Raise the Vacation Rental Bar at These Homes with Epic Beach Access

When it comes to true escapes for body and mind, the best vacation rentals pair the beauty of the natural elements around them with creature comforts at every turn. Imagine stepping out of bed onto your private pool deck, steps from the ocean, and welcoming the day with something warm to drink in hand and the sea breeze tousling your hair.

From the Caribbean and California to Europe, Mexico and Costa Rica, level up your next getaway at these singular vacation homes made for making lifetime memories with friends and family.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

A Sweet, 7-bedroom Villa Near One of Costa Rica’s Most Famous Beaches for Waves

Near Costa Rica’s famous Pacific Coast surf town of Tamarindo, this sprawling, seven-bedroom luxury villa makes for an enviable pied-à-terre above Avellanas Beach along the country’s northern Pacific Coast.

The home, known as Casa Costa Blanca, beckons with a secluded setting overlooking the surf, and all rooms have en suite bathrooms.

Stroll down to the semiprivate beach to wax up your board, or relax by the home’s infinity pool with an alfresco barbecue area. A dedicated staff member is on hand to prepare your breakfast, snacks and evening cocktails.

Neighborhood amenities available to guests include a golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, and hiking trails, plus the fantastic spa and restaurants at the nearby JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa, just one mile away.

A High-Design Southern California Hideout Perched on a Bluff Above the Pacific

Southern California is beloved for its sublimely beautiful coastline and accompanying lifestyle ethos that makes maximizing the great (ocean) outdoors a priority — from sunrise runs on the beach to those sherbet-colored sunsets that drape over the Pacific Ocean.

Make the most of it when you stay at this luxurious six-bedroom home perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu within a short stroll of a beloved local surf spot.

Five bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms, occupy the main villa, and the sixth is in a private on-property casita with its own entrance and sitting area. The primary bedroom in the main villa is particularly special, opening to a private outdoor hot tub for basking in the silky ocean air as you soak under the stars.

Throughout the modern home, architectural elements blur the lines between indoors and out, bringing the ocean views streaming into the great room, gourmet kitchen and other inviting spaces.

A sauna, an infinity-edged swimming pool perched atop the bluff and a billiards table for friendly games are among the many amenities guests enjoy.

A Cool Clifftop Address with 5 Bedrooms in Portugal’s Algarve Region

Escaping to Portugal’s sunniest stretches in the southernmost reaches of the country, in the storied Algarve, has all the makings of a coastal vacation for the books.

And this minimalist but welcoming five-bedroom stunner set on a clifftop will take your breath away with its understated elegance, beautifully landscaped lawn and coastal path leading from the garden to the sandy beaches below: Praia dos Beijinhos and Praia do Vale do Olival.

Relax among citrus trees in the home’s gardenlike courtyards or splash in the sparkling pool overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. A long outdoor dining table beckons for languorous meals sourced from your excursions to local markets.

A 10-Bedroom, Fully Staffed Surf Villa on Mexico’s Pacific Coast

Prepare to party and chill with all your closest ocean-loving friends and family at this palatial 10-bedroom villa in Punta Mita, Mexico.

Fronting the legendary El Faro surf break, which surfers who aren’t staying here can only reach by boat, the ten-suite villa comes with a full staff (including a private chef), as well as a massage room and fully equipped gym.

The pièce de résistance, however, is the home’s sprawling pool deck, with a sparkling infinity-edged pool, a hot tub fit to host a crowd and an airy palapa beneath which you can sip margaritas between dips.

A Sprawling Oceanfront Home Along One of Grand Cayman’s Most Bountiful Reefs

The Cayman Islands are legendary for having some of the Caribbean’s lushest reefs and most abundant marine life, making them a scuba diving and snorkeling haven.

When you stay at this four-bedroom oceanfront vacation home on Grand Cayman’s north coast, you can head out diving and snorkeling (no boat required) right from the beach fronting the famous Cayman Wall. A guest house offers an additional, fifth bedroom.

The home’s two oceanfront suites have French doors that swing open to an expansive screened pool and sundeck where you can splash and sunbathe while basking in 180-degree ocean views.

Steps down from there, access the home’s private beach, with an oceanfront shaded gazebo and two hammocks that set the scene for another extraordinary spot to relax with requisite world-class views.