14 | How to Sell Villas Villas sell togetherness, instead of a jumble of hotel rooms hopefully near each other with common areas like the pool and lobby shared with other guests The price of a villa includes not just the individual bedrooms and amenities, but also the ability to create private, shared memories Unfortunately, sometimes that doesn’t translate perfectly to a budget Luckily, even just using the base cost of the necessary number of bedrooms, villas often out-price similar resorts once the total per person per night is calculated. But the villa carries the added value of the common spaces, and more savings in other areas, including food and beverages, and the powerful and pricey commodity of time. When designing the ideal vacation for a client, the bespoke nature of villas adds complexity to the price equation. While the cost of a suite at an all-inclusive resort or a hotel room tends to be simple – the client sees one price for a room – the larger group nature and near-infinite customizability of villas mean that the price tag can seem confusing and expensive. The value of the travel advisor is being able to take the guesswork out of pricing. The nickel-and-diming of the hotel industry has expanded and skyrocketed in recent years, but there are no $40 breakfasts just to eat a hot meal without arranging transportation at a villa. Pricing of Explaining Villa Pricing the accommodations and excursions are pre-planned and established, avoiding the variability of dining, activities, and amenities at a comparable hotel. More savings come from amenities such as on-site laundry – especially helpful with small children who can mud-cake an infinite number of outfits in a day. KEY TERMS: • Value • Private • Custom • Ease • Convenience • Home-away-from-home The pricing concerns about a villa melt away when some of the other amenities are factored in. With a villa, clients pay only for what they will use. Guests can bring in their own food and wine (or use the villa-supplied stocking services and staff, such as a private chef), which saves money compared to having to eat every meal out and pay bar prices for alcohol. But because it is priced based on the