Kochi, 2026 — Indian families planning holidays are increasingly booking private villas over conventional hotel rooms, a shift driven by demand for space, privacy and personalised experiences, according to VOYE HOMES, South India's largest holiday home network. The Kerala-based hospitality platform, which now operates 120+ boutique resorts and holiday homes across 20+ destinations in India and the UAE, said villa bookings for multi-generational and family groups have become its fastest-growing segment over the past year.
The trend reflects a broader move away from standardised hotel stays toward experiential travel, where guests prioritise private pools, full kitchens, dedicated staff and flexible schedules over hotel amenities shared with other guests. Families travelling with elderly parents or young children are among the biggest adopters, citing the ability to cook their own meals, avoid shared common areas, and set their own itinerary as key reasons for choosing villas.
VOYE HOMES currently manages more than 600 rooms across its portfolio and has served over 500,000 guests to date. The company operates in more than 20 destinations, including Munnar, Wayanad, Vagamon, Varkala, Coorg, Kochi, Ooty and Kodaikanal in South India, alongside a growing presence in the UAE. It is positioned as the fourth-largest holiday home network in India and the largest in South India, with an estimated startup valuation exceeding ₹100 crore.
“We didn’t just want to create another booking platform. We wanted to redefine what hospitality means in the digital age,” said Vinod Balan, Founder & CEO of VOYE HOMES.
{{/usCountry}}“We didn’t just want to create another booking platform. We wanted to redefine what hospitality means in the digital age,” said Vinod Balan, Founder & CEO of VOYE HOMES.
{{/usCountry}}Vinod Balan added that the company built its model around private, fully staffed homes rather than standardised inventory, betting early that Indian travellers would move toward stays that felt personal rather than transactional.
VOYE HOMES works with the Kerala Startup Mission, Startup India, TATA Global Beverages, Kannan Devan Hill Plantations Company, managing and operating vacation homes on their behalf as part of its expansion strategy. These collaborations have allowed the company to scale its managed inventory beyond organically sourced properties, adding heritage and estate-linked homes to its portfolio.
Industry recognition has followed the company's growth. VOYE HOMES has been ranked among the Top 10 Tourism Startups in India, placed in the Top 5 Holiday Home Chains in the country, and named among the Top 23 Startups in Kerala. It also won the Villa of the Year award from MakeMyTrip, one of the country's largest online travel platforms.
The shift toward villas is also changing how families plan trips. Rather than booking single rooms for each family unit, groups are increasingly booking entire villas that can house extended families under one roof, with shared living spaces for gatherings alongside private bedrooms for each unit. This has led to longer average stays compared to standard hotel bookings, as families use the additional space to host celebrations, reunions and extended holidays rather than short overnight stops.
VOYE HOMES said its supply model, which includes onboarding independently owned properties as well as directly managing homes for institutional partners, has allowed it to expand quickly across destinations without the capital intensity of building new hotel inventory. Property owners retain ownership while VOYE HOMES handles bookings, guest management, housekeeping and on-ground staffing, a structure that has let the company scale to 120+ properties without owning the real estate itself. The company continues to add new destinations across South India and the UAE as it scales its network of boutique resorts and private homes.
The company's presence in the UAE marks its first expansion outside India and reflects the growing demand for experiential stays among travellers in the Gulf region. VOYE HOMES said it plans to strengthen its presence in the UAE while continuing to expand across its existing South Indian markets, including Ooty, Munnar, Wayanad, and Coorg, which remain among its most sought-after destinations for family bookings.Founded with the goal of moving hospitality away from standardised hotel formats, VOYE HOMES has grown into one of India's largest villa-focused holiday home networks. The company's expansion into the UAE, alongside continued growth across its South Indian base, positions it to serve a wider set of travellers seeking private, experience-led stays over conventional hotel accommodation.
About VOYE HOMES
VOYE HOMES is a Kerala-based holiday home and villa booking platform operating 120+ boutique resorts and holiday homes across 20+ destinations in India and the UAE, with over 600 rooms and more than 500,000 guests served to date. It is the fourth-largest holiday home network in India and the largest in South India. VOYE HOMES has been ranked among the Top 10 Tourism Startups in India, the Top 5 Holiday Home Chains in India, and the Top 23 Startups in Kerala, and won the Villa of the Year award from MakeMyTrip.
Note to readers: This article is part of HT's paid consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. HT assumes no editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to verify all information independently.
Want to get your story featured as above? click here!