Plum Guide: World’s Best Holiday Rentals From Florence To Joshua Tree

Plum Guide, founded in 2016 by British entrepreneur Doron Meyassed, claims to offer the world’s best vacation rentals, in fact, the top three percent. And judging from the extraordinary listings, this appears to be a fair assertion. Plum Guide represents properties in over 500 locations, across 29 countries and this is growing. Each time a new destination is added to the guide, a database of all the homes available is created, drawn from 25 different rental sites. Then, every home is carefully reviewed, to make a shortlist of the ones with great design, reviews and locations. Plum Guide’s home critics visit thousands of potential holiday rentals, spending at least two hours vetting each, checking every detail from the WiFi speed to the decibel levels in the bedrooms. Here are seven of the most interesting and luxurious listings in Plum Guide.

1.Duomo Dream, Florence features views of the famous Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) and the city’s rooftops from its cute, sunny roof terrace. The chic, art-filled apartment has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a spacious lounge with super high ceilings. The well-appointed, modern kitchen has everything you’d need to cook at home. Stylish interiors aside, the location is certainly a top selling point of this property. It is in the heart of the Piazza San Marco area with with lots of bars and restaurants and many of the top cultural sites. Nearby, the Accademia Gallery houses the original David by Michelangelo and many of the famous Italian painters who were members of the Florence Academy of Fine Arts.

2.Queen of the Cotswolds, a quaint cottage in Painswick, Gloucestershire is the quintessential Cotswolds hideaway. Roses and honeysuckle creep up the typical Cotswolds’ golden limestone walls, while inside, the exposed stonework and wooden beams have been carefully preserved. Chic mid-century furniture, rattan rugs and a classic roll-top bath in the master bedroom add to its charms. Nearby, is the pretty village of Painswick, with a Rococo garden, a lovely place to wander around, complete with a maze, blooming flowers and 18th-century architecture.

3.Crete Dreams, perched on the side of a cliff looking over the coastline, offers sweeping views and magnificent sunsets. Views from the infinity pool are of the bay below, where yachts cruise by and small fishing boats bob in the distance. The poolside terrace has plenty of seating, and the pergola provides shade over the outdoor dining table. There’s a barbecue and an outdoor kitchen for cooking. There are plenty of beaches within easy reach of the villa. Drive six minutes to Koutalas for a quiet day on the sand or for a more action-packed beach trip, Almyrida is just eight minutes away.

4.The Invisible House, in the desert near Joshua Tree, California has walls made entirely from glass. The super modern, 5,600 square foot home has three bedrooms, four bathrooms and a 100ft indoor swimming pool.

5.Second Sunset in Los Angeles, designed by renowned American architect Paul McClean is a modernist masterpiece minutes from Sunset Strip. The three bedroom, four bathroom home wows with its unobstructed views that stretch from the Hollywood Hills to the Pacific. The design is stunning from soaring ceilings, gleaming black walk-in wardrobe, marble kitchen and home cinema. Outside, you’ll find a pool table, gym equipment, as well as a massive outdoor entertaining area complete with a beer tap, infinity pool and hot tub.

6.One bedroom Flight 251 in Rome resembles the inside of a plane. If it wasn’t for the old, exposed-stone walls, you’d think you’d stepped into a Wendy house for grown-ups at this unique apartment. Eccentric touches include aeroplane seats (complete with seatbelts and the interior of a fuselage) in front of the projector screen, and the small, quirky details like rainbow-bright dinnerware, fire-engine-red cabinets and huge paperclips on the walls. The bedroom is slightly more subdued, in terms of colour, but no less flamboyant. A vaulted, cathedral-style ceiling and archway optical illusion on the wardrobes gives the feeling of being in an ancient chapel. Set in an ancient park said to be where the she-wolf found Romulus and Remus, you’re a short walk from the Colosseum and Roman Forum. The streets around are surrounded by trattoria and gelato shops and there’s a historic monument nearly everywhere you turn, including in the grounds of this apartment.

7.The Guardian Lions in Paris is a six-bedroom villa with a striking conservatory. This imposing ‘Hôtel Particulier’ is packed with historic charm and modern comforts across its more than 7,000 square feet. Behind an immaculate lawn and stunning neoclassical facade you’ll find multiple living areas and six stylish bedrooms.