Experiencing a villa holiday in Paphos with friends can bring you closer together and create happy memories for years to come. However, for a villa holiday with friends to become worthwhile, following a plan of action before you go may be necessary to ensure everyone feels happy, comfortable, and in tune.
Get a Good Group Mix
The holiday group dynamic is one of the most vital factors of vacationing with friends. Do old friends and new friends get on? What about the ratio of couples and singletons? Is anybody likely to feel out of step with the group or is there a friend you love who would drive you to distraction on holiday? Compatibility is key.
Find the Best Villa
Do not just take for granted that everybody has the same idea of what luxury is. Sun worshipers might be all about balconies, terraces, and salas, while active types may view a fully-equipped gym as a basic essential. Do all the rooms match each person and are there any special requirements? For a group holiday we suggest you to book 2-3 villas next to each. Book in advance then you can all look forward to your stay.
Know What You All Want Before You Go
Do you see your villa stay as a chance to recharge your batteries or do you want to explore the destination and really see and do as much as possible? Communicate what you want from the holiday before you go so there are no misunderstandings or unrealistic expectations.
Work Out Time, Travel, and Budgets
You want your holiday to be long enough to really relax into the luxury vacation spirit, but not so long that you tire of the group energy. Work out when and how you will travel, and for how long, and then talk about budgets for whilst you are away. How will you split costs during your stay and do you all have roughly the same holiday spend in mind?
Focus on Shared Interest
If you all enjoy coming together for sundowners and a fabulous al fresco dinner each evening then make the most of this time. You may all have separate interests, but there does need to some crossover so that you can bond and share the holiday experience as a group.
Be Independent and Sociable
There is nothing wrong with doing your own thing and sitting quietly with a good book by the pool. In fact, with any group holiday, space is needed. However, prepare to be sociable too as group holidays are about coming together and are not conducive to creating a Zen-like retreat. The best part about renting a private luxury villa versus staying at a hotel is that most of them are designed where everyone can have privacy while being all in the same place.
Be Accepting of Others
In your own home, you may be the head, but villa holidays with friends require compromise and acceptance of individual differences. Rather than seeing this as a negative, regard it as a freedom-inducing positive. It is great to let go sometimes and understand that your way is not always the way.
Be Active
As well as meeting other people and gaining new experiences, being active can energize you individually and as a group. It might be good to chat with friends, but being involved in an activity can enable you to bond without having to over-talk. Activities add laughter, fun, and interest into your day, creating happy memories to reminisce about for years to come.
Holidays with friends can bring you closer together and strengthen relationships. It can also teach you about yourself and broaden your horizons. You can create a unique experience that is far different than what you would have as a couple or with your family and a wonderful way to value friendships.