The Future's Bright

Bright, boxy and white, you would expect this Protaras villa to have some outdoor space for making the most of Cyprus's famously agreeable climate, but you might be pleasantly surprised that there's a trio of areas on which to bask in the sunshine. As well as a balcony leading off from one of the bedrooms, guests are also treated to a large terrace at ground level complete with a swimming pool and an alfresco dining table, plus a rooftop terrace from which to gaze out at the Mediterranean Sea on the horizon.

Although you may well prefer to spend as many hours in the open air as possible, you won't feel short-changed when you eventually head inside. Walk behind the glass doors and you're greeted with a space that feels bright and inviting, thanks in main to the stark white walls, shiny floor tiling and open layout that lets the light flow about unimpeded.

When you want to swap the swimming pool for the sea, the nearest beach – Green Bay – is only 700 metres from the front door and there are plenty more to be discovered along the Cyprian coastline, including Konnos and Fig Tree Bay. The centre of Protaras itself is only 1.8km away for when you need shops and restaurants.

Home truths:
*The home is spread across three levels with no elevator, but one of the twin bedrooms is on the ground floor
*There's space to park two cars on the home's driveway
*The host doesn't accept bookings from groups of young people aged under 25 years old
*This home is one of a collection of similar private villas
*Though there isn't a dedicated desk here, the dining table doubles up as a laptop-friendly workspace