These Stunning Rental Homes Have the World’s Best Ocean Views
For those who getting away from it all means getting away from everybody else, the ideal vacation spot combines tranquillity and extreme privacy. While you might not locate too many of these hideouts on Airbnb, they can be found in the new book Ocean View (Lannoo, $55). Curated by travel journalist Sebastiaan Bedaux, the book catalogues 50 properties around the world that are as beautiful as they are secluded—and, best of all, each one is available for rent. Bedaux has gathered waterfront homes from Iceland to Costa Rica, each with stunning panoramas of the coastline. The homes are ranked on a scale of one to three dollar signs, including an affordable lighthouse designed by Studio Mackereth in the U.K. and a luxurious modern retreat that sleeps 12 in Thailand. Discover some of the incredible designs and start planning your next getaway.
Photo: Jonathan Wherrett1/12The owner of Avalon Coastal Retreat, Brett Torossi, spent five years searching for the perfect location and architect to build a modern seaside retreat. She found the ideal spot on the east coast of Tasmania, overlooking Great Oyster Bay, and hired Rosevear Architects to create the three-bedroom, three bath home, which is decorated with furniture and artwork commissioned from Tasmania and around the world.
Photo: Andres Garcia Lachner2/12Ocean Eye, a vacation home in Costa Rica by architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, combines views of the Pacific Ocean and the jungle. The house was designed with a focus on sustainability and utilizes local materials, such as Melina wood.
Photo: Michael van Woudenberg3/12Big Bay Beach House is a five-bedroom, three-bath getaway set 30 minutes outside Cape Town, South Africa. Fuchs Wacker Architekten devised a modern home that utilizes passive design principles and takes advantage of the site’s views of Robben Island and Table Mountain.
Photo: Andres Garcia Lachner4/12Architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe also designed Casa Flotanta in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. The three-bedroom house, which is on a steep slope, consists of three pods set on stilts that are connected by bridges and walkways.
Photo: Annadale5/12Nestled in the coastal farm of Annadale in New Zealand is a minimalist vacation home known as Seascape. Designed by Patterson Associates Architects, the house was constructed out of local stone and has a green roof that connects to the surrounding landscape. The secluded cottage is set on its own bay.
Photo: Michael Wee6/12Dangar Island House in New South Wales, Australia, is a relaxed retreat filled with midcentury style. Designed by architecture firm Robertson & Hindmarsh in collaboration with homeowners David Harrison and Karen McCartney, the home has a large open-plan living and kitchen area, with a dining space that can seat ten.
Photo: Nigel Rigden and David Barbour7/12Clad in corrugated metal, Tinhouse is a contemporary retreat on the Isle of Skye that was built by architects Gill Smith and Alan Dickson. They incorporated a color palette inspired by the surrounding landscape and used materials, such as concrete and plywood, that lend to the handmade look.
Photo: Siggen Stinesen and Steve King8/12Perched on the edge of Manshausen Island in Norway are four cabins designed by architect Snorre Stinessen for Norwegian polar explorer Børge Ousland, the owner of the island. The master bedrooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the water and rocky coastline.
Photo: Alberto Moncada9/12Architect Francesco Moncada transformed an old fisherman’s house in the center of Syracuse, Italy, into a stylish rental property. He restored the original layout and used materials and colors that nod to the sea, including limestone and hand-painted ceramic tiles.
Photo: Luke White10/12Studio Mackereth converted an 18th-century lighthouse into a one-of-a-kind home. Winterton Lighthouse, which served as a lookout in World War II, is set outside the charming village of Winterton-on-Sea and features a number of spectacular spaces, including the steel-and-glass Lantern Room.
Photo: Villaamanzi.com11/12Villa Amanzi Kamala in Phuket, Thailand, was designed by the firm Original Vision, which took inspiration from the large granite formations nearby. The indoor and outdoor spaces flow together thanks to large glass partitions, and an impressive infinity pool offers views of the sea and gardens.
Photo: www.welcomebeyond.com12/12Villa on the Cliff in Sicily graces the cover of Ocean View. Owners and architects Marco Giunta and Viviana Haddad built the home on the outskirts of Cefalù, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
