Five Best: Hotel villas

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Peru

Run by the ecologically minded Peruvian company Inkaterra, the 85 rooms of Inkaterra Machu Picchu are scattered throughout a picturesque Andean-style stone village with plunging views down the Urumbamba river valley. For real high altitude style, check in to the luxurious two-bedroom villa, tucked away in its own gardens. When not exploring the ancient city of the Incas, a 30-minute drive away, guests can loll in their private pool, take advantage of the 24/7 butler service or take to the paths threading through Inkaterra's orchid gardens. With 372 species, the collection is said to be one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Village, Cusco, Peru (00 511 610 0400; www.slh.com/machupicchu). One night's rental starts at US$1,793 (£897).

Amanpuri, Thailand

Set on the Thai island of Phuket, Amanpuri was the first of the famed Amanresort properties and is still considered by many to be one of the best resorts in Asia — just ask Kate Moss et al. It has 30 two- to six-bedroom villas leading up the slopes of a secluded headland. All are a short distance from the hotel proper, so privacy is guaranteed. Their steeply peaked roofs, reminiscent of Thai temples, poke up through the clumps of coconut palms, and each villa has its own pool, kitchen, open-air dining area, a live-in maid and a cook. In fact, the only conceivable reason guests might have to leave the compound is to pull up a sun-lounger on the white sand beach.

Amanpuri, Pansea Beach, Phuket, Thailand (00 66 763 24 333; www.amanresorts.com). Two-bedroom villas start at £1,122 room only, but including airport transfers.

Parrot Cay, British Virgin Islands

This is one of the A-listers' favourite Caribbean haunts: Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts have all sunk their toes into Parrot Cay's white sand beach. While many high-profile visitors are happy rubbing shoulders with other guests on this private hideaway, those looking for extra seclusion often opt for one of the four ultra-luxurious villas tucked away on a quiet corner of the island, known as Rocky Point. Each villa sleeps up to six and all have their own private pools and dedicated stretch of beach, while the neighbouring The Residence is a complex of three houses, which can be rented separately or as a whole by groups. From November Parrot Cay will offer an even more fashionable place to stay – two four-bedroom villas, which form part of the designer Donna Karan's home on the island.

Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies (001 649 946 7788; www.parrotcay. como.bz). Rocky Point villas start at US$4,080 (£2,040) room only. Donna Karan villas start at US$15,000 (£7,500) per night for both.

Koro Lodge South Africa

The paint has barely dried at Koro Lodge, a newly opened villa on the Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve on South Africa's Western Cape. This former farmhouse, 2km from the main lodge, has been given a luxurious makeover, and now accommodates up to four adults and four children. You can go on game drives with a safari guide, who can also take you to see some of the reserve's 130 or so San Bushman rock-art sites. Many activities, such as canoeing and mountain biking, are also laid on for children, and there's a large swimming pool. Best of all, the villa host will ensure that sundowners are on ice on the terrace when you return from the bush, and then you can enjoy a meal prepared by your personal chef.

Koro Lodge, Bushmans Kloof, Clanwilliam, South Africa (00 27 21 685 2598; www. bushmanskloof.co.za). Villa from R10,000 (£690) per night, including full board and activities

Four Seasons, Sayan Bali

A tranquil lotus pond indicates your arrival at the Four Seasons Sayan, a short drive from the arty, laid-back town of Ubud in Bali's central highlands. Looking like a spaceship that has managed to wedge itself on to one side of the Ayung river bank, the three-story hotel with its lotus pond roof is a stunning collision of architecture and nature. The same goes for the 42 villas scattered throughout the steeply terraced grounds, some set on the hillside and others by the river. All have their own terraces and plunge pools, and some mimic the main building's lotus pond roofs. The real show-stopper is the sleek three-bedroom Royal villa, and the large pool outside with its stunning river views.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, Sayan, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia (00 62 361 977 577; www.fourseasons.com). One-bedroom villas start at US$892 (£446), including breakfast.

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