Are Villa Vacations Just For The Newlywed And The Nearly-Dead?

As I lounged on a lovely white sand beach, eyes closed enjoying the refreshing sea breeze in the shade of a thatched cabana, I overheard a bunch of teenagers complaining as they walked by. One of them ranted, “Villa vacations are for the newlywed and the nearly-dead!”

This remark brought a curious smile to my face and started me thinking about my villa vacation atSilver Sands Jamaica. It’s a no-brainer that newlyweds on vacation are honeymooners. But what does the unflattering term, “nearly-dead”, mean? It must refer to older seniors who do not have many years left to live.

A Villa Vacation is time spent away from home and work in someone else’s private house. It is usually self-catering, and the house is located in a tourist destination, at least somewhere that is different from home.

Newlyweds are supposedly “new” to each other and therefore are satisfied to devote their time to getting to know each other and take pleasure in each other’s company. So they do not need a lot of activities or entertainment laid on for them. The nearly-dead are supposedly not very fit and not able to exert themselves too much. Peace and quiet would also appeal to them.

The travel industry is guilty of promoting vacations as action-packed fun-filled days and nights where all kinds of entertainment, attractions and activities are offered. Whatever the latest fad, you can be sure that vacation advertising will feature it with young gorgeous models sporting beaming smiles. It is not far fetched to see images of golfing, scuba diving, kite boarding, kayaking, horseback riding, sailing, etc., all in a thirty second advertisement.

Most villas do not have the amenities of luxury hotels and resorts. So vacationers who have been exposed to the relentless advertising of the travel industry may feel disappointed after they have settled into their villas. Hence the complaints of those whose expectations are unfulfilled.

The smorgasbord of activities and entertainment at hotels and resorts creates a buzz and pressure on guests to be doing something all the time. There is something organized for every minute of the day. Vacationers are fooled into thinking that just because they are around all that stuff on offer, they are having a good time. In fact, it is very tiring. How many times have you heard friends say, on returning home, that they feel like they need a vacation?

Not so with a villa vacation. Because there is no pressure to do things, vacationers can really relax on a villa vacation. Sure, they can go out and do as much as they like, but the important thing is that there is no pressure. They make their own schedules on villa vacations.

But the biggest bonus of this type of holiday is the quality time that people spend together. Families, friends, couples, everyone rediscovers the joys of sharing their time in traditional ways. Like venturing out from the villa to discover the local culture and sites. Staying-in to play board games, tell each other jokes and stories. Good old-fashion fun that rejuvenates the soul in a way that no floor show or toga party can.

Villa vacations are not just for the newlywed and the nearly-dead and when you return home, no matter which age group you fall into, you will wonder where the time went and what you did. But you will be too relaxed to worry about it, and you will be rested and ready to slay the dragons once again.

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