There are a multitude of companies offering villa rentals, but almost exclusively they are listing services competing on price. At HV, we pride ourselves on doing things differently. Our success is built on delivering a first class customer experience from your very first interaction with us, throughout the booking and trip planning process to, of course, our unique Local Host services in your chosen destination.

Being at the forefront of personally curated villa experiences requires us to continually challenge how we can better serve our guests and our latest initiative sees the launch of 3D & Virtual Reality villa tours. Below are some tips and techniques to help you get the best out of this exciting and engaging way to experience a number of our hand-selected villas.

Villa rentals that have virtual tours available are easily identified throughout the site:

- The villa gallery will have a 3D Tour Tab

- Look out for the 3D Tour icon on the villa page thumbnails

- Check for a 3D Tour icon on page 3 of The Villa Presentation brochure

Our 3D villa tours include a range of ways to explore the villa’s interior space and provide 360-degree exterior panoramas so you can experience the outdoor living space, explore the ocean views or admire the rolling vineyards from the veranda of your Tuscan villa. For a guided tour, simply click the play button and the highlight reel we have created will take you through the property room by room.

Alternatively, walk the property yourself using your arrow keys, mouse or touch pad/screen. Click the white circles that appear throughout the journey to advance to unique perspectives on each space. Similarly, for exterior spaces (denoted with a 360 icon in the thumbnail) simply use your arrow keys, mouse or touch pad/screen to rotate through a 360-degree view of the space. The tour features are best enjoyed full screen, so hit the icon before embarking on your journey.

Gaining a perspective on the property layout is often an important factor in your choice of villa and our tour functionality includes two options to help you determine if the property is suitable for your group. For a unique perspective on the room configuration, choose our 3D ‘Doll House’ view. Simply click (or tap), hold and rotate for a 3D view of the entire property through 360-degrees on any axis. Alternatively, choose our Floor Plan option for a 2D representation of each level of the villa.

Click on any part of the Doll House or Floor Plan to access the tour content for that location.

For a truly immersive experience, enjoy our tours in full Virtual Reality (currently available for Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR). Simply click the ‘goggle’ icon and lose yourself as you wander through the villa and imagine yourself in your own piece of paradise.

Throughout our 3D Tours, you may also encounter ‘Hot Spots’, small white and turquoise buttons. Simply click, hover or tap to reveal a property feature, a point of interest or options for enhancing your villa stay.

This unique way to explore your villa options is being launched with six properties in Barbados including the aptly named plantation style Hemingway House , the 6 bedroom, architectural masterpiece Sunwatch (left) and Martello House , which overlooks the renowned Westmorland Golf Course.

In addition, we are also featuring three properties in the Dominican Republic, including the splendid pride of our Chic Boutique Collection, the Yarari Royale .

We will be continually extending our virtual tours with new destinations coming next month, so check back regularly to be inspired to take your next villa vacation with HV.

Our filming team has recently travelled to Saint Lucia and will be making available the 3D tours of the following Villas: Morne Trulah, Villa Hall, Marigot Bay 2 Berdoorm and 3 bedrooms villas, The Landings 3 Bedroom Oceanfront Villa, C’Est La Vie, Saman House and Villa Susanna.

Also coming soon properties in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos.