Your indispensable guide to 35 rigorously vetted villa rental agents in 16 countries

Worksheets: Click here to download "How to Identify the Right Villa Rental Agent" and "What You Need to Know Before You Arrive"

Audio Slideshow: Wendy Perrin takes a tour through Tuscany in search of the perfect family-friendly villa

The Report: Click here to view Wendy Perrin's Worldwide Villa Rental Guide

Below is a list of the villa rental agents whom I consider best qualified to match Condé Nast Traveler readers with the appropriate property. How did I find them? After renting a house in Tuscany and accompanying seasoned Italy specialists on villa inspections, I created a 53-question application designed to assess a rental agent's competency, connections, and business practices.

My team then contacted 126 agents at 110 agencies—many recommended by readers and staff—inviting them to apply and/or to pass the application on to colleagues. We asked that applicants send a sample house book (those invaluable guides to a villa and its environs), sample driving directions, and other preparatory information they give clients, any questionnaires they ask clients to fill out, any checklists they use to evaluate properties, and at least one client reference. After carefully combing through these materials, we interviewed the most promising applicants by phone to evaluate their friendliness, honesty, and familiarity with the villas and region or regions they represent.

Only 35 made the cut. What separates the honorees from the also-rans? The best agents have personally visited all of the villas they represent and have slept in a good many of them. They reinspect the properties at least annually. They speak the local language fluently. They handpick villas that have an authentic sense of place. And they themselves write or at least vet their house books, update them annually (at a minimum), and fill them with insider tips. Some agents have a preponderance of modest cottages, others fairy-tale estates, and we've characterized their overall portfolios accordingly, giving them from one dollar sign ($), denoting the least expensive, to four ($$$$), for those with generally very expensive accommodations (see Key, below). If you would like to nominate a villa rental agent for a future list, or comment on your experience with one of the agents listed below, please e-mail me at perrinfeedback@cntraveler.com.

Caribbean
Barbados
Timothy Roney, LaCURE Villas, Toronto
180 properties (low season, $2,100–$39,700; high season, $3,300–$46,500).
Overall portfolio: $$$
In the 20 years he has been operating in Barbados, Roney has amassed a collection of beautifully furnished homes in sunset-view beach locations. He recommends Barbados to families because its beaches are child-friendly, the water is calm, and there's plenty to do to keep kids entertained. He makes things easy for the parents, too: You'll be met at the airport and driven to your villa, where your rental car or jeep will be waiting. Each villa includes a maid, a cook, and access to a 24-hour concierge (800-387-2726; tim.roney@lacure.com; lacurevillas.com).