VENUE NEWS

Icon Villas expands portfolio

The villa rental market in South Africa is expanding rapidly and it’s estimated that about thirty specialist villa rental companies are active in this market.

Following the increased demand for private villa rentals in Cape Town, Icon Villas has just added another two prime villas to its portfolio. Icon Villas was the first rental company to specialise in the Cape region where it has, over the past 28 years, established its niche in prime villas. Twenty of these magnificent private residences are bookable exclusively through Icon Villas.

Therese Botha, founder of Icon Villas confirms the upward trend and said that they have seen a marked increase in enquiries for multi-generational family travel, as well as groups and corporate travellers.

“It is evident that more and more guests have come to recognise and appreciate the advantages of choosing a villa stay, which offers all a hotel does, but even more. This includes privacy, space and flexibility, with conveniences such as dream kitchens for foodies who love entertaining, and gardens with swimming pools, and outdoor dining areas that suit the South African lifestyle,” she said.

Symphony of Light, one of the new Icon Villas, is perfectly suited for extended stays. Located in a private estate in the heart of Bishopscourt, the stately residence features immaculate, inviting décor and five en-suite bedrooms. Special attractions include a magnificent kitchen and voluminous living areas that include a pyjama lounge, as well as sprawling lawns with a jungle gym and a large swimming pool.

Phezulu, the most recent addition to the Icon Villas portfolio, is filled with immersive, luminescent installations, original art, and high-end furniture pieces. A sensual feast with an adventurous use of colour and texture everywhere, the six-bedroom villa hugs the slopes of Higgovale below Table Mountain, offering endless views and impeccable entertainment areas, with easy access to the city attractions.

Therese explained: “Since we started Icon Villas, our portfolio has grown and developed into three categories, ranging from our top-end Bespoke Villas which come with bells and whistles, to our luxurious Essential Villas, as well as our intimate Pocket Villas, which are friendly on the pocket.”

Icon Villas currently books around 100 different private villas in the Western Cape, ranging from City and Beach villas, to Winelands and Country villas. “Although about 85 per cent of our bookings are international, we do have a good number of South African clients booking villas. Repeat guests form a significant part of our business model. Cape Town events, such as the annual Mining Indaba for instance, attract corporates, who return year-on-year, many who prefer the convenience of a spacious, serviced villa suitable to executive meetings and entertaining.”

Icon Villa clients have the option to add on services such as an in-house chef and butlers, and have access to a concierge service that provides insider tips and bookings for sightseeing excursions, guided tours, restaurants, wine estates, and other local experiences.