LONG HAUL

Devigarh Rajasthan, India

Indian parties are elaborate affairs. Devigarh (00 91 82399 26000; raashotels.com) is a regal, 18th-century palace on a grand scale with 39 suites looking out over the Aravalli Hills outside Udaipur in Rajasthan. Take over its 17 garden suites where extra guests can be accommodated in Rajasthani-style tents on the lawns.

Garden Suites from £200; buyout of 17 Garden suites from £6,700 for two nights, B&B

Rosewood Bermuda

Easily accessible from both sides of the Atlantic, the Rosewood Bermuda (001 44129 84000; rosewoodhotels.com) at Tucker’s Point is just outside Hamilton on the island’s East End. There are 92 rooms and suites, which can be taken in part for a celebration with private spaces for intimate dinners and a beach club overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Doubles from £460 per night

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

Desroches Island, Seychelles

Take over one, or both, of the two fivebedroom private residences set among the lush vegetation of the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island (00 248 467 4700; fourseasons.com), a private island with 14 beaches. Perks include a surfing school and in-villa barbecues prepared by a chef.

Residences sleeping 10 from £4,795 per night

Mango Bay

St James, Barbados

There is private beach access, a pool and space for up to 15 in the main house, plus a two-bedroom cottage at Mango Bay – a luxurious beachside home set in lush gardens with interiors by celebrated designer Oliver Messel. Located in the Garden neighbourhood of St James in Barbados, it is fully staffed and has a private chef.

From £4,790 per night with One Fine Stay (0800 808 5830; onefinestay.com)

Ani Thailand Koh Yao Noi

As locations go, the Ani Thailand (00 66 958 219 462; aniprivateresorts.com) is pretty perfect, right on the beach on the east coast of dreamy Koh Yao Noi island. This private resort consists of 10 pavilion-style suites sleeping up to 20 adults, plus children, with pools, beach access and all the frills of a five-star hotel.

Four Suites from £8,225 per night, all inclusive

Emeco Dahabiyya Egypt

Drift down the Nile between Luxor and Aswan with a private sailing for 16 on a traditional Egyptian dahabiyya, enjoying extraordinary sights such as Edfu, Luxor and Karnak by day, followed by communal dinners back on board. Audley Travel (01993 460054; audleytravel.com/egypt) offers trips from £2,245 per person, including three nights at the Four Seasons in Cairo, return flights, transfers, meals, accommodation and all activities

Pine Cay Turks & Caicos

Pine Cay (001 64994 67758; pinecay. com) is an idyllic 800-acre Caribbean island of sand, sea and native pine trees surrounded by the azure waters of Turks & Caicos. There is a recently renovated 13-room hotel and eight of the island’s 38 villas are available to rent. Doubles from £2,810 per night, all-inclusive for over-12s

Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort

United Arab Emirates

The Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort (00 971 4567 8777; anantara. com) is the first luxury resort in the South American “continent” of this Arabian Gulf archipelago, a 15-minute speed-boat ride off the coast of Dubai and with spectacular views of the city’s celebrated skyline.

Doubles from £285 per night

Skye House Galle, Sri Lanka

Overlooking a palm tree-fringed beach, Skye House is a tropical-chic villa just outside the Unesco world heritage town of Galle on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. The villa sleeps up to eight adults and eight children, has its own pool and its full staff includes a private chef.

From £640 per night; Eden Villas

(00 94 9122 32568; edenvillas.com)

Bush Villa, Masaai Mara National Park

Kenya

Owned by the same family for generations, the Bush Villa at Cottar’s Safari camp sleeps up to 12 and sits in the middle of the wilderness on this private concession of 22,000 acres in Kenya’s Masaai Mara National Park. The house comes with its own pool, staff, safari vehicle and private guide and additional guests can stay at Cottar’s 1920s safari camp nearby.

From £905 per person per night, based on 10 sharing, through

Aardvark Safaris (01980 849160; aardvarksafaris.co.uk)