Six new destinations, from the Adriatic to Andalusia
Launched in 2022 as Mandarin Oriental Exclusive Homes, the Hong Kong-based group’s private villa collection has reached a new milestone. With twelve additional residences, Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Homes now brings together 43 properties across 18 destinations. Six of these are entirely new: Lopud, Porto Heli, Florence, Chianti, Sardinia and Marbella. The portfolio has also been strengthened in Puglia and on the French Riviera.
Croatia and mainland Greece are a first for the brand. On the island of Lopud, in the Elaphiti archipelago off Dubrovnik, LOPUD 1483 occupies a 15th-century Franciscan monastery restored as a private retreat. The island, the largest in the archipelago, has around 300 inhabitants and is car-free. The property sleeps ten, from €105,000 per week.
In the Peloponnese, Vanikiba is a contemporary villa set on the heights above Porto Heli. It enjoys views over the Argolic Gulf and can accommodate 19 guests, from €49,084 per week.
Florence, Chianti and Sardinia join the collection
Italy accounts for a large share of the new addresses. In Florence, Villa Petrucci lies a short walk from the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi. Comprising two separate villas, it has undergone a five-year renovation led by architect Massimo Adario. In the hills of Impruneta, Dimora Ghirlandaio occupies a Renaissance estate once owned by the family of the Florentine painter Domenico Ghirlandaio, restored across five historic buildings to accommodate 37 guests.
Chianti makes its debut with Il Cellese, a ten-bedroom estate sleeping 19. In Sardinia, two waterfront properties join the collection: Villa Ada, in Portisco between Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo, set within 7,000 sq m of Mediterranean gardens, and Villa Marzia, at Capo Coda Cavallo, which has its own private beach and a sheltered natural harbour.
In Puglia, the group consolidates its presence with two trulli in Cisternino, Trullo delle Dame and Trullo dei Pumi. They join the Pistola and Petrarolo masserie already in the collection.
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Marbella, the collection’s growth hub
Marbella remains a key destination in the collection’s development, with seven new villas of contemporary architecture. They are located notably within the gated enclave of La Zagaleta and in the Golf Valley of Nueva Andalucía, some of them front-line on Las Brisas Golf Club. Villa Celestial, in La Zagaleta, becomes the top of the price range: eleven bedrooms, 22 guests, from €173,600 per week.
In Asia, the group enters northern Thailand with Tatvani, in Chiang Rai. This fully private estate comprises six teak villas and nine bedrooms set among rice fields and mountainous terrain. It complements an Asian presence previously limited to Phuket and Bali.
A model built on third-party-owned properties
Each residence in the collection belongs to a private owner. Mandarin Oriental selects it for its location, its architecture and its ability to deliver the brand’s level of service. This service includes a dedicated concierge in charge of itineraries, a private chef, daily housekeeping and the group’s guest amenities.
THT analysis – The arrangement allows the group to extend its brand into leisure markets where it operates no hotel, without carrying the real estate. Weekly rates for the new addresses range from around €14,300 for Trullo dei Pumi to more than €170,000 for Villa Celestial. The collection is thus positioned at the very top end of the villa rental segment.
This business forms part of a broader platform. Mandarin Oriental currently operates 47 hotels, 16 residences and 43 Exceptional Homes across 30 countries and territories, and has recently announced new residential projects, including Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions in Abu Dhabi.
Growth presented as selective
The group says it intends to broaden its geographical reach without compromising on quality or service. Philip Leighton, Head of Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Homes, said that as the portfolio evolves, the priority remains considered growth: introducing new destinations that extend the brand’s global presence while preserving the privacy, discretion and exceptional service guests expect. He added that this new phase reflects both the strength of the collection and the group’s ambition for its continued development.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Homes grows to 43 private villas
Twelve homes added, bringing the collection to 43 properties across 18 destinations
New destinations: Lopud (Croatia), Porto Heli (Greece), Florence, Chianti, Sardinia and Marbella
Seven new villas in Marbella, led by Villa Celestial from €173,600 per week
First foothold in northern Thailand with the Tatvani estate in Chiang Rai
All homes privately owned, with Mandarin Oriental service including concierge and private chef
