Following a year in which many of us had to cut back on travel due to the pandemic, the world is opening up again—making now the perfect time to watch Netflix’s new series The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals. The show follows hosts Luis D. Ortiz (of Million Dollar Listing New York fame), Jo Franco, and Megan Batoon across eight episodes, each of which features three different rental properties (hand-picked by each host!) across the globe, making for a grand total of 24 sites.
Below, House Beautiful details everything you need to know about five of the properties, including ones in Georgia, Indonesia, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii—along with insight from each of the hosts. To see all of the many sites in the series, head over to Netflix—and plan your next vacation accordingly!
Alpaca Treehouse, Atlanta, Georgia
The Alpaca Treehouse in Atlanta, Georgia is one of few properties in The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals that’s located in the United States. “You never would expect a fully shrouded treehouse in a forest of bamboo would ever exist just a few minutes from downtown Atlanta, but it does,” co-host Megan Batoon tells House Beautiful. “With alpacas and llamas walking around as you’re eating your breakfast, you don’t have to go far to experience something wild and surprising.”
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Fellow co-host Jo Franco reveals that “the host of this property, Kara, built everything, from the actual treehouse, to the alpaca and llama sanctuary, in the spirit of repurposing. She reclaimed all of the materials used to make the treehouse from thrift stores, giving the rental a funky energy filled with history and stories to tell.”
Additionally, Kara rescued the animals that roam the grounds. “They’re now living their best lives on this farm that doubles as the front yard for guests of the treehouse, eating as many carrots as they’re fed—pack more just in case,” advises Franco.
Butterfly Camaya Bali, Bali, Indonesia
© Netflix
one of the properties from netflix’s the world’s most amazing vacation rentals
“If heaven is made out of bamboo, it’s the Butterfly Camaya Bali,” Franco tells us. “The entire stay made me feel like I was a princess in a Balinese fairy tale. Plus, getting to put my feet in the actual mud of the rice terraces and stumbling upon a pond with hundreds of rose petals connected me to the land in a way I’ll never forget.”
Batoon was also smitten with this property: “Probably the most visually and aesthetically impressive stay on the show in my opinion would be Butterfly Camaya,” she says. “From acres of verdant plants, to flower petal baths, and dreamy bamboo architecture, this place had it all for a design-obsessed traveler or anyone looking for a dream-worthy stay with a backdrop of beauty.”
Quetzalcoatl’s Nest, Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico
Located in Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico, Quetzalcoatl’s Nest is a futuristic design haven like no other. Luis D. Ortiz tells House Beautiful that “this was one of my favorite properties because we lived inside of somebody’s work of art that went beyond just a home.” Franco adds that this space looks as if “Tim Burton, Salvator Dalí, and Willy Wonka went into an architectural collaboration.”
Gallery: Vacation rentals with secret rooms and hidden passages (Cheapism)
This structure was designed by Mexican architect Javier Senosiain, who “took on the project after other developers gave up on building in such tricky terrain,” reveals Franco. “Not only did he succeed, but his solution to working with nature—and celebrating it—makes him a genius, in my opinion,” the co-host adds. “The snake house is without a doubt much more than just the house. From the mosaic gates welcoming you into your movie-like stay, to walking down the steps and entering the mouth of a snake that decorates the entrance of a natural cave, it’s hard to believe you’re still on planet earth.”
By renting this property, you will also be granted access to “acres and acres of a perfectly manicured landscape, a greenhouse, and art installations scattered around the grounds,” adds Franco.
Sitka Lighthouse, Sitka, Alaska
If you’re the resident chef amongst your friends, the Sitka Lighthouse in Sitka, Alaska might just be the rental property of your dreams, as it offers “one of the coolest culinary experiences,” says Batoon. “The hosts have commercial fishing boat connections and had fresh King Salmon delivered straight to the lighthouse that I cooked for dinner—try and compete with that, Postmates!”
For Franco, this lighthouse boasts a special connection that ties back to some years ago. “Years ago, I was reading a travel magazine on a plane and saw this cheeky red and white lighthouse engulfed by a sea of fog on its own island somewhere in Alaska.” She adds, “The photo stuck out in my mind, and my gut said, “I ‘m going to go there one day.” I just had no idea it would be while filming a Netflix show about the world’s best places to stay on vacation.”
Fortunately, the co-host says the Sitka Lighthouse did not disappoint her anticipation. “By the end of the trip, after eating King Salmon from a commercial fishing boat, soaking in a hot tub while spotting sea lions, and running around the top of our own lighthouse for the night, [fellow co-hosts] Megan and Luis were convinced the Sitka Lighthouse gave other private islands a run for their money.”
Hale ‘Ae Kai, Kauai, Hawaii
Traveling to Hawaii is certainly a common bucket list adventure (with good reason!), and Kauai’s Hale ‘Ae Kai is definitely a spot you’re going to want to stay at while checking this state off of your list. Ortiz says this spot is one of “of the best waterfront views you’ll feel more than see,” while Franco shares it’s “one of the most luxurious of luxury stays.”
Hale ‘Ae Kai was actually the first property filmed for The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, and Batoon reveals she remembers “running over to Jo’s cabin after wrapping for the day and we laid outside in the warm Hawaii night sky and I saw my first shooting star. It was a perfect start to this entire experience.”
Franco adds, “We’d be outdoors most of the day because the property is designed to include and embrace nature—the outside blends with the inside, giving you the ultimate vacation feeling.”
This property is a bit costly, so Franco says “if you ever get a chance to wrangle together enough people to pay $14,000 a night for this luxury experience on steroids, I promise, you won’t forget it.”
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