It used to be that when celebrities went on vacation, they’d check into the biggest, fanciest hotel in town. But these days, the rich and famous are skipping the big, public hotels in favor of a more exclusive, more private vacation option. From Brad and Angelina, to Madonna, President Barack Obama, movie, music and TV stars are spending their vacation time away from the crowds and the cameras, and hiding away in luxurious, private vacation homes. Read on for the top 7 reasons why!

1. Privacy

A vacation isn’t much of a vacation when you’re surrounded by adoring fans screaming for your autograph, or ducking paparazzi around every corner. Which is why you don’t see major movie and TV stars spending their vacation time at hotels. Instead, famous faces know that in order to really get away from it all, the key is to check in to a private vacation home. Unlike hotels that cater to the public, a vacation home offers guests a real escape from the outside world, with a level of total privacy a hotel just can’t match. So they can bare all by the pool without worrying about winding up on the cover of a tabloid next week.

2. Space for their stuff

The rich and famous don’t typically travel light. They may be heading out of town to get away from it all, but at the same time, they need to make sure they’re ready for anything – from lunch with the big-name director who happens to be in town to a formal dinner party on a yacht. That’s why the stars tend to bring MORE than what they need, just in case. Which is why they’re bypassing the big hotels and settling in to roomy vacation homes – where they have plenty of space for the tuxedo, the ball gown AND the scuba gear.

3. Room for an Entourage

Just as they don’t travel light, celebs also don’t travel alone. There’s the personal assistant, the personal trainer, the hair and makeup guy (or gal), plus family, friends, acquaintances and hangers on…in other words, more people than you can possibly fit in even the largest hotel suite. And that’s why the stars are bringing the whole entourage to roomy vacation homes – where everyone can spread out and enjoy their time together.

4. Exclusivity

Celebrities like to stay on the cutting edge of trends – they don’t follow the herd and do what everybody else is doing. Why should they, when they can afford to set the trends and set themselves apart from the crowd? So instead of following the masses to whatever resort is popular each season, the stars prefer to create a vacation that is uniquely, exclusively theirs by escaping to a luxury vacation home. After all, what could be more exclusive than your own, private paradise, reserved only for you and the people you want around you?

5. Peace and Quiet

Let’s face it – people are noisy. And people who have a lot of money to spend on fancy hotel rooms are no exception. Their kids fight and splash in the pool. They have parties at all hours of the night. They argue, they laugh, they basically live their lives. Which is fine for them. But if you’re on vacation trying to get away from it all, it’s not necessarily fine for you. No wonder so many celebrities are skipping noisy hotels altogether and opting to stay in peaceful, private vacation homes. That way, if a wild party keeps them up all night, at least it will be their wild party!