the terrace or the comfy leather sofa, amid eclectic interiors that include artworks, antiques, animal skins and contemporary furniture. Mod cons range from wifi to flatscreen TVs, and the three bedrooms include a master whose bathroom has heated floors and a 23-jet spa bath. Slip off your shoes and trundle down the private walkway to the glorious beach, or nip off to explore the vineyards, golf courses and hot springs nearby. For a great local lunch, head to Max’s at Red Hill Estate (maxsrestaurant.com.au), where the focus is on local seasonal produce, with menus that complement its top-notch wines. Another must-do winery is Montalto (montalto.com.au), where picnics of home-grown produce can be enjoyed in the grounds. Its timber-framed restaurant looks out over vines and olive groves, while the café is nestled within the kitchen garden.

The Beach Estates COSTA RICA

Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, once a hippy haven for beach bums and surfers, is now highly sought after by the smart set. The Beach Estates is a pair of open-plan, minimalist wooden beach houses situated on the peninsula’s quiet southern reaches where the impressive strands of Malpais and Santa Teresa attract those in search of total seclusion. Each two storeys high and sleeping up to eight people, they are architecturally imposing with floor-to-ceiling louvre doors that peel back to open the house up to the crashing waves beyond the garden. Guests here have a private pool and beachwood sofa with cushions for outdoor lounging. And if you want a private chef to rustle up your freshly caught lobster supper or perhaps a yoga teacher for some sea-view sun salutations, it’s no problem. Ugo, the super-friendly manager, can also arrange for guests to go out with a local fisherman to catch a few fish to cook up at dinner. You may just spot a whale while you’re out there too. The village of Montezuma makes for the perfect day trip with a host of souvenir shops and restaurants. Before you settle down for dinner though, consider trekking from Montezuma to the nearby waterfalls with their natural swimming pools frothing at the bottom – a sight worth the exertion.

Villa Casa Verde BRAZIL

Brazil just can’t help itself when it comes to sexy beach houses. Villa Casa Verde is part of Picinguaba, a hip hotel set on a three kilometre-long white sand beach overlooking a peaceful bay at the heart of the Natural Park of Serra do Mar, the tropical coastal forest that runs between Rio and São Paulo. The villa is a stylishly understated three-bedroom spot surrounded by lush vegetation, allowing families to hide themselves away, with supplies of organic coffee, cheese and cachaça (the potent national spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice) delivered to your door. But you can also opt for a private chef or head up to the hotel’s restaurant, which uses products from its farm, from the coffee to milk, cheese, honey and fruit. There’s a fresh, arty feel to the house with terracotta floors and quirky artwork, including surfboards on the walls. Favourite spots are the crochet hammock and long wooden dining table with benches out on the wooden deck overlooking sea and mountain views. Take a schooner ride to countless other secluded beaches and coves or explore the rich vegetation of the Atlantic rainforest and cool off in waterfalls and natural swimming pools.

Eden View Villa SEYCHELLES

The castaway Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles is often described as the original Garden of Eden thanks to its extraordinary rock formations and Bounty-barad beaches. Explore the Vallée de Mai nature reserve on the island of Praslin and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. The aptly named Eden Villa is located on Eden Island, a residential marina just off the main island of Mahé with imposing lush mountains providing a simply gorgeous backdrop. Guests arrive by boat from Mahé into the marina where a super yacht or two will no doubt be moored. With its impressive red-pitched roofs and sumptuous pool with vast patio and barbecue area, the house is well equipped for the whole family. It sleeps up to six, with three en-suite bedrooms, and overlooks the turquoise waters and smaller outlying islands. This villa is conservative and smart, rather like a five-star hotel – but if you want your own private cook and staff, there’s a separate kitchen and cleaning rooms tucked away just in case. Eden Island has its own restaurants, bars, boutiques and supermarket, so there’s no need to stray too far from home. Visitors get between the island’s sandy beaches using electric vehicles, while island hopping excursions are a must, notably to jewels such as La Digue, where the only transportation is by bike or ox cart. A trip to Bird Island, meanwhile, will reward you with wildlife such as Sooty Terns and Hawksbill turtles.

Palm Beach NEW ZEALAND

Beach houses, or baches as they call them in New Zealand, are an iconic part of the culture here, and range from rustic to designer. Just a 35-minute ferry ride from Auckland, Waiheke Island is the Hamptons of this Kiwi city, with some of its most sought-after holiday homes. Palm Beach on the northern shore is a sun-drenched, sheltered spot with calm blue waters and just the bare essentials – a restaurant and a beach shop. Its namesake five-bedroom villa is the perfect spot for two families to fly ’n’ flop for some glorious winter sun – a modern beach house with oodles of space in which to kick back and relax. An expansive alfresco wooden terrace leads directly onto a lush front lawn with the sand and blue sea beyond, a haven for kayaking and paddle boarding. Families will adore the laid-back Waiheke lifestyle with its boutique vineyards and olive groves, fresh seafood and a wealth of studios and galleries. The new restaurant on the block is The Oyster Inn, just along the coast in the seaside village of Oneroa where chef Cristian Hossack (formerly of London’s acclaimed Providores) serves up Waiheke island fare. For the obligatory Kiwi adrenalin buzz, the new EcoZip takes you on a zipline adventure through the island’s forests.

Kikili Beach SRI LANKA

For an opulently boho bolthole for two by the Sri Lankan coast, Kikili Beach villa is hard to beat. With wonderfully weathered white gates leading to the beachfront and your own private pool, this is a deeply romantic hideaway situated just ten minutes from the Unesco World Heritage Site of Galle, an enchanting ancient fortress town with a plethora of Dutch and English churches and rampart walks. Couples can make this their very own Sri Lankan home thanks to the reclaimed furniture, local trinkets, patterned fabrics and paintings. Best of all, though, is the rustic thatched pavilion at the end of the garden where you can relax on a cosy day bed with the waves crashing just over the garden wall – and spot turtles in the surf or just watch the sun set over the Japanese Peace Temple. The beach itself can be quite rough for swimmersand snorkelers but the calmer Wijaya lagoon is just a five-minute walk away and there’s a great beach bar there too. Cooking lessons are available at the local school (though don’t worry, your staff will pamper you with freshly prepared evening banquets). Mountain bike tracks to Leopard Rock are plentiful, while surfing and whale watching make this an Indian Ocean retreat to remember.