In mid-January, I found myself gazing at a sapphire sea beyond a crystal-clear azure pool atop a terrace surrounded by lush tropical gardens, only twenty minutes from an international airport. I was in a four-bedroom villa whose centerpiece—a spacious open-air living room next to the pool terrace—was a tasteful medley of white cotton upholstery and mahogany tables strewn with exotic flowers. The staff of five—four of whom slept on the premises and were thus available 24/7—were so warm and welcoming that the villa's name, Bienvenue, seemed an understatement. There was a veteran cook who whipped up whatever we wanted to eat three times a day, much of it made with fresh vegetables and fruit from the gardens; a fastidious housekeeper who decorated the spotless all-white bedrooms and bathrooms with fresh-picked flowers; a jolly laundress who cleaned and pressed our clothes daily; a mild-mannered gardener who lovingly maintained the rolling grounds and pool; and a soft-spoken butler who brought us drinks and served elegant meals on tables that he arranged with china, linen, and yet more fresh flowers. Since all of them were eager to help with whatever needed doing, and what needed doing almost always involved our two young sons, Charlie and Doug, we ended up with five enthusiastic—and free—babysitters, any of whom I would have gladly taken home with me.

Unlike at resorts or on cruise ships, there were no rules. We could swim any hour of the day or night, dine in our bare feet and bathing suits, sleep outdoors under the stars, grab a drink from the bar or snacks from the kitchen whenever we wanted. Thanks to a twelve-foot wall surrounding the grounds (but not blocking any views) and a security guard who patrolled daily from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., we felt totally safe—so much so that we kept our bedroom doors open, left our laptops and cameras in the living room overnight, never locked up our wallets, and indeed never held a key of any kind. Our only safety concern was that the bedroom doors opened not onto a hallway but, Caribbean-style, onto the pool terrace—which meant that our preschoolers could have ended up in the pool at 2 a.m. (a problem that my husband and I solved by each sleeping with one child). Our biggest decision each day? Whether to remain at the villa or drive to the four-star beach resort five minutes away, since access to its facilities—beach, pools, water toys, tennis courts, golf course, spa, and water park—was included in the villa rental rate.

The price for all of this? It depends on how many bedrooms you fill. For eight guests using all four bedrooms, the rate is $850 per night—that is, $213 per bedroom. The three-bedroom rate, for six guests, is $700 a night, which works out to $233 per bedroom. The two-bedroom rate, for four guests, is $550 a night ($275 per bedroom). Our only additional expenses were the grocery bills and staff gratuities.

How did I find this fabulous value? I interviewed experts on my 2006 list of the best villa rental agents and followed their advice about how to stretch my dollar as far as possible (see "How to Get Good Value in a Villa," below). First, I looked for a destination with a large supply of villas and where the rental season is relatively long (since the more villas and the more months they can be rented, the more affordable they are). I also sought a destination where many villas have "breakdown rates"—meaning that if you can't fill all the bedrooms, you can pay a lower rate yet have the property (including its grounds, pool, and staff) all to yourself. I looked for an economy where the cost of labor is low and for areas where there is a tradition of vacation homes coming with on-site staff. I also prioritized my wish list, deciding that I could give up a beachfront location; up-to-date bathrooms; a gourmet kitchen; plush furnishings; and air­conditioning, a television, and a telephone in every room in order to get what mattered most to me: a pool, a big lawn for the kids, and an easygoing and flexible staff.