What to look for in a holiday villa, before you sign
Five tests to put any villa through, the red flags that should stop a booking, the French rules worth knowing and what to do when the house is not quite what you expected.
When you decide what to look for in a holiday villa, judge five things rather than the photographs: where the house really is in minutes by car or on foot, how the bedrooms and bathrooms are laid out, what the pool and garden are like in daily use, which staff are included and for how many hours, and what the paperwork says about payments, the security deposit and cancellation. In France, also check that the listing shows the property’s registration number where the town requires one.
Listings are written to sell, so most surprises come from what they leave out: a sea view seen from one terrace only, a bedroom count that includes the staff room, a chef who cooks once a week, a deposit whose return date nobody mentioned. The checklist below turns each of those gaps into a question you can ask before paying anything. We use it ourselves when the team visits a residence, and it works just as well for a house you found elsewhere.
This page is about judging the house. If you want the order of events once you have chosen, from shortlist to arrival, read how luxury villa and chalet rental works.
French rules worth knowing before you book
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
In French towns that require furnished holiday lets to be registered, the 13-character registration number must appear in every advertisement for the property, including on online platforms.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr, meublé de tourismeThe booking of a furnished holiday let must be covered by a written rental contract, and the owner must give the guest a descriptive statement of the property on request before signing.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr, holiday let rulesIf the advance is paid as arrhes, a guest who cancels loses it and an owner who cancels must repay double; if it is an acompte, a guest who cancels owes the full price unless the property is relet.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr, holiday let rulesThe security deposit must be returned on the terms set in the contract; it can be reduced for repairs to damage, but not for normal wear and tear.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr, holiday let rulesAn inventory of condition is not compulsory but is recommended; if one was made on arrival and none on departure, the guest can be held responsible for damage that occurs after leaving.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr, holiday let rulesThe French tourist tax is due per person and per night, is collected by the host and passed to the town, and children under 18 are exempt.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr, taxe de séjourLocation reality: minutes, not adjectives
“Close to the beach” and “near the village” mean nothing until they become a time and a mode of transport. On the Saint-Tropez peninsula the difference is concrete: Villa Solara in Ramatuelle is a few minutes’ walk from the beaches of Pampelonne, Villa Orea is about eight minutes by car from both Pampelonne and the Place des Lices, and Villa Calista, inside a gated estate on the water, is about twelve minutes from the village and twenty from Pampelonne. All three are good locations; they suit different holidays.
Decide first how your group will spend the day, then ask the questions in the table. If you are still choosing the coast itself, our Saint-Tropez or Cannes comparison sets out how the two feel day to day, and our south of France villas page adds the Cap d’Antibes.
| What the listing says | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Walking distance to the beach | How many minutes, along which route, and is it the beach you actually want? | A short walk on a busy road with children is not the same as a garden path |
| Minutes from the village | By car, at what time of day, and where do you park? | Summer evenings change journey times; a driver changes the answer entirely |
| Sea views | From which rooms: the pool, the living room, every bedroom or one terrace? | Views from the master suite only will disappoint the rest of the group |
| Peaceful setting | Is there a road, a neighbour or a venue within earshot? | Quiet by day can be loud at night in high summer |
| Gated estate | Who has access, and how do guests, deliveries and staff get in? | Security is a plus, but late arrivals need a plan |
Bedrooms, bathrooms and who sleeps where
The bedroom count is the most misread line on any listing. Ask for the layout floor by floor, and check each of these points against the people actually coming.
- En-suites, not just bathrooms. Villa Vittoria has nine bathrooms for eight bedrooms, so every room has its own; a house with fewer bathrooms than bedrooms means someone shares.
- Doubles or twins. At Villa Calista, two of the six bedrooms can be set up as doubles or twins, which matters for children and for friends who do not share a bed.
- Separate spaces. A guest cottage, as at Villa Solara, or independent apartments, as at Villa Orvella in Cannes, give teenagers or a second family real independence.
- Where the staff sleep. If a chef or housekeeper lives in, ask whether they have their own quarters. Villa Sorya and Villa Zeliane each have a separate staff apartment, so no guest room is lost.
- Stairs and levels. At Villa Zeliane the five guest doubles sit together on the top floor, ideal for couples, with a staircase down to the pool. Villa Orvella has a lift serving every floor, which changes everything for grandparents.
- Cooling. Ask which rooms are air-conditioned, not whether the house is.
Pool and garden: the outdoor test
On the Riviera most of the holiday happens outside, so look at the pool as you would a living room. Is it heated, and to what temperature in early June or late September? Villa Sorya’s heated pool can be set to the temperature guests prefer. Is it long enough to swim in? Villa Orea’s is 18 metres. Where is the shade at lunchtime, and is there an outdoor kitchen or only a barbecue?
With young children, check the safety device and the steps into the water before you look at anything else. French law requires a standardised safety device on private in-ground pools, and our guide to luxury villas with a private pool sets out the rules and a practical checklist for families. Villa Solara, with its children’s play area, diving board and enclosed grounds, is the kind of house we suggest when the pool is the centre of the holiday.
Staff and service: included, on request or not at all
“Fully staffed” can mean a chef every day or one dinner a week. The only reliable approach is to ask, role by role, what is included, for how many hours, and what is added on request. Villas from our collection show how much it varies, taken from what each house offers.
- Ask the working hours of each person and their day off, if any.
- Ask whether groceries, wine and drinks for the chef’s meals are included or charged on top.
- Ask how many people the chef can cook for at once if you plan a larger lunch.
| Villa | Included | On request |
|---|---|---|
| Villa Calista, Saint-Tropez | The full team: chef, butler, housekeeper and security, daily housekeeping, plus a private driver until early evening | Babysitting, wellness treatments, boat hire and helicopter transfers |
| Villa Zeliane, Cap d’Antibes | Butler, housekeeper and security; the chef cooks one lunch or dinner each week; a car and driver for five hours a day; airport transfers; two one-hour body treatments | More staff, helicopter transfers, boat hire |
| Villa Orvella, Cannes | One housekeeper, with the villa cleaned throughout | Chef, butler, driver, security, babysitting and a fitness coach, all through the concierge |
| Villa Orea, Saint-Tropez | The villa is cleaned during your stay | The whole team if you want it: chef, butler, housekeeper, driver, security, a fitness coach, plus massages and beauty treatments |
Every Lutetia stay also includes a daily breakfast and a dedicated concierge. Rates for each house and each service are on request.
Contract, deposit and insurance: the questions to ask
This is the part most guides skip, and the one that decides how a dispute ends. Before you pay anything, you should hold a written agreement that answers the questions below. With us, the booking is confirmed only once the agreement is signed and the deposit received, and the security deposit’s amount and terms are written into the agreement before you sign.
- The exact dates and times
Arrival and departure days, check-in and check-out times, and what happens if your flight lands late.
- What the price covers
Staff, cleaning, linen, pool heating, utilities, the tourist tax and the services you added, line by line, so that nothing reappears as an extra on the last day.
- The payment schedule
How much is paid on booking, when the balance is due, and whether the advance counts as arrhes or an acompte under French law, since the consequences of cancelling differ.
- The security deposit
Its amount, how it is paid, when it is returned and how any deduction is justified. Ask for an inventory on arrival and on departure, with photos, so both sides work from the same record.
- Cancellation
What you lose and when, what happens if the owner cancels, and whether you can move your dates rather than cancel.
- House rules
Maximum number of guests and visitors, events, pets, smoking, noise after a certain hour. If you plan a celebration, say so before signing.
- Insurance
French government guidance says insurance is not legally compulsory for a furnished holiday let, but the contract can require you to hold cover for your stay. Check that your travel insurance covers cancellation and your personal liability in rented accommodation.
Red flags in a villa listing
None of these proves a problem on its own, but each deserves a clear answer before any money changes hands.
- No registration number on a French listing, in a town where furnished holiday lets must be registered.
- Pressure to pay at once, or a request to transfer money to a personal account that does not match the person or company you are dealing with.
- No written agreement, or an agreement that does not say what the advance is or when the deposit comes back.
- Only wide-angle photos of the living room and pool, and none of bathrooms, bedrooms or the view from the street.
- Nobody has been there. Ask who visited the house and when; every residence we offer has been visited by our team.
- A rate far below similar houses for the same week, with no explanation.
- Vague answers on staff hours, distances or the bedroom layout. A real house produces precise answers.
- Note that an exact address withheld before booking is normal for privacy. It becomes a red flag only if it is still withheld once you have signed and paid.
Common surprises and what to do about them
Most problems on arrival trace back to a question nobody asked. Here is how to prevent the usual ones, and what to do if one happens anyway.
| The surprise | Usually because | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The pool is cold in June | Heating is off, limited or not included | Ask the target temperature before booking; on site, ask the concierge on day one, not day five |
| Fewer en-suites than expected | Bathrooms counted, not en-suites | Request the floor plan; on site, rearrange rooms with the house manager before unpacking |
| No chef tonight | Chef included on some days only | Check the week’s schedule on arrival and book a restaurant or an extra evening in advance |
| The drive takes twice as long | Times quoted out of season | Ask for a driver or adjust plans; next time ask for July journey times |
| Neighbours’ noise | The listing said peaceful | Raise it with the concierge at once; ask before booking what is nearby |
| Deposit deductions you dispute | No shared record of the condition | Do the inventory on arrival with photos, sign it, and repeat it on departure |
| Guests turned away from a party | House rules limit visitors | Declare events and numbers before signing |
Villas run through the checklist
The residences used as examples on this page, from the beach to the gated estate.
The villas side by side
Guests, bedrooms, bathrooms and space, so you can apply the bedroom test at a glance.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villa CalistaSaint-Tropez | 12 | 6 | 6 | 400 m² | Heated Pool, Wine Cellar, Gym, Gated Estate |
| Villa ZelianeCap d'Antibes | 10 | 7 | 6 | 340 m² | Heated Pool, Tennis Court, Hammam, Sauna, Gym |
| Villa OreaSaint-Tropez | 12 | 6 | 7 | 510 m² | Heated Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Massage Room |
| Villa SolaraSaint-Tropez | 12 | 7 | 7 | 451 m² | Heated Pool, Sea View, Tennis Court, Wine Cellar, Massage Room |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
How we run the checklist for you
You can use this checklist alone. Here is what changes when we do it with you.
Every house visited
The team has seen each residence, so a question about a bathroom, a staircase or the shade at lunchtime gets a first-hand answer.
Times, not adjectives
We give journey times to the beach and the village as the house sits, and say plainly when a location will not suit your plans.
The agreement read with you
Your rental agreement sets out the deposit, cancellation and what is included, and we go through it line by line if you ask.
Houses not online
Some residences are available without being published, so if no listing passes all five tests, we may still have one that does.
Holiday villa questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamHow do you book a villa holiday safely?
Deal with someone who has visited the house, get a written agreement before paying, and pay into an account that matches the agency or owner named on it. Make sure the agreement states whether the advance is arrhes or an acompte, the security deposit and its return, and the cancellation terms. In France, check the listing shows a registration number where the town requires one.
What is the difference between a villa and an apartment?
A villa is a detached house with its own grounds, usually a private pool, and no one else sharing the entrance, garden or terraces. An apartment sits in a shared building, often with a communal pool. For a group, the villa also brings space for staff: a chef, a housekeeper or a driver can work around you without a hotel’s timetable.
Where is the best place to book a villa?
Wherever someone can answer precise questions about the house from first-hand knowledge. Online platforms offer choice but rarely a person who has stood in the bedrooms; a specialist agency that visits its residences can tell you how the house works day to day and may have homes that are not advertised. Whichever you use, insist on a written agreement and a named contact for the stay.
What to pack for a villa holiday in France?
Beyond clothes and swimwear, bring a copy of the rental agreement, your insurance details, the arrival instructions and any medication. Take photos of the house during the arrival inventory. Leave out what the villa provides: most of our residences provide fine linens, many add bath products and have a gym or wellness rooms, and the concierge can arrange most other things locally.
What happens to the security deposit after the stay?
Under French rules for holiday lets, the deposit is returned on the terms set in the contract, less any justified repair costs; normal wear and tear cannot be deducted. Agree the departure inventory with the house manager before you leave, and check that the contract states the return deadline so you know when to expect it.
How do I check a villa matches its photographs?
Ask for photos of every bedroom and bathroom, a floor plan and the view from the pool, then ask questions only someone who has been there can answer: where the sun is at noon, how steep the path to the pool is. Our advisors answer from the team’s own visits to each residence.
You may also like
Send us the villa, we will check it
Tell Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad your dates, your group and what matters most, and they will suggest residences that pass all five tests, including some not published online. WhatsApp +33 7 80 98 05 43 or contact@lutetia-group.com; the team usually replies within the day.