Private Holidays at Villa Select – A Review
Villa Select is a holiday / villa-rental website and operator that specialises in booking private villas (many with their own pools) across a handful of sun-destination countries. You’ll find villas in places like Greece, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, and Croatia.
In short: instead of a hotel, you rent an entire villa — more privacy, more flexibility. Villa Select handles the listings, bookings, and arrangements (flights, transfers, etc., in many cases). Their tagline on the home page: “Low deposit and great prices on our 2025, 2026 Villa Holidays.”
They also feature “last minute escapes,” “villa & flight packages,” and themed villa collections (family villas, private pools, etc.).
They promote themselves as a quality-over-quantity operator: hand-picked villas, good service, personal contact. Their Facebook mentions “award-winning service” and “carefully hand-picked private villas, all with their own pool.”
How Villa Select Works (From a Booking Perspective)
Here’s how things typically go, based on how the site is structured and how users report their experience:
- Browse villas / destinations
You pick your country (Greece, Spain, etc.), filter by features (pool, size, etc.), and see villa options. The site also lists last-minute deals. - Villa & flight packages (if offered)
Some villas are packaged with flights, so you don’t have to piece everything together yourself. - Booking & deposit
They advertise “low deposit” booking terms. This means you pay a portion up front and the remainder closer to departure. Always check the fine print (cancellation policy, payment deadlines, etc.). - Pre-trip support / contact
Villa Select appears to take care of pre-trip queries and logistics (airport transfers, etc.). Many review comments mention helpful staff answering questions, offering advice, and being hands-on. - During the stay
Some villas have on-site reps or local support. Users mention things like staff visiting to check all is well. - After the stay / reviews
The site collects reviews via Feefo. On their site, they show high average ratings.
What People Like About Villa Select (Strengths)
From reviews and feedback, here are the strong suits:
- Friendly & responsive staff
Many travellers praise particular staff members (Donna, Jaime, etc.) for being patient, helpful and knowledgeable. - Good selection of villas
The variety across Mediterranean destinations seems solid. The site promotes multiple countries, villa types, and last-minute deals. - Ease of booking / clarity
Many reviews comment that the site is easy to navigate and that the booking process is smooth. - Transparency in reviews & service
They display Feefo reviews (an independent reviews platform) on their site. - Problem resolution / flexibility (in some cases)
There are cases where travellers reported issues with their villa but Villa Select resolved them (e.g. re-locating them to a better villa).
What People Criticise / Watch Out For (Weaknesses / Risks)
No service is perfect. Here are recurring complaints or cautions:
- Mismatch with listing vs reality
Some visitors say that the villa they got wasn’t as shown in photos: lacking kitchen utensils, poor condition, noisy pool filters, etc. - Comfort / furniture / maintenance issues
Complaints include rock-hard mattresses, broken shower heads, lack of adequate heating, or air conditioning not working well. - Accessibility / mobility issues
One review flagged that a villa was unsuitable for someone with mobility challenges (steep access, no rails, etc.). - Calendar / booking quirks
A user noted that the calendar can jump from 2025 to 2026, potentially leading to booking the wrong dates. They said Villa Select was quick to move their deposit to the right booking date. - Consistency across villas
Because villas are run by different owners, the standards vary. Some are excellent, others less so. This is a typical risk with any villa-rental operator.
Tips & Best Practices If You Use Villa Select
If you decide to go with Villa Select (or any villa rental company), here’s how to get the most out of it:
- Read reviews carefully (and broadly)
Don’t just trust the site’s displayed reviews; scan independent review platforms (Trustpilot, TripAdvisor, Feefo) to catch patterns. Villa Select has quite a few Trustpilot reviews (positive and negative). - Ask detailed questions before booking
Ask about kitchen equipment, bedding quality, AC / heating, pool maintenance, accessibility (stairs, rails), and how remote the villa is. - Check photos vs descriptions vs recent reviews
Photos can be old. Match up what the villa lists (amenities, location) with what recent guests say. - Confirm the small print
- Cancellation policy
- Payment deadlines
- Whether flights / transfers are included
- What happens in case of problems (who handles repairs or replacements)
- Extra costs (cleaning, utilities, local taxes, etc.)
- Insist on contact / local support
Having a contact person (local rep or agent) is gold. In reviews, travellers say the presence of a rep helped smooth out small issues. - Plan for buffer / flexibility
Especially in remote villas, things like WiFi, power, or amenities might not be perfect.
Is Villa Select a Good Choice?
In summary: yes — if you go in with eyes open.
Villa Select seems like a solid mid-to-upper villa operator. They offer a good range of villas, decent service, and many people are happy with their experience. Their use of independent reviews (Feefo) is a plus, and they appear responsive to customers.
However, the variance between different villas (quality, maintenance, amenities) is something to watch. Some travellers got villas that underdelivered. If you vet carefully, ask questions, and compare independent reviews, your chances of a great holiday go way up.
Find out more by visiting Villa Select by clicking here.