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Leaders / Properties

Judy Menier: Private Houses Personally Chosen

We speak with the SJ Villas CEO Judy Menier on travelling in 2022 and picking the best private houses.

Jul 01, 2022 | By LUXUO
Judy Menier, SJ Villas
Image: SJ Villas

In London’s very chic Chelsea area you will find SJ Villas, the boutique villa agency for the glamorous and very private London elite.

Fast, devoted and resourceful are three words often associated with this UK-born lady who, following many years in the PR world for luxury brands, has stepped in to build the luxury villa agency.

SJ Villas boasts an exceptional portfolio of private holiday homes around the world, handpicked by Judy and her team. Every villa is selected for its charm, location and level of service. It can be a boutique villa for two on the cliffs in Corfu, a private family home in the prestigious Parcs de St Tropez, or a breathtaking estate on the private island of Mustique.

This is a family business at heart; Tom Menier, Judy’s son joined the SJ Villas adventure in 2021, and together they are a force to be reckoned within the industry.

After two years of constant and ever changing travel bans, the travel industry is booming once again, and villas are a hot commodity.

Villa Peduzzi, Pigra Lake Como, Ground Floor Outdoor Balcony
Villa Peduzzi, Pigra.

“People are eager to travel. The intimacy and privacy of a private villa with family and close friends have become very enticing. Since January, we have noticed a growing trend for larger villas in Europe, with clients keen to be away from the crowds”.

Judy says, “holidays are incredibly important and very personal. They are what memories are made of”. “We have over the years built a close relationship with our guests. They come to us because they trust our judgement, our in-depth knowledge of properties and our expertise. No bookings can be made online and every guest must talk to us directly. It is our role to match the right guest with the right property. And more importantly, every villa we represent has been visited by a member of our team or someone we entirely trust.”

Villa Peduzzi  Pigra Lake Como Ground Floor Pool Pavillion
Villa Peduzzi, Pigra.

SJ Villas has a real community feel.

“As SJ Villas grows, our community expands and we gain greater knowledge of destinations around the world. I have what I like to call a network of ‘villa ladies’ who are passionate about what they do and have a discerning eye and great taste. We turn down more villas than we list.”

In 2022, SJ Villas is looking to introduce the idea of Villa Collections.

Chalet L’Amarante, Courchevel — Oetker Collection

“The SJ Villas Collections is an interesting way for us to introduce new destinations to our guests and present new breathtaking homes away from the more coveted destinations. There is a sense of movement in these collections, a journey to different locations. This year we have focused on two themes in particular: Wellness and Surfing. The latter was an answer to a growing demand by guests for exceptional villas near famous breaks. It’s surfing with a luxury SJ Villas twist! It can be adrenaline seekers looking for an adventure or a group of professionals looking to work and surf.”

SJ Villas
Masseria Lamacoppa, Puglia.

The collection of properties is expanding to include professionally run houses.

“We are greatly honoured to work with many international names; we are a preferred partner of Mustique island, we work with the Oetker collection, the Domaine de Murtoli in Corsica, the Trisara hotel and soon the Banyan Tree group.”

For more information, contact SJ Villas: info@sjvillas.co.uk

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