West Hollywood Weekly: The Ultra-Private Escapes Celebrities Love
Written by Eill Jones
In luxury’s new hierarchy, the most valuable asset isn’t a watch or a bag. It’s privacy.
For years, status was easy to read: the car, the watch, the table at the right restaurant. Today, it’s far less visible. The clearest signals sit behind gates, on private islands, or at the end of roads that don’t appear on maps. Increasingly, they take the form of fully private villas, environments designed to control not just comfort, but access.
Across the Caribbean and Central America, a small group of properties has become a consistent draw for high-profile guests. These are not traditional hotels, they are intricately designed spaces where privacy is guaranteed.
In Turks & Caicos, Amanyara continues to set the tone. Its pavilion-style villas are spread across a protected nature reserve, intentionally distanced from one another and from any central social scene. Beyoncé chose the property to celebrate her 43rd birthday in 2024, reinforcing its positioning as a place where discretion is built into the architecture itself. There are no shared focal points to navigate, just private compounds, dedicated staff, and a layout designed to keep guests out of view.
In Antigua, Jumby Bay Island takes that idea further. Accessible only by boat, the private island operates as a closed system, with no outside visitors and no through-traffic. Lionel Messi is among those who’ve stayed here, drawn by a level of removal that’s increasingly difficult to replicate. The experience is straightforward: beachfront estates, fully staffed, with movement across the island limited to residents and staff.
On Mexico’s Pacific coast, One&Only Palmilla offers a more established version of private luxury. Set along the edge of the Baja Peninsula, its villas combine traditional Mexican architecture with full-service seclusion, long attracting a discreet but high-profile clientele. Jessica Alba was among those spotted on property in early 2026, reflecting its continued appeal to guests who want proximity to Los Angeles without sacrificing privacy. Private villa residences are designed to function as fully independent estates, with dedicated staff, direct beach access, and layouts that prioritise space, discretion, and ease.
In St. Barths, Villa Embrace sits in a category of its own. Perched above Gustavia, the 12,000-square-foot villa spans four levels, with glass walls opening onto uninterrupted views of the harbor. Five private suites, each with outdoor showers, soaking tubs, and dedicated terraces, offer guests an abundance of personal space. Interiors feature works by Warhol and Lichtenstein, while outside, two infinity pools run along the edge of the structure. A four-story glass elevator connects each level, and access is routed through a private underground entrance, keeping arrivals entirely out of sight. The villa’s dedicated service team crafts menus and experiences exclusively for each guest’s taste. The villa has hosted many famous guests including Justin Verlander and Kate Upton, underscoring its position at the very top end of the island’s private rental market.
What links these properties isn’t a shared aesthetic, but a shared premise: control. Whether through geography, design, or operations, each is built to restrict exposure and allow guests to dictate the terms of their stay. At the top end of the market, that level of privacy now commands up to $500,000 per week, a threshold that quietly filters who gets to experience it.
