As the internet makes travel ever more accessible, there’s never been more options for vacation rentals in America. But that massive volume of accommodations can make finding superior rentals, especially vacation homes, a time-consuming and uncertain experience. Enter Plum Guide, an elite rental platform purposely created to help travelers discover the very best luxury vacation homes.
With Plum Guide, it’s easy to discover your next luxury home away from home and book it with confidence. Only the top 3% of the world’s homes can measure up to Plum Guide’s strict set of 150 criteria, proving the platform’s commitment to quality over quantity. It applies high standards to its own service as well, with Plum Guide’s concierge team available to help seven days a week.
From big cities like New York and Los Angeles to the ski fields of Colorado, here are the best vacation rentals in the U.S. on Plum Guide.
High Desert Merchant House
In Morongo Valley, California
If you want a cool getaway to the desert, you’ll fall head over heels for this home’s Moroccan-inspired decor. Located in the Morongo Valley of California, near both Joshua Tree and Palm Springs, it offers the perfect escape from LA if you enjoy solitude and rugged surroundings.
With two bathrooms and three bedrooms that sleep up to five people, this home is well suited to a family or small group. Even with that many people, you’re unlikely to feel cramped here, thanks to the ample indoor and outdoor spaces. Inside is a relaxed living area with a cozy fireplace, a nice dining area, and a full kitchen, letting you prepare your own meals.
Then there’s all the incredible outdoor space, beginning with an open-air living room that has a distinct Mission Revival feel. You can also chill out on a patio with a dining table, sun loungers, and hammocks. Don’t forget the outdoor bathtub and plunge pool that will help you cool off in summer, all while you enjoy the starkly beautiful landscape.
High Desert Mirage House
In San Bernardino County, California
Located just outside the town of Joshua Tree, this U.S. vacation rental cleverly uses the surrounding desert to its advantage. It’s a good thing that this gorgeous home isn’t actually just a mirage!
There’s no escaping the influence of the setting when you stay here. The huge windows display and reflect the endless arid environment, while the bedrooms feature painted walls with a desert theme. However, the sleekly designed house also manages a chic, modern vibe that makes it easy to feel at home. It’s especially easy to enjoy yourself with the private outdoor swimming pool and the recreation area just steps away.
The house can accommodate up to six guests with its three bedrooms and two bathrooms, making it ideal for families and friend groups. You can hang out together in the spacious living room, in the pool, or around the fire pit, and there are modern comforts such as Wi-Fi to keep you entertained. Food won’t be a problem either, thanks to the state-of-the-art kitchen.
Large Spring Creek Home
In Aspen, Colorado
If you need a place to stay for a big ski trip, look no further than this huge home. It’s in the ski resort town of Aspen among Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, so you’ll be perfectly positioned to hit the slopes each day – and just a short walk away from all the bars and restaurants in town.
We have to emphasize just how large this contemporary home is. Accommodating up to 10 people across three bedrooms and a den, it should have no problem hosting families and get-togethers. You can even bring pets with you, ensuring no one is left out on your vacation. The home was clearly designed for this, boasting four bathrooms, a den, a living room, and a kitchen and dining room.
It’s also worth mentioning how inviting the rental is. Each room and space brings lots of natural light and a tasteful design aesthetic that makes the whole home especially welcoming. Throw in comforts like indoor fireplaces and TVs, and you have somewhere you’ll be glad to come back to after a fun day of skiing.
Abstractionist Home
In Joshua Tree, California
While it can be nice to stay out in the middle of nowhere, it’s also nice to rent a vacation home that provides quick access to the comforts of civilization like this one does. The house is in the town of Joshua Tree, making it extremely easy to hit up the local eateries and coffee shops.
With just one look at this unique home, you’ll see why it’s earned such a particular name. Bold colors, eclectic furniture (including a one-of-a-kind nest chair you’ll find by the hot tub and fire pit), and even photography books are scattered throughout its large open spaces. There’s a reason behind this seemingly random decor – to spark your creativity during your stay. It even has a studio with art supplies, a blackboard, and an art rail to help you create.
This two-bedroom home is a work of art itself, but it’s also quite practical, with two full bathrooms and a large gourmet kitchen at your disposal. That’s to say nothing of its modern amenities, including Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and laundry facilities.
The Graham Residence
In Yucca Valley, California
With little but desert around, this home is a great option if you just want to see boulders and stars out your window instead of people and buildings. It’s a little north of the town of Yucca Valley, and you get the entire plot of land to yourself to explore. That said, you won’t have to drive too far to reach restaurants, supermarkets, and the like.
With sleeping space for four people and just one bathroom, this two-bedroom house is intended for smaller groups, though it isn’t cramped. Beyond the bedrooms, you have an open-plan common area with a wall of windows, letting you look out past the deck to the sparse landscape around you. This space includes a living area with a TV, a dining table, and a kitchen with a breakfast bar.
The kitchen provides all the usual modern amenities, so you should have no problem preparing meals here. Amenities more meant for relaxation include the hot tub and fire pit outside, as well as Wi-Fi, board games, and Netflix inside.
Country Roads Cabin
In Copake Lake, Copake
If your idea of the perfect vacation is to stay in a log cabin with just nature around you, this home should be perfect for you. It’s located conveniently between the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires in upstate New York, so you’ll be spoiled for choice in terms of places to visit during the day. Closer to home is Copake Lake, a serene lake surrounded by lush woods that’s a real beauty in the fall.
Inside the giant cabin are three bedrooms that can host up to six guests, each with plenty of space. The main level of the cabin has an open layout with a big living room centered on the fireplace, a big dining table, and the full kitchen with a breakfast bar. That probably sounds like plenty of space already, but there’s also a den with a giant sofa and TV, as well as the ample seating space out on the wraparound deck.
While you can enjoy plenty of water sports down at the lake, a closer alternative is the heated outdoor pool over by the fire pit. Add in amenities like Wi-Fi, a barbecue grill, and air conditioning, and you really are set for a memorable vacation.
Fauvism House
In Yucca Valley, California
Sometimes what you want from a vacation home is a place that has everything you could need so you never have to leave. That’s effectively what you get with this wonderful home in the town of Yucca Valley. While it’s close to the popular desert destination of Joshua Tree National Park, a visit there would mean leaving the total comfort of this relaxed rental.
It’s hard to decide whether the indoor or outdoor space is the bigger selling point of this combined cottage and casita. Outside is a private, enclosed yard that boasts a hot tub, a swing chair, tables, and a massive barbecue grill. There’s also plenty of shade, so you can spend hours outside without getting burnt in the dry desert heat.
Inside, meanwhile, is a gentle space full of midcentury art and design. Besides its three bathrooms and bedrooms that sleep up to six guests, there’s a sprawling living area, formal dining area, and fully equipped kitchen. For entertainment and relaxation, you have a small library of books, board games, Netflix, and high-speed Wi-Fi, which should be plenty.
Turquoise Waters Guesthouse
In Cathedral City, California
This colorful guesthouse is a nice option for somewhere small in the California desert. You’ll be staying in Cathedral City near Palm Springs, just a short drive from the coffee shops, bars, and restaurants along East Palm Canyon Drive.
Designed for just two guests, this casita is ideal for a romantic getaway in a fun environment. It has an open layout that feels a little like a studio apartment, but it’s shaped in a way that provides clear boundaries between the sleeping, living, and dining areas. Consistent throughout the guesthouse are the little pops of color that fit perfectly with its midcentury modern design.
However, this casita is not really intended for long stays. That should be obvious from its kitchenette that’s not set up for proper cooking. Also, many of its outdoor spaces are shared with hosts John and Tim – not that you’ll mind having access to the garden, swimming pool, hot tub, and bocce ball court, on top of your own private patio space.
Alpine Apex Chalet
In Snowmass Village, Colorado
Want an entire ski chalet to yourselves? Then you need to stay at this phenomenal hillside property. Found among the ski fields of Snowmass Village not far from Aspen in Colorado, it makes a superb base for group ski trips. Even pets are welcome, meaning you can really bring everyone with you.
Even from looking at the impressive exterior, it’s hard to fathom just how large this rental property is. The home can fit up to 12 people with its six bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom, plus two communal bathrooms. Then there’s the cavernous common area with high ceilings and walls of windows looking out to the woods and snow around you.
This chalet-like home doesn’t skimp on facilities either. Along with a large dining table and fully equipped kitchen, it has the kind of long bar you’d expect to see at an actual bar. Let’s not forget the elevated outdoor viewing platform, hot tub, and indoor heated pool, all of which are purely for you and your fellow guests.
The Cove
In Cathedral City, California
You’ll have no problems taking it easy at this casual vintage home. Located on a quiet street in Cathedral City, the house is an idyllic desert oasis that seems purposely designed for a chilled-out getaway. While it’s in a residential area, you can reach the area’s bars, restaurants, and supermarkets easily enough.
With three bedrooms and the option for an extra bed in the study, the home can comfortably host up to seven people. It helps that the house has a spacious garden surrounded by high hedges, creating a private space to hang out. There you’ll find a swimming pool, cabana, lawn area, and table.
The property isn’t exactly lacking inside either. The living room, dining table, and nearby kitchen all enjoy a tasteful midcentury design. There’s even a home bar that you can use to make cocktails, as well as entertainment amenities such as Wi-Fi, a smart TV, Nintendo Wii, and a DVD collection.
There you have them – 10 of the best vacation rentals you could possibly encounter in the United States. We’re sure you’ll find them just as tempting for your next getaway as we did.
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