Renting a private island sounds like a single product. It is not. Some islands sell exclusive use of everything on them, with a full staff. Some are a collection of villas that you can book as a whole or in part. And some are a single large house on a small piece of land. Knowing which model you are buying, and what the number on the website covers, matters more than the headline price.
Two models: whole-island buyout or a villa on an island
In a whole-island buyout, you and your guests are the only people on the island. The resort’s staff, boats and amenities are yours. The rate is a flat nightly figure for the island, usually up to a stated number of guests, and the island is not sold to anyone else while you are there. The islands below publish this model.
In a villa or private-house model, the island is shared with other guests or is simply a private estate. It costs far less, but you are not alone, and the service model is different. If privacy is the reason you want an island, check which of the two you are being offered.
What published rates look like
Very few islands publish a price. Most say “on request”. The three below do, on their own websites, and we have read each page. All of them are published figures, not quotes, and each can change.
- Musha Cay, the Bahamas. Its reservations page says island rental rates start at $57,000 per night for up to 12 guests, with a minimum five-night stay. The island can host up to 24 guests. The rate includes all meals and beverages, including fine wines and champagnes, and unlimited use of island amenities. Transport to and from the island, massage, deep-sea fishing and special entertainment are not included.
- Orpheus Island Lodge, Queensland. Its exclusive-use page shows rates from AUD $44,630 per night for 28 guests, with a two-night minimum, valid for travel until 31 March 2027. Exclusive use is not bookable from 21 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, when festive season rates apply. Accommodation, gourmet meals, drinks and a daily curated experience are included; transfers cost extra. A 50% non-refundable deposit is due within 14 days of booking.
- Cousine Island, Seychelles. Its rates page lists the exclusive island rental at €11,400 per night for up to 12 adults and 6 children, with VAT at 15% included and meals, housekeeping and some activities covered. Alcohol, spa treatments, helicopter and yacht transfers, diving and fishing excursions are excluded. That rate card was valid from April 2025 to April 2026, so treat it as a guide and ask for the current figure.
The range is wide. The difference lies in capacity, staffing, what is included and where in the world it is. Compare like with like: guests, nights, inclusions and tax.
What is usually included
For a buyout, expect accommodation, all meals, a team that works around your party and the use of the island’s own equipment: boats, kayaks and snorkelling gear are typical. Drinks vary. Musha Cay and Orpheus include them; Cousine includes soft drinks and excludes alcohol. The most common extras are transfers, spa treatments, diving and fishing excursions, and special entertainment. Read the list of exclusions before comparing totals.
Minimum stays and peak periods
Minimum stays are part of the price. The three islands above ask for five nights, two nights and, at Cousine, no stated minimum on the rates page. A five-night minimum at $57,000 is a commitment of $285,000 before extras, and that is the first calculation to do.
Peak periods are the second. Orpheus closes exclusive use over the Christmas and New Year period and sells it at festive rates. School holidays and the Christmas and New Year fortnight are the weeks when buyouts are hardest to find. Ask for the dates the published rate does not cover.
Payment and cancellation
Terms on these islands are firm. At Orpheus, the 50% deposit is non-refundable and the balance is due more than 120 days before check-in. Cousine asks for 20% more than 120 days before travel, 50% from 120 to 90 days and 100% within 90 days, all non-refundable. Weather, illness and flight changes are all your risk unless you insure for them. Read the terms before you sign, not after.
Why published rates differ so much
Three things drive the number. Capacity is the first: an island built for 12 guests and one built for 28 are different products. Staffing is the second: a large team, a resident chef and a fleet of boats cost more than a caretaker and a cook. Location is the third: an island that needs a seaplane or a long-haul flight to reach has higher costs than one a short boat ride from a mainland. The nightly figure also hides the minimum stay, the tax and the extras, which is why we always work out the total for your dates rather than comparing headlines.
Currency, tax and extras
Rates are quoted in different currencies and the terms differ. Cousine states that its euro rate includes VAT at 15% and that other currencies are converted to euros on the final invoice. The Musha Cay and Orpheus pages we read do not state tax on the page we checked, so assume nothing and ask. Service charges, tourism levies, transfers and card surcharges can each add to the total, and some of these are charged separately at the island.
Questions to ask before you pay
Ask for the all-in total in writing for your dates and your number of guests. Ask what happens if the island changes the guest limit, if the weather cancels a transfer or if a member of your party falls ill. Ask who is on the island besides you, how many staff there are and when they work. Ask for the deposit schedule, the cancellation terms and the date the rate is valid until. A good island answers all of this plainly.
Getting there
An island is only private if the journey is simple enough to manage. Musha Cay, Cousine and many others are reached by a charter flight, a helicopter or a boat after a main flight, and the price of that transfer is often not in the headline rate. Ask what is included, what it costs and what happens in bad weather. For the flight, see our private jets and private jet charter guide; for a boat-based alternative, our yacht charter page.
Is an island right for your family?
An island suits a family or a group that wants to be together without being watched. It suits less well if you want restaurants, shops and a town. Children usually love the freedom, but ask how far the nearest hospital is and how a medical evacuation would work. We also ask about the staff-to-guest ratio and the water-safety arrangements for younger children.
For resort islands in the Maldives, where transfers by seaplane or speedboat shape the stay, read our Maldives comparison. A cheaper way to try the idea is a private villa. Our villa rental guide explains how exclusive use differs from an island and what the staff and inclusions look like on land.
How we help
Tell us the dates, the number of guests and the kind of place you imagine. We ask the island for current rates and terms, compare inclusions, check the transfer and handle the booking. Message the concierge on WhatsApp to start. Our private islands guide sets out the regions and what to check.